Where did the artichoke buy a drink? The salad bar!

I like things made with artichoke (the hearts on a veggie pizza, dips for chips and crackers, etc.), but I really like to just eat them simply roasted as the main feature.
Probably the simplest complex veggie to cook. Here's how I do it and it's perfect every time;

First, you gotta pick out that one best gorgeous artichoke. The thicker the stem, the bigger the "heart" inside the base, just above the stem. Wash it. Admire the purple. :D

Next, you're gonna need a sharp knife. A VERY sharp knife. Because these little suckers are hard to cut.
You're going to cut off the stem, just below the base, and cut off the top third because that part is inedible anyway.

See those little spikey tips of the petals? They're not necessary and kind of bothersome...go ahead and snip them off if you like. I do.

Get out your tin foil and rip off two pieces to make a double thick foil wrap.
Mix a little garlic and a pinch of crushed basil in your favorite olive oil and drizzle that all over, making sure it gets down inside the petal layers.

Wrap that 'choke up fairly tight and pop it in an oven preheated to about 425°F.

Set your timer for an hour and fifteen minutes (add another 20 minutes or so if your veggie is ginormous, or shave off 15 or so if it's really small).

When it's done, and cool enough to handle... unwrap it and plate it. gently pull the petals open and salt/pepper it if you like. This time, I didn't. The garlic was enough.

The petals practically fall away. The edible part is the pearly light color near the base.
You want to put the petal in your mouth and sort of suck that part off...using your teeth to scrape it. Your teeth and tongue will tell your were the tender part is.

Discard the "husk" of the petal. You can't eat that.

You might think, "oh my, that's a lot of work for just the ends of the petals." Well, not really. And there's a zillion of them. But here's the payoff... now it's getting good...
See that round pod that's sort of acorn-y in appearance with the purple-ish/pink-ish curled petal tips on top? THIS is the goal at the finish line.

Use a fork or spoon and lift that "cap" off. you'll see something that resembles cornsilk underneath.

You're gonna remove that stringy looking "silk". It's really easy. Everything is super soft.

Once you have it off, you've just uncovered the Mecca of Artichoke. The Pièce de résistance. The Indian Red of the Crayola box. THIS part is what's in those expensive little jars at the store, marinating in who-knows-what (preservatives and all). THIS is the artichoke heart. Congratulations.
Scoop that up and bon appétit.