You can steam the artichokes ahead of time and refrigerate them, but they will have more flavor if you bring them back to room temperature before serving. You can also make the lemon-garlic sauce ahead, but it may stiffen up as it sits in the refrigerator. So save some of the potato cooking water and stir a couple of teaspoons of it into the sauce to loosen it back up before serving.
- 1 baking potato (6 ounces), peeled and thinly sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup light mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons plain fat-free yogurt
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 large artichokes (10 to 12 ounces each), steamed (see box)
- 1 teaspoon rosemary, minced
- In a small pot of boiling water, cook the potato until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of the cooking liquid.
- Transfer the potato, the reserved cooking liquid, and the garlic to a large bowl and mash until smooth. Add 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, the mayonnaise, yogurt, salt, and cayenne.
- Meanwhile, trim off the tough leaves from the artichoke. Trim off the tough end of the stem, then peel the remaining stem.
- Steam the artichokes, adding the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice and rosemary to the steaming water. Serve the artichokes warm or at room temperature with the lemon-garlic sauce.
Makes 4 servings; per serving: 155 calories, 5g total fat (<1g saturated), 5mg cholesterol, 7g dietary fiber, 25g carbohydrate, 6g protein, 375mg sodium
From The Wellness Kitchen
With a sharp, heavy knife, cut off the top one-third of the artichoke, which consists of inedible leaf tips. Pull off any short, coarse leaves from the bottom, and cut off about 1 inch of the tough stem. With a paring knife, peel the remaining stem. Don’t cut an artichoke with a carbon-steel knife; it will turn the cut parts black. Rub the cut parts with lemon juice to keep them from darkening.
In a large pot or steamer bottom, bring 2 or 3 inches of water to a boil. You can add herbs or other seasonings to the steaming water to impart a subtle flavor to the artichokes as they cook. Some good choices are rosemary, lemon juice, white wine, garlic, bay leaves, fennel seeds, or tarragon vinegar.
Place the artichokes, stem-sides up, in the steamer and set over the boiling water. Cover and cook until tender, 30 to 45 minutes. To test for doneness, stick a small, sharp knife into the stem where it joins the base of the artichoke.
Remove the artichokes and let them cool slightly, upside down. Serve them warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
