I make them this way
Cut the top off to trim the points, cut the bottom part off close to the base of the leaves, pick up the artichoke and give them a whack on the table to open up the leaves, wash them and put them in a bowl with some lemon juice to avoid them from turning black,in the mean time , chop some fresh parsley, chop some garlic, add some bread crumbs and mix everything with a spoon. Pick the artichoke out of the water and give it a good shake to get the water out , open the leaves up carefully so that they wont break, and add some of the bread crumbs mixture in them , in a shallow pan set the artichokes, cover them half way with water making sure no to wet the top drizzle some olive oil on the top of each one , cover with a lid and let them cook on medium heat until done keep an eye on the liquid only a little should remain in the pot. if you wish you can add some salt to the bread crumbs but I never do and they taste great.
