Artichoke plants have a little bit of mystique with me. It was many years ago that I was on a nursery tour in California. We came to a little town seemingly in the middle of nowhere. There was a shop there, with a giant artichoke. Yes, much like we have the big pineapple here in Australia, the USA has the big artichoke. I had some deep fried artichoke hearts and either I was very hungry, or they were pretty darn tasty - it was just too long ago to remember really.
Ever since then, I have enjoyed eating artichoke pieces out of the jar, and on gourmet pizzas, but last year started to actually grow some. I think I planted a young seedling in early spring, and it didn't bear fruit until early spring this year, a full 12 months later.
The first artichoke was a real thrill for me, so much so that I am sure now that I harvested it too early, while the artichoke was to tight, and hadn't formed a heart. I cut what I could from out of the centre of it and cooked it in boiling water for a bit and then stir fried it in a pan with some garlic - it was fairly forgettable.
Ok, so I was pretty disappointed in my first home grown artichoke and thought maybe that was it for the season. But no, apparently some plants can have up to 30 fruit per season. Yep, soon up popped 2 larger ones up the top and then wow, 2 baby ones a bit lower down. All was looking good.
Then came a big storm. When I got to the plant, it was on its side. I was mortified. Have since harvested the 2 big ones and staked the plant, which thinking now, maybe I didn't plant quite deep enough. Anyway, it is still alive. Now I am searching for recipes, and will continue my quest, to cook something decent, with a home grown artichoke.
Someone told me about a recipe where you lay out a piece of prosciutto, layer it with buffalo mozzarella, a basil leaf, and half a baby artichoke heart. Roll it up, toothpick it and cook it for 5 to 10 minutes in the oven at 180C. Maybe I will try that one.
So to sum it up, artichoke plants are in actual fact a thistle - yes, a bloody weed. Let them flower and they look not to dissimilar to a scotch thistle. I do however love their big jagged leaves. The key is to harvest it before it becomes a flower but not while the big bud that it is, is too tight. Then once you have successfully grown one of these, you just have to work out, how to cook with it. That is the real challenge !
........OR, it does look pretty good in a vase with some roses......and maybe I just eat the broccoli instead !
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