Topic: ARTICHOKES

[Hyacinth]

I've been asked my recipe for Carciofi alla Romana....here it is:-

1) grow your artichokes 8) harvest when young and tender.

2) Discard any outside woody leaves, trim the stems to, say,  5cm, & chop the first 2cm off the top leaves so that the most tender parts remain.

3) Ease open the leaves so that the artichoke resembles a flower (ahhhh)

4)Put them in a bowl of cold water + lemon to preserve the colour while you make the stuffing.

5)Mix fresh  breadcrumbs, chopped garlic, chopped mint together & press mix between the leaves.

6) Arrange in a casserole, head up (so cut stems so that they sit comfortably) sprinkle s & p over, & pour olive oil over the heads.

7) Add enough water to come 1/2 way up the artichokes, cover the pan & cook slowly until nearly all the liquid has reduced and a fairly thick sauce remains.

They're cooked when the leaves can be pulled off easily (may need to add more water, so check) or are cooked when my multi-purpose cake testing skewer goes in easily ;D

So...you'd best get digging your plot then, Ms, to grow the artichokes to try this recipe..... ::) ;D

[grawrc]

Sounds yummy! Quantities of breadcrumbs mint and garlic to taste I'm assuming?

BTW is there not something nasty and inedible called the choke that you have to remove from inside (above the heart)?

[supersprout]

Drool, will be sowing this week for sure!
Similar question, how can you tell when the flowers are young enough to have immature (edible) chokes? Prod? Squeeze? :P

[grawrc]

http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/vegetables/globeart.html orhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globe_artichoke you have to scroll quite far down to get the answer in the second one.

[supersprout]

Thanks Anne, loved the wikipedia's advice
"the novice artichoke eater may wish to seek guidance by discreetly watching a companion"
LOL!

[cleo]

There is an old joke about a couple who were unsure how to eat an artichoke.

So they hid the lot so as to pretend they had enjoyed it.

The waiter returned and said  "Ok where did you hide it?"

[Hyacinth]

LOL Steph. ;D Sorry,yes you've gotta remove the 'choke' in the centre, but if they're v. young & tender, not much choke to them (I'm lousy at writing recipes and another yes.....mix crumbs etc to taste - and also depending on the number to stuff... ::))

[katynewbie]

;D

Mmmmmmmm sounds delish!!

 ;D

[Moggle]

Sounds yummy! I am going to give these a go later this week.  :)

[Mrs Ava]

okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay, so do you eat the entire flower, as it is a baby, or do you peel off the leaves like you do with a mumma flower??

[Hyacinth]

If it's young, tender and fresh enough, should be able to eat it all.

[Mrs Ava]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Moggle]

Bought my artichokes yesterday, I hope they last till tomorrow when I intend to make this recipe.

[Hyacinth]

if they're really young and tender, be OK...older and well-travelled? hmmm...

[supersprout]

Bought my artichokes yesterday, I hope they last till tomorrow when I intend to make this recipe.

Sowed mine yesterday, hope they sprout so I can make this recipe in August ::)

[Moggle]

I forgot to write down your recipe Alishka, so ended up following a river cafe one which is pretty much the same thing, but with lemon.

I thought they were delicious, but OH hated them! Oh well, I will still cook them for myself occasionally.

Photos to follow  :)

[Moggle]

[supersprout]

Oh moggle that looks SOOOO good!
The artichoke seeds have just sprouted, roll on August!
But the seed packet says wait until the second year before harvesting :o
Can this be true? :'(