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Artichokes

This dish is boiled artichokes seasoned with salt and baking soda.

From an old cookbook · modernised transcription
From a historical cookbook (Internet Archive) · 3 ingredients
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Artichokes

Ingredients

Directions

Prepare

  1. Strip off a few outer leaves and twist off the stalks.

  2. Soak the artichokes in cold water with salt for 30 minutes.

  3. Wash and drain the artichokes well.

Boil and serve

  1. Place them in a pan of boiling water, adding salt and a small piece of baking soda.

  2. Cover with a plate or partially with the pan lid, adding boiling water as needed.

  3. Boil for about 2 hours, checking doneness by pulling out a leaf; it should come out easily.

  4. Drain and place in a vegetable dish to serve.

Recipe from a historical cookbook (Internet Archive).

Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.

Explore the science

What each ingredient does

Artichokes
Are the main vegetable; their tender leaves and heart become soft and edible after long boiling.
Baking soda
Raises the water's pH, which helps the artichoke tissue soften during boiling.

The step that matters

Checking doneness by pulling out a leaf. Artichokes can look done on the outside while the base stays firm. A leaf that pulls out easily shows the fibres have softened through, so the cook should test rather than rely on the clock alone.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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