Cardoons - How to Prepare, Recipes Please
 

I saw these in the seed catalog last year and thought, hey, why not? So now they are big beautiful bushes that are taking up space in my flower garden. They look just like artichokes. I understand that they taste like them too. Does anyone else out there have any experience with growing, harvesting or cooking cardoons?

~ C

Don't know what that is...will have to look it up. But, my dh was Sicilian and I learned how to make cardoni, among other things. This veggies is like celery only thicker and a bit larger, have to parboil, string, then bread and fry..yummy...now to look up cardoons!

well, I just did! Same thing. So just use stalks, cut from core, so each is individual, parboil til tender... I don't know time wise,just stick a fork in, if little resistance - good. Rinse and cool. Remove strings, then flour, egg and seasoned breadcrumbs, deep fry, and enjoy,.kids and dh would stand around deep fryer and eat as I removed!

A dear friend taught me how to make this - it's so good. However, when I made it I forgot to par boil them first. Not a good idea.....

https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-clean-cardoons-2394986 Very interesting. I wonder if they will grow in South Louisiana.

Thanks for the picture of cardoons. They actually look very similar to the stalks that the artichokes grow on. No wonder they taste similar to artichokes. Artichokes are my favorite flower to eat. The stalks of the artichokes can be cleaned, peeled and parboiled and eaten just like artichokes. Oh, and you have to take the strings out, too, just like you do the cardoons.

Speaking of artichokes......love to,make them "stuffed" with seasoned breadcrumbs, baked, then drizzle ranch dressing over and peel , scrape each leaf...think I'll go grocery shopping today-just made a batch of breadcrumbs from dried breads....dinner is now solved!

Geri makes them the same as I do and they are delicious. Just simmer until tender then fry up. Yum, yum

Thanks for the ideas everyone. I love the idea of frying them, but I'm trying to lose weight and so I've cut back on fried foods. I wonder if they could be simmered and then coated with panko crumbs and baked...maybe use just a little oil spray to keep them from sticking and crisp up the breadcrumbs. Do you dip them in anything? Thanks.

~ C