If we let them grow without cutting the flower head, we would see beautiful purple flowers bloom. These are artichokes — vegetables with a thousand virtues and a unique flavour.
The artichoke is a plant of Mediterranean origin, whose flower head is used in cooking as a vegetable. The less fibrous part of the stem is also edible and very flavoursome. Artichokes have highly prized nutritional and beneficial properties and should never be absent from the table when they are in season — that is, throughout winter and spring.
They are rich in fibre and mineral salts (iron, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium) and low in sodium. They contain vitamins A, B1 and C. Fresh and raw, they provide just 22 calories per 100 g. Most of the carbohydrates are present in the form of inulin, a polysaccharide suited to obese people and diabetics as it improves blood sugar control. In preserved artichokes, inulin is converted into other types of sugars.
The artichoke protects the liver and kidneys by improving their function, lowers urea and cholesterol levels in the blood, helps in cases of constipation caused by liver insufficiency, regulates blood sugar levels and prevents the formation of gallstones. The presence of cynarin aids the digestion of fats and has an anti-cholesterol and hepatoprotective function. The active compounds are found mainly in the leaves and stem.
There are many varieties, with or without thorns, with bracts ranging from green to violet. The harvest of the flower heads is staggered, beginning as early as October for early-season cultivation and ending in June for the late season. Among the thorny types, the most widespread are the green varieties from Liguria and Palermo, and the violet varieties from Venice, Chioggia, Tuscany and Sardinia. Among the thornless varieties are the romanesco, which is green and also known as mammola, the artichoke from Catania and the one from Campania. The Violetto di Castellammare artichoke, a subtype of the romanesco variety from which it differs by the purple tinge of its bracts, is protected by a Slow Food Presidium. Its ancient cultivation technique requires that small terracotta pots (pignatte), handmade by local craftspeople, be placed over the first apical flower heads (mammolelle). The protection from sunlight provided by the pignatta during the growth phase makes it particularly tender and pale.
Firm and unblemished, with bracts that are not shrivelled. Varieties with pointed tips should have them tightly closed. The stem should be turgid and free of soft or yellowed parts, with any leaves not wilted.
If the artichokes are very fresh and have a sufficiently long stem, they can be stored in a jar of water just like a bunch of cut flowers. In the refrigerator they keep for four to five days. If needed, they can also be frozen after blanching in water acidulated with lemon juice (allowing them to cool and then placing them in glass containers).
Expose the lighter part of the artichoke by removing the outer bracts — at least two rows (the amount trimmed away is greater if you decide to eat them raw). Cut the tip of the artichoke off cleanly. Open out the leaves and reach the heart with a melon-baller or small spoon to remove the so-called choke found inside, carefully discarding any thorns but not the pale flesh. As for the stem, trim it according to the recipe, bearing in mind that the healthiest and most flavoursome way to prepare artichokes is to cook them with the stem, removing it afterwards if necessary. Once prepared, to prevent them from turning black it is sufficient to soak them in water and lemon juice.
A flavoursome and versatile ingredient, the artichoke features in numerous regional recipes. Worth mentioning from the capital are the traditional carciofi alla romana and carciofi alla giudìa, from the ancient Jewish culinary tradition. In Velletri, in the Castelli Romani, they are cooked roasted over embers of vine-shoot bundles (known as matticelle); in Basilicata, they are baked in the oven. In Piedmont, finally, the dish that graces the table is carciofi alla Cavour, prepared with a sauce of hard-boiled eggs, parsley and anchovies. Rich in iron, artichokes leave slightly bitter sensations on the palate when tasted, especially when eaten raw; pairing them with wine is tricky, because the flavour of the artichoke enhances acids and mineral salts in white wines and, in reds, tannins as well. Cooking reduces the bitter sensation.
