Stuffed artichoke

No more beautiful receptacle than this open flower that is the artichoke. Once cooked, remove the leaves, remove hay and purple cone from the center and garnish carbonara (grilled pancetta, boiled egg) or bo-bun (nem, raw vegetables, vermicelli, nuoc-mâm and mint). To serve warm.

Artichoke in aperitive dips

The raw artichoke is cut into 8 quarters, the hay is removed and plunged into the lemon water. They are cooked for 10 minutes standing in a pan of salted water, half-immersed, leaves up: the bottoms will be tender and the leaves still firm. Dips very deco to choose from, in a mix smoked salmon / fromage frais, ricotta / lemon confit, fresh goat cheese / chives.

Artichoke in mille-feuille

Yes, but with the funds: the artichokes are cooked al dente and cut into thin slices with mandolin. For a fresh entry, they are superimposed in a cylinder (ideally with a baking circle) with a mix of crab, minced radishes, avocado dices and a small white cheese-lemon-chervil sauce.

How to use the artichoke

Varieties. 80% of the production of artichokes comes from Brittany. In large format, the Breton Camus is the most widespread; there is also the castel and a new variety, the cardinal, with a beautiful purple robe. The small purple ones, called poivrades, can be consumed raw.

Cooking. For a large artichoke, a cooking time of about 25 minutes in steamed casserole or 40 minutes in lemon salt water. The test: the artichoke is cooked when the leaves stand out well.

Conservation. Raw, it is preserved as a bouquet, the stem soaked in water. Cooked, we consume the artichoke within 24 hours, otherwise it oxidizes. It freezes very well after being blanched with lemon water.

Trick. The stalk of the artichoke is never cut with a knife, but it is broken by hand, in order to extract the ligneous fibers.