Cut 2 of the lemons in half and squeeze the juice into a large bowl filled with cold water; drop squeezed lemon halves into water. Set bowl of lemon water next to your work area. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, remove the top few layers of dark green leaves, exposing the tender yellow leaves below. With a sharp paring knife, pare away the tough, fibrous outer layer around the base of the artichoke, then trim the tip of the artichoke off to flatten the top; you should still have about 2 inches of leaves above each heart. Drop each artichoke into the bowl of lemon water, as it is prepared (otherwise artichokes will darken).

To cook artichokes, place them on a rack in a pan above simmering water and steam, covered, until a knife slides easily through the base of the artichoke and leaves are tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove artichokes and plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.

To make the aioli, juice the remaining lemon. In a blender, puree the egg yolk with 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, the garlic, and a hefty pinch of salt. (If using a food processor, use a whole egg.) With machine running, gradually pour in the extra-virgin olive oil in a very thin, steady stream. Then pour in neutral oil in a thin stream. Do not rush it; if you pour oil too fast, mayonnaise won?t thicken. When all the oil is incorporated, transfer aioli to a serving bowl and season, to taste, with more lemon juice and salt. Serve at once with cooled artichokes. If made ahead, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate aioli and artichokes up to 1 day.

*RAW EGG WARNING

Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.