Artichokes with Hollandaise

Oh, artichokes with hollandaise. I wish I didn't love you so much. I resisted, hard, the first time Erich suggested making this for me. Anyone who knows me knows that if it ends in "aise" it ain't happening. But he convinced me to give it a try by showing me that there wasn't anything to hate about the ingredients (butter, vinegar, butter, lemon juice, butter, egg yolks, butter, butter), and it was comforting to be able to watch it made from scratch.

Anyhoo, this is really one of our favorite indulgences. It is fun to make and fun to eat. Perfect for this very weekend, snowed in with lots of time on our hands. Big cheers to Erich for planning ahead and stocking the fridge with these yummy treats!

Buying artichokes
Choose your artichokes based on their weight and density. The heavier the better, and the leaves should be tightly shut. Try to avoid 'chokes with dried out and cracked leaves.

Preparation
Wash the artichokes under cold water. If the leaves have spikes on the top, cut the tips off with scissors. Using a knife, cut off the top half inch of the artichoke, then cut off what is left of the stem.

Cooking the artichokes
Place the 'chokes in a large pot and fill the pot with water. Cover and boil for about 45 minutes.
Very carefully remove each artichoke using tongs, and hold it upside down over the pot or the sink to let the water drain out. I sometimes rest it on a slotted spoon to avoid dropping it back into the hot water. Let the artichokes sit while you make the hollandaise.

Hollandaise
2 egg yolks
1 stick butter, sliced up
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp white wine vinegar
dash white pepper
dash paprika

Heat the butter, egg yolks, and lemon juice in a saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly with a whisk. Once the butter is melted add the vinegar. If the sauce doesn't want to smooth, add a tiny bit of water and continue whisking.  Add more water if necessary.  Finish with the white pepper.
Pour into a bowl and sprinkle the paprika on top.

UPDATE: I realized that this recipe not only needs instructions for cooking, it needs instructions for eating!  First, pluck a leaf off of the artichoke and dip the bottom end in the hollandaise. I then use my bottom teeth to scrape the meat off of the leaf. Savor and repeat. Once you get through all of the leaves, you will be left with the bottom of the artichoke, covered in "fur". I use a knife to scrape off the fur. You can then dip the artichoke bottom in the hollandaise as well. Enjoy!