Kitchen aid

The task: Cutting the heart out of an artichoke

The pro: Chef Jonathan Waxman, author of A Great American Cook and chef-owner of Barbuto (775 Washington St between Jane and W 12th Sts; 212-924-9700)

Step 1

Choose a heavy artichoke that has tightly packed, unblemished leaves. Chop off the stem. If you cut with your right hand, hold the artichoke in your left, and grasp firmly.Select a short, sharp knife and hold its base snugly in the palm of your right hand.

Step 2

Cut off the outer leaves one at a time, keeping your right thumb an inch or so ahead of knife, on the leaves, as you slice. Rotate the artichoke while you cut.

Step 3

Continue circling the artichoke, chopping off all its upper and lower leaves. When you’ve finished, it should look round, and you should see fuzzy green or purple leaves; that’s the top of the (inedible) choke at the heart’s center.

Step 4

Artichokes brown with exposure to air and sour very quickly. Coat the cut vegetable in olive oil immediately to stop this process.

Step 5

Once you’ve cooked your artichoke, pop the choke out of the heart using your thumb or a spoon. It should separate easily. Enjoy!