An unfairly neglected thistle

Artichokes are unfairly neglected. They are, however, my favourite food. I will therefore attempt to persuade you, O gentle reader, to read about this wonderful plant and to eat it frequently.

My source of irrefutable wisdom, Wikipedia, says that the plant in its current form was developed by the Neapolitans during the renaissance. Thank God for Neapolitans. In Turkey, artichokes are said to be good to refresh and rejuvenate your liver. They do apparently contain flavonoid glycosides, which "reduce capillary fragility" and are antioxidants. They also apparently contain phytosterols, which lower cholesterol. All three are important at my increasingly advanced age. But God knows if any of these effects survive cooking. And while I have eaten raw artichoke, I can understand that this might not be everyone's taste.

Looking at the issue from the culinary side, the problem with the artichoke is that most people don't know how to cook it. My favourite preparation is as follows: Cut the stem close to the flower, and maybe remove a few leaves. Then boil in well-salted water (with a pinch of sugar added) for as long as necessary to get the outer leaves tender. Cool, but don't place in the fridge. Serve with a sauce made up of olive oil, lemon, salt and a dash of mustard. Eat the leaves and not just the heart.

Do not sully or smother artichoke with needless additions. The artichoke has a flavour that can easily be overwhelmed, so a dish of baked Esrom cheese, pastrami and artichoke, say, is to be avoided. I also don't think it goes with any kind of meat or cheese at all, nor with wine. But by itself, it is close to tastebud heaven.