HOW TO GROW AND COOK CARDOON

I found cardoons at my local market – a relative of the Artichoke, the stems are cooked and eaten and they have the same flavor as artichoke hearts. After trimming off the fuzz and thorns, the stems are cooked and then added to any number of traditional winter dishes.

I came across some Cardoons for sale at our local market Wegmans last week, and it reminded me about a post which I never wrote last year. Cardoons are are a vegetable which more likely is grown by some of you as an ornamental plant – a striking thistle-like vase shaped plant with grayish prickly leaves, a magnificent vase shape and by late summer, a huge, architectural statement plant for large gardens. But this relative of the Artichoke ( Cynara cardunculus) occasionally shows up at the market at a winter vegetable, and one, which I feel deserves more attention. I thought that I might share both how I grow it, and how one can cook it.

My own cardoon stems from last October as I harvested them. The leaf stalks and the midribs have a flavor similar to artichokes, and the best part? With cardoons, you get your moneys worth, as anyone who has eaten a globe artichoke knows, there is far more waste than edible parts.

 The Cardoon has a long history in American horticulture, as it was  common colonial vegetable and one grown at Monticello in long rows. Today, few bother to grow the plant for food, opting for imported artichokes or those flown in from California, but the cardoon offers a more sustainable option to air-shipped artichokes, especially for those who garden in the north, and as an ornamental and a vegetable, it can be planted in the border rather than the vegetable garden.

Young cardoon transplants ready for setting out into the garden in late April. The variety I chose last year was ‘Porto Spineless’ from Johnnys Selected Seeds, but be warned, it still will have some thistle-like spines along the edges of each stalk and leaf.

 Cardoon seeds must be sown early, in late January or early February, much like artichokes. Seedlings will not need to be vernalized, or chilled for two or three weeks as artichoke seedlings require, they can simply be set out into the garden and allowed to grow all summer long. They cab behave like biennials in some climates ( I had a couple survive for two years in the garden) but generally, it is grown as an annual, with harvest planned for late October when one cuts the entire plant at soil level.

A crop of cardoon requires space, as they are really large thistle plants, but even if you don’t want large, perfect specimen plants, they can be added to the perennial border as ornamental plants, just don’t crowd them too much, if you want stems large enough to eat.

Provide lots of space, for a well grown cardoon can reach 5 feet tall, and nearly as wide. I included mine in a perennial bed and then planted some in a small raised bed, so they did not grow as large as they could have, but I was still able to harvest a decent amount of cardoon stalks for Christmas Eve dinner ( it’s a traditional Italian dish at the Holiday’s) and stored some in the root cellar for later in the winter, when I use it in traditional French gratineés. Peeled, poached and sliced, the tender stems are best in light gratin dishes with béchamel with a bit of nutmeg and alpine cheese, or served with buttered pasta. And what could ever be wrong with that!

By late October, Cardoon plants can reach nearly 4 or 5 feet tall, and able to handle light frosts. Traditionally, in Italy, it is a winter vegetable, often served at Christmas.

One must harvest the entire Cardoon plant before hard frost

Cardoons are easy, and even thought I did not fuss over mine, they still produced plants large enough for a harvest that has lasted 5 winter months.

Peeled and cleaned cardoon stems must be cooked in acidulated water (lemon juice) until tender, about 30 minutes, not unlike artichokes.

After boiling cardoon stalks, they are cut into small slices, and then they can be prepared in any number of ways, but almost always ( and traditionally) prepared as a gratin, layered with Gruyere cheese, light cream and Parmesan.

As with artichokes, there is still a lot of waste. Nothing that the chickens and turkeys won’t eat.