FoodFood InformationVegetables
Artichoke Tips
· Use baby artichokes. These can be used for thin slicing in saladsor other recipes. And they're easy in stuffed-artichoke dishes because there'sno disagreeable, fuzzy stuff inside the heart.
· Avoid discoloration. Soaking the artichokes in lemon juice is thepreferred method, although some chefs are using club soda instead.
· Avoid soaking artichoke's in water. They cook better when they'renot soggy.
· Take care to complement the artichoke's strong flavor. Artichokeleaves 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 winedilemma. Popular wisdom holds that the vegetable's strong flavor makes otherthings taste sweeter. Wine connoisseurs can thus find themselves in fora rude shock when they reach for their favorite vintage. Artichokes arelike asparagus. They're difficult vegetables to pair. A good suggestionis, don't pull out your finest bottles of wine when you're having somethingwith a strong artichoke flavor. Something a bit sweet is a safe bet.