Don’t be put off by this winter wonder, you’ll get all the help you need at Natoora…

Some people love chocolate. We love artichokes. They are one of the great things about winter and well worth trying this month. They come in all shapes, colours and sizes and are absolutely delicious.

Since you are unlikely to have seen these delights on the supermarket shelves, they might appear a bit daunting (especially the spiky variety!), so this week we thought we’d take the time to explain a bit more about these winter wonders…

The Good and The Bad: To check if the artichoke is good, it needs to be firm and not speckled, and the leaves well attached to the heart. The stalk also has to be firm.

The Heart of the Matter: There’s alot of peeling away to get to the tender heart, but it’s definitely worth the effort! See our recipe below for a step by step guide.

Bearded Beauties: Sometimes they have a “beard” inside the heart that needs to be removed before cooking with the help of a sharp knife.

Tender Hearts: The first 4 cm of the stalk is absolutely delicious so do not throw away, but make sure to remove the outer strings by scraping with a knife, or by peeling the outer part.

Storage: They will keep in a plastic bag in the fridge for 5-6 days. You can take out the outer leaves and cut the top, wash thoroughly, blanch in water with some lemon and freeze. Or see our artichoke preserving masterclass to make your own deli delights.

Recipe: Stewed Mammole Artichokes

Serves 4

8 Mammole Artichokes
1 Clove of Garlic
1 Lemon
2 Tbsp Chopped Mint
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
50g Breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp Chopped Parsley

This is how they do it Rome!

First you’ll need to prepare the artichokes.
1. Remove the tough outer leaves.
2. With a very sharp knige, cut the top so that you are left with the tender part only.
3. Cut the stalk leaving only 4cm.
4. Put the artichoke upside down and press it down with your hand so that the leaves will separate (you will need to stuff them later, this way you can access the center of the artichoke).
5. Put them in a bowl with cold water and the juice of a lemon (to prevent discolouration).

Now finely chop the garlic and mix with the chopped mint, parsley, breadcrumbs and a little olive oil. Drain the artichokes of excess water. Using a teaspoon, stuff the mix into the artichokes.

Heat some oil in a pan. Then put the artichokes in the pan, head side down. Lightly fry for a few minutes, and drizzle with olive oil. Add enough water to cover the first half of the artichoke, then add salt and cover.

After half an hour, check with a fork. If it’s tender, it’s ready! Serve immediately and drizzle with the juice from the pan. This is a fantastic accompaniment to meat, cheese or eggs.