GLOBE ARTICHOKES
This impressive plant can be more than a meter high with the artichoke itself as its crowning glory. The size varies but if you’re going to eat globe artichokes whole, you need to reckon on one per portion.
Globe artichokes are a real seasonal vegetable that appears in early autumn and the rest of the year is only found in jars, which isn’t the same thing at all. Artichokes are delicious boiled, fried or oven baked. It’s also a great table decoration if you’ve happened to take too many home with you.
It’s the base and the inside, slightly fleshy part of the leaves that you eat, while the hard outer leaves are mainly there for style. Butter or a good olive oil are vital if globe artichokes are to come into their own.
Butter does make things taste fantastic.
– Joel Aronsson, Fäviken, Krakas, and other restaurants
Choosing globe artichokes
Globe artichokes should be quite heavy when you hold them and the leaves should be quite smooth against the center. If they have dried together and started to curl, it might have been lying there for too long.
The feeling should be more “fleshy” than dry and crackling.
Storing globe artichokes
Globe artichokes are often bought without packaging. Once you get them home, sprinkle them with a little water and put them in a plastic bag. They’re sensitive to drying out.
It’s nice to have this beautiful vegetable on display but they do keep better in the fridge. You can choose whether you want to enjoy their looks or their flavor.
Preparing globe artichokes
Cut off the stems and remove the coarsest part. Also remove the lower leaves.
How to cook globe artichokes
The traditional way to enjoy a globe artichoke is to cook it whole in lightly salted water and eat it one leaf at a time with butter, ideally flavored with lemon or a good vinaigrette. Gradually you’ll get to the heart that gives a bit more to chew on.
Boiled artichoke hearts are great in a salad or on pizza.
Make artichoke purée: Boil and peel the globe artichoke so only the heart and the base remain. Process with olive oil and a splash of lemon to make a purée to eat with fried bread.
Oven baked globe artichokes! If you find more tender artichokes, trim them down to the soft leaves and place in an ovenproof dish. Pour over a little olive oil, sprinkle with lemon zest and bake them in the oven for approximately 35 minutes.
Fried globe artichokes taste good. Remove the coarsest leaves and fry the artichoke in slices, or cut it in half if the artichoke is small.
Serving globe artichokes
Whole, cooked globe artichokes can be served as they are, they are works of art in their own right.
Take the artichoke out of the water with a draining spoon, drain off the water for a moment and put it on a plate on its base.
The heart is a smooth, grey color. It makes a better impression with fresh herbs and more colorful vegetables.
The classic
Carefully boiled globe artichoke with a little lemon zest to boost the flavor.
