Eyeore's Best Kept Secret

We are so used to buying pretty fruit and vegetables that once in a while, when confronted with something just downright plain ugly the overriding emotion is one of panic. 

I have, of course in that sweeping sentence alienated all organic growers and those who toil in their own time on an allotment to churn out a handful of mishapen, distorted but very tasty produce. 

You can imagine my hesitation therefore when a keen gardening friend of my wife kindly provided, amongst a wicker basket full of home cultivated goodies, four artichokes. 

In a world of sanitised foods the artichoke represents a bit of a throwback in its curious appearance which is truly unusual. 

I have of course tasted artichokes before, albeit limited to one of those small filled pots of a roasted variety found in a Deli counter but nothing quite prepares you for coming across the vegetable in its natural form. 

It is difficult to place it in the family tree of veg because of its unique characteristics but this is more than explained by its origins in the thistle family- it is actually a species of thistle that over the ages has been cultivated as a food. 

It is a plant of quite a pedigree being mentioned as a garden plant in the 8th century BC by the great archivist story tellers, Homer and Hesiod. 

The naturally occurring variant of the artichoke, the cardoon (Cynara cardunculus), is native to the Mediterranean area and it was through that region in history that the great civilisations  of the ancient Greeks and Romans made use of it. Pliny the Elder mentioned the growing of artichokes in the kingdoms of Carthage and Cordoba. 

In North Africa, where today it is still found in the wild state, the seeds of artichokes, probably cultivated, were found during the excavation of the Roman-period quarrying operations in Egypt.Varieties of artichokes were cultivated in Sicily beginning in the classical period of the ancient Greeks; the Greeks calling them kaktos. This obviously, in interpretation, caused some confusion over what the artichoke actually was.  

In that period, the Greeks ate the leaves and flower heads, which through domestication had already improved from the wild form. 

The Romans called the vegetable carduus (hence the name cardoon). Further improvement in the cultivated form appears to have taken place in the medieval period in Muslim Spain and the Barbary Coast region. 


Names for the artichoke in English and many other European languages today hearken back to the old civilisations who spoke medieval Arabic. 

How to approach the cooking of an artichoke? 

There is plenty of guidance on the subject although I have not found this very comforting in that, similar to dissecting a crab there are more parts to be discarded than to put on the plate. The edible portion of the plant consists of the flower buds before the flowers come into bloom. The budding artichoke flower-head is a cluster of many budding small flowers together with many smaller leaf growths on an edible base. Once the buds bloom, the structure changes to a coarse, barely edible form. 

Here is a cross section of the plant.

If the artichokes have little thorns on the end of the petals, take a pair of scissors and cut off the thorny tips from all of the petals. The rather barbed thorns do soften with cooking and do not detract from eating the artichoke.Slice about 3/4 inch to an inch off the tip of the artichoke.Pull off any smaller petals towards the base and on the stem.Cut off any excess stem as that part tends to be bitter than the rest of the artichoke. Rinse the artichokes in running cold water. This should also help to flush out any bugs and insects who have made a cosy home within. While you rinse them, open up the petals a little so that the water does get inside more easily. 

In a large pot, put a couple inches of water, a clove of garlic, a slice of lemon, and a bay leaf. These ingredients are for aromatic infusion and really compliment the taste. Insert a steaming basket.Place artichokes on top of the steaming basket. Cover the pot. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer.An alternative method of stovetop cooking appears straightforward as in, place in cold water and bring to the boil before letting it simmer for anywhere between 25 and 45 minutes depending on the size of the artichoke. The key pointer is for the outer leaves to reach a stage where they can be easily pulled off. 

In my panic I boiled the thing to its death resulting in a very wooden taste- a bit like that from chewing the end of a pencil.

As for the actual eating? The artichoke is quite versatile. As a main course ingredient it goes well in a stew or as an accompaniment to sea bass, salt marsh lamb and rabbit. If you are thinking about a light meal or snack then try raw in a salad, roasted or preserved. In a starter menu the artichoke can go with scallops and in ravioli. 

So, don't be put off by the unique character of this ancient vegetable.You may however have some trouble finding them on UK supermarket or grocery store shelves which is a pity but then again, the artichoke may upset and offend those who are just a bit sensitive about the appearance of their fresh produce.