When I was two, my mother scandalized a friend by letting her see me eating an artichoke. Back then, artichokes were considered very sophisticated and entirely unsuitable for children. I suspect my usually by-the-book mother broke the taboo in search of anything her finicky daughter would consume.
The big globe artichokes is a kind of perennial thistle, Eyore’s favorite food. Buy only those vegetables that feel heavy in your hand, are dark green and have closed leaves (also true when buying baby artichokes as described below although they aren’t quite so dark in color.)
Eyore with a thistle
Thistle, an artichoke relative and Eyore's favorite food
We eat the fleshy lower portions of the bracts and the base or heart. The mass of tiny florets at the center of the heart is the choke which is not edible in older plants, as anyone who has failed to clean the heart and gotten a throat- full of choke can attest to.
Although Castroville, in Monterrey, CA, bills itself as the artichoke capital of the world, the biggest grower worldwide is Italy. The plant probably originated in North Africa, was ultimately brought to Europe and arrived in California in the 1600’s via Spanish settlers.
Here is a a recipe for baby artichokes from a California friend. It seems wasteful to get rid of so much of the outside but it’s necessary in order to end up with a tender dish. On the up side, in these little guys the choke isn’t mature so it’s eaten as part of the whole.
ELAYNE’ S BABY ARTICHOKES
1 lb baby artichokes
1 onion, chopped
1 T dried rosemary
2-3 T olive oil
1 T red wine vinegar
1/4 cup red wine
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Trim each baby artichoke removing outer leaves until you reach the delicate layer. (This comes down to removing about one third of the leaves.) Cut off the top of the plant, shave the stem and leave it attached. Trim off the bottom end of the stem. If large, cut baby artichokes in half. If tiny, leave them whole.
- cleaned baby artichokes
Boil cleaned artichokes in water for 5 minutes; remove and drain.
In a pot big enough to hold all the artichokes, sautee the chopped onion in 2 T olive oil until soft. Place drained artichokes in saucepan with sautéed onions. Add lemon juice, vinegar and red wine. Sprinkle with rosemary. If, during cooking, artichokes start to get dry, add a little more olive oil and wine to keep it wet. Cover pot and simmer over low heat for 1/2 hour, checking to be sure enough liquid remains, until artichokes are tender. You can keep the finished artichokes right in the pot until they are served.
simmering artichokes
No melted butter, balsamic vinegar or any other sauce needed!