None Choose nice firm artichokes that are not turning brown or looking dry. (I like to serve one artichoke per person.) Cut off the stems even with the bottom of the artichokes. Cut about an inch off of the top of the artichokes-straight across the tops of the leaves. Using a pot that's large enough to accomodate the chokes in a single layer, arrange artichokes in bottom of pot. Add water to a depth of 1 to 2 inches. Bring water to a boil and turn down heat so that the water remains at a low simmer. Cover pot and cook for 45 minutes. Check occasionally to be sure the water is not boiling away, and add more if necessary. The test for doneness is to pull out a leaf. If it comes away from the artichoke easily, it's done. Serve on a plate with a small bowl of dipping sauce. To eat artichokes, pull off individual leaves, dip in sauce, and scrape leaf between teeth to remove the soft pulp near the bottom of the leaf. The remainder of the leaf is discarded. As you get near the center, the leaves become tenderer and a greater portion of each leaf is edible. When you are near the center, remove any remaining leaves, and you'll see a fuzzy thing called a choke. This is not edible. Scrape it off with a knife or spoon and discard. Under the choke is the heart which many think is the best part of an artichoke (though I kind of like the leaves better myself). The heart is completely edible. Cut it up and dip the pieces in the sauce. Information provided by Deborah Kirwan. Converted to MM by Donna Webster Donna@webster.demon.co.uk Submitted By DONNA@WEBSTER.DEMON.CO.UK On TUE, 31 OCT 1995 151630 GMT