Artichokes have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. It was the ONLY vegetable my sibling would eat as a child, so we learned early on to love artichokes and ate them regularly. The first thing I did when I moved to Northern California, was plant a dozen artichoke plants. The observation of these strong, resilient plants has taught me more and more about their power. First of all, they are colossal plants. Each one spans 3-4 feet across and 5 feet high. The artichoke flowers are bright and strong, and it is so much fun to have artichoke parties where you can eat as many artichokes as you want because they are generous plants. As much as I love to eat them steamed, they are also delicious roasted, and marinated. The entire plant is known for it health benefits in strengthening the liver, heart and gut functioning. They reduce oxidative damage which is correlated to inflammation, premature aging, cancer and other health imbalances.
Tis the season for artichokes. I hope you enjoy them in every way you can; frozen, fresh, raw, steamed, in a jar or marinated. Here is a delicious recipe I make to enjoy these beauties.
Artichoke delicate squash soup
1 cup sweet onion, chopped
3 cups delicate squash, roasted
1 cup frozen artichoke hearts
6 cups vegetable stock
Dash of nutmeg
1/2t allspice
1t coriander
Parsley
Microgreens
Sautee onion in a large, heavy soup pot with vegetable stock, adding 1T at a time. After 3-4 minutes, add squash, artichokes, nutmeg, allspice, and coriander. Once aromatic add the vegetable stock and bring to a gentle boil. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Blend until smooth. Serve with parsley and microgreens as a garnish.