For a long time I used to look at Globe Artichokes whilst my mind boggled; in a restaurant when presented with a whole large uncooked Artichoke on a plate, I was even more boggled. If you still feel that way, here's an easy guide.
First, acquire your bunch of small fresh new-season Artichokes.
Select the little darling to be prepared.
Remove the lower part of the stem, and any large or small leaves along the remaining length.
Cut off, and throw away, the upper half of the flower, and remove lower leaves all the way round, until the interior becomes paler.
Plunge immediately into a mix of water and Lemon juice, to deter oxidising; then boil for about 20/30 mins.
Leave to cool, then serve with vinaigrette. Almost all of your Artichokes will now be edible; any bits that are not can go to the compost along with all those trimmings!
N.B.The preparation, and eating, of LARGE fully-grown Artichokes is quite different. Maybe another day....
Good morning Cro.Such a beautiful photos, now i want even more to go and look for some around here.
ReplyDeleteGood luck. I can't resist them at the moment.
DeleteI have never eaten artichoke ... Probably never will ! Am I missing much?
ReplyDeleteProbably not Frances. They are not the world's finest food, but always a pleasant arrival in early spring.
DeleteYes, as Yael said, they are beautiful photographs, worthy of any cookery book. I was taken back by your post to my days of reading Floyd on France purely for pleasure, bugger the cooking. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember, but I always think a cookery book that combines travel with good food, is always worth reading!
DeleteI love archichokes. I make them like that but, instead of boiling them in lemon water, I cook them in a little olive oil, garlic and parsley with, final touch, fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
ReplyDeleteYour photos are beautiful!
Greetings Maria x
Thanks; I'll try that next time, frying certainly seems to make things 'tastier'.
DeleteInteresting, maybe I shall get Paul to grow some one year. They look better than the piranha fish on Master Chef last night.
ReplyDeleteI thought the fishermen and the locals on the quayside got the best deal in the food. The stuff at the restaurant looked more like conceptual art than food and how did you eat it.
DeleteI always watch the repeats on Saturday (?). Don't tell me who wins!
DeleteYou're right Rachel; it all looks so fiddly. I makes you scream for beans on toast.
DeleteThat's exactly what I thought Rachel, the quayside food looked so much more appetising.
DeleteI think I will just pop it into the compost bin and focus on better vegetables. Life is too short for artichokes, eggplant and chokos.
ReplyDeleteA lot of people see Artichokes like that. However, they're not that difficult, or time-consuming, to prepare.
DeleteThanks for this - I am an artichoke novice, although I do buy them in jars packed in oil to add to salads. -Jenn
ReplyDeleteI buy them like that too; usually packed in brine. In fact I bought 3 tins on Tuesday.
DeleteIt is a pretty looking veg. I have used artichokes from a jar in foods that I prepare but never would consider getting a fresh one. Too much work for so little.
ReplyDeleteYou're probably right, but I actually enjoy the whole process, from beginning to end.
DeleteLooks delicious, but we dip ours in melted butter. Gorgeous photos! xo
ReplyDeleteI keep the melted butter for Asparagus.
DeleteI would say thank you for such a pretty bunch to pop into water for the kitchen table, really decorative. No thanks to eating them though.
ReplyDeleteYou don't know what you're missing. They're delicious.
DeleteLovely pictures Cro. The first time I ever saw an artichoke was at a restaurant in California and had no idea how to eat it! so I mad a mess of eating almost all of it and hated it.....now I buy them in jars...and the grown up I am now thinks of the young ignorant girl I was then and wants to tell her 'just say you've never seen one and say 'how do I eat it?...oh to be young again.......
ReplyDeleteThat's how I felt when presented with a whole big uncooked one in a restaurant.... funnily I can't remember what I did with it.
DeleteWe love artichokes! But I've never prepared the baby ones. We stuff and cook the large ones a lot. First we cut off the stem and thorny edges of the leaves, wash them well, and stuff the inside of the leaves with a combination of breadcrumbs, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil. Steam them in a large covered pot until the leaves come off easily, and then serve them with melted butter to dip them in. The stuffed leaves are wonderful. Is this how you do it?
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like 4 star cooking; I'm afraid ours are cooked whole (with most of the stems), and served with vinaigrette.
DeleteI have never ever seen them for sale up here Cro.
ReplyDeleteYou could probably grow them in your garden; they're very decorative. A lot of people grow them for the flowers, which, if you leave them, open out as purple.
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