Topic: Artichokes

[northener]

The ones you dig up like taties, mates gave me a big of them. What can i do with them.

[artichoke]

Scrub, boil or steam, squeeze off the skin with your asbestos fingers, then fry in butter and garlic for a few minutes.

Make soup.

Scrub, roast along with any other roast veg (potatoes, parsnips, squash etc) and cut skin off when eating.

Google for more? I love them - many don't.

[goodlife]

CHIPS!.... ;D

[pumkinlover]

I love them too....... but I do not grow them anymore :-[ :-[ :-[

[grannyjanny]

Don't forget the windeeze ;D ;D ;D.

[artichoke]

Yesterday I made a salad of grated carrot and grated raw artichokes (add lemon juice to gratings to stop the artichokes discolouring) plus olive oil and a little of my blackberry vinegar, and it was really good.

A friend of mine sometimes serves them sliced raw in a lettuce salad plus pieces of hot fried bacon - they have a crisp texture like radishes, but a blander taste.

Last night i scrubbed and roasted one (raw) with some sausages as an experiment, and liked the firm, crisp result, but think I should have steamed it for a few minutes first.

Can you tell I have a lot of them? Mine did not do very well last year but my daughter insisted I plant 6 for her in her London plot, which is tiny and therefore easy to fertilise; I was sure they would be too much for her.... We dug one up on Sunday, and the roots/tubers were immense!  We divided the results between us so I am trying out different ways of getting them down my husband....

Five more huge strong plants to dig up.

[winecap]

Hope this isn't too off topic, but my French friends say the pink variety which tends to be much rounder is better tasting. Can anybody confirm? I picked up a few in a French supermarket but have never seen them for sale here.

[antipodes]

Hope this isn't too off topic, but my French friends say the pink variety which tends to be much rounder is better tasting. Can anybody confirm? I picked up a few in a French supermarket but have never seen them for sale here.

I have eaten both and can't say I see any difference. They are easier to peel though as less knobbly!
I love Jerusalem artichokes (Here they are called "Topinambour") mashed or parboiled and sauteed. They have a lovely asparagus type taste. Here they are not always well liked as people had to eat them during the Occupation so it has bad memories. Like a lot of heirloom veg they are undergoing a revival in gastronomy but they are not to everyone's taste.