I was reading an artichoke recipe that made a few errors, and while I am no expert, I would like to impart my knowledge on the subject.First they are expensive-I paid $1.50 ea. on sale. Couldn't resist the treat.
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Diet Nutrition
Globe artichokes come from the Mediterrainean while Jerusalem artichokes originate from North America.
The globe artichoke is high in cynarine, a chemical which stimulates the production of bile which helps the digestion of fats. This makes the globe artichoke the perfect starter for any rich meal.
Both types are good sources of potassium. Artichokes help to lower cholesterol.
Calories in Artichokes:
Globe Artichoke, 1 whole = 9 calories!!!
Jerusalem Artichoke, 4 oz/100g = 41 calories
Rinse the artichoke well before boiling. Cut just a touch off the stem of the artichoke, not all the way up close to the flower base. You boil an artichoke in salt water for 45min.-1 hr. depending on size. Covered in a pot. Use thongs to roll them over every 10 minutes or so for even boiling.
They are done when the leaves turn a dark green, and the thongs can eaisely pluck off an outer leave. Let the leave cool some, and give it the scrape test in your mouth, biting down into the soft meat of the leave and letting the leaf slide between your front teeth.
Almost the the entire Artichoke is eatable, contrary to some opinions. The base and the stem are ok to eat, and contained three times the meat you will scrape from the leaves. The leaves are hooked onto that base, and the base is all delicious meat, as is the stem.
Once you have worked your way down the leaves, discard the finer leaves with sharp fine spears on them. I use a spoon to scrape these free of the base. What you have left, the base and stem is like desert. I dip it in a sauce like you do the leaves.
What sauce? I grew up just using just Mayo for a dip, but I see Cooks.com has special sauce ideas for the Artichoke as well. Yummy!
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