Cathy Katavich
Cathy's KITCHEN
Cathy received her culinary training at CIA, Culinary Institute of
America, at both Greystone (Napa) and Hyde Park, NY. She man-
aged Research and Development for Gilroy Foods and in the past ten
years she was involved in their frozen vegetable business, heading up
Business Development, Sales and Marketing.
Artichokes…a Mediterranean fl ower!
Artichokes are the fl ower buds of a large plant in the thistle family that originated in the Mediterranean. They are beautiful and formidable
at the same time but are far more user friendly than they may at fi rst appear. Artichokes are special, and spring is their season! You can fi nd
them year-round, but their peak season is March-May and again in September and October.
Steamed Artichokes
Types if Artichokes
The globe artichoke is the variety we see
most. These dramatic plants can grow
to over 4 feet high and wide. Different
sized artichokes simultaneously grow
on the same plant. The most common
sizes are small (2-4 oz.), medium (8-10
oz.) and large (over 12 oz.). Medium
artichokes are best for steaming, roasting
and grilling and one artichoke generally
serves one person. Jumbo artichokes are
often stuffed, and small artichokes are
best for sautéing and marinating.
.
What to Look For
A fresh artichoke should feel heavy for
its size and have smooth green leaves
that squeak when you press them. Scars
and brown spots from frost don’t neces-
sarily indicate lack of freshness. Some
98
cooks think the frost “kiss” makes for a
sweeter artichoke. Leaves should snap
off cleanly. If they bend or look dried
out the artichoke is probably old.
How to Store and Handle
When you get your artichokes home,
moisten the tops with water and store
in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
How To Use
Artichokes can be steamed, boiled,
braised, sautéed, roasted, grilled, mari-
nated and stuffed! They make great
additions to pasta, stews, and risotto.
Because fresh artichokes aren’t always
available there are processed options
available for many recipes. Whole
jarred baby artichokes are a good op-
tion, as are frozen artichoke hearts.
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
june/july 2019
Steamed artichokes are the easiest to
prepare. Whether you’re using large or
baby artichokes, preparation is the same.
First snap off several layers of the lower,
tough leaves. Using a serrated knife, cut
off the top third of the artichoke and
trim the thorns of the remaining leaves
with kitchen scissors. Trim the stem
close to desired length.
There are two schools of thought on
how to steam the artichoke. Most reci-
pes will tell you to place the artichokes
upside down on a steaming rack over
boiling water, then cover and cook until
a leaf comes off easily, about 30 to 40
minutes. I prefer to place the artichokes
upright in the steamer. Slightly pull
apart the leaves of the raw prepared
artichoke and stick in a few slivers of
garlic. Drizzle each artichoke with olive
oil, cover with a layer of sliced lemons
and a handful of fresh rosemary sprigs.
I also add some halved lemons and
garlic cloves to the boiling water. For
both methods, once cooked, remove
the artichokes and place upside down
on a plate to allow extra water to drain
off. Serve warm, at room temperature,
or chilled. Both methods deliver a tasty
artichoke, but I think the flavors perme-
ate the artichoke best when steamed
upright.
Special Handling
As you work with artichokes, rub cut
areas with a lemon to prevent browning.
If you’re preparing a lot of artichokes,
put them in a bowl of lemon water once
they’ve been trimmed.
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