The art of preparing a choke

If you tried out my last recipe Toucinho do céu, you might need something to assist your liver in recovering from it.

Some vegetables, spices and herbs are known to assist the liver and bile function. In my opinion, there is one particular ingredient that deserves much more attention than it currently gets: the artichoke. Artichokes are not only very healthy, they are a true delicacy.

In Italy, Carciofi serve as a very important ingredient in many typical dishes. Also in Southern France, people know what to do with the thistle flower. The more Northly we travel, people seem to be scared of this strange-looking 'vegetable'. Some have undoubtedly encountered the beautiful artichokes on the vegetable market, but simply don't know how to prepare them, whilst others kept wandering what the dull green-yellow slice was that made the Quattro Stagioni pizza so special. So let's bring an end to this mystery of how to cook artichokes and let's hope they may soon bring more variety to your diet. I'll give you my quick version:

Preparation

1 Cut away the stem as close as possible to the flower

2 Remove all outside leaves that are hard, small or have opened

3 Cut away the tips with a strong pair of scissors (you can use garden pruning scissors)

4 Wash thoroughly

Cooking

1 Mix a teaspoon of white flour per artichoke with enough water to cover the artichokes

2 Add 4 tablespoons of white wine vinegar, half a lemon and a bayleaf

3 Bring to the boil and let cook for 20 minutes

4 Let the artichokes cool down in the liquid

Eating

Peel away the outer layer of leaves. The rest of the leaves can be eaten; well, that is: the wider section can be pulled of when squeezed between the teeth. Very nice with a garlic dip sauce. The most valued part of the artichoke is the heart.  Once all the leaves are removed (they become smaller and smaller towards the inside, but more and more edible), gently pull off the 'hair' (the choke, still edible in smaller specimen). You are now left with a round base, the artichoke heart.

Hints and tips

• Raw Artichoke leaves can be very sharp, use protective gloves if needed.
• The flour, vinegar and lemon serve to prevent the artichokes from turning brown while cooking. The fresher the artichokes, the less acid will be needed to prevent oxidation.
  
• Artichoke leaves are very decorative and can be used to garnish a plate.
• You can add parsley stems to the boiling water to add more taste.
• Cut a few artichoke hearts on a slice of bread and season with salt and pepper; Simple but delicious!
  

Recipe: marinated artichoke hearts

Ingredients

• Freshly cooked artichoke hearts
• a handful of fresh coriander
• a handful of fresh parsley
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 cup of Extra virgin Olive oil
• a teaspoon of White wine vinegar
• a squeeze of Lemon juice
• Salt, Pepper

Preparation

Blend all the ingredients (first start with the garlic, add the fresh herbs in the end) in a blender. Marinate the artichokes in the dressing overnight.

Hints and Tips

• Add some freshly roasted sesame seeds to create a surprising taste.
• Bring to room temerature prior to serving.