Artichoke, All About Vegetables on the Worldwide Gourmet

Varieties

Blanc hyérois
This artichoke is grown mostly in the eastern Pyrenees. The Blanc hyerois is uniformly green with narrow leaves. It is usually picked before full maturity so that is stays crisp. It is eaten raw with vinaigrette.

The Italian or Green Laon Artichoke
Sometimes also called the "cat's head" artichoke. The spinoso sardo from Sardinia, the sakis from Turkey, the tudela from Spain, the Venetian purple, the Tuscan…. there are countless varieties of artichoke, many given the name of the particular region where they are grown.

Etymology
of Italian origin - articiocco

Information
The artichoke is a young bud which forms a plump, tightly-closed flower consisting of bracts or leaves which surround the inflorescence. The hairy "choke" produces the flower and is inedible. The fleshy receptacle which forms the base of the flower in cooking is called the heart.

Mythology recounts that Jupiter fell madly in love with Cynara, a beautiful girl with ash blond hair, who rejected him: to punish her, he decided to transform her into Cynara scolymus, the artichoke. Grown for thousands of years in Mediterranean regions, it was found on the tables of the Greeks and Romans. Thanks to the gourmandise of Catherine de Médicis, the artichoke was brought across the Alps to France, in spite of court physicians who forbade the eating of this aphrodisiac, which they said produced terrible effects on the mind!

Nutritional values per 100 g
Calories: 40-50; a good source of energy for children and athletes Water: 85%; Fat 0.29 g; rich in Vitamins A and B, phosphorus, minerals; proteins, 3 g.

Buying artichokes
Size is not important but the vegetable should be compact, plump and feel heavy in the hand. It should be firm and the outer parts should be flexible. The leaves should break off cleanly and exude small beads of liquid. Not to be confused with the Jerusalem artichoke.

Storing
It can be kept whole for several weeks in the crisper of the refrigerator, preferably with their stems still attached to keep them fresh. The hearts freeze well. It is recommended that they be blanched for one minute or soaked for a few minutes in water to which lemon juice or salt has been added, as well as a spoonful of vinegar to keep them from darkening. Once cut, the artichoke should be eaten quickly since it has a tendency to oxidize even when tossed with lemon juice. It may also produce toxins which produce flatulence.

Hint: to keep artichokes, place them in a vase with their stems in water to which you've added a little sugar. Besides being decorative, they'll stay fresh for 4-5 days.

Cooking tips
Artichokes should be eaten within 24 hours of being cooked.