ALL ABOUT ARTICHOKES

This information first appeared in my book
EAT FRESH, STAY HEALTHY. For in depth articles about fruits and vegetables, with recipes, you can subscribe to my free monthly newsletter.

Including information on
What wine with artichokes?
Artichoke etiquette (How exactly do I eat this thing?)

With recipes for
Artichokes a la Grecque
Baked Artichokes with Garlic
Artichokes Stuffed with Duxelles
Artichokes Stuffed with Herbed Bread Crumbs
Roasted Artichokes
Artichoke Salad

Ever wonder how our ancestors first discovered if a plant was edible? I think about that every time I see an artichoke. It's lovely to look at, especially the way it's harvested in Italy. Artichokes there have more of a purplish hue, and that familiar closed crown is attached to a longer stem - sometimes a foot or more - than we see in the United States.

But the artichoke also looks menacing and impenetrable, like the pineapple. But unlike the pineapple, the meat of the artichoke is harder to find - and there's a lot less of it. We can just imagine our bearskin-robed forebears picking off leaves, chewing the wrong parts, then getting to the choke and gagging before arriving at the center or heart - if they lasted long enough to get there.

Centuries later, artichokes still require some effort one way or another. I like to say that artichokes are like car oil filters. Remember the Fram oil filter commercial? A mechanic, having just finished a complete engine overhaul on a car, advises the preventative maintenance of using a clean oil filter by admonishing, "Pay me now, or pay me later." With artichokes you have to spend time cleaning and paring them down before you cook them. If you don't, you have to eat around those inedible parts after you cook them. Fortunately, if you decide to do the latter, it won't cost you a new engine.

HISTORY

Artichokes are members of the small thistle family, which contains only one other cultivated species, the cardoon. In fact, some believe that the artichoke is a cultivated version of the cardoon. Wild versions of both abound in the Mediterranean and to a lesser extent in the United States. Neither, however, is related to the Jerusalem artichoke, which is not a true artichoke at all.

Artichokes in some form have been growing throughout the Mediterranean basin from Morocco to Syria for at least 2,000 years. We know that Dioscordes, a Greek physician, wrote about them at the time of Christ. Ancient Greeks and Romans considered artichokes a delicacy, and modern-day artichokes are probably cultivated versions of those that grew wild in Italy.

After Rome fell, artichokes became scarce but re-emerged during the Renaissance in 1466 when the Strozzi family brought them from Florence to Naples. Catherine de Medici is said to have introduced them to France when she married King Henry II in the mid 16th century.

French immigrants brought artichokes to the United States in 1806 when they settled in the Louisiana Territory. But though the first commercial artichoke fields were developed in Louisiana, by 1940 they had mysteriously disappeared, according to Patricia Rain, author of " The Artichoke Cookbook" (Celestial Arts, 1985).

Italian immigrants began commercial production the 1880s south of San Francisco in the area of Half Moon Bay. From there artichoke farming traveled further south to the Salinas Valley.

WHERE GROWN

The artichoke flourishes in Mediterranean climates. Italy is the largest artichoke-producing nation followed by Spain (where most artichokes are canned), France, Argentina, Egypt and the United States. In warmer areas of the Mediterranean, artichokes tend to be tough. Thus, when they are raised commercially in these spots, they are usually a spring crop.

The central coast of California with its cool summers, mild winters, higher humidity and lower evening temperatures is an ideal climate for an almost constant supply of artichokes. California produces virtually 100 percent of domestic artichokes and consumes about half of them. The major growing area stretches from San Mateo to Monterey. Smaller amounts are grown in Ventura and Riverside counties and the Imperial Valley in the south and in the south-central coastal areas of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara. The small town of Castroville in Monterey County California is America's artichoke capital. You can easily recognize it by the giant artichoke towering above the downtown area, the symbol for a restaurant and produce stand called the Giant Artichoke.

VARIETIES

There are more than 140 artichoke varieties but less than 40 are grown commercially. Italy produces more artichoke varieties than any other country. The United States and most other countries cultivate only a few.

