Editorial
Front Page - Friday, April 2, 2010
Kay's Cooking Corner
Ahhhh…the artichoke...
Kay Bona
Ahhhh…the artichoke... vegetable of passion, food of nobility, thistle of love! A true delight – classy and fit for a Queen! In Castroville, Calif-ornia, the artichoke capital of the USA, silver screen hotty, Marilyn Monroe, was named the first Artichoke Queen while on a publicity tour in the Salinas Valley in 1948.
Although there were plenty of artichokes in Castroville in February 1948, there was no Artichoke Queen or festival when Miss Monroe began her career.
What is an artichoke?
Jerusalem artichoke, Hel-ianthus tuberosus. Surprisingly, it does not come from Jerusalem. Actually, a family member of the North American sunflower, the Italians, who imported it first, called it girasole: “heliotrope,” or turning always to the sun.
Artichoke was originally Arabic, then traveled into Italy and beyond. Once in the states, it experienced several name changes from “archecock” to “heartychoke.” When the name finally settled down in the eighteenth century, Jerusalem had also been added on for no apparent reason.
Artichokes are some of the world’s oldest medicinal plants. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans placed great value on the plant. In sixteenth-century Europe, the artichoke was favored as a food by royalty. It is now used to lower cholesterol, and as a digestive aid for liver protection and gallstones.
California Artichokes
One hundred percent of all artichokes grown commercially are in California. Approximat-ely 75 percent of the state’s total growing acreage lies within Monterey County.
In full growth, the plant spreads to cover an area about six feet in diameter and reaches a height of three to four feet. The “vegetable” we eat is actually the plant’s flower bud. If allowed to flower, blossoms measure up to seven inches round and are a beautiful violet- blue color. The size of the bud depends upon where it is located on the plant. The largest are “terminal” buds produced at the end of the long central stems. Buds are smaller lower on the stem. While artichokes are available year round, peak season is March to May.
The heart of the matter
Serious artichoke eaters claim the reason for eating artichokes is the unique, nutty flavor. In addition, they are fun to eat, low in calories and fat-free. They are a diuretic, a digestive aid, and provide nutrition to health-promoting bacteria in the intestinal tract. Studies suggest artichokes help control blood sugar, and lower cholesterol levels. Artichokes are good sources of fiber, potassium and magnesium.
In addition to eating them “straight up,” consumers have discovered that artichokes make excellent additions to stir-fry and pasta dishes, and restaurateurs have discovered artichokes can be featured as special appetizers. Here is one of my favorite artichoke dishes (of course, not so fat-free!), featured at one of the more known Italian restaurants.
Scaloppine di Pollo
lemon butter sauce
4 ounces lemon juice
2 ounces white wine
4 ounces heavy cream
1 pound (4 sticks) butter
Chicken & Pasta:
6 to 8 chicken breasts,
pounded thin
Oil and butter
3/4 cup flour
6 ounces pancetta, cooked
12 ounces mushrooms,
sliced
12 ounces artichoke hearts,
sliced
1 tablespoon capers
1 pound cappellini pasta,
cooked
Sauce
Heat lemon juice and white wine in saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and reduce by one-third. Add cream and simmer until mixture thickens (three to four minutes). Slowly add butter. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and keep warm.
Chicken and Pasta
Cook pasta and drain. Heat oil and two tablespoons butter in large skillet. Dredge chicken in flour and sauté, turning once, until brown and cooked through. Remove chicken then add remaining ingredients to pan. Heat until mushrooms soften and are cooked; return chicken to pan.
Place cooked pasta on each plate. Add butter sauce to taste to chicken mixture and toss. Place chicken mixture over pasta.
Kay Bona can be contacted at The Daily Record, 501-374-5103, or by e-mail at dbona5@att.net.
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