Name: Steamed Artichokes with Lemon Beurre Blanc
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 2 approximately 1 pound artichokes; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 5½ tablespoons cold unsalted butter, (cut into slices); 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots; 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice; 2 tablespoons dry white wine ((such as Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio)); salt and pepper to taste

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Steamed Artichokes with Lemon Beurre Blanc are a fantastic appetizer for sharing, or a light first course. The lemony-buttery white wine sauce clings to each leaf, making for the most delicious bites ever.

If you’ve never steamed an artichoke, you won’t believe how easy it is.

I love serving steamed artichokes with Lemon Beurre Blanc. Even though it’s made with butter and the flavors are rich, it’s light and absolutely delectable with the texture and taste of the artichoke.

What is Lemon Beurre Blanc?

Beurre Blanc is a classic French butter sauce made of shallots, white wine and emulsified butter. It’s rich, silky smooth, and especially delicious with fish and vegetables.

Lemon Beurre Blanc is made with a combination of white wine and lemon juice, along with the butter and shallots.

How to Steam Artichokes

– Rinse the artichokes and then use a Chef’s knife to cut off about 1 inch from the top of each one, and enough off of the bottom to form a nice base.

– Remove any especially tough outer leaves. Then use kitchen scissors to cut off about ¼ inch or so from the tops of the leaves (the sharp tips).

– Fill a large pot with a few inches of water, and place a steamer basket or rack on top. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. Turn the heat to low.

– Place the artichokes in the steamer basket (or on the rack), drizzle with lemon juice, cover, and steam until they’re tender, about 45 minutes. Check by pulling off an outer leaf — it should come off easily.

How to Remove the Heart from Steamed Artichokes

– Once all of the outer leaves are removed, you’ll be left with a small bundle of inner leaves that are likely pinkish-purplish in color towards the tips, and very tender.

– These leaves can usually be pulled off in one clump, leaving you with the heart full of the “choke” — the inedible fuzzy part of the plant. Use a small knife or spoon to gently scrape it out and discard it.

Recipe Tips and Substitutions

Do you have to trim the artichokes? No, you can actually just rinse them and place them in the steamer pot as is. However, it makes for a prettier presentation and more delightful eating experience if you do.
Of course I think steamed artichokes are fantastic with the Lemon Beurre Blanc, but you can dip the leaves into plain melted butter, hollandaise, or even eat them on their own.
This recipe calls for approximately 1 pound artichokes, but you can use any size you like, adjusting the steaming time accordingly. The smaller the artichoke, the shorter the time. 😉
If you don’t have a proper steamer basket, here are a few ideas for how to make one.

I hope you love these Steamed Artichokes with Lemon Beurre Blanc as much as I do.

Serve them at your next get together!

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