Artichokes, like apples, oxidize quickly, so make lemon juice to drizzle or a deep bowl of cold water. Artichokes also paint your hands a dark color – you need gloves to clean them.
Tear off all the rough petals, but be careful not to damage the base. When soft light green petals appear, the artichoke is considered peeled.
Now get rid of the hard top, then cut off the stem and clean the base with a knife.
Some artichokes need to be cored. This will be easier if you divide the fruit into 4 pieces lengthwise.
It is best to steam artichokes – this way they retain the maximum of their useful properties. If you decide to cook artichokes, do not pour out the broth – you can continue to cook the first course on its basis.