The first dish I learned to properly cook in culinary school was steamed artichokes. Initially, I wasn’t exactly thrilled—artichokes seemed strange to me, even a bit unappealing. But before we could dive in ourselves, our chef instructor, Alex, gave us a demo. She was a skilled artichoke saleswoman. She effortlessly began to break down the strange vegetable, step by step while sharing a core memory of standing around her grandma's kitchen table watching her cook meatballs while nibbling on artichoke leaves.
Once the artichokes were cooked, chef Alex whipped up a classic lemon aioli for us to pair with our snack. She then showed us how to make the most of an artichoke by uncovering the succulent little meat pockets hidden at the base of each leaf. She revealed the true beauty of the artichoke—while they may be a labor of love, the process is therapeutic, offering a deeply satisfying reward at the end. I’ve loved artichokes ever since.
If you're new to preparing artichokes, it's normal to feel intimidated—I still find myself sometimes double-checking the next step in the process. To help you out, I've linked a step-by-step video on how to break them down properly. With just a couple of practice sessions, you'll be a pro in no time.
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