You can prep Steps 1 and 2 the day before and place artichokes in zip-top plastic bags in the refrigerator. The choke is the inedible prickly center of the artichoke you scoop out after boiling in water.
This was our first experience with grilled artichokes, and it was disappointing; not terrible, just ok. I think they were overcooked: too much time in the pot and too much time on the grill (perhaps our fire was too hot). They were charred.; We trimmed the surfaces but that "burned" flavor still filtered through. The olive oil/lemon juice was not strong enough to impart much flavor. We ate them, but no one really thought they were that good. If I do this again, I will definitely cut down on the cooking time and steam, rather than boil, them first. We did not make the asparagus.
I would give a rating of 3 for the artichokes and a 5 for the asparagus. The artichokes were a bit burnt and dried out. I served this with chicken sausages and perogies.
