The artichoke season runs through from June to November, which gives us plenty of time to enjoy this meaty, unusual-looking vegetable. Globe artichokes are members of the thistle family and, with their robust leaves and inedible choke, they can seem rather arduous to prepare. I can guarantee you, however, that the effort is well rewarded because the tough exterior hides a tender heart with a beautiful, nutty flavour. If you’ve never cooked with artichokes before, now is as good a time as any.
When you are selecting your artichokes, pick those that are firm and heavy with stiff, tightly packed leaves. It’s essentially a flower, so an artichoke with open leaves indicates that it’s mature and possibly overripe. Just like cut flowers, they can be kept for a couple of days with their stalks submerged in water. Once cooked, the hearts can be stored in their poaching liquid and chilled for another couple of days.
The easiest way to enjoy an artichoke – and one of the most flavoursome – is to boil it and simply serve the leaves and tender heart with a little lemon butter or hollandaise sauce. Absolutely delicious.
They’re also fantastic blanched in a pan of salted water with the juice of a lemon, white wine and olive oil. For some extra flavour just throw in a bay leaf, a couple of cloves of garlic and a few sprigs of thyme. After simmering for about 20-30 minutes they should feel tender if you pierce them with a knife.