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Everything
you need to know about artichokes, and then some.
Article Contents
What
is it?
In common English, an artichoke is a big
thistle plant that is native to the Mediterranean. And here is a more botanical
description if you prefer.
*Note: This is not the same as a
Jerusalem artichoke. Also, know as "sun chokes" the Jerusalem choke is a tuber
eaten raw or cooked. When eaten raw it is crispy and similar in texture to a water
chestnut.
Artichoke is the common name for a plant of the composite
flower family. The artichoke grows wild in the south of Europe and is cultivated in
the United States, primarily in California. The leaves proceed from the base of the stem
and are long and somewhat spiny. The stem is up to 1 m (3 ft) high, branched, with large
heads of violet-colored (sometimes white), thistle-like flowers at the summits of the
branches. The thickened receptacle (heart) and fleshy bases of the scales (leaves) of the
immature flower are the portions eaten.
Scientific classification The
artichoke belongs to the family Asteraceae (formerly Compositae). It is classified as Cynara
scolymus.
"Artichoke," Microsoft® Encarta® Online
Encyclopedia 2001
http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved
.
This is an artichoke plant in full bud.
Photograph by Artichokes.org
Artichoke History
It appears that the artichoke
was first developed in Sicily, Italy. There is mention of the plant in Greek and
Roman literature as far back as 77AD. Artichokes were cultivated by the North African
Moors near Granada Spain about 800AD. The choke made to England in about 1548 but was not
well received. The Spanish settlers brought artichokes to California in the 1600's.
They did not become widely grown or used in California until the 1920's. "In
1922 Andrew Molera, a landowner in the Salinas Valley of Monterey County, California, just
south of San Francisco, decided to lease land previously dedicated to the growing of sugar
beets to farmers willing to try the “new” vegetable. His reasons were
economic—already artichokes were fetching high prices and farmers could pay Molera
triple what the sugar company did for the same land. By 1929 artichokes were the third
largest cash crop in the Valley" (Food Museum).
Castroville California and the artichoke really made it on the map when Marilyn
Monroe was crowned Artichoke Queen
in 1948. Eighty percent of all artichokes grown commercially are from Castroville.
Castroville is located approximately 98 miles (156km) south of San Francisco, and
16 miles north (25 km) of Monterey.
How To Select Artichokes
Choose globes that are dark green, heavy, and have "tight" leaves. Don't select
globes that are dry looking or appear to be turning brown. If the leaves appear too
"open" then the choke is past its prime. You can still eat them, but the leaves
may be tough. (Don't throw these away you can always make artichoke soup). Artichokes are available throughout the year with
peak season being from March to May with a smaller crop produced in October.
How To Clean and Prepare Artichokes
1. Tap the choke upside down in the sink. This will remove anything
that may have made this artichoke a home. With most commercial grown chokes this is not
usually an issue. But, if you or a friend grow artichokes you'll find earwigs love
to live in the leaves (if grown organically).
2. Rinse the choke under running water.
3. Some of this is preference. I do not cut away the
entire stem (because it tastes good). I leave about 1 1/2" or so, trim then end and
peel the top layer off the stem. You may remove the entire stem, at the base, if you
prefer.( You may want to do this for "presentation" purposes.) Remove the really
small leaves along the bottom of the choke. Some people whack off the top inch or so of
the choke to remove the thistles and to even out the top prior to stuffing the choke. You
may also use scissors or a sharp knife to trim away the sharp tips. Prepared artichokes
should be placed in a bowl of water with the juice of one or two lemons added until you
are ready to cook them. Here is a step by
step visual tutorial for choke prepping (located at the bottom of that page page)
Artichoke cleaned and prepared for cooking.
How To Eat an Artichoke
Artichoke eating is a hands-on
affair and another case in life where the "journey is as important as the
destination"...
Pull each leaf off the choke and hold the pointed end between your fingers and drag the
leaf between your teeth. Most of the edible portion is on inside bottom 1/3 of the choke
leaf. When you serve artichokes it's nice to put a bowl on the table for the discarded
leaves unless your serving plate is large enough to stack the leaves on the side.
Artichokes are commonly served with a
dip such as lemon-butter, or mayonnaise.
The Artichoke Heart
Once you've eaten all the leaves you'll see the heart or flower of the choke. By the way,
the leaves closest to the heart of the choke are very tender and depending on the size and
age of the choke you can frequently eat the whole cluster of leaves. Once you see a
bed of fuzzy or hair like strands you've hit the heart. Scoop out the fuzz with a spoon
and discard. The rest of the base of the choke is edible, referred to as the heart. This
is the favorite part of the artichoke for some people.
