If you are in my part of Spain, in the Community of Valencia, then you know about the artichoke fiesta in Benicarlo, twenty minutes from my village and famous for their artichokes. This year it was once again a great success as it is every year. It is a street festival with tables of samples of artichoke dishes that are presented by various restaurants and this year by two cooking schools.  Thousands visit it every year, bringing their patience, waiting in lines that flow as does the wine, eager for a taste of yet another new artichoke recipe.

Besides their unique taste, artichokes are an excellent source of Vitamin C, and A, potassium, folate, are a valuable source of fibre, a natural diuretic, are low in sodium and help to clean the blood of cholesterol. All this with a low 25 calories per small artichoke.

Artichokes are a Mediterranean vegetable that belongs to the thistle family and have been around for thousands of years. Their cultivation has been attributed to the Greeks and Romans, but who really knows. They most likely made their way to Europe by way of the Arabic influence in Sicily and Spain. The part we eat is the bud and once in season, it is labour intense work still done by hand with several harvests during a period of several weeks. 

Many of our northern European visitors to Spain are curious about artichokes, knowing them from home only as a vegetable boiled whole and eaten by pulling off the leaves, dipping them in melted lemon butter and pulled across the teeth - the ultimate goal being to reach the heart of the matter. Not bad, but boring considering the countless recipes - stuffed, grilled, steamed, boiled, baked, pureed, quartered, sautéed, in salads, and on and on! 

What is daunting for most (or the common excuse) is the 'waste and work' involved in their preparation. Considering the waste of other vegetables that are heavily trimmed before they reach the market (but that you never see), artichokes are less wasteful than fresh peas. The difference is, YOU do the work unless you purchase frozen or marinated hearts of artichoke.

We are fortunate here that our tender, local artichokes are fully edible once they are trimmed properly - and this is no great trick. Larger varieties have an inedible fibrous core (choke) that covers the heart and must be discarded.  Not so our smaller, Mediterranean varieties!

Basic preparation tips:

Because artichokes, once cut, discolour rapidly, have a bowl of  water handy to which you have added the juice of one lemon or equivalent of vinegar to help preserve the colour (acidic water).

Cut off the stem, then a little off the base (+- 1/2 cm.). Turn it, and cut off approximately 1/3 from the top (almost down to the top of the first row of leaves). Now starting from the base, remove all the tough outer leaves. It is the lighter green flesh that is edible, so the object is to cut or break away the upper, tougher part of the leaves.  Dab with the cut side of a lemon to prevent discolouring. You can also cut a ring around and through the lower leaves to accomplish this, or use scissors. The stem is also edible - just peel it like a carrot, cut into several pieces and cook with the rest. Once trimmed, drop immediately into the acidic water.

Drop into salted, boiling water with several thick slices of lemon (and a little olive oil if you like) and cook for 20-35 minutes, depending on the size of the artichoke. They are done when a centre leaf pulls away. They can also be halved or quartered and pre-cooked (parboiled) before preparing á la plancha (on the grill) or prepared with other ingredients.

To cook them on a grill or fry in a pan, cut lengthwise into 4-6 slices and parboil for 3-5 minutes. Drain on kitchen paper and fry in hot oil and garlic if you like. Salt lightly and serve immediately.

I like to quarter them, parboil for 10 minutes and then sauté them for 5 minutes or so in a little butter or olive oil for 5 minutes. From that point, there are many things I like to do with them. Following is one of my favourite ways:

Artichoke Sauté
For 2 servings you will need:
4 small artichokes, 2 tomatoes, a little chicken broth (+- 150 ml.), 1 T. grated parmesan cheese, 1 T. bread crumbs, 1 sm. clove of garlic and a little olive oil.

Quarter the artichokes and proceed as above, but sauté them with the clove of garlic for 5 minutes. Add the tomato cut in quarters, the broth, a little salt and pepper and the bread crumbs. Cover tightly and cook over low heat for 10 minutes or until the artichokes are soft (you can also bake them in a hot oven). Add the parmesan cheese, stir to distribute, cover again and allow to set for a few minutes before serving.

Another quick tip: puree marinated artichoke hearts with a small tin of tuna or bonito with 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise, salt and pepper to taste. Wonderful on bread with a slice of tomato or in a salad.

Related articles: The Artichoke and Your Health 

The Overindulged Liver - Understanding It and First Aid 

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