Pressure Cooker Artichokes

One night last week, Valiant was working and Buttercup and I took the opportunity to split an artichoke.  I am so grateful that at least one of my children is willing to enjoy the wonderfulness that is an artichoke.  The other thing I'm grateful for?  Just how easy it is to prepare an artichoke with a pressure cooker.

Ready to go...don't they look beautiful?

Seriously, it is that easy.  First thing you do is rinse your artichoke.  Pat it dry and trim the top.  Then you take your kitchen shears and cut off the pointy tips of all the leaves.  Then you cut it in half and cut out the choke (the "fur").

Lemon to keep the artichokes from turning too brown and garlic for, well, garlic flavor!

This is what you'll be left with.  Set both halves in your pressure cooker in a steamer basket.   Squirt with lemon and sprinkle with garlic.   Add two cups of water.   Close up your pressure cooker and turn on the heat!

My old-school pressure cooker.  I just turned the flame on high and waited for the
pressure valve to bobble!

Wait 10 to 12 minutes from the time the pressure valve starts bobbling.   I have an old-school pressure cooker.  The little top starts bouncing back and forth on little bursts of steam.  When it settles into a rhythm, that is when I set the timer. (Two artichokes takes roughly 12 minutes, one artichoke takes roughly 10 minutes.)  As soon as the timer goes off, take the pressure cooker off the flame and head over to the kitchen sink to do a quick water release.  (Some sites say use cold water; I was always taught to use hot water.)

Look at how beautiful!  Still steaming tenderness and ready to be plated!

One the steam is released, you an open your pressure cooker and view your perfect artichokes.  (Notice that I didn't have enough water and almost steamed it dry, thus the brown water in my pan...oops!)

Look at that Artichoke goodness.  Perfectly done, ready to be eaten!

After that, you can serve your artichoke warm or chill it.  It is your preference.  We like ours warm, with melted butter.  I remember my dad and grandpa liked it mayonnaise (ick!). 

If you use your homemade mayonnaise, this is purely Paleo!
(We used grass-fed butter, so it didn't make the cut!)

Sit down, peel off those leaves one by one, scraping your teeth across the meaty goodness, unlocking the heart.  Then, cut that heart into chunks and swirl it what is left of your butter (or mayo) and savor its sublime goodness!  Before you know it, you'll have nothing left but scraped leaves on your plate and a smile on your face.  Just remember:  Don't put those leaves in the garbage disposal...they will ruin it!!  Nope, artichoke parts are compost or trash only!

All that is left...leaves for the trash and the memory of a perfect artichoke!