Globe artichokes are fiddly to prepare but let me assure you, they’re well worth the effort. They’re in greengrocers and delicatessens from June to November, so next time you see them, pick up half a dozen and give them a go. Choose ones with tightly packed, crisp green or purple leaves that feel heavy for their size, and use them within two days.

We only use the heart of the globe artichoke in the restaurants, which is the meaty base tucked inside layer upon layer of leaves and protected by a spiky inedible “choke” in the middle. To get to the heart, you will need to do the following: first, snap off the artichoke stalk, then peel off the tough outer leaves with your fingers. Next, using a small, sharp knife, peel around the base of the artichoke to remove all the remaining leaves. Trim off the cream and purple-coloured inner fleshy leaves, cutting straight across just above the meaty heart. Turn the heart on its side and, with a larger knife, make a straight cut downwards to trim off the fine fibres of the choke. Finally, scoop out the hairy choke with a teaspoon to leave just the heart itself.

If you like to nibble on the tender leaves that lie closest to the heart for dipping into mayonnaise, melted butter or hollandaise, slice about a third off the top of the artichoke. Remove the tougher outer leaves and pull out what you can from the middle. Once again, use a spoon to scoop out the choke.

To prepare artichokes for stuffing, as for my couscous recipe, slice about two-thirds off the top. Pull the tough leaves away and scoop out the middle layers and choke. You should be left with a shallow bowl shape, with about two layers of the tender greeny-yellow leaves left on the outside.

Artichokes are prone to turning brown during preparation. To prevent this, squeeze the juice from a couple of lemons into a bowl of cold water and drop them into the lemony water before starting on the next. When it comes to cooking, bring a pan (ideally stainless steel) of salted water to the boil and add a glug of olive oil and the juice of 1-2 lemons or a glug of white wine vinegar. Add the artichokes to the boiling water and simmer gently, uncovered for 30-40 minutes or until the outer leaves pull away easily and the heart can be pierced with a skewer. They can also be grilled or barbecued. Brush the prepared artichokes with olive oil and cook them raw for about 30 minutes until tender.

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