Fresh would be lovely....but not sure it's worth the expense unless you get a deal.
If you are using fresh, nestle them into a pot, cov r with water and add a couple of T. lemon juice....simmer until a leaf from the center pulls out easily...then eat the ends of the leaves....and when you get to the fuzzy choke, scrape that out and cut up the heart....
But canned or frozen are mighty good.....
Linda C

Linda's right. It's a lot of work for artichoke hearts. Unless you can get the artichokes really cheap, just use frozen or canned.

In general, if you're going to use fresh, you need to under cook it enough that it won't go mushy in the finished dish, but this dish has so little cooking that doesn't really apply. Rather than cooking them as if you were going to serve them, I'd trim off the leaves and choke first, using the stem as a handle, then only cut enough of the stem to get the ick off. Remove the stem and peel it. Steam the heart and stem until just done. A toothpick or knife point should slide in easily at the center where you cut the stem off.

The ingredients are bright enough that I think you could tell the difference, but I agree it's probably not worth the aggravation. If you wash the canned ones and set them to dry it might improve them.

Since you'd only be using the hearts (at least that's what the recipe says) you'd have the leaves left over and you could eat those also. Darn the bad luck (((wink, wink)))! Or you may see it as another con if you have "unused" leaves. Just a thought. Also, the canned quartered baby artichokes would be even easier than chopping canned hearts (ours tend to come whole? (like hearts of palm) for some reason).

One vegetable I prefer canned to frozen, although fresh is always best, I would use canned, unmarinated artichoke hearts.
And preferably whole so you can chop up to the desired size-chunky.

Chase, you just made me feel so good! I have never cooked artichokes either. When I worked at WmsSonoma I bought an artichoke steamer (we got a 40% discount) and it was on sale so they practically gave it to me....and there it sits in the cabinet still unused. I buy the canned quartered ones.

jude

Jude, I've never cooked a fresh artichoke either. Elery has made them a couple of times because he loves them, but I'm just really underwhelmed.

He's gotten canned artichokes and frozen artichokes and I don't think fresh is really that much different. I don't like the marinated ones at all, but I don't like pickles, so that's probably why.

If I pull a leaf and dip it in butter then scrape out the middle with my teeth, it mostly tastes like butter, so I'm still underwhelmed.

I'd definitely go with canned or frozen.

Annie

I agree with the others that canned or frozen will be just fine for this dish...which I have on my "to try list" soon hopefully!:)

I just have to add that the major artichoke harvest is on right now, even tho it's a pretty-much year-round operation. The prices are down, and the current crop looks lovely. I have numerous places where I can just pull to the side of the road and slice off a couple of chokes, but I'm too honest to ever do that. Besides I know a number of people in the business!

It's a lovely recipe, and I'll try it! Thank you.

Some secrets about artichokes for those who don't usually cook them: Buy the frost bitten ones that have a little black in the leaves. They have the most flavor. The leaves (petals?) should be tight, stiff and springy, never soft. The big ones, size of a man's fist, are usually tastier than the little ones (size of the canned ones). I think those are different varieties, however, so it depends on what your stores get.

You can use a paring knife or kitchen shears to cut off the points, but tin snips work the best on the big, tough ones with the really sharp points. I have "kitchen tin snips" for the purpose.

Take a paper bag with a cuff on top, or a waste basket, to a comfy chair. Peel off all the little leaves by the stem. Next, slide your cutting tool under each leaf and slide down to where it stops pulling out, and cut there. Go all the way around on all layers until you get to the thin, center leaves. You can cut straight across where these overlap, or just leave them if they're not too prickly. Cut off the stem at the base for a standard presentation. You can peel and cook the stem as well. You can also leave it on, especially if you're steaming, which is the best choice if you have long stems (8-12"). Use a little lemon juice on the cuts.

To boil, put top down, wedged in a pot of water so that they're floating, salt and lemon optional. Wedged tail up is important for even cooking. This will take 45-75 minutes for a goodly sized artichoke. The place where you cut the stem off should be pale and yield easily to a knife point or toothpick when it's done. Drain well before serving. You can steam instead of boiling, but the timing depends entirely on your steamer. Same test for doneness.

If you're going to stuff the artichoke, cut the overlapping tips off, then work your paring knife inside to cut out the inner leaves. A bent blade knife is good for attacking the choke (the standing fibers that grow out of the heart), though you can do it with skill and a small paring knife. Be careful not to take the heart with the choke, since that's the part that you're really eating.

Set right side up on a baking pan and stuff. Bake until done according to recipe and tenderness at base.

You can also cut artichokes in half, scoop out the choke, brush with EVOO or butter and grill them cut side down. Very yummy.

We are much lazier here in France! LOL
We just break the stem off, rinse them, then boil them stem end down in water for about 40 mins. I like mine with butter, DH likes vinaigrette.
Chomp and slurp our way through the leaves, then scrape the choke off, melt butter on the heart then eat the best bit.

I think I'll go for frozen or canned ! LOL

Sharon, I have never cooked/used/eaten a fresh artichoke so I am of absolutely no help in answering your question. However, after reading the advice/replies of those more experienced in artichokes, I think I would agree with your choice of just using frozen or canned.

I'm not sure I've ever seen frozen artichokes around here. I use canned/jarred. I actually like the marinated ones, but have used both.

Hope you and the girls like the recipe!

Linda