Sunday 11 June 2017

Artichoke season.



These are the small Artichokes that one buys in bundles at market; leaves and all. They are the secondary growths after the big round heads have been harvested.

                            

Globe Artichokes frighten some people, but they shouldn't. It's quite simple. They are trimmed of their smaller outer leaves around the top of the stem, topped of the unnecessary upper spiky part, and cooked with about 2 or 3 inches of the stem intact.


They are boiled for about 20-25 mins; when cool the outer leaves are removed one by one until the revealed interior becomes lighter in colour. They are then eaten whole, including the stem and choke. At least that's my method. They are usually served with a little vinaigrette. 

This was my yesterday's lunch. Yum!




24 comments:

  1. Thanks for the instructions. Maybe I'll work up the courage to cook some now! Yours look wonderful.

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    Replies
    1. They taste better than they look, but they can be a bit intimidating.

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  2. Replies
    1. Me too Yael. Unfortunately the season is quite short here.

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  3. Interesting that you can eat the choke on these small ones. Have only cooked the big ones but the cleaning is tedious and makes the hands go black.
    Down on Crete they eat the hearts raw with lemon juice and raki of course.

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    1. I remember being presented with a raw large artichoke once in a restaurant here; I had no idea what to do with it. Mine are always cooked.

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    2. I had them in Sivota, raw, grated with lots of lemon juice and grain mustard stired in. Kind of like celeriac remoulade. It was nice but I prefer them cooked and dipped in butter. (I have never cooked them myself, I am chicken of eating the choke by accident)

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  4. I've only eaten artichoke hearts a couple of times and on neither occasion did I do the preparation. Until I read local alien's comment it seemed quite simple.

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    1. It is actually quite simple; it just looks tricky. It simply needs someone to show you.

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  5. Hugh Fearnly-Whittingstall's wife's family in France chew the leaves raw dipped in butter. Hugh naturally does the same.

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    Replies
    1. I've never tried one raw; maybe I should.

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  6. I grew artichokes for a few years and never got around to cooking any of them - I'm one of the scaredy-cats. They turn into stunning purple flowers though, so they weren't a complete waste of space.

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    1. I used to have about 10 plants, and they produced masses of Artichokes. Sadly Lady Magnon isn't too keen on them, so I was eating them by myself. The plants naturally died out.

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  7. A wonderful and underrated veggie. We love ours with lemony garlic butter. :)

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    Replies
    1. I've tried melted garlic butter, but not with the Lemon. I must try that too.

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  8. An old friend of mine tried to impress a first-date when he was young by ordering globe artichokes at a fancy restaurant. Having never eaten them before, he began eating the lot - outer leaves and everything. It took him about an hour, but he managed to finish it.

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    Replies
    1. Oh, and the hairy bit in the middle too.

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    2. Was the girlfriend impressed? Probably not!

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  9. I've only tried to cook them once. I don't think I cooked it long enough. I do buy jars of artichokes from time to time. -Jenn

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    1. I like the tinned ones, there's always a can or two in the house.

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  10. It is a vegetable you rarely see up here unless it is in a jar Cro.

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  11. I love them, but I've never eaten the stem - I must try it next time! I've planted about ten plants so I'm hoping for lots later in the year!

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    Replies
    1. As long as they're well cooked, at least 2 inches of the stem is delicious.

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