The exotic artichoke is the closest relative of the common thistle. The unopened "buds" of this plant are eaten. There are about fifty varieties of artichoke around the world, most popular in Mediterranean cuisine.
How to choose artichokes
The artichoke season starts in March and ends in May. In finished form, this plant has a pleasant, sweet-nutty taste. To fully experience it, you should not only cook artichokes correctly, but also choose them with knowledge of the matter. You need heavy "buds" with densely pressed leaves of a juicy dark green color. If you squeeze an artichoke, it should creak slightly. The smaller the bud, the more delicate the artichoke will taste, but the larger, plump buds have more of the delicacy core. Don't buy flabby artichokes with dry or cracked leaves.
Fresh artichokes are stored unwashed in the refrigerator in a plastic bag. So they can lie up to 5-7 days.
How to carve an artichoke before cooking
The artichokes are washed shortly before cooking and the stem is cut as close to the base as possible. Often the plant is served with the leaves up on a plate; for this, the “bottom” of the artichoke is slightly cut off. Leaves close to the stem should be removed. Using a sharp knife, cut off the very tips from all the remaining leaves. They, like every thistle, are prickly. This operation can also be done with large, sharp scissors. Lemon juice can be sprinkled on the tips of the trimmed leaves to prevent darkening from exposure to air.
Very young, small artichokes are cooked whole, without cutting off the stem, thorns or bottom.
How artichokes are cooked and eaten
The easiest way to enjoy the flavor of artichokes is to steam them or boil them and serve them with melted butter, homemade mayonnaise, or hollandaise sauce. To steam the plant, put it upside down in a double boiler or colander set over a steam bath, cover it with a lid and steam it for 20-25 minutes. Boil artichokes in lightly salted water in a non-reagent pot for 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of the buds.
Boiled artichokes can be cut in half lengthwise and lightly sautéed in a skillet or grilled.
Ready-made artichokes are laid out on a plate, cut off by leaf and eaten, dipped in butter or sauce. After all the leaves are eaten, the thorny shell is scraped off from the core and you enjoy its taste. Also, trimmed leaves and chopped artichoke hearts can be added to pasta or salad.
To make artichoke soup, they are taken apart into leaves, chopped, the core is released, the shell is thrown away and the sliced “heart” is also cut. Place the artichoke pieces along with chopped leeks and garlic in a saucepan of melted butter, lightly saute, add boiling water or chicken broth, and boil for an hour, seasoned with salt and herbs such as thyme and parsley. The greens are removed, the soup is mashed and seasoned with heavy cream.
