The artichoke is a perennial herb native to the Mediterranean. This amazing vegetable is 85% water, free of fat and includes vitamins, minerals and organic acids. Artichokes are delicious, and even diabetics and people who strictly adhere to diets can enjoy them.
It is necessary
- - artichokes;
- - lemon juice, vinegar;
- - knife;
- - enameled, earthenware;
- - refrigerator.
Instructions
Step 1
When choosing artichokes, pay attention to the fact that they are uniformly green (no brown spots) and the correct shape. Avoid buying sluggish, dry vegetables. Ignore the size of the artichokes as Housewives can use vegetables of different sizes for different purposes. Small plants are great for making snacks, and medium-sized vegetables can be fried and stewed. Artichoke hearts of any size, even very large ones, can be cut into small pieces and added to salad or vegetable stews. But the best taste comes from artichokes added to rice dishes. Prepare the famous Italian artichoke risotto and savor the delicious nutty flavor of this amazing vegetable.
Step 2
Pay special attention to the leaves of the artichoke. In healthy vegetables, the petals are tightly pressed. Even if artichokes have a slightly bronze color and a pimpled surface, you can safely buy them. In stale or spoiled fruits, the leaves become flabby, dry and lag behind the vegetable itself.
Step 3
When choosing artichokes, squeeze them lightly in the palms of your hands: fresh vegetables will creak slightly. Since the artichoke has an edible core, peel back the leaves a little and see how tightly they adhere to the fruit. If the leaves themselves fall off, then such an artichoke should not be taken.
Step 4
Also calculate the amount of artichokes you need to purchase to prepare the dish: half of the artichoke you buy will end up in the trash can after you remove the flowers, leaves and villi of this vegetable.
Step 5
Prepare artichokes very quickly after purchase, because they are not designed for long-term storage. During storage, vegetables will not deteriorate, but they will lose useful juice and become somewhat fibrous. To extend the shelf life of artichokes and avoid browning, immerse the vegetables in water that has been mixed with lemon juice or vinegar. The shelf life in the fridge is about 7 days raw, and 1 day when ready.
Step 6
You should clean the fruits as follows: break off the outer leaves, trim the inner ones, scrape off the villi on the surface, so you will get to the most delicious in this vegetable - to the core.