The Green Globe variety accounts for about 90 percent of the artichokes produced domestically. It is a clone of the original Green Globe, developed by the California artichoke industry. The Desert Globe is similar to the Green Globe in shape and size but has a more compact appearance with a more uniform green color on the outside and less prominent thorns on the tips of the leaves; as the name implies, it was developed to grow in the desert areas of California. A third variety is called the Big Heart because it has a wide heart; somewhat larger than the other two artichokes, the Big Heart is also thornless and has a more pronounced purple hue, especially in the summer.

Baby artichokes are not a separate variety but merely smaller versions of larger artichokes. Their size comes from their location on the artichoke plant. Baby artichokes are picked from the lower parts of the artichoke plant where the plant fronds protect them from sun, in effect stunting their growth. But unlike other baby vegetables, the baby artichoke is picked when fully mature so it has the same full flavor of a larger artichoke.

SEASONS

The Green Globe is available almost year round with some shortages in the hot summer months, particularly August. The peak period for availability and low price is March, April and May. In the Castroville area, artichokes are harvested as often as every five days or as infrequently as every two weeks. There may be as many as 30 harvests in a single year.

The Big Heart is also a year round variety with peaks in early and late spring and in the fall. The Desert Globe is available from December to March. Small amounts of Chilean artichokes (primarily the Green Globe) are imported in October, November and December.

Baby artichokes have the same availability as larger artichokes.

SELECTION, HANDLING & STORAGE

Artichokes are cut from stalks by hand using a small, stubby knife called a fruit knife. They are then flung into large backpacks slung over the pickers' shoulders. In peak season, pickers use two knives and two hands at once. Under optimum conditions, artichokes are picked before their leaves or bracts begin to separate and with a stem end about three to four inches long.

Artichokes range in size from the two or three ounce small or baby artichokes to jumbo artichokes which can weigh as much as 20 ounces each. Look for artichokes that are firm and compact and heavy for their size. In the spring and early summer, artichokes should have an even green color. In late summer and fall, the leaves of artichokes tend to be flared rather than tightly closed. And in the late fall and winter, artichokes may show some frost damage in the form of some light bronze to brown coloring on the outer leaves. But this "winter kiss," as the industry calls it, is actually a good thing. Artichokes so affected are considered to have superior flavor.

Baby artichokes can range in size from as small as a walnut to as large as a goose egg. Size is no indication of age or quality, however. Use the same criteria for baby artichokes as you would for regular ones.

Artichokes dehydrate rapidly, so it is important to put them in plastic bags and store them in the vegetable bin of the refrigerator as soon as you get home. A little sprinkle of water before you bag them wouldn't hurt. Artichoke growers tell retailers to keep artichokes on ice or to gently mist them to keep from drying out (but not too much water or the artichokes will get moldy.) So if you see a produce manager doing this, he's probably taking good care of his chokes.

To refresh an artichoke that looks a little dehydrated, cut the brown part off the bottom of the stem and put the artichoke in a bowl of water. Cooked or raw artichokes will keep about a week in the refrigerator.

NUTRITION

Considering that a 12-ounce artichoke serving has only 2 edible ounces, it is a pretty good source of nutrients. A single serving also contains 25 calories, 6 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of protein, 3 grams of dietary fiber, 10% of the RDA for vitamin C and 2% each for vitamin A, iron and calcium. Artichokes also contain a decent amount of folic acid, potassium and magnesium.

YIELD

One medium to large artichoke - about 12 ounces - yields about 2 ounces of edible flesh.

BONUS TIP: Artichokes are known as an appetite stimulator. In fact there is an Italian aperetivo called Cynar (pronounced CHEE-nawr, named after the word for the artichoke genus). It has a rather medicinal taste for the uninitiated, something like Campari. Try it over ice with tonic, club soda or bitter lemon as a cocktail.

PREPARATION

Artichokes can be the most arduous of vegetables to prepare, depending on what you want to do with them and your level of patience.

