Fill up a large bowl with cold water, then squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon. Set aside.With a serrated knife, cut off the top spiky ⅓ of the artichoke and remove tough outer leaves.
Trim stem down to 2 inches or 5 cm and peel it.
With your thumbs, loosen up the head of the artichoke exposing the choke.With a knife or with a sturdy teaspoon, remove the fuzzy choke.
Put the cleaned artichoke in the bowl with the lemon water to prevent discolouration and browning.
STEAM ARTICHOKES
To a large pot add 1½ inches (4 cm) of water and the bay leaves. Put the steamer basket into the pot, then arrange the artichokes on the steamer basket, head down.
Cover the pot, bring to a simmer, and steam until tender. It can take from 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of your artichokes. Pierce the artichoke with the tip of a pointy knife to check doneness. The knife should slide in easy.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a squeezeoflemonjuice, a pinch of salt and black pepper.Alternatively drizzle or dip in chermoula, chimichurri, or vegan mayo.They are delicious with pitabread or focaccia.