RAW Artichoke Carpaccio

Have you ever eaten raw artichokes? Although it may seem extravagant or a culinary modernity, it is actually one of the traditional dishes of Sardinian cuisine. In the island it is usually prepared as a raw artichoke salad seasoned with olive oil and lemon and rounded with slices of Bottarga, (cured mullet roe). An even more traditional fish preserve, since it dates back to the time when Phoenicians ruled the Mediterranean (6th century BC).

It is fascinating how an originally humble dish, today would be considered a delicacy, a contemporary creation.  This wonder is the result of using the ingredients that were ready available on the island: winter artichokes and lemons, freshly harvested oil and preserved fish in salt. The combination is fabulous, since the subtle flavor of the raw artichoke contrasts with the deep and intense flavor of the salted roe, creating a delicious bite.

In our Artichoke Carpaccio, we are adding Parmesan shavings instead of salt-cured fish in order to offer a vegetarian alternative. In a similar way we can use salty fried almonds and capers to obtain a vegan dish. The key here is to combine the vegetable with another ingredient providing a deep contrast of flavor. In any case, the star of the show is the raw, laminated artichoke with its tender bite and a slightly bitter taste, frankly exquisite.

The artichoke needs careful work (in fact, when most people see an artichoke they don’t quite know what to do with it). So let’s see in detail the key steps:

1. Peeling and trimming artichokes. We are aiming at clean bulbs like in the picture. Working one artichoke at a time, snap off the tough outer leaves, going around until you reach the softer yellow-green leaves inside. Trim the stem, keeping about 1 inch/2–3 cm. Cutting diagonally with a sharp chef’s knife slice off the top sides of each artichoke aiming at a clean pointing end. Five-six strokes would suffice to obtain a clean bulb. Remove any tough leave and cut off the bottom base (about one third of the bulb).

2. Avoiding quick oxidation of the trimmed parts. This is the biggest difficulty as the cuts instantly oxidize and turn brown. To avoid this, there are two solutions: submerge trimmed artichokes in a bowl with ice water and lemon juice and then slice them calmly. Or work very quickly and immediately slice and marinate the slices directly in the oil-lemon vinaigrette. That’s what we’ve done (notice the brown tones starting to appear on the cuts when we paused to take the pictures).

3. Seasoning at the right point to fully appreciate artichoke’s subtle flavor and tenderness. This step is linked to the previous one since at the same time we slice the artichokes (very thin indeed) we are covering them with the vinaigrette, making sure that each one of the slices is well impregnated to prevent oxidation. We use the traditional vinaigrette preparing a mix with a quarter of lemon juice and three quarters of extra virgin olive oil. Simply combine, add salt and beat with a fork until you get a smooth emulsion.

This is a very elegant and balanced vegetable carpaccio. A tender bite with mild and fresh flavors accentuated by the power of parmesan shavings. A mild bitter tone appears on the palate, the result of cynarine, the medicinal component of the artichoke. Extra Virgin Olive Oil and lemon brings on a silky and fruity wrap. It is a classic dish that transports us to an island in the Mediterranean. Of course, only during the season months of The Queen of Winter Vegetables: the artichoke.

RAW Artichoke Carpaccio

 

Print

Prep time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Author: TQC

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• ⅔ tender and recently harvested artichokes (depending on size)
• 1 lemon
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Sea salt
• Black pepper
• Parmigiano Reggiano or other dry aged cheese that can be laminated
• Whole green leaves of arugula, Oak Leaf, Four Seasons lettuce or similar

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, squeeze the juice of half a lemon, add triple the amount of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Beat with a fork until the mixture is emulsified. Taste the vinaigrette and rectify with more oil if it is too acidic and with salt if necessary. Beat again and reserve.
2. With a vegetable peeler shave 10-15 shavings of Parmesan from a block of cheese and reserve.
3. Clean and cut the artichoke (see photos in the post). Remove the thicker outer leaves and cut the stem, leaving about two centimeters. With a very sharp knife cut diagonally trying to leave a sharp point. With five or six cuts you should obtain a clean bulb. Remove the toughest leaves that remain and cut the green base (approximately one third of the piece).
4. Working very quickly, slice the artichoke bulb and dip the slices into the vinaigrette, coating both sides.
5. Plate over green lettuce/arugula leaves and decorate with the Parmesan.
6. Use the remaining vinaigrette to season the whole dish.

Culinary Tips

To make the carpaccio it is absolutely necessary that artichokes are fresh and from a recent harvest. Check that the stem cuts are not dry and blackened and that the artichoke is firm when pressed at its center.
Read carefully the instructions for trimming artichokes and look at the photos before cutting them.
This recipe is for two people. And it assumes that you are going to work very quickly to avoid oxidation of the artichokes. If you prefer to work calmly or want to make the recipe for four people, we suggest using the lemon water bath to prevent oxidation as described in the text on the web.
The original recipe admits variations with salted fish, cured cheese, almonds, capers, etc. depending on your preferences. In any case, the good result of the dish will depend on the quality of the artichokes and their correct preparation.

3.5.3251