I. WHOLE

Prepare for eating whole, above:

If you wish to serve them filled with sauce or melted butter in the center, part the center leaves and pull out the prickly pinkish leaves in the center. Using the tip of a spoon or a melon baller, scrape out the fuzzy choke; be careful not to cut into the heart. To avoid discoloration, rub the cut surfaces with:

Place in a steamer basket over 2 to 3 inches of boiling water, first adding to the water, if desired:

Cover and steam until the bottoms feel tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 30 minutes for medium artichokes and up to 45 minutes for especially large ones. Check the water level halfway through cooking and replenish with boiling water if necessary. Drain and serve hot or chilled with:

Provide a bowl for discarding spent leaves.

To eat whole artichokes, remove the leaves one by one and dip the thick, fleshy end into the butter or sauce. Bite down gently on the leaf and pull it through your teeth to scrape off the tender edible portion (discard the fibrous remains). When you reach the inner, light-colored cone of young leaves, pull it up with one movement. Then, with a spoon or knife, scrape away the fuzzy choke and discard it. Eat the heart and tender portion of the stem with a fork, dipping each piece into the butter or sauce.

II. HALVED OR QUARTERED

Wash:

Leave the stems attached. Snap off the toughest outer leaves and discard. Cut off the top one-third of the artichokes, and peel the stem with a paring knife. Lay each artichoke on its side and cut into halves or quarters through the stem. Using the tip of a spoon or a melon baller, scrape out the fuzzy choke. Place the artichokes in a steamer basket over 1 to 2 inches of rapidly boiling water, cover, and steam until they are easily pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Serve as for I.