Recipe ingredients
- Fresh, tender artichokes
Preparation
1st method:
Choose fresh, tender artichokes, clean away the outer green leaves and cut them into pieces. To prevent them turning black, they should be rubbed with lemon juice and covered with water containing salt and more lemon juice. Pour vinegar and add a proportionate amount of salt to a saucepan. Heat to boiling point, and pour over the artichokes so that they are completely covered by the boiled vinegar. If the vinegar is too strong, dilute it with a little water. Be careful not to boil them too much, so that they don’t become too soft. Remove the artichokes from the saucepan and leave in a strainer for about 4-5 hours to drain off the vinegar. Next, place the artichokes in well-washed, dry jars or containers, without pressing down too hard, and add some good quality olive oil until the artichokes are completely covered. Cover the jars and store in a cool dry place.
2nd method:
Select fresh artichokes, clean off the outer leaves and cut into two, or leave whole if they are small in size. Sprinkle them with lemon juice, and add to water with a little salt and more lemon juice or vinegar to prevent browning (quarter of a teacup of lemon juice to 3 lt water). Drain, and then carefully place in glass jars without leaving too many gaps. Top up the jars with 10% -12% brine (i.e. 100-120 g salt per litre of water), and a little lemon juice (juice of 1-2 lemons per kilo of artichokes). Make sure the artichokes are well covered by the brine, pressing them down with a stick wrapped in cheesecloth. Do not forget to keep removing the foam that rises to the top of the jar. This will continue for several days. When foam stops forming, pour over 2-3 fingers of oil, close the jars with clean lids and store in a cool place. The artichokes can be used for salads, or cooked in the same way as fresh ones
