Squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon into a medium bowl of cold water. Break off stem of 1 artichoke and largest leaves at bottom. Put artichoke on its side on board. Holding a very sharp knife or small serrated knife against side of artichoke (parallel to leaves), cut lower circle of leaves off, up to edge of artichoke heart; turn artichoke slightly after each cut. Rub cut edges of artichoke with cut lemon. Cut off leaves under base. Trim base, removing all dark green areas. Rub again with lemon. Cut off central cone of leaves just above heart. Put artichoke in bowl of lemon water. Repeat with remaining artichokes. Keep artichokes in lemon water until ready to cook them. To cook artichoke bottoms, squeeze any juice remaining in lemon into a medium saucepan of boiling salted water. Add artichoke pieces. Cover and simmer over low heat until tender when pierced with knife, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool to lukewarm in liquid. Using a teaspoon, scoop out hairlike Choke from center of each artichoke. Alternative: trim then pull each leaf; scrap to remove the choke. Recipe by: Faye Levys INTERNATIONAL VEGETABLE COOKBOOK Posted to MC-Recipe Digest by KitPATh on Mar 24, 1998