Prepping the artichokes: Use a serrated knife to chop off the top third of the artichoke (it’s inedible) and cut off most of the stem, leaving about an inch of stem.

Cooking the artichokes: Add the artichokes to a pot of boiling water. Cover with a lid. Bring the water back to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until tender, about 30 minutes. The artichokes are done when you can easily insert a knife into the stem with no resistance. Drain the artichokes stem-up in a colander until they're cool enough to handle.

Make the dipping sauce: While waiting for the artichokes to cool, combine and mix all of the dip ingredients until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Serving: When the artichokes have cooled, slice each artichoke in half. Remove the white and purple centers. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle freshly ground black pepper, sea salt, and thyme over each exposed half. Serve with the dipping sauce. To eat the artichoke, peel off a leaf at a time, dip into the sauce, and use your teeth to scrape off the meat of the leaf.