FoodFood InformationVegetables
Artichoke Tips
· Use baby artichokes. These can be used for thin slicing in salads
or other recipes. And they're easy in stuffed-artichoke dishes because there's
no disagreeable, fuzzy stuff inside the heart.
· Avoid discoloration. Soaking the artichokes in lemon juice is the
preferred method, although some chefs are using club soda instead.
· Avoid soaking artichoke's in water. They cook better when they're
not soggy.
· Take care to complement the artichoke's strong flavor. Artichoke
leaves tend to soak up whatever they are cooked in.
· Watch the fat. Artichokes soak up oil just as they soak up flavors,
so don't use more of it than you need.
Once you figure out what to do with an artichoke, there's still the wine
dilemma. Popular wisdom holds that the vegetable's strong flavor makes other
things taste sweeter. Wine connoisseurs can thus find themselves in for
a rude shock when they reach for their favorite vintage. Artichokes are
like asparagus. They're difficult vegetables to pair. A good suggestion
is, don't pull out your finest bottles of wine when you're having something
with a strong artichoke flavor. Something a bit sweet is a safe bet.