This probably sounds weird, but I have never in my life eaten an artichoke. I would like to try them but have no idea what parts are edible and which parts should be discarded. Any artichoke experts out there that could enlighten me?
2006-10-24 21:51:21 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Food & Drink ➔ Vegetarian & Vegan
Thanks people, all the answers were excellent so we'll let the voters decide.
2006-10-25 11:50:29 · update #1
Okay, an artichoke has tough outer leaves that shouldn't be eaten. The best way to professionally prepare an artichoke is to cut off all the thorns on the ends of the leaves, remove the first eight or ten leaves, and boil it with some lemon for about an hour, or 20 minutes in a pressure cooker. Then, you can dip the leaves in any kind of sauce, pretty much, and don't chew through the leaf. Gently scrape off the meat on the inside of the leaf with your teeth and discard. When you get to the small leaves, pull those off, although you could eat those whole if they are tender enough. Beyond those leaves, there is an inedible hair, and if you pull that off, you will have the base of the heart of the artichoke, which can be scraped off the base and eaten whole or can be sliced and put in sauces, on sandwiches, in bread, etc. Artichokes are actually very versatile if you know how to prepare them, but they are usually an acquired taste.
2006-10-24 22:04:51 · answer #1 · answered by Hellomoto 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Artichokes are three types of vegetables. When unqualified, the term "artichoke" nearly always refers to the globe artichoke, of which the aboveground part is eaten, in contrast to the other two, where a root part is eaten. The word artichoke is taken from the Arabic ارض٠شÙÙÙ (ardi shauki) or ارض٠شÙÙ (ardi shauk), meaning literally, "ground-thorn."
The Globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus L.) is a species of thistle. The edible part of the plant is the base (receptacle) of the artichoke head in bud, properly called a vegetable as it is harvested well before any fruit develops. With regards to America, it was first brought to California by Italians in the 1880s, and is farmed mostly in that state.
The Jerusalem artichoke Helianthus tuberosus is a species of sunflower. The edible part of the plant is the tuber.
The Chinese artichoke Stachys affinis is a species of woundwort. The edible part of the plant is the tuber.
The Artichoke Pendant is a famous light fixture designed by Poul Henningsen in 1958.
2006-10-25 04:53:24 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I eat them in France all summer long.They are a real nuisance as plant and difficult to grow,they don't always give fruit and are ugly looking.The leaves are good eating but only the soft part you pull out of the flower and the core.It has lots of needles around it,a hassle to clean but the inside is a real delicacy.Best is a sauce of mustard and vinegar and some mayonnaise with salt and pepper.Sometimes you find canned artichokes.
2006-10-25 05:36:30 · answer #3 · answered by Michael V 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The hearts are the best. (The middle of the whole thing) You can eat the leaves as well, but only the tender bottom parts that are attached to the artichoke.
2006-10-25 04:54:54 · answer #4 · answered by cgroenewald_2000 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To play it safe your first time...
Order a pizza.... a veggie pizza... ask for artichoke hearts (if it's not already on there.... it usually is though).
They are probably marinated, but... it will take some of the guesswork out of knowing if you like it or not!
And come on... it's Pizza! You can't go wrong.
2006-10-25 17:18:56 · answer #5 · answered by sassy_cheesesicle 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Remove the outer leaves... until you see leaves that lok almost pale yellow..the stem is tricky... you have to use a knife, and start form the bottom of the leaves(top of the stem) and "peel" part of it back.. until you see a pale yellow color.. until youve done it a few time i would say peel off post of the stem , just to be safe. Cut of the end of the stem . The rest is edible
2006-10-25 09:25:55 · answer #6 · answered by Megan g 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i just had it yesterday and it was the first time i've had it but it wasnt a good artichoke, it wasnt fresh and my mum didnt really know how to cook it(it was what she told me). actually it looked good but i didnt eat it. i didnt know which parts should i eat anyway but i dont know, some of my friends like it though...
2006-10-25 07:18:31 · answer #7 · answered by . : [ s a k u r a ] : . 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually, this is a very good question!
See the link below for some info that should help you out :-)
2006-10-25 04:53:32 · answer #8 · answered by Star 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