The artichoke has been widely used in cooking since antiquity.There are many recipes featuring it, both on the 'food' and 'drink' sides.
Italian cuisine, from north to south, leads the way in the preparation of artichoke dishes and drinks.
Here are some tips e useful recipes to make the best use of this vegetable in all its components.
We know that the artichoke gives wellness intestine especially for gastro-intestinal diseases, in these cases it would be advisable to drink a infusion in the morning on an empty stomach.
You can prepare this infusion in a simple way: add artichoke leaves to a quarter litre of water and bring it to the boil..Finally, add a teaspoon of honey and dandelion.
If, on the other hand, we want to use the artichoke as diuretic it is recommended to take a cure for at least 20 days.
To prepare the herbal tea, one must bring e to boil, in half a litre of water, the artichoke roots.Let them steep for at least 10 minutes and sweeten the infusion with honey. Then sip it throughout the day.
Before dwelling on culinary recipes, we must talk about cosmetic use of the artichoke. the inner part allows us to prepare a beauty mask. Add some lemon juice and you will get a paste to apply on the face for about 20 minutes. This natural cream will make the skin firmer and more elastic as well as revitalise the complexion.
Almost all artichoke dishes are easy and quick to prepare. They can really be eaten in a variety of ways, not only cooked but also raw.
Want to benefit from all the energy and nutritional values of the artichoke? The advice is to eat it raw with a little lemon juice. Alternatively, it is good to cook it in a pan, steamed or roasted.
Among the most famous dishes of the Jewish-Romanesque tradition we find the l Roman-style artichoke. For this recipe d owe stew the artichoke in olive oil, with vegetable stock, parsley, garlic and mint. To the same tradition belong the artichokes alla giudìa or omelette cooked in olive oil.
They are excellent in pasta dishes, prepared in the form of creams and sauces.
La Sicilian cuisine boasts a record number of recipes for preparing artichoke-based starters, first and second courses. Some restaurateurs have even invented desserts.
We will make a short list of these dishes:
- Stuffed or fried artichokes ammuddicati;
- Artichokes pizzaiola;
- Sicilian-style artichoke caponata;
- Pasta with artichokes, potatoes and tuna roe;
- Frittedda;
- Artichokes a viddanedda;
- Artichokes with a cork.
The list is certainly longer, we have preferred to list the most significant Sicilian dishes. We can find many of these in the Gela plain and nearby Niscemi, where there is a high production of the vegetable.
Niscemi is the artichoke capital of Europe. And it was here that the idea of a young entrepreneur G. C. to use this plant in beverages was born.
Thus began the production of the artichoke bitter by the brand Paesano which chooses only the very old variety '.Nostrale" call Nostrum by the Latins.
To make it, we let the artichoke hearts and stems macerate in alcohol for 90 days. Then we mix them with an infusion of herbs and caramel.
It is the digestive par excellence, which mixed with other ingredients becomes an explosion of flavour.
In Italy, many barmen have dabbled in surprising aperitif enthusiasts with artichoke cocktail. In particular the Spritz with an artichoke cosca as a garnish as an alternative to the classic orange slice.
And like any happy ending, you just have to try our bitter.
