Artichoke steamed in one-fourth the time in a pressure cooker and served with tangy, fragrant lemon curry dipping sauce for an appetizer of light meal. Make it.
Steamed artichokes are delicious. Nothing's more simply elegant than a perfectly steamed artichoke with a terrific dipping sauce. They're great as an appetizer or a light meal, and they make a great centerpiece for a grazing board. But artichokes do take a long time to steam on the stove top. I'll show you how to get tender, perfect artichokes in the pressure cooker in just 15 minutes. Plus I'm sharing my "secret" sauce – lemon, curry aioli.
If you're like me, you love artichokes just for the taste. I can't sing the praises of artichokes loud enough. When God created artichokes, He could have stopped right there. This food is loaded with taste and health benefits. One artichoke has the right balance of carbs, fiber, protein, and fat for anyone counting macros. Plus, artichokes are a great source of vitamins and minerals including C, K, B6, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, and zinc. If you want a good dose of these nutrients, eat an artichoke a day.
Artichokes have special antioxidants called polyphenols. Caffeoylquinic acids and flavonoids are so powerful they're used in many pharmaceutical applications.
To preserve their nutrients, we're going to pressure cook our artichokes over a shorter period of time. We want all their special nutrients. Compared to the standard stovetop steaming method, pressure cooking takes only a fraction of the time. So get out your pressure cooker and let's make some healthy steamed artichokes.
The Recipe
LFG Pressure Cooked Artichokes
1 Artichoke (or as many as will fit in your pressure cooker)
2 Cups Water
Salt to Taste
Lemon Curry Aioli Dipping Sauce
1/3 Cup Avocado Oil Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp Raw Local Honey
1/2 tsp Curry Powder
Instructions:
Step 1: Trim the Artichoke
Before you can steam the artichoke, you need to cut the spines off and open it up a bit. So first, take a very sharp, chef's knife. Lay the artichoke on it's side on a cutting surface. Trim the stem, so the artichoke stands up on its own. Next, cut about one inch off the top, like you're giving the artichoke a buzz cut (see photo). Finally, take a sharp kitchen shears and lop off the points of each leaf (also see photo). Now, squeeze open the artichoke so steam can get in when you cook it.
Step 2: Pressure Cook Artichoke(s)
Set the wire trivet into the bottom of the pressure cooker. Set the artichoke(s) on the trivet as many as you'd like and will fit. Next, fill the bottom with water, about two cups, just high enough to reach the trivet, but not too high as to touch the artichokes. Next, sprinkle a little salt into each artichoke. Just a pinch for flavor. Finally, lock the lid and set the dial on top of lid to "seal", then set the pressure to "high" and set timer to 15 minutes. When finished cooking, turn the dial on top of lid to release pressure. When it stops hissing, and the pressure button sinks back into the lid, it's okay to open the lid. Be sure to wear an oven mitt as the steam inside the cooker is hot.
Step 3: Make Aioli
While the artichoke is cooking, whisk up all the aioli ingredients in a medium bowl and pour into a serving ramekin. Cover and refrigerate until time to serve.
Plate the artichoke hot and set the dipping sauce to the side. Or, if you prefer to serve cold, wrap the steamed artichokes in plastic and refrigerate overnight. I like them either hot or cold depending on the season.
Artichokes pair particularly well with brut Champagne. ENJOY!