Trim the end of the choke and peel the stem, then half it length-wise. Remove the hairy choke, scooping out some of the middle to create a cup for the couscous. Artichokes are almost color coded so you know which part to remove. I use a pearing knife to cut the choke out and then remove any excess with a small spoon. NOTE: When artichokes bloom, the choke turns this gorgeous indigo color and is simply lovely. But here it is evil and must be destroyed! Seriously, you do not want to eat this.

Steam the artichoke, cut-side down, with a bit of lemon juice and salt until just tender. About 25 minutes. But this will really depend on the size and freshness of the choke. Simply pierce it with a knife to test for readiness.

Cook the Israeli couscous per instructions. Now, some instructions suggest adding olive oil to the water. Do not do that. You should cook it like pasta and it is a mistake to add oil during this step.

Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a media saute pan. Add in the red onion and garlic, sauteing for about 30 seconds. Then add in the tomatoes and bell pepper, cooking another 30 seconds. You want the ingredients to just soften.

Add in the chopped parsley and couscous. Mix to combine. Then salt and pepper the mixture to taste.

The artichokes should be ready!

Serve up each artichoke half with a heaping scoop of the couscous stuffed inside. How wonderful does this warm couscous salad look? Wait til you taste it! Enjoy!