Michael

For those who miss the giant French artichokes and live in SF, Andronico's on Irving is selling a pretty close equivalent at 2 for $3. They call them Euro artichokes. Message dated 10/2/05.

StuDudley

I'm a big artichoke fan - probably devoured a thousand or so in my lifetime. I've bought a few in France, but I've never been able too cook them properly. They've always been tough to eat and the texture was nothing like the Castroville chokes we get here.

Stu Dudley
San Mateo (San Francisco), Ca

USNR

Please tell how does one cook an artichoke?

I have never eaten one, never been anywhere one was served, and came from a family where an artichoke never put in an appearance.

Brought up in the Midwest.

crefloors

I think eveyone who cooks them does it the same but different if you know what I mean. I cut the tops off them to get rid of that thorn on the end of the leaf and then put them in a pot with water about 1/2 to 2/3 the way up the side of the choke. I use a pan small enough to crowd them, that way the don't float. Before putting in the water is season it with some chopped onion, sliced garlic, and salt. I'll add herbs sometimes also. I simmer them till tender..you have to turn them over and stick a fork in the center of the botton..oh yea..I cut that stem off flat before cooking and take off a few of the bottom leaves....you want the fork to go in easily but be careful that they don't turn to mush...I plunge into cold water and turn upside down to drain. I like them with hollandaise sauce, but good mayonaise will do. I also prefer them room temperature or slightly chilled. Some people like to eat them hot with seasoned butter. You pull off a leaf and then scrape it through you teeth to get the soft cooked part off the leaf, there will be an inedible woody part of the leaf left over. My family never ate them either and I didn't eat an artichoke until I was in my late teens at a friends house. I was hooked from then on. I have a friend that uses her pressure cooker to cook them, I am going to try that this year.

cigalechanta

You can cook them simply by steaming them in water after trimming the spike edges but drizzzle with good olive oil.
and you'll know when they are ready when a leaf can be easily pulled out. Thiose you dip in lemon and butter.
I stuff mine. Pull out the choke and you can fill it with whatever...I do ground beef mix in Olives, garlic, eggs, You could choose mushrooms.

Betsy

Stu, I totally agree with you about French and Italian artichokes. Every time I've cooked them in Europe, they've been tough as nails, even the little ones. I'm sticking to the CA varieties!

Crefloors recipe is a good one. Snip off the sharp top edge of each leaf with scissors. I use chicken broth instead of water to about a quarter of the height of the 'choke. Serve with homemade garlic mayo.

There's a yummy recipe for Stuffed Artichokes Fontecchio in Rosso and Lukin's Silver Palate Cookbook.

This thread is making me hungry!

Scarlett

Sighing~ Stuffed Artichokes in any Italian restaurant in NYC is..I would much rather eat them in a restaurant than do it myself ..
We used to steam them ourselves and dip them in a variety of aoilis..
I think I saw them in Whole Foods though..maybe I should do it again~

cmt

I stuff them with bread crumbs seasoned with grated cheese, garlic, anchovies, s&p, and various herbs, drizzle a lot of olive oil on top, and cook them in a pan or pot with a little bit of water in th bottom. I don't make them very often ande don't have a recipe, so getting the texture right is still hit or miss.

cigalechanta

Carol, I also do a way somewhat like that using Parmigiano Reggiano but mix in beaten eggs to keep it all together.
Drizzling lemon juice over the artichokes keeps them green.

cmt

I forgot to mention that I would probably chop up a few capers and add it to the breadcrumbs if I'm adding anchovies. I think anchovies and capers belong together.

Do you put only enough eggs to bind it, or is it actually an eggy filling?

Those of you who don't cook artichokes or who never had them when you were growing up, I guess you may have had the marinated artichoke hearts that come in a jar. They're pretty common.

Catbert

For something a little different, try cutting the steamed chokes in half, remove the frog hair, brush with olive oil and grill them. Ummm ummm.

cigalechanta

the eggs bind it. I use the black olives and garlec and season them with herbs. No matter how I try, they are never as good as my mother's.

cigalechanta

topping for cmt

starrsville

ttt

Scarlett

Thank you cmt and cigale!
I am going to try to stuff my own this week

cmt

I thought SMALL, tender, young artichokes that can be eaten whole were readily available in Europe, but not in the US.

How are artichokes prepared in France?

LoveItaly

I was so surprised when I was out of HS and discovered that so many people had no idea how to cook or eat artichokes. That is because we had five artichoke plants in our garden so we lived on them. I thought they were as common as carrots. But obviously not.

I also (using kitchen shears) cut off the pointy ends. Wash them, put them in a pot with some water. Sometimes I put in olive oil, sometimes not. No salt. About the stems. If the stems look beautiful trim off the hard part around the stem, cut off the stem and put them in the water also. But they will be done before the actual artichoke is. I pull off a leaf to tell when they are properly cooked but putting a fork into the bottom works also.

A dressing I like is mayonnaise mixed with some Dijon mustard and some lemon juice, mix well. Taste and add whatever needs to be added. I always use BestFood mayonnaise (Hellman's on the East Coast).

Be sure to put some kind of a bowl at each place setting so the uneaten part of the leaves can be placed there. I put a small bowl on a small plate for whatever dipping sauce I am using at each place setting also. Mangia!

cmt

How are the artichokes generally prepared in France?

Michael

cmt, eaten cold with a vinaigrette for dipping.

cmt

Do the French do other versions of artichokes, too, e.g., stuffed, or grilled?