Artichokes are a delicacy that is universally popular. If it weren't for the laborious preparation and trimming required to get hold of the tasty pieces. But with our tricks, it's not rocket science. With these five simple steps, you can prepare artichokes quickly and easily like a pro.

1. Cut off the top half of the artichoke and remove the hard outer leaves.

2. Trim the stalk and peel the artichoke.

3. Scrape out the hay in the centre with a spoon or small knife. Immediately rub half a lemon into all the cut areas to prevent the vegetables from turning dark in colour.

4. Leave the artichoke bottoms whole and cook in lightly salted water for approx. 5 - 6 minutes until crisp. They should still be firm to the bite and are ideal for stuffing. Or:

5. Cut the artichoke bottoms into slices about 5 mm wide and fry in a little olive oil.