I just love artichokes. They are a thistle, and grow quite easily here in the Western Cape. You can let them flower until beautiful and purple, or you can pick them when they are ripe and ready to eat.
Many people do not know how to prepare them, and really, they are simple and easy. We only get the mature vegetable here, but I have to admit to preferring the soft young ones we get in France and Italy as they are nicer to cook with and easier to incorporate into a meal. You can serve the leaves with an hollandaise sauce, a plain mayonnaise or even lemon butter sauce. Be patient and enjoy the leaves, as it is the heart you really want! That is the best part of a mature artichoke but do take care to get all the thistles out before eating it. This is a meal that reminds me of my mother. She uses a pressure cooker and it is something we ate when my dad was away.
Do you eat artichokes?
Artichokes
Ingredients
- 4 artichokes
- 30 mls lemon juice
Method
- Remove the tough outer leaves and snap off the stalk
- Bring the largest pot to the boil - if possible not an aluminium or iron one as this is what causes the artichokes to discolour
- Add the lemon juice and the artichokes
- Place a plate on top of the artichokes to keep them submerged
- Simmer uncovered for 40 minutes
- Drain well
Click on the links for conversions and notes.
What I blogged:
- one year ago – Interview with Magda van Wyk
- two years ago – Red Pepper and Tomato Sauce
- three years ago – Chicken Stuffed With Mushrooms
wow, never knew our favorite globe artichokes flower so beautifully, lovely dish with lemons, thanks for sharing
Thanks for the visit – I love how it flowers 🙂
Love artichokes.
🙂 Mandy xo
me too!
I do love artichokes although I haven’t had one since I left the UK. I must keep my eye open for them now I’m down in the Cape.
The season is quite short Claire, look in summer 🙂
I love artichokes…both to eat and also to let a few bloom as they are so pretty.
I usually leave mine to bloom as the colour is so amazing!
Love the picture of the flowering artichoke. I have never seen one in flower.
Thanks Glenda, I love to leave mine to flower as it is so pretty 🙂
Wow, I’d never seen one flowering before, they are beautiful. I like them too, but have only cooked them myself once, when a friend gave me some from his garden.
They grow without any attention in my garden so I am sure you could plant some with success Kit 🙂
Love em! Here in Andaucia they grow in abundance and when I first arrived and cooked them like this (I still do as I love them like this) everyone thought I was mad. They’re so cheap and plentiful here that they only eat the hearts 🙂 They dn’t know what they’re missing!
How amazing to be able to get them in abundance. I would preserve some of the hearts then for winter 🙂
I do like it, but I must admit that this year was the first time I made it myself. It was delicious and I want more 🙂
They are so simple to prepare and if you can get them from the market, quite cheap as well!
Delicious and perfectly cooked! 🙂
thank you Giovanna 🙂
I absolutely love artichokes: here in Australia their season coincides with that of young fresh asparagus in spring. Some people here go for the heart immediately which to me is such a waste: it’s so much fun sitting around the dining table, dunking the leaves in your favorite sauce and slowly sucking them 🙂 ! I have to admit that I do cut about the top 1/3 – 1/4 off tho’ horizontally ere I put them in the acidulated water 😀 !
The original recipe recommends the same, but I don’t bother so I didn’t put that step in. This used to be a treat with my mom when we were kids 🙂
Love them! Eat them often!
I would eat them more often if Dave did!
Artichokes are so good. They’re everywhere at the moment. Stuffed artichoke hearts are very good.
I love that about France in the summer!
i really like artichokes–but have only ever bought the preserved variety–will have to try your method of preparing fresh ones–well as for the flowering one–it looks so pretty
I am sure you will love the fresh ones Usha 🙂