ARTICHOKES
Artichoke, Cynara scolymus, is actually a thistle and the part that we eat is the flower of the thistle. Now, we are refering to the common-name artichoke, that is globe artichokes. There are also other kinds of artichokes, including Jerusalem and Chinese artichokes, but they are not going to be covered on this page.
Globe artichokes are native to the Mediterranean, possibly developed from a smaller thistle that was so good that people decided to breed it into a bigger plant. The history of artichokes dates back to the ancient Greece and Rome, in which artichokes were considered a delicacy. Needless to say, they still are, not only in the Mediterranean but throughout the world. Artichokes are perennials and are grown in the warmer climates, and their seasonal harvest takes place during spring although you can get artichokes during summer and early fall as well. Artichokes are quite hardy, they can stay fairly fresh for a couple of weeks although their flavor declines slightly with time.
Artichoke is a thistle, and thistles belong to the lettuce family of plants. The edible part of the artichoke is the flower base, which is why we have to cut away all leaves and choke around it in order to get to the edible part. The choke part includes these tiny threads that are actually flowerets. The amount of "meat" depends on where on the plant the artichoke has grown. If it comes from some of the lower parts of the thistle then the size of the artichoke, and there is little choke inside it as well. However, the best choice in terms of amount are the bigger artichokes, the ones that have been picked from the main stalk. Even though they contain more choke, this is more than compensated for by the huge amount of meat.
The artichokes, if eaten raw, taste bitter and they also quickly react with the air oxygen and turn brown (unless we put them in acidic water or brush them with some acidic juice). The reason for both of these attributes is the high amount of phenolic chemicals - they taste bitter and they easily react with oxygen. The remedy for the flavor is of course to cook the artichokes. Cooking destroys the cell walls in the artichokes, making the phenols combine with other substances, thereby impairing their ability to reach our sensory systems. Looking a bit deeper at the chemical composition of artichokes, they also contain a substance that covers our sweet taste buds, and therefore, when we put some other food in the mouth it tastes sweeter as the new batch of food cleans up the tongue and exposes the sweet taste buds to even the minute sweetness. We experience more sweetness in such a way, even from food that is not that sweet per se.
Cooking artichokes is quite simple - if you want to cook them whole, just cut off most of the stem (leave just a bit) and remove the outermost leaves with the thorns (if there are any). Then cook (simmer) the artichoke in salted or flavored water until it becomes tender - it takes quite a long time, perhaps half an hour or more, depending on the size of it. Check the tenderness with a knife (stick the knife into it before the cooking, so you get a reference 'feel'). You can also cook artichokes after you have trimmed off the choke and leaves (look for more info on our HOW TO pages), which is more appropriate if you want to flavor it with some other aromatic juices.
After cooking, remove the leaves and choke and eat the bottom of the choke together with some sauce, butter, or any other dip of your choice. Other forms of cooking for artichokes include baking and roasting, and also steaming. A popular way to give them more flavor is marinating.
Artichokes go well together with many things. The classical combinations include olive oil, lemon, vinegrette, garlic, and sometimes anchovies. But it can be used in so many other way, braised with onions and carrots in white wine; with some herbs like thyme and basil. Tomatoes are also adding a nice acidity to artichokes, and bacon, parmesan, sausage, or hollandaise sauce are commonly used. Butter and artichokes is one real classic.