artichoke globes

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kirsty Hale on August 31, 2010 at 6:21pm

Oh Fiona I must have missed your post while on holiday, many apologies, I've just seen it! To cook your artichokes first you need to prepare them - there's a useful Riverford video on youtube if you copy and paste http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QkaKi8Fw7g into your browser it will come up, where Jane and Guy show you how they look in the field and also how to prepare and cook them. Or go to our website where we have soem great recipes and it also tells you how to prep them:
1.Globe artichokes will keep for a week or more in the bottom of your fridge. Discrete areas of discoloration are sometimes the result of a late frost and will not affect the flavour if trimmed out. But a lot of browning and dehydration is a sure sign that they have been too long out of the field and will be past their best. They should be picked while tight, and before a hole starts appearing in the centre. As they mature, the artichokes slowly open and, if given a chance, will reveal the beautiful purple, thistle-like flower sold dried in flower shops.
2.The more mature the artichoke, the tougher the leaves and the meatier and more substantial the base, or heart, will be. As a guide, if you cannot cut through the leaves reasonably easily with a sharp knife, they will be tough even when cooked (though the flesh attached to them may be quite edible). To trim artichokes, pull off the dark outer leaves, working round the artichoke until you are down to the pale green leaves. Then cut off the tops of the remaining leaves and trim the artichokes so no dark green bits are evident. The stem can be trimmed too – just lightly if the artichokes are young, but cut right back if they are old and tough. At this point, you can remove the hairy choke with a teaspoon.
3.Once cut, the exposed surfaces will soon brown. This can be avoided by acidulating some water with the juice of a lemon and dunking your prepared artichokes in it prior to cooking. If preparing a lot, you may find a tidemark on your bowl to challenge even the most powerful detergent.
4.The simplest way of cooking artichokes is to boil them in salted water acidulated with lemon juice for 20–30 minutes, according to size (until the lower leaves will pull off fairly easily, but with a bit of experience you can also tell by the smell). It helps to use a small lid as a weight to keep them under the surface. Drain them well upside down for 5 minutes and eat them either hot or cold with vinaigrette or melted butter (possibly with a little lemon juice in it). Good picnic food.
5.If you want to do more than boil and eat them with vinaigrette or melted butter, there are more ideas from Jane on the following pages.
6.Another tip: don’t waste any good wine with artichokes – there is something about them that ruins your palate. And one more thing; don’t lick your fingers after cutting them; they will have that extreme bitter flavour reminiscent of dandelion juice.
7.My advice is to stick to the Breton approach of boiling them whole, which requires minimal preparation, but Jane’s preference is preparing them in ways that enable you to eat the whole lot. Even with the youngest and freshest artichokes, this can be hard work.
I hope that helps for next time.

• ▶ Reply