Artichokes must be in season because they appeared in my organic vegetable basket yesterday, a little one for R a medium one for B and two big ones for me and J-C. When you eat whole artichoke heads, you are eating the opening bud. Artichokes are more nutritious if you eat them within a few days of them being picked, if you steam them for 10 - 15 minutes and eat them immediately after cooking. I keep the stalks and slice them into soups or stews.
This is my mother in law's method: I boiled some eggs, took two egg yolks and mashed them (the leftover whites I mashed up with 2 more boiled eggs and some mayonnaise for B, one of his favourite dishes, so no waste). Then I made plenty classic salad dressing with olive oil, lemon, mustard and a pinch of salt.
To eat them, we tip the plates by propping them on a fork, sloping away from us. Then we spoon in some dressing and mashed egg to the bottom of the slope. Then we peel of the scales one by one, dip in dressing and egg mixture and nibble off the tender bits. We work our way excitedly towards the flower, the scales becoming more and more tender and delicious and we eat them whole. When we reach the flower, we cut the heart in two, scoop out the florets which get stuck everywhere (known as the choke!), and eat the heart.
Drama, deliciousness and nutrition (rich in vitamin C & other antioxidants and vitamins, magnesium and potassium and some protein) in one vegetable experience. It feels like just what we need at this time of year.
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