What To Make With What’s On Sale: Fresh Artichokes

It’s Friday — time for What To Make With What’s On Sale!  This week, fresh artichokes are just $0.88 each at Sunflower Market, and earlier this week Whole Foods Market had long stem artichokes for $2.00 in a one-day sale.

Fresh artichokes might be intimidating if you’ve never prepared them before, but they’re actually a lot of fun to eat!  I’ve heard the artichoke experience compared to a eating a box of Cracker Jacks: you have to work your way to the prize (the artichoke heart) but the process itself (the artichoke leaves) is also quite enjoyable.

Here are some ideas for preparing and serving fresh artichokes!

The most common method of cooking artichokes is steaming.  My family loves to sit around the table and enjoy a steamed artichoke (or two) together!  This fun photo tutorial, How To Eat An Artichoke, explains how to steam artichokes and includes a special sauce recipe for dipping the leaves.  If you don’t have the sauce ingredients or want a different idea, try this Tarragon-Yogurt Dip or this Spicy Aioli.  Yum!

Fresh artichokes can also be baked — this Stuffed Artichokes recipe is similar to stuffed bell peppers.  Try substituting your own meatloaf mixture for the one in the recipe!

Artichokes can be cooked on the grill too!  Here are two yummy-looking 5-star recipes, Grilled Artichokes with Creamy Champagne Vinaigrette,  and this one, Grilled Artichokes with Parsley and Garlic.

Have you ever tried fresh artichokes? Do you have a favorite way to prepare them?

Be sure to check out the What To Make With What’s On Sale archives for more meal-planning ideas!