How To Store Artichokes
Fresh artichokes should be put
in a plastic bag, unwashed, and refrigerated. It is best to use them within 4 days of
purchase. If you grow your own then cut them right before you cook them
Baby
Artichokes
Baby artichokes are fully mature artichokes that grow closer to the ground, sheltered by
the larger leaves on the plant. They are easy to cook and prepare because the inner fuzzy
portion of the choke does not develop.
More Recipe Links
Ocean Mist Artichoke
Recipe List
Other GourmetSleuth
Artichoke Links
Fun
Links
Worlds Largest Artichoke
Artichoke Festival
Artichoke Advisory Board
Artichoke Thistle in full flower.
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Photograph by Artichokes.org
Nutrition
1 - 10 ounce, medium
artichoke, steamed or boiled
| 60 |
calories |
| 4.2 grams |
protein |
| .2 grams (less than 1 gm) |
fat |
| 13.4 grams |
carbohydrate |
| 114 grams |
sodium |
| 6.5d grams |
fiber |
Basic
Boiled Artichoke
Clean and trim artichokes.
Select a heavy pot with a lid. The size will depending upon the quantity and size of the
artichokes you are cooking. Make sure the chokes will fit in the pan with the lid
on. Add 1 1/2 to 2 cups water to the pan. At this point you can add either a
little salt to the water, 1 teaspoon, or none.
Bring the water to a boil. Place the
artichokes in the pot in a single layer if possible. Simmer about 30 - 40 min
depending on the size of the chokes. To test for doneness pull a leaf from the middle row
of leaves. The leaf should pull out easily.
When the chokes are done, remove them from
the water with tongs, and allow to drain. Serve hot or cold. Chilled artichokes have more
flavor. (See our pressure cooker version too)
Basic
Soup Recipe
I
N G R E D I E N T S
4 large artichokes, trimmed to
hearts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 leek, (white and light green parts only), sliced
1 large russet potato, peeled and cubed
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 bay leaf
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock (substitute vegetable stock for a vegetarian soup)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup whipping creme
Salt & freshly ground white pepper to taste
___________________________________________
Cut trimmed artichokes into
thin wedges. Heat oil in a large soup pot over high heat. Add the artichokes, leek,
potato, celery and bay leaf and cook and stir until the leeks start to soften, 3 to 5
minutes. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until
potatoes and artichokes are tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and discard bay
leaf. Let the soup cool for 5 minutes.
Strain the vegetables allowing
the liquid to drain into a bowl. Insert the metal blade into a food processor and
puree the vegetable mixture in two batches. Return the batches to the pot and mix in
the vegetable liquid. Stir in the creme. Continue to warm over low heat. Season with
salt and white pepper to taste.
Basic Stuffed Artichoke
Artichokes Stuffed with
Lemon-Garlic Breadcrumbs
Bon Appétit - April, 1998
I
N G R E D I E N T S
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
from crustless French bread
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
__________________________________________
6 medium artichokes, trimmed, left whole,
chokes removed according to recipe for Trimmed Artichokes
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, cut into 6 pieces
1/2 cup (or more) water
Lemon wedges
Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix
breadcrumbs and oil in medium bowl. Spread mixture on large rimmed baking sheet. Bake
until golden on edges, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Transfer to large bowl.
Mix in lemon juice, oregano, garlic and lemon peel. Season with salt and pepper.
Drain artichokes. Gently pull
leaves outward from center until leaves open slightly. Fill artichoke cavities with bread
stuffing. Pack stuffing between leaves. Place artichokes in 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking
dish. Dot tops with butter. Pour 1/2 cup water into dish.
Cover dish with foil; bake
until wooden skewer pierces artichokes easily, adding more water as necessary, about 40
minutes. Remove foil. Continue baking until tops are golden, about 20 minutes.
Serve with lemon wedges.
Marinated Artichoke Hearts
Marinated Artichoke Hearts - Try our recipe for
marinating your own artichoke hearts at home.
Quick
Steamed Artichokes
Pressurecooker Steamed Chokes - A reader
contributed this great fast cooking recipe
The
Sleuth's Favorite
My favorite artichoke
preparation is from restaurant Piperno in Rome, Italy. The artichokes are very small
and fried in olive oil "Jewish" style. Here is an excerpt from a
travel journal describing the fried artichokes from Piperno.
"Piperno's specialty is the artichoke. It is a Jewish (but not kosher) restaurant in
the Ghetto, featuring the dish in which this edible flower bud, found at its best in the
Roman Campagna, is (to quote from the menu) "thrown into boiling oil, smooth as a
billiard ball," and "comes out like a chrysanthemum with petals open, distilling
its pleasant perfume." Read the rest of the
review.
We have not located a good recipe for artichokes prepared in this style. Part of the
difficulty is finding the proper small tender chokes. If you have a recipe and would
not mind sharing it, please email me.
Thank you in advance!
More
Artichoke Recipes
Browse - more recipes from the GourmetSleuth
files that use artichokes
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