There's
nothing quite as delicious as Italian-style artichokes.
Impress your friends by learning how to cook them
as the Romans do . . .
When
is a vegetable not a vegetable?, of course. Indeed
artichokes are none other than the immature flowers
of a member of the thistle family. The botanical
name Cynara scolymus comes from the Greek
kinara, while the work artichoke comes
from the Arab al kharshuf.
Artichokes have long been appreciated for their
medicinal properties. They are a well-known diuretic
and are also used to treat illnesses such as jaundice
and dropsy. When taken regularly artichokes can
significantly lower blood cholesterol and help protect
the liver against toxins and infections as well
as stimulating liver cell re-growth. Artichokes
are an important part of any detox regime helping
to improve skin condition. And when you boil your
artichokes, don't throw away the water - it makes
a great conditioning rinse for your hair.
Let's not forget that this is a food column and
there's nothing more delicious than freshly cooked
artichokes! Here's a simple recipe to get you started
. Buon appetito!
CARCIOFI
(Roman-style artichokes) Ingredients (for 4 hungry people)
8 firm artichokes
lemon juice
flat-leafed parsley
clove of garlic
fresh mint
extra virgin olive oil
salt
Prepare the artichokes by removing the tough outer
leaves and trimming and peeling the stalks. Open
the leaves and pull out the furry choke. Cover the
prepared artichokes with water and lemon juice to
prevent them from blackening. Finely chop the parsley,
mint and garlic and press the mixture into each
artichoke. Season and place upside down in a deep
oven-proof dish. Add some oil to the pan then cover
with water.
Cover the dish and bake at 200ˇC for an hour. The
artichokes are ready when almost all the water has
evaporated. Enjoy hot or cold with a glass of dry
white wine.
All about artichokes· Ask any food-loving Italian about artichokes
and the chances are they'll list off a litany of
names. You've guessed it - artichokes come in a
huge selection of shapes and colours. From the prickly
green varieties from Liguriaand Palermo
to the plump purple fruits from Venice,
Chioggia, Tuscany and Sardinia.
One of the most popular types is the smooth green
Roman artichoke - known as mammola. Take
care choosing your artichokes - they should be firm
and solid. When you get them home place the stalks
in water (remember, they are flowers). If you plan
on storing them in the fridge then clean and trim
them. Dry carefully and place in a sealed plastic
bag or airtight container - they'll keep for up
to 6 days. You can freeze artichokes that you have
prepared and scalded in boiling acidulated water.
And don't be surprised to hear Italians calling
each other carciofi- in slang an 'artichoke'
is a numbskull!
If
you are in Italy in May you can eat your fill of
artichokes at these festivals:
The fried artichoke festival -Torricchio (Pt)
Paestum artichokefestival at Paestum(Sa)
The Marches artichoke festival at Montelupone
(MC)
Don't miss: Cibus International
Food Show, May 9th - Cibus MedMediterranean
Food Show, May 4th - 8th,
Bari.
THE SURVIVOR'S 
When
is a vegetable not a vegetable?, of course. Indeed
artichokes are none other than the immature flowers
of a member of the thistle family. The botanical
name Cynara scolymus comes from the Greek
kinara, while the work artichoke comes
from the Arab al kharshuf.