Roman Artichokes and 10 things I liked of Michigan
So here I am, writing about Roman artichokes from incredibly warm and sunny Michigan. Was prepared for a cool autumn weather and instead we were welcomed by the summer. Temperature always in the 80s (Fahrenheit, between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius), except at night. Really bothered by my poor choice of clothes, but the forecast back in Sweden did not warn me about this… Anyway, thought I could try to think positive like my American friend Veronica, instead of complaining like a Roman (a natural attitude for us people), and list the things I liked most during my stay here.
10 THINGS I LIKED OF MICHIGAN (AND THE US)
1. The lovely nature. Most of Michigan is extremely green and there is an incredible variety of trees and bushes. Lakes are everywhere and you can still see wildlife popping up at every green spot. Squirrels are a constant part of the surroundings and raccoons and deers are easy to encounter. Love it!
2. Michigan apples. This is the best season to enjoy them and I really am. They are so juicy that it does not surprise me they make the best cider ever out of them.
3. Michigan cherries. In this season I can find them only dried (or canned) but they are delicious.
4. Huge soft pretzels at Detroit zoo. Covered with coarse salt and dipped in mustard. Wow! Had no idea I would have liked something like this, but I truly loved it.
5. Cut oats. You know, the old-fashioned thing that needs to be cooked for 30 minutes… I thrive on them. Mixed with dried cherries and cranberries… yum!
6. Vegetables. There is a huge variety of fresh greens to choose from at the supermarket and most of them are locally produced. I am in heaven! We do not have that in Sweden (and that is possibly what makes me miss most home).
7. Well, I have just realized that I am a vegetarian who eats meat. I mean… I like vegetables most of anything else but enjoy a good cut of meat every now and then. And meat is another thing I find excellent in US (and Michigan). Juicy and tender, you almost do not need to chew it… I don’t know what is that US breeders and butchers do that is different from (most of) Europe but they surely do it right.
8. The color of the leaves. Although the autumn has not yet bloomed here, one can already see some amazing reds that, again, I have never seen elsewhere.
9. Strangers who ask you how you are doing. Really unaccustomed to this after years of Scandinavian chill.
10. The incredible amount of tv channels. I guess that it would be dangerous if I lived here but how relaxing if I could allow myself to enjoy a whole afternoon of oldies and romantic comedies…
And now, about Roman artichokes. A few weeks ago I saw some huge artichokes in a Stockholm’s market and though of giving them a try. I have never dared buying artichokes in Sweden because they look so different from the ones we have in Rome. Those are smaller and softer, these are extremely though and, as I wrote, huge. Anyway, I finally got the artichokes and tried to make them the Roman way. It actually worked, and although the edible part was about 1/10 of what you get in Italy, the taste was the same.
ROMAN ARTICHOKES – CARCIOFI ALLA ROMANA
You need: 4 big artichokes or 6 small-medium ones, 2 finely chopped garlic cloves, 3 table-spoon chopped mint leaves, 3 table-spoon chopped parsley, 1/2 cup (2 dl) olive oil, 1 lemon, 1/3 cup (50 grams) breadcrumbs, marine salt.
How to: first, remove the outside layers of leaves, usually at least the first 3 rounds. Cut the rest short in a way that only the pale green or yellow leaves stay (they are softer). Open the top of the artichoke and remove the white inclusions (as much as possible). Carve and cut the stems, leaving only the edible center. Place the artichokes in a bowl with water and the juice of the lemon. In a small bowl, combine half of the oil with the mint, parsley, and garlic and add the breadcrumbs. Lightly salt. Drain the artichokes and fill them with the herbs mixture. Place them upside-down in a large non-stick pot with the rest of the olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and let stir-fry for a few minutes on medium-high heat. Add water up to half of the artichokes’ head, lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 1/2 hour. Check for doneness with a fork and continue to cook until tender.
CONSIDERATIONS: I was not able to take away all the white inedible inside of the artichokes cause the outer leaves were so incredibly though they created a barrier. However, the end result was real good and tasty. I used the chopped flesh of a couple of the artichokes to make a wonderful vegetarian pasta sauce (just add some cream and Parmesan and quickly stir-fry in a pan with al dente pasta) and served the whole artichokes with a steak. Yummie. And tonight I am going to try a real American pizza pepperoni, will I like it?
My Italian Smörgåsbord (Aka Barbara)
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And you were here? I could have joined you at the Zoo w/c is 30 minutes away from my place 😉 Next time, next time.
The first time I tried an artichoke was in Italy. I thought you had to chew the outer leaves… it took a long time to get down, that first one. Thankfully I cottoned on for the rest of them. Phew.
Michigan sounds lovely.
hi there Cityhippyfarmgirl. Where did you eat that artichoke? A Roman artichoke should be totally edible once cooked, as all the inedible stuff is thrown away before cooking (thing I could only partially achieve with these tough “Swedish” artichokes – they were actually imported from France).
What an uplifting blog :)))
I can’t believe I’m only now seeing this! The notification got buried in my overwhelmed inbox and I finally found it today. Thank you for the shout out, I love that you found all these things to love! It’s so nice to experience America through a foreigner’s eyes…now I want to go overseas and blog about it so you can experience your country through mine. It’s just so lovely to see simple things we enjoy as normal, or even boring, through someone who isn’t accustomed to it. Very, very nice. Enjoy the rest of your vacation if you aren’t home already!
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