Cardoon

[GRACELAND]

My Cardoon from Last year is up Survived the winter

[GRACELAND]

[valmarg]

I understood the cardoon was an edible plant.  A bit tough, but edible.  I've never grown them, but I also understood they were annuals.

GRACELAND, your picture looks a bit more like a globe artichoke, which is perennial.

valmarg

[Robert_Brenchley]

They're perennials, and they're pretty tough. They survive everything on my plot, but they never flourish, and I suspect that's down to the winter waterlogging.

[Squash64]

Don't let any of my relatives know that you've put Cardoon in Non Edible plants - they love it!

You have to know when to pick the stems, there is a time when they are lovely and tender.  We don't blanch them like some books recommend.

Your plant looks really good, I'll have to check mine tomorrow.

[grawrc]

Cardoons - which look very like globe artichokes - and belong to the same family, are perennials but sometimes grown as annuals. They can be grown for their celery like shoots, blanched beforehand or for their flower buds - a bit like globe artichokes. They are also grown as ornamentals.

[valmarg]

They're perennials, and they're pretty tough.

I think 'pretty' is an understatement.  I can't remember the telly series, but Clarissa Dickson-Wright was growing them, and they did take a lot of cooking. ;D

I can remember a local recommending how to cook Canada Goose.  You put a 7lb lump hammer on the breast of the goose, put in the oven, and when the lump hammer is tender the goose will be cooked. ;D ;D

I think cardoon is similar, insofar as it takes a lot of cooking, and is probably not worth the effort. ;D

valmarg

[Squash64]

They're perennials, and they're pretty tough.

I think 'pretty' is an understatement.  I can't remember the telly series, but Clarissa Dickson-Wright was growing them, and they did take a lot of cooking. ;D

I can remember a local recommending how to cook Canada Goose.  You put a 7lb lump hammer on the breast of the goose, put in the oven, and when the lump hammer is tender the goose will be cooked. ;D ;D

I think cardoon is similar, insofar as it takes a lot of cooking, and is probably not worth the effort. ;D

valmarg

This is because you are trying to cook them at the wrong time of year.  They are only tender for a certain amount of time.  My husband knows just by the look of the stems if they are tender or not.  We never blanch them.

They are delicious steamed, then dipped in egg and flour and fried in olive oil. 

We don't eat the flower buds, they are generally quite prickly. 

[grawrc]

Yes you have to eat them over the winter months. I don't grow them and have never cooked them but I've eaten them in France and Italy and they were delicious.

[darkbrowneggs]

They're perennials, and they're pretty tough.

I think 'pretty' is an understatement.  I can't remember the telly series, but Clarissa Dickson-Wright was growing them, and they did take a lot of cooking. ;D

I can remember a local recommending how to cook Canada Goose.  You put a 7lb lump hammer on the breast of the goose, put in the oven, and when the lump hammer is tender the goose will be cooked. ;D ;D

I think cardoon is similar, insofar as it takes a lot of cooking, and is probably not worth the effort. ;D

valmarg

This is because you are trying to cook them at the wrong time of year.  They are only tender for a certain amount of time.  My husband knows just by the look of the stems if they are tender or not.  We never blanch them.

They are delicious steamed, then dipped in egg and flour and fried in olive oil. 

We don't eat the flower buds, they are generally quite prickly. 

Hi Squash 64.  - Any more info about how to use this.  I have grown it and found it quite easy - but never actually eaten it

Do you blanch yours and if so - how

What time of the year do you eat them

How do you cook them

Do you eat them as cooked, or do you have a recipe for saucing etc

Many thanks
Sue

[Squash64]

Hi Squash 64.  - Any more info about how to use this.  I have grown it and found it quite easy - but never actually eaten it
Do you blanch yours and if so - how
What time of the year do you eat them
How do you cook them
Do you eat them as cooked, or do you have a recipe for saucing etc
Many thanks
Sue

Hi Sue,
No, we never blanch them.  I think we pick the stalks in early summer, but my husband was a bit vague about this when I asked him.  He knows if they are ready by pressing the stalk.  If it 'gives' much then they are not ready, they should be fairly firm.  Getting them at the right time is a bit hit and miss to me, but he just seems to know when is right.

When/if you find stalks which are just right, trim off all the leafy bits from the sides and top and scrape down them with a knife to remove any strings.  Cut them into bite-size pieces and steam until tender.  Dip in egg and flour and fry in olive oil.   I'm sure there are other ways of cooking them, but we like them this way.

They have a taste which is quite difficult to describe but is very slightly smokey. 

Let us know how you get on.

[Deb P]

Watch it though, there are some ornamental varieties that are not so good for eating..I grew 'Florist's Cardi' from seed, supposed to have bigger flowers than the 'normal' type. Very fibrous, don't think it would make very good eating!

[darkbrowneggs]

Watch it though, there are some ornamental varieties that are not so good for eating..I grew 'Florist's Cardi' from seed, supposed to have bigger flowers than the 'normal' type. Very fibrous, don't think it would make very good eating!

Yes - I don't think I would fancy eating a Florist's Cardi   ;D  ;D  ;D