At the Backyard Pharmacy at Maison Bleue our first artichokes of the season have arrived. They make a spectacular and sculptural garden addition, either for consumption or contemplation. I remember on a visit to a community garden in Canberra how beautiful they looked when inter-planted along a garden perimeter with rhubarb plants. They’re one of my favourite medicinal foods. Valued by numerous cultures in the Mediterranean, particularly for their role as an antioxidant and liver tonic par excellence, eating them increases bile flow and assists with reducing cholesterol levels. They are also diuretic and help regulate blood sugar, plus they are high in magnesium. Eaten in a number of ways, you can even buy artichoke tea from Vietnamese grocers. Easy to prepare and needing minimal fuss, here’s what I intend to do with them:
Artichoke paste
Cut artichokes in half and steam until tender. Remove leaves and hairy choke and use the heart to puree into a paste in a food processor with olive oil and salt to taste (plus garlic and perhaps lemon and a touch of fresh mint). Store in a clean jar with a layer of olive oil on top and refrigerate. Lovely on toast, as a dip with raw veggies, or even tossed though pasta with fresh summer peas and prosciutto.
