Nosh: A is for artichoke

A is for artichoke

After returning from a trip, it's always hard for me to pick up where I left off on this blog and to know where to begin, to sit down and start writing. I've put aside an entry I've been agonizing over for the past week, wherein I tried to explain what my trip was about, and decided instead to find inspiration in the culinary booty that returned with me.....to start again in the simplest way, at the beginning of the alphabet and work my way down the line to "W is for writer's block"!

Artichokes were always, indeed since I was a child, my most favorite food. Although now vying for a top spot with tuna sashimi, I've sustained this love for artichokes well into my adulthood. (Ahem, now well well into it.) Rewind to me in single digits, happily licking my fingers as I ate my way through my uncle's slightly charred artichokes from his grill; and into teenhood and beyond, my mother supplying me with garlicky-parmesan-parsely-and-breadcrumb stuffed giant artichokes, (and as I became more diet-conscious, without breadcrumb) baked to perfection and placed in front of me, her smiling face a response to my delighted squeals. Now in my 30s, I've discovered my aunt's beautiful artichoke risotto and learned to make my own.

It's amazing when a food has such longevity and sticks with you through every phase in your life. I read an article recently, highly praising the health benefits of artichokes as well. Here are some facts: One medium globe artichoke (cooked) contains only 60 kcals and just under .20 grams of fat, with six grams of fiber and four grams of protein. Moreover, they contain magnesium, potassium, and folate ("improve muscle function and heart health"), and additionally "promote liver health and soothe digestive issues".

All this from a flower, and one that tastes sooo good.

Smaller and baby artichokes are perfect for roasting or grilling because you don't need to pull out the "choke", the hairy part right above the heart. You can also remove most of the green leaves, and roast them, and serve them as what are essentially artichoke hearts. Or another favorite way to cook them is to steam them slighlty, then slice and pan-fry them with garlic and pieces of lemon.

The larger artichokes are equally delicious though and perfect for steaming or preparing "a la Romana", partially boiled in water and olive oil. Mmm. Just to sit for an hour, scraping the tender artichoke meat from each leaf, squeezing a bit of lemon juice here and there, sprinkling with salt -- that is a labor of love for me. And although you can serve steamed or semi-boiled artichokes with aoili or other dips, I prefer the simplicity of wedges of lemon and drizzles of really good, extra-virgin olive oil.

I picked up "carciofi piccoli" or baby artichokes at a market near Bologna on the drive back to Germany. They were so inexpensive that I wanted to load the car with them. But I resisted, opting for a few other goodies to add to the booty instead. This simple preparation is perfect for summer, when you've got the grill going already and don't want to fuss with a lot of prep work. I served them with grilled baby zucchini, radicchio, cherry tomatoes, potatoes, and garlic.

Grilled Baby Artichokes

16 baby artichokes;
4 lemons;
2 garlic cloves, crushed;
handful of fresh oregano;
extra-virgin olive oil;
sea salt and white pepper

1. Fill a medium pan about a quarter of the way up with water and set it on the stove to boil.

2. Peel the zest off of one lemon into strips with a vegetable peeler. Squeeze the juice from the lemon into a large bowl filled with cold water. To prepare the artichokes, remove any bruised outer leaves. Cut off the top 1/4 of each artichoke with a sharp knife. Trim off the end of each stem. As you cut the artichokes, drop them into the bowl of water.

3. When the water is boiling, set a steamer insert in the pot and add your artichokes with the lemon peel and crushed garlic. Cover and steam for about 8-10 minutes or until slightly soft. Remove and allow to cool slightly.

4. Toss the artichokes in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, and the handful of chopped oregano.

5. Place on the grill over medium heat and grill for about 10 minutes, turning every few minutes, until cooked and slightly charred. When cooked, an leaf from near the base will pull off easily. Another test is to pierce the base with a sharp knife -- if the knife goes in easily, the artichoke is done.

Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Serve with remaining lemons cut into wedges.

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Eat more artichokes! How's that for a birthday resolution?

The article I quoted was "Power Foods: Artichokes" p 56, May 2007 issue of body + soul magazine.