At the simplest level, one merely needs to lop off the stem so that the artichoke can sit upright, then cut an inch or so off the top. Thus prepared, the artichoke can be boiled, steamed or microwaved, and the eater can do the rest of the work, eating around the inedible parts. (Like broccoli stems, artichoke stems are often needlessly discarded. Peel and steam them with the rest of the artichoke. The stems can then be eaten as is or chopped and put into stuffing.)

To prepare the cooked artichoke for stuffing, follow the instructions above. Then pull back the leaves to uncover the inedible center portion. Scrape out the very inner leaves (called the cone) and the fuzzy choke. (This can be done while the artichoke is raw, but it's much harder that way.) An extra but simple step involves trimming 1/2-inch or so from the tops of the outer leaves using a scissors. This makes for a better appearance and eliminates the prickly needles that protrude from the tops of the leaves. Stuff the center of the cooked artichokes with such things as bread crumbs or sausage and put some stuffing in between the leaves as well. Then bake them.

Steamed or boiled artichokes can be served cold, stuffed with the likes of shrimp or crab salad.

For preparations such as deep-frying or salads, the artichoke needs to be completely edible.  Remove the very bottom leaves from the raw artichoke and slice off 1/2 inch from the bottom of the stem. Hold the artichoke in one hand with the thumb positioned on the bottom portion of each leaf. Then bend back each leaf until it snaps naturally. Tear off the top part. What remains is the edible portion. As you get closer to the center of the artichoke, only pale green and yellow inner portions will show and the edible portion of each leaf will be larger. Be scrupulous about the bottom portion of the artichoke, removing anything that looks like it might be tough. Taste if you're not sure and trim any dark green portions, particularly from the bottom, with a sharp paring knife. All the while, rub cut portions with a cut lemon to prevent discoloration. Halve the artichoke lengthwise and remove the inner cone and choke with a spoon. At this point you can use the artichokes as is, or you can cut them into quarters or slice them thinly.

Baby artichokes require less manipulation. Most have no fuzzy choke. And fewer outside leaves need to be removed to get to the pale green and yellow, inner portion. Follow the same procedure as with large artichokes and soon you'll get to a smaller, completely edible version. Then leave them whole, halve or quarter them for whatever type of dish you prefer.

I've always cooked artichokes in a fairly large pot of highly seasoned water (see the "Artichokes a la Grecque" recipe below) but recently I've found that they can be nicely steamed, upside down, in an inch of boiling water, with or without a steaming rack.

Mayonnaise and hollandaise sauces, or variations of either, have been mainstays as artichoke dips. So too have vinaigrettes. A concession to healthfulness might involve well-seasoned yogurt or a compromise of yogurt and mayonnaise in equal portions. The seasonings could be any of those used in the "Artichokes a la Grecque" preparation.

ARTICHOKE ETIQUETTE

It amazes me that so many people still don't know how to eat an artichoke - but then I've been eating them all my life. I remember giving a dinner party in which the first course was an artichoke half. As I was returning the dishes to the kitchen, I noticed all the plates had the inedible parts of the leaves piled on them except for one plate. It was completely clean. After the guests left, I checked under the rug, behind the curtain and in the bathroom. Nothing. Had the person eaten every portion of the leaves? Had she stuffed them into her pocket?

So, for all of you who dread being served artichokes because you never learned how to eat them, here is some artichoke etiquette.

1. It is perfectly proper to pluck and eat artichoke leaves with your fingers. No utensils are necessary.

2. To eat the leaves, pull off a leaf by grabbing the pointed end. At the other, wider end is a thin layer of edible flesh. Put about half of the edible end of the leaf into your mouth and scrape off the flesh with your teeth. Repeat with the remaining leaves. The edible portion of the leaves becomes greater as you get closer to the center of the artichoke.

3. Just before you get to the very center, leaves will become almost white with purple tips. Be careful of these leaves because their purple ends are prickly.

4. Guarding the heart of the artichoke, which most consider the best part, is a fuzzy patch or choke. Scrape it off with a spoon or cut the heart away from it with a butter knife (though a properly prepared artichoke will already have the choke removed).

