Artichoke Vinaigrette Easy Recipe and Cooking Tips

Artichoke vinaigrette is a classic recipe that is often forgotten, light, low-budget and easy. I explain how to prepare and cook them perfectly.

Artichoke Information

A vegetable often forgotten and associated with winter as it is found throughout the year, the artichoke is in reality a plant that we harvest in spring and summerwhose season begins in March and is cultivated until September.
I realize that I just say vegetable when in reality, the artichoke is the bud of thistle, a plant which therefore belongs to the Asteraceae family.

There exists many varieties of artichoke which are classified into two main categories: white and purple. Large white Camus artichokes from Brittany and not the small purple or pepper artichokes. I couldn’t find the name of the variety used here, sorry.

The nutritional qualities of the artichoke

The artichoke has a low calorie intake47 kcal per 100 grams, with a nutriscore A.
It has many benefits: it is very rich in vitamin B9 and potassium.

Choose and store your artichokes wisely

Choose artichokes that have a very dense head and above all of which the leaves (or sometimes called scales) are tight and not stained.
The stem artichoke must be hard and keep a light color.
After purchase, you can keep it for a few days in the vegetable drawer.

Preparing and cooking artichokes

The tail First of all. Break it by hand by bending the tail at the base of the artichoke. You will see if your artichoke is fresh, it will break by itself. Otherwise, cut at the base with a knife.
Remove the first few leaves which are small, a little hard and rarely edible. If necessary, cut the foot a little at the base.

For cooking several methods :

• steamed my favorite because I have a steam oven
• but most commonly cook your artichokes for 20 to 30 minutes (depending on their size, these were quite small, 20 minutes is enough) in a pot of boiling water placing them with the stem side at the bottom of the pan and the leaf side at the top.
• Adding a little weight on top such as a colander or a plate. This prevents the artichokes from rising to the surface. Otherwise, put a lid.
• Add a few slices of lemonthis prevents the artichokes from blackening (I didn’t have any lemon the time I took these photos, you can see that they are quite dark and have lost their green color).

Some suggestions for vinaigrette sauces

• I choose a very mustardy vinaigrette with whole grain mustard, it is a personal choice to have a thick vinaigrette which coats the flesh at the base of the leaves well when tasting. But do according to your tastes, I know that everyone has their own habits when it comes to vinaigrette.
• tarragon mustard, cider vinegar and grapeseed oil with rapeseed oil like Laurent Mariotte
• Dijon mustard olive oil and lemon juice

How to make your presentation

Once cooked drain them by turning themt so that water does not stagnate between the leaves. Place them flat and let them cool.

Depending on taste, you can serve them hot, warm or coldalways with vinaigrette.

Personally I serve them whole but another more aesthetic method of presentation, a bit like in some bistros, is to spread the leaves from the center to reach the hay, remove this hay and pour a tablespoon of vinaigrette inside. This avoids having to remove the hay during tasting. Some also cut the tops of the leaves, why not!

Another recipe enjoyed with vinaigrette, traditional leeks also steamed or in a pot of water.