Boiled Artichoke with Lemon Butter.

It's almost sinful, this artichoke with it's bit of butter. It's simple. Easy to make. Requires just a tad of patience. But it's sincerely decadent, because the flavors are so rich and yet so light. The taste of the artichoke itself is just so nom-nom-nom, merely enhanced by the tangy citrus butter. This recipe isn't complicated or unveiling some secretive sauce. It's really simple, really easy to make, and really really good. I make this as an appetizer for Stevie and myself if we're settling down to a good Friday night movie. It just feels special and different, and you know, like fancier weekend eats. I also make it for lunch, usually followed up by a salad. It's sort of messy and fun, so it's great to share with a dear friend who doesn't mind your butter-smeared cheeks.

Ingredients:

- 1 artichoke

- Juice of 1 lemon

- 2-3 tbsp. butter (I prefer Kerrygold, because whoa.)

- Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. First, you want to cut off the stem of the artichoke at the base. Then, if you're into following the rules, you can trim the top 1/3 of each leaf on the artichoke. Or if you're like me, you can just not.

2. Bring water to boil in a 3-qt. stock pot. Once it's reached a rolling boil, reduce heat to medium, and drop the artichoke halves in, with the insides facing down in the water. Boil for 20-30 minutes until the leaves turn bright green and the artichoke has softened.

3. Combine the squeezed juice of 1 lemon with the 2-3 tbsp of butter and melt together. I've started doing this in the microwave, but if you want to achieve a thicker glaze, you can heat it in a saucepan over the stove. That's probably what the good wives do. Wherever they are. Probably wearing pearls in their kitchen.

4. Drain the artichoke and serve with the lemon butter immediately! You just peel each leaf off, dip the innermost part of the leaf in the butter, and scrape the meat out with your teeth. It's the most delectable, buttery, hilariously messy fun feast. You are going to want to pull your hair back, because your face might somehow end up planted in the butter sauce. It's that good. Truly.