Thistles, also known as cardoons, are a rare winter vegetable with ribbed stems that resemble a cross between a thistle and an artichoke. They are best eaten young and tender, and can be used in a variety of dishes. Thistles have a peppery taste and are popular with chefs, but are difficult to find in supermarkets.
Thistles are an exotic, hard to find vegetable. Thistles get their name from the French word chardon, which comes from the Latin carduus, meaning thistle. Once described as celery on steroids, cardoons are very similar to artichokes.
The stems of the thistles are ribbed and can grow to about 55 cm in length, and the color can vary from white to pale green. The vegetable has a flower head and its appearance is a cross between a thistle and an artichoke. However, the flower buds of the thistle cannot be eaten.
Thistles are winter greens that can continue to grow well into spring. However, they are mainly cold-temperature vegetables, and the spring heat affects their taste. Hot weather will make thistle bitter.
The best time to eat cardoons is when they are young and tender. You can eat them raw when young, but if the stems are older, you’ll need to cook them first. Cardoons can also be used in sauces, dips, stews, salads, or even as breaded appetizers.
There are two varieties of thistle. The longs have long straight stems and the hunchback has curved or bent stems. The origins of the thistle are fuzzy, but the vegetable is believed to have originated in Italy, Spain, and Africa. It reached North America via England. Thistles have been recorded as being eaten in ancient Rome and Greece as a delicacy.
Cooking cardoons is a simple process. Just cut off the base and leaves, then cut the stems into pieces. Thistles lose their color very quickly once subjected to air, so place the stems in vinegar-laced water. Simmer the stems for about 20 minutes until tender, adding salt to the water to remove any bitterness. Then simply drain and peel off the surface of the stems.
You can add pre-cooked cardoons to a variety of dishes. They have a peppery taste and are great mixed with mushrooms as a starter. Think spicy Mediterranean recipes that are perfect for a cold winter night.
Cardoons are a largely unknown vegetable and quite difficult to find in supermarkets, but they are well used by chefs and restaurateurs who are first in line to snag them when they become available. Thistles are becoming more popular as various varieties of vegetables are grown. These include larger versions, such as Gigante di Romagna and Plein Blanc Inerma Ameliora.
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