Preparation

• Cut off the top inch of the artichoke with a sharp kitchen knife and enough of the bottom stem for it to sit steadily and not wobble. Run the top of the choke under running water to remove any grit. Cut off the thorns at the end of each leaf with kitchen shears. Spread the leaves open slightly. As you complete each artichoke, drop it into a bowl of water containing lemon wedges, to prevent discoloration of the cut leaves.

Seasoning and Wrapping

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the chokes from the bowl and place them upright on a foil-lined baking pan. You can drizzle the artichokes -- called carciofi in Italy, where they predominate on pizzas and as side dishes -- with extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and chopped garlic. Double-wrap the artichokes individually in aluminum foil and bake on an oven rack for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, depending on size. Test for doneness by removing a wrapped choke from the oven and probing its base with a knife; if it feels soft, it's ready. Let the artichokes cool slightly, unwrap them and serve.

Grilling Options

• Artichokes are too dry to grill from start to finish, but you can take your baked vegetables and place them on a grill to add flavor. Cut the artichokes in half; brush them with oil, and grill them for about 4 minutes, cut-side down. Turn them over carefully and let them continue until char marks appear, Ocean Mist recommends.

Switching to Convection

• The extra-drying heat of convection ovens, while wonderful for roasting root vegetables and summer vegetables as well as meats, doesn't offer as much of an advantage when you want to roast dry-ish -- and, of necessity, foil-wrapped -- artichokes. You can either turn off the “convect” option on your oven’s controls and roast the artichokes normally. Or, if you choose to keep the over on “convect,” press the “convect convert” setting to determine a shorter cooking time.