They were first cultivated as a vegetable by the French and said to have been brought to America in the 1790s by the Quakers.  A relative of the artichoke, the growing characteristics and requirements are similar.  However, instead of eating the flower heads, like you do with an artichoke, the thick, fleshy leaf bases, hearts and roots are eaten.  Some people tie (see image below right) and blanch by mounding with soil. They have a slightly spicy, celery-like flavor.

Selection and Storage Tips

Select stalks that are firm and silvery, grey-green in color.  Like any produce, stalks are best used fresh but will store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks my wrapping the base of the stalks in damp paper towels and surrounding them with a paper bag.

Preparation and Cooking Tips

Cardoons are pre-cooked to remove any bitterness.  Peel and remove the strings from the stalks and then blanch in boiling, salted water until they are nearly tender enough to stick a fork in them.  This can take from fifteen to thirty minutes.  Drain in a colander and quickly rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process.  Place in a bowl of water.  Some people blanch and then remove the strings.  They are now ready to use in for favorite recipe.

Recipe Ideas

Eating cardoons can be as simple as tossing the cardoon, as prepared above, with a vinaigrette dressing, lemon butter, or covering in a cheese sauce.

Fritto di Cardoni (Fried Cardoon)

Ingredients:

• 1 pound cardoon

• 1 cup flour

• 1 tablespoon good olive oil

• 1 egg, separated

• A pinch of salt and garlic powder to flavor

• Cold water

Mix a batter from the above ingredients by stirring the yolk with the other ingredients (except for the egg white) into the flour, then slowly add water until you have a not relatively thick batter.  Stir well and let the batter rest for several hours.  After it has rested, whip the egg white and fold it into the batter.

Prepare cardoon stalks by precooking (see preparation and cooking tips above).  Cut the prepared stalks into bit size pieces and sauté them in butter.  Lightly salt them at this point.  After they are light brown in color, remove, roll in flour, dip them into the batter, and deep fry them in fresh olive oil.  Delicious!