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Cardoon takes work, but worth it

Recipe: Artichoke cousin needs triple blanching to remove bitterness

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Cardoon is an artichoke cousin, but instead of flower buds, eat the stems.
(Photos: Debbie Arrington)
Like its close cousin artichoke, cardoon is a spring oddball. How did people ever figure out how to eat it?

Handsome in the garden, cardoon looks like a gigantic artichoke plant, growing 5 or 6 feet tall and wider across. But instead of edible flower buds, this thistle is valued for the center stem of its wide silvery leaves.

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Remove fuzz with a metal spoon.
Trimmed of its leaflets, that stem looks like a giant celery stalk, often 18 to 24 inches long. Naturally bitter, that stalk has ridges with tough strings on one side, silvery fuzz on the curved inner side. Both strings and fuzz need to be removed before using.

Making cardoon palatable takes work. But the end result is delicious, like artichoke heart in stalk form. It's an Italian delicacy and worth the time, if you're lucky enough to get some stalks. (Look for them in farmers markets.)

Traditionally, cardoon is marinated (like artichoke hearts) and served in salads or as part of an antipasto plate. Don't skip on the blanching; it helps remove the bitterness and brings out that artichoke flavor.

Marinated cardoon
Makes 1 pint
Ingredients:
4 stalks cardoon
Salt
Juice of 2 lemons
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions:
Wash cardoon and remove any leaflets along edges.
With a metal spoon, scrape off silver fuzz from inside each stalk. With a sharp knife, remove strings from ridges on back of each stalk.
Cut stalks crosswise into 1-inch pieces.

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Blanche cardoon pieces THREE times
before marinating
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Plunge cardoon pieces into boiling water. Blanch for 3 to 4 minutes.
Drain and repeat blanching TWO MORE times. (Yes, cardoon needs triple blanching.)
After the third blanching, cardoon should be fork-tender.
Mix together lemon juice, olive oil and seasoning. Pack cardoon pieces into a jar or other non-reactive covered container. Pour marinade over cardoon pieces. Stir to mix.
Cover tightly and place jar or container in refrigerator. Let cardoon marinate for a week before using.
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Add marinated cardoon to salads and antipasto.
Once marinated, it will keep in the refrigerator for at least three months.
Note: Because olive oil solidifies in the refrigerator, remove cardoon at least 30 minutes before serving.

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Garden Checklist for week of Feb. 2

During this stormy week, let the rain soak in while making plans for all the things you’re going to plant soon:

* During rainy weather, turn off the sprinklers. After a good soaking from winter storms, lawns can go at least a week without sprinklers, according to irrigation experts. For an average California home, that week off from watering can save 800 gallons.

* February serves as a wake-up call to gardeners. This month, you can transplant or direct-seed several flowers, including snapdragon, candytuft, lilies, astilbe, larkspur, Shasta and painted daisies, stocks, bleeding heart and coral bells.

* In the vegetable garden, plant Jerusalem artichoke tubers, and strawberry and rhubarb roots.

* Transplant cabbage and its close cousins – broccoli, kale and Brussels sprouts – as well as lettuce (both loose leaf and head).

* Indoors, start peppers, tomatoes and eggplant from seed.

* Plant artichokes, asparagus and horseradish from root divisions.

* Plant potatoes from tubers and onions from sets (small bulbs). The onions will sprout quickly and can be used as green onions in March.

* From seed, plant beets, chard, lettuce, mustard, peas, radishes and turnips.

* Annuals are showing up in nurseries, but wait until the weather warms up a bit before planting. Instead, set out flowering perennials such as columbine and delphinium.

* Plant summer-flowering bulbs including cannas, calla lilies and gladiolus.

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