A cousin of the artichokes, cardoons are quite similar to the prickly vegtable. Both ripen in winter, originate from the wild cardoon, and bear a tuft of large, long, silvery green leaves. The Gobbo del Monferrato from Piedmont is the most distinct Italian variety. Gobbo means “hunchback” and it's so-called because cultivators bend the tip to bury it in adjacent holes. The absence of light causes the Slow-Food-protected cardoon to grow hunched over and take on a white hue.
Full of fiber and minerals
Low in calories, cardoons are rich in fiber and minerals, especially potassium and calcium. The vegetable contains silybin, a substance that helps the body to dispose of toxins.
How to choose them
When picking cardoons, the leaves should be taut, compact, and intact. Select the whitest ones with the fewest traces of green as they will taste sweeter. To clean, remove the outer leaves and use a potato peeler to remove the hardest bits until you reach the tender center. To cook, cut the stalks lengthways at 6-8″, remove all the external filaments and place them in acidified water. Let them cook for 2 to 3 hours to soften the stalks then bake them in the oven or sauté in a pan with oil and garlic.
Recipe: cardoons au gratin
Clean 2 lb. of cardoons (see above), cut them into pieces, and boil them in heavily salted water for 2 hours. When they are tender, drain and let cool. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an oven-safe dish with butter and arrange a layer of cardoons on the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with plenty of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and butter flakes, then cover with the béchamel sauce. Add another layer of cardoons and cover them again with Parmigiano Reggiano, butter, and the bechamel. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until a golden crust forms on the surface. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.