Classic artichokes for plucking with yogurt egg dip:

Artichokes are super healthy and very tasteful at the same time. A real superfood! There are many unexpected health benefits and you can simply add this vegetable to your diet. It is rich in antioxidants and contains even more than other foods traditionally considered to be antioxidant rich such as cranberries, pecans or blueberries. Artichokes support the health of the liver and bones and immune protection against heart disease. As well it helps to decrease the cholesterol levels and blood pressure and it’s good for the brain. They even prevent from cancer and protect you against free radicals. But that’s enough talking about the benefits! Now let’s talk about how to cook artichokes …

This recipe is for about two portions.
Difficulty: It’s easy to cook!
Time for preparation: about 25 minutes

Basic ingredients:

2 big bio artichokes
300g yogurt
250g low-fat quark
3 eggs (you can buy the already cooked ones to save time)
Chopped chives
White pepper
Black pepper
Salt (Himalaya salt is the best)
2 tablespoons of olive oil

Optional ingredients (depending on your taste, allergies etc.):

4 small shallots & white wine to go with
Cayenne pepper
Shredded chilies
A little bit garlic powder
1 lemon (lemon peel & juice)
A pinch of turmeric (curcuma)
A pinch of nutmeg
Paprika powder

How to do it:

  1. Prepare the artichokes: cut off 1/3 of the leaves with a scissor and cut off the stem with a knife. Don’t through the stem away. Use it for cooking with the artichokes! (After cooking you can even cut the stem in half and eat the soft middle part of the stem – the mark)
  1. Prepare the lemon. Wash it first because you don’t want to have the pesticides in your food. Then grate the lemon peel. Afterward cut the lemon in half and squeeze the lemon into a separate bowl.
  1. Cook the artichokes and the stems in boiling hot water for 30 to 40 minutes depending on the size of the artichokes. When the water is heated start adding salt and a little bit of the fresh pressed lemon juice.
  1. In between start preparing the dip:
    Chop the shallots and cook them in white wine and water with a little salt and pepper until the shallots are super soft and the white wine is evaporated. Put them aside to cool down.
  1. Mix the yoghurt and the quark together in a bowl. Peel the eggs and chop them. The egg cutter which I used is super practical and time saving for this. (Cut the egg in there twice to get regularly chopped pieces- the first cut straight, for the second cut turn the egg 90 degrees). Then add the chopped eggs and all the ingredients you like (chives, white & black pepper, salt, olive oil, cayenne pepper, shredded chilies, garlic powder, lemon peel, turmeric “curcuma”, nutmeg, paprika powder) and the shallots when cooled down. Mix everything together. Taste the dip. If it is too bitter you can add a little bit stevia.
  1. Take the artichokes out of the water. Let the water drip down a little and place it on kitchen paper. After the water ran out of the artichokes you can place them on the plates.
  1. Now serve the artichokes and start to pluck the leaves. Dip each leaf into the egg sauce and gnaw off the soft part – the lowest end of the leaves. Take leaf per leaf until you reach the center. When all leaves are plucked start removing the hay. The artichoke heart is the most delicious part.
    Enjoy!!!

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