Artichokes with Creamy Lemon Dipping Sauce

Steps

1. Remove outermost layer of leaves from the artichokes. Trim tops and bottoms of artichokes so they sit flat. Snip pointy tips from each leaf.
2. Cut the lemon in half and rub over cut parts of artichokes (reserving lemon halves). Add 2 inches of water to a medium pot. Place artichokes in pot, arranging so they sit upright. Heat to a boil on high. Reduce heat to simmer. Cover pot and cook artichokes 25 min., until tender, adjusting heat as needed to maintain simmer.
3. Meanwhile, stir together the mayonnaise, soy sauce, and chives. Squeeze in 1½ tbsp lemon juice from lemon halves. Stir in 2 tsp water until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. To eat, pull off each artichoke leaf and dip in mayonnaise.

Tips

For easy trimming, use kitchen shears to trim the leaves and a serrated knife to cut off the top ½ inch and bottoms of artichokes. Use a spoon to remove the fuzzy inedible choke from each cooked artichoke.