Sabrina reports that we’ve got baby artichokes in from California! While not actually immature artichokes (they are fully grown, just picked from further down the stalk), they are easier to cook than regular artichokes because they lack the tufty fuzz on the artichoke heart so that they can be eaten whole. To prepare, snap off lower petals until you reach the yellow core of the artichoke. Then cut the top off about a half an inch below the uppermost petals. Finally peel off the green petals until you are left with a yellow core. The prepared artichoke should look like this.

Baby artichokes are done when a toothpick or knife goes into the bottom of the artichoke easily. Steaming should take about 15-20 minutes. They can also be microwaved in a microwave-safe bowl filled with approximately an inch of water for 8-10 minutes. Or saute them in a pan with a little olive oil over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes and season to taste with garlic, salt and pepper. Artichokes made with any of these methods of preparation can be served with a simple sauce or french mayonnaise (mayonnaise with a little mustard added).