Artichoke Recipes ♥ Alphabet of Vegetables

Hello Vegetable Lovers: Over the next while, watch for some housekeeping with the Alphabet of Vegetables here on A Veggie Venture. The goal is to separate out our "most favorite" vegetables so their pages will load more quickly, handy for all but especially those of us who check for recipes on our phones and tablets. ~Alanna

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ARTICHOKES: THE BASICS
The artichoke season is "spring". Did you know that the edible portion of an artichoke is really a large flower bud of a kind of thistle? Artichokes are native to the Mediterranean region and are celebrated in Italian, Greek and North African cookery. Today we best know the "globe" artichoke, mostly large but also in small, younger and more tender artichokes. In the U.S., nearly the entire artichoke crop comes from a single county in California. To cook a whole fresh artichoke, first snip off the thorns which protect the outer leaves. After cooking it by steaming or microwaving, break off the leaves one by one, then scrape one between your front teeth, releasing a tiny pocket of flesh. The "choke" itself is at the bottom, thistle-y and inedible. The "heart" is the most coveted part of the artichoke. Artichoke hearts are sold in frozen and canned form, they're good for casseroles and dips and yes, convenience, but nothing like the luxurious seduction of slowly tackling a whole artichoke leaf by leaf. It's a spring tradition!

What's your favorite artichoke recipe? or what artichoke recipe did you hope to find here? I'm always looking for new ones, especially healthy artichoke recipes. Leave me a quick note in the comments! ~Alanna

ARTICHOKES: BASIC TIPS & TECHNIQUES
How to Cook Artichokes in the Microwave

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