An Artichoke Exploration

I've never prepared a fresh artichoke before this evening. Thank you google, for your guidance and detailed videos. Within the past year, I have found myself gravitating towards the odd greenish yellow, strangely layered, strangely textured vegetable on various menus. What I derived from the artichoke exploration was that the freshly cooked artichoke is a bit intricate. The meat is rewarding and the whole procedure can make for one fun lil appetizer.
Artichoke Leaves Dipped in Butter Sauce

Cut the tip of the artichoke off as so... And boil the artichokes in water. I placed a lid on top to keep the artichokes submerged in the boil.

When the artichokes are tender (you can pierce the stalk part easily with a sharp knife) remove from water and pull back the leaves. See picture above. 

This is the fun part, dipping the meaty part of the leaves into a butter sauce (some use mayo). Using your teeth, you strip the meat from the bottom white part of the leaves. The heart of the artichoke is solid meat, you don't have eat around it. You do have to scoop out the prickly hairs in the center with a spoon. Below is the artichoke heart then cut up and sauteed and laid on top my dinner:)

Sauteed Cod with Artichoke Hearts, Butter, Lemon and Capers

I topped cod with sauteed artichokes(only pieces of from the heart), capers, butter, a squeeze or two of lemon salt and pepper. I ever so lightly floured the fish and then sauteed the fish in oil. On the side, I put sauteed kale and jasmine rice cooked in chicken broth! (*see post below concerning the many wonders of broths!)