How to cook a whole fresh artichoke?

I've never used the microwave for an artichoke, and don't recommend it. It will be much tastier and healthier steamed. First, prepare the artichoke:

Wash. Cut off stem flat along the base (although recently I've been told to leave the stem on because it's delicious, haven't tried it myself). Cut off the top part of the leaves, about one inch from the topmost part, flat across all the leaves. Rinse again.

If you have a steamer basket, place it in a pot with lid, large enough so the lid fits snugly with the prepared artichoke inside. If you have no steamer basket, just use a thick-bottomed pot with about an inch of water in it. Otherwise, put enough water in to come up just short of the steamer basket.

Put on the stove, covered, on medium high until the water starts to boil (shouldn't take long). When it does, turn down so that it simmers, keep top on. Let it simmer for about 40-45 minutes (small artichokes a little less maybe, larger ones maybe a little more). To check for doneness, pick the whole thing up out of the pot with tongs and poke a sharp knife into the underside. It should be soft, and go in easily. Then it's done.

Serve with dipping sauce of your choice, or nothing, they're delicious either way. If your goal is to make stuffed artichokes and you're just precooking (meaning you'll stuff them and bake them for an hour or something), then only cook for a half hour or so.

The first person to eat an artichoke was a brave person, or perhaps very hungry. Cut a lemon in half. Cut the top inch off the arti and then pry the center leaves apart gently to get to the choke, a fuzzy barbed thing you don;t want to eat. With a spoon scrape the choke out and sequeeze lemon juice on any parts of the choke that are cut and exposed to air. If that is your only choke then saute a clove of fresh garlic in a pot, then add wine so that you have 1/2 an inch in the pan. Add fresh basil and mint if you have them. Put the arti in with the top down and put a lid on the pot. Cook till the bottom is relatively soften(poke with a knife).You may need to add some water if trhee wine gets low. I can't say the time b/c it depends on the size of your choke, but it will be a while. When it is soft you can eat it leaf by leaf or stuff it and bake it. yum

i usually boil because i change water at least once.because first water seems to be a little cloudy.put in enough water to cover at least half of artichoke .a closed container to make it quicker.but first clip tips off with scissors .cut a part of the stem off but not all the stem.i usually pull an inner leaf out to test for softness.oh, it should be a container made for a micro.why cut tips because tips can pinch when eating.i do all this after washing of cause.you can stuff or just dip leaves in melted butter.either way enjoy.and remember they take a while to cook.enjoy.take care.chow 4 now.

I would not microwave since this is a bad way to make sure you have a tender evenly cooked artichoke. They should be steamed.

I have never actually cooked one the microwave, I cook mine on the stove. But we do reheat in the micro.

Lot of info here for you:

http://www.ehow.com/how_426_cook-artichokes.html

http://whatscookingamerica.net/WholeArtichoke.htm

Steam it