Giant Artichokes

More than just a delicious gourmet ingredient, artichokes are a great source of antioxidants and other nutrients, and have been used as a digestive aid since ancient Egyptian times.

In Season: Spring.

Health Benefits: Artichokes have more antioxidants than any other vegetable and are good for the liver. They aid digestion, are a natural diuretic, and improve gallbladder function.

How to Prepare: There are different ways to prepare and enjoy artichokes. If you are only planning to use the hearts, trim off the top part of a large artichoke by cutting off the leaves crosswise about 4cm from the base. Place it cut side down, trim off the leaves. Using a sharp paring knife, trim off the dark green top layer of the head and stem. Trim the stem down to approximately 2.5cm. Scrape off the inedible, fuzzy choke with a spoon. Then drop it into a bowl of acidulated water or rub it with some olive oil.

Artichokes can be steamed, stewed, braised, sliced thinly and baked, sautéed, stuffed or boiled.   

What to Look For: You want tight artichoke heads that have not begun to open. They should be vibrant-coloured, unblemished and feel heavy.

How to Store: Buy them as fresh as possible and don’t store them for too long. Refrigerate, in a perforated bag, in the vegetable compartment.

Available at SuperNature Forum and online at $12.00 per piece.