We’re heading into prime artichoke season, and while canned or marinated artichoke hearts are delicious, there’s nothing quite like a fresh artichoke steamed and served with lemon and butter. If you’ve never cooked a real, fresh artichoke, there’s a guide in the Recipe Links that will help. Just remember not to pop the entire leaf in your mouth and start chewing like my father once did at a fancy dinner party.

Food Ideas

Whether you’ve got the luxury of time or anticipate a 6:00 panicked run to the grocery, here are some ideas for putting artichokes on the main stage tonight:

• Love to Cook: Stuffed artichokes with a simple green salad (watercress, arugula or baby kale)
• Weeknight Reality: Quick braised artichokes, pan-braised chicken cutlets, Israeli couscous
• Need a Miracle: Salad with marinated artichoke hearts, olives, sweet peppers & rotisserie chicken over greens
  

Recipe Links

• Artichokes: Bake, Boil or Steam? – Amanda Greene via Huffington Post
• Sardinian Grilled Artichokes – Food & Wine
• Stuffed Artichokes – Gourmet via Epicurious
• Quick Braised Artichokes – Martha Stewart
• Artichoke Crostini – Saveur
• Artichoke Heart, Fennel and Parmesan Salad – Gourmet, via Epicurious
• Marinated Olives, Red Bell Pepper, Artichoke Hearts & Mushrooms – bon appetit via Epicurious

Parting Thought

A woman is like an artichoke, you must work hard to get to her heart.

Inspector Jacques Clouseau, The Pink Panther (2006)