5. If you're provided with a dip such as a vinaigrette or mayonnaise, put a small part of the edible portion of the leaf in the dip and scrape with your teeth as directed above. Don't overdo it on the dip or you won't taste the artichoke.

WHAT WINE WITH ARTICHOKES

One last bit of etiquette involves the question of wine with artichokes. The long held axiom has been that artichokes and wine don't mix. But that's not necessarily true as wine writers David Rosengarten and Joshua Wesson have pointed out in "Red Wine with Fish" (Simon & Schuster, 1989). Artichokes do have a way of making wines taste sweeter, however. So choose very dry wines with high acidity. Rosengarten and Wesson especially recommend ultra brut or brut sauvage non-vintage champagnes and, especially if a tomato sauce is involved, high acid, fruity Italian red wines such as a Barbera. Dry rose wines, especially French roses, are a good choice as well. Another good choice is an unwooded Sauvignon Blanc.

ARTICHOKES A LA GRECQUE

Artichokes cooked in this fashion don't really need any further embellishment to make a delicious and healthful dish. 

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon each, black peppercorns, coriander seeds and fennel seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• A few branches of fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 1 whole chile pepper or a pinch of hot pepper flakes
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 6 parsley stems
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
• 4 large artichokes
• 1 lemon, washed thoroughly and halved

1. Combine all ingredients except artichokes and lemon in a small kettle with 3 quarts of water. Bring to a boil. Simmer 10 minutes or more.

2. Meanwhile, peel artichoke stems, detach them from the base of the artichokes and remove 1/2 inch from the end of each stem. Cut about 1 inch off the tops of each artichoke. Remove the withered leaves at the base of the artichoke. With a scissors, trim a half inch or so from the tops of the other leaves. Rub the cut portions of the artichokes with cut lemon to prevent discoloration.

3. Squeeze the juice of the lemons into the flavored water and toss in the lemons themselves. Add the artichokes and stems. Cover with a plate to keep the artichokes submerged and cook about 25 minutes. You should be able to easily pierce the base of a fully cooked artichoke with a knife. (If the artichokes are to be cooked further, as in artichokes stuffed with duxelles, there should be a bit more resistance.) Remove, squeeze gently to remove excess moisture and cool upside down. Eat as is (warm or at room temperature), roast, or stuff and bake.

Serves 4.

Sam's Cooking Tip: If you don't want the loose herbs and spices to get stuck inside the artichoke leaves, put all the herbs and spices in a tea ball or wrap them in cheesecloth.

BAKED ARTICHOKES WITH GARLIC

This preparation gives the artichokes a more rustic flavor than when prepared a la Grecque.

• 4 medium to large artichokes
• 1/2 lemon
• 4 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup each, chicken stock and white wine

1. Remove the artichoke stems and save for use elsewhere. Trim the artichoke top and leaves as described in the "Preparation" section above, rubbing the cut surfaces with the lemon to prevent discoloration. Scoop out the center choke and inedible purple tinged leaves. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix garlic with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread artichoke leaves and, with a teaspoon, put some of the mixture in between the leaves of each artichoke as well as in the scooped out center. Put in a baking dish, add stock and wine to the bottom, and cover securely with foil. Bake about 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 4.

Sam's Cooking Tip: You can bend many a teaspoon trying to scoop out the inner choke of an artichoke. Instead, use a melon baller, those miniature versions of ice cream scoops.

ARTICHOKES STUFFED WITH DUXELLES

As was the case with many Italian-Americans, I grew up eating artichokes as a Friday meat substitution and as a mainstay during the Lenten season. But you don't have to give up anything for Lent to enjoy this dish.

