Grilled Artichoke

Preheat grill to 400 degree Fahrenheit.

To prepare cooking liquid, combine lemon juice, flour, 1 tablespoon oil and water in a heavy-bottom saucepot. Mix well to dissolve flour.

Prepare artichokes by first cutting 1″ off the top of the bulb and bottom of the stem. Using a paring knife or vegetable peeler, peel the tough, fibrous skin away from the stem, revealing the tender, white flesh beneath. Use your fingers to pull off any tiny leaves at the base of the bulb. Now, use a pair of kitchen shears to snip the pointy tips from the remaining leaves. Finally, place artichoke stem-up on a cutting board and cut in half. Immediately submerge cut halves into the cooking liquid to prevent browning. Repeat with remaining artichoke.

Cover and bring to a boil. Cook 25-30 minutes or until artichoke heart is knife tender, but not so much that halves won’t hold together. Gently remove cooked halves and drain well until they’re cool enough to handle.

To remove the prickly center choke, gently slide a spoon between the heart and choke and scoop out. Discard chokes.