I always buy artichokes hearts in oil. I love the flavor. On the Whole Foods thread below, I see a couple of mentions about their artichokes in water. Are they good in salad and/or antipasto type plates? I'm interested - (not just in the Whole Foods artichokes) what do you use them for?
Thanks!
I'm not sure that the Whole Foods water-packed chokes taste like, but there are cans of water-packed chokes even in grocery stores. Your oil-packed chokes offer a little different flavor and texture because of the oil, so putting the water-packed in salads and anti-pasto dishes would be a matter of new taste - they are not the "traditional," but really good.
I have bought water-packed at the gorcery store and like using them in dishes where I want just the flavor of the artichoke itself, sans the oil, this in soup, hors d'eourves, omelettes, in chicken and rice; there are many recipes.
Also, at Trader Joe's, they have frozen artichoke hearts that cook up great without having to drain the water from them. One quick way of enjoying them is to heat them up (boil?) put them on a plate, cover them with a sharp cheddar cheese and some crumbles of fried bacon. Melt the cheese in the broiler (or even microwave) and you have a nice snack or side dish.
I like a fresh artichoke grilled with a side of aoili, but the prepared artichokes can be added to many dishes. I'm anxious to hear other chowhounders' do with them.
One seasoning I like with the artichoke is Tarragon. A Bernaise sauce is an example of that herb in a sauce. Fresh in a salad would work for me, too.
Artichoke hearts in water are perfect for throwing into dishes when you just want the flavor of the artichoke hearts, and don't need or want the marinade. Some of the marinated brands are pretty salty, and sometimes I'd rather go with some good olive oil than the highly-salted vegetable oil in the jarred ones. The ones in water are great in salads and on pizza, or tossed with pasta and sauce, for example, or in your own sauce/vinaigrette on an anipasto platter. Don't use them in anything that cooks a long time, or they'll get mushy.
Conversely, frozen artichoke hearts, which you can get at most supermarkets (and are one of the few frozen veggies I use), should go in cooked dishes, as they can be a bit hard otherwise. They're great with onions, tomatoes, and spices as a bed under baked fish, and are also one of my favorite things in a frittata. You can saute them and serve as a side vegetable, or get decadent and batter and deep fry.
Since not all brands are the same, some people choose to marinate the chokes in their own homemade marinade. This is usually, IMO, a better tasting choke. The oil packed chokes are good, but they do not behave the same in a marinade as the water packed ones.
Also, if using in a recipe some may choose to use the choke without the excess flavors of oils and marinades.
Water packed can be a nice thing...
I take them out of the water some period of time before using them in cooking or in salads (or even marinating them). That way, they dry out a bit and don't have that waterlogged texture. This seems to concentrate the flavor, also. I don't buy oil chokes, usually because I don't like the tast of the oil that is used in most products.
I used to buy artichoke hearts in oil and use them in salads, etc.
Anymore, though, I've been using the water-packed hearts. They have a cleaner flavor, and I can then control the overall flavor of the dish through dressings, vinegars or oils I choose.
The water-packed hearts are also far preferable on pizzas and with eggs. Word of warning, though, when using in dishes: Press them between paper towels to wring out excess moisture before using them. We suffered through a series of soggy pizzas before discovering this trick.
I purchased some in water from Albertsons (west coast), one was the Maria brand the other had the Albertsons label but both were from Spain. The can of Maria quartered hearts had a strong tinny/chemical smell, the other somewhat of the same, I ended up tossing both.
Anyone know of another source? I find it strange not seeing any produced here in CA, since I live just a couple of hours from Castroville, the artichoke capitol of the world.
by Jen Wheeler | Need a spring vegetable guide to what's in season? Consider this your spring produce cheat sheet—complete...
by Rachel Johnson | Whether the kids are still distance learning or returning to a classroom, with school back in session...
by Kelly Magyarics | You’ve sprung for a gorgeous piece of enameled cast iron cookware; protect your investment by cleaning...
by Debbie Wolfe | Home chefs love wood cutting boards because they are durable and reliable. Wood boards are attractive...