While other mothers begged their kids to eat broccoli, my mom steamed artichokes with garlic. She lifted the beautiful globes, cooked to tenderness, into shallow bowls for sharing. Leaf by leaf, we scraped the meaty flesh between our teeth until we reached the thorny choke. Mom would swoop in and discard the thistly pieces revealing an olive green, meltingly tender bottom and stem. Cut into chunks and sprinkled with salt–no other vegetable contains such a reward!
Now that spring is here, those verdant green, plump artichokes once again populate the produce stands. Time to teach my granddaughters to pluck the leaves like a flower and savor the bottoms.
The baseball-sized vegetables found in most supermarkets are known as globe artichokes or Italian artichokes. These large, green beautiful flowerlike buds are native to Mediterranean Europe.
Today, the mild climate in the Salinas Valley in California proves ideal for growing artichokes and millions are harvested each year. In fact, the California Artichoke Advisory Board says that 99% of all commercially available artichokes are grown in California. The Castroville Artichoke Festival, held in June, is on my bucket list to attend. Live music, cooking demonstrations and artichoke eating sounds like a bit of heaven. There’s even an artichoke eating contest, but I think they are best savored slowly, leaf by leaf.
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Artichokes discolor when cut, so dunk them into a bowl of ice water as you prepare them. Cook artichokes in non-aluminum pans, such as stainless steel or enameled cast-iron, to prevent discoloration and a metallic taste.
This spring, I’ll cook large, compact and brightly colored fresh artichokes topped simply with chili crisp and fresh lemon. The oil from the chili crisp melts down between the leaves. No butter needed.
When time is tight, frozen artichokes deliver that slightly anise-y, green flavor when added to pasta or a skillet of golden leeks and shrimp. Canned artichoke bottoms, likewise deliver the unique flavor; serve them warm topped with scrambled eggs or shrimp salad.
Chili Crisp Artichokes with Lemon
4 large or 8 medium artichokes, about 3 pounds
About 1/4 cup spicy chili crisp
1. Have a large bowl of cold water with a wedge or two of lemon squeezed into the water at the ready. Trim artichoke stems to a 1 1/2-inch length. Peel stems lightly. Use a sharp knife to cut off the top third off the artichoke and discard. Use a small knife to trim off any small lower leaves and tough large green leaves. Put trimmed artichokes into a large bowl of cold water while you prepare the rest.
2. Stand artichokes into a deep, medium-size saucepan fitting them tightly into the pan so they remain upright. Pour water into the bottom of the pan around the base of the artichokes so it is about 2 inches deep.
3. Using a small spreader push about 1 1/2 teaspoons chili crisp into each artichoke. Place a lemon slice on top of each.
4. Cover pan tightly with a piece of heavy-duty foil, then with the pan lid. Heat over high heat until water is simmering. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, tightly covered, until a knife inserted in the center comes out easily, about 30 minutes for medium-size artichokes or 40 minutes for large artichokes.
5. Use tongs to carefully transfer artichoke and lemon to a serving dish. Eat one leaf at a time, dipping in the cooking liquid as desired. When you get to the middle, scoop out and discard the furry choke. Then eat the bottom and the stem sprinkled with a little salt.
Artichoke Hearts with Shrimp and Lemon
1 small leek, trimmed, halve lengthwise, well rinsed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 package (12 ounces) frozen artichoke hearts
1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp (20 to 25 count per pound)
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
Salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 green onions, trimmed, thinly sliced on diagonal
Sliced fresh basil leaves, for serving
4 cups cooked rotini pasta or 3 cups hot cooked rice, for serving
1. Slice leeks crosswise into thin slices. Heat oil in a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add leek; cook and stir until golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in artichoke hearts. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in shrimp. Cook, stirring often, until opaque, about 3 minutes. Stir in cream, lemon rind, salt and pepper. Simmer 2 minutes. Sprinkle with green onions. Serve mixture hot garnished with basil leaves. Spoon over pasta or rice if desired.
(JeanMarie Brownson is a James Beard Award-winning author and the recipient of the IACP Cookbook Award for her latest cookbook, “Dinner at Home.” JeanMarie, a chef and authority on home cooking, Mexican cooking and specialty food, is one of the founding partners of Frontera Foods. She co-authored three cookbooks with chef Rick Bayless, including “Mexico: One Plate at a Time.” JeanMarie has enjoyed developing recipes and writing about food, travel and dining for more than four decades.)