• 4 large artichokes, cooked a la Grecque (see Artichokes a la Grecque), cooking liquid reserved
• 1 pound mushrooms, quartered
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 large shallots, minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Olive oil cooking spray

1. Chop the cooked artichoke stem and put them in a mixing bowl. Remove the center cone and fibrous chokes from the center of each artichoke by pulling back the center leaves and scooping out the inedible portion with a teaspoon. Set artichokes aside.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put mushrooms in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped but not mushy - or chop by hand. In a large skillet or wok, melt butter over medium-high heat. When foam subsides, add shallots and cook until just soft but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, increase heat to high and cook, stirring. Continue to cook until virtually all the moisture has evaporated from the mushrooms, about 10 minutes. Add thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Cool slightly, then mix with chopped artichoke stems. This mixture is called "duxelles."

3. Stuff the center of each artichoke with the duxelles mixture. Open some of the outer leaves and put some stuffing in between the leaves as well. Put in a shallow baking pan with about 1/2 cup of reserved cooking liquid. Spray top with olive oil spray and cook, uncovered, 15 minutes.

Serves 4

Sam's Cooking Tip: Duxelles are a common flavor enhancement in many French dishes from soups to stews and sauces. They're also delicious in omelets and scrambled eggs.

ARTICHOKES STUFFED WITH HERBED BREAD CRUMBS

This is a favorite stuffing for many Italians. You can also vary it with, for example, plumped raisins or toasted pine nuts.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 shallots, minced
• 2 cups bread crumbs (preferably homemade from quality Italian or French bread)
• 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
• 1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
• Pinch of cayenne or hot pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 large artichokes cooked and prepared as in Step 1 of Artichokes Stuffed with Duxelles, including the cooking liquid
• Olive oil cooking spray

1. Heat oil in a large skillet or wok. Saute shallots until soft. Add bread crumbs and cook, stirring until bread crumbs are lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Put in a mixing bowl with the stems, mint, parsley, hot pepper, salt and pepper to taste.

2. Stuff artichokes as in Step 3 of Artichokes Stuffed with Duxelles. Spray with olive oil spray and bake as above.

Serves 4.

ROASTED ARTICHOKES

The following recipe was inspired by a dish I had at the Buckeye Roadhouse in Mill Valley, Calif. To get an extra dimension of flavor, you can also cook the artichokes on a charcoal grill over a low flame.

• 2 large artichokes, prepared a la Grecque
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. While the artichokes cook, heat the oil and garlic in a microwave oven 2 minutes on high, or gently steep in a small saucepan on the stove about 10 minutes. Set aside. 

2. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Remove stems from artichokes and save for another use. Halve the artichokes, lengthwise, and remove choke and inedible inner cone. Put artichoke halves in a small roasting pan, cut side down, making sure they are not crowded together. Brush with flavored olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast 17 to 20 minutes, turning once and basting as you do. When done, artichokes should be nicely browned around the edges.

Serves 2 as part of a light luncheon with something like grilled seafood, or 4 when used as a first course or part of an antipasto plate.

ARTICHOKE SALAD

Since artichokes stimulate the appetite, it is best that this salad be served as a first or middle course rather than as a side salad with the main course.

• 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Salt and black pepper
• 3 medium artichokes
• 3 medium shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
• 1 ounce thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into julienne strips
• 1/3 cup shaved Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1. Grate lemon and mix the grated zest with oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Halve the lemon and set aside.

2. Trim the artichokes as directed in the "Preparation" section above so that the entire artichoke is edible. Rub the cut portions of the raw artichoke with one of the lemon halves as you work to prevent discoloration. Squeeze the other lemon half into a bowl of cold water and, to prevent discoloration, put the artichoke halves into the water as you finish trimming them.

3. Dry the artichokes, put them onto a cutting board, cut side down. Then cut into thin, lengthwise slices.

4. Put the artichoke slices in a bowl. Grate the mushrooms on their sides, using the second-largest holes of a 4-sided grater, or slice very thinly with a knife. Add to the artichokes along with the prosciutto. Add the dressing and toss. Top with Parmesan shaved with a vegetable peeler and sprinkle with chives.

Serves 4 to 6.

Sam's Cooking Tip: Lemons tend to be more heavily sprayed than other fruits. So when using the rind, for grating or any other purpose, make sure you wash the skin thoroughly.