Artichokes are vegetables with many beneficial properties and nutrients. They are rich in fibre and provide minerals and vitamins including potassium, sodium, calcium and vitamin A, which helps slow the ageing of cells and skin. They are also diuretic and therefore help relieve fluid retention.
Artichokes are prepared in many different ways, but the tough outer leaves are often discarded because many recipes use only the artichoke heart.
How can we use artichoke waste in the kitchen?
The more tender leaves can be prepared in different ways: caramelised, roasted or blended into artichoke hummus, for example.
On this occasion, however, we are focusing on the tougher parts: the outer leaves and the stalk (the driest part, furthest from the flower).
We have two ideas for using them: in a stock and in a soup.
Artichoke stock
Difficulty: Easy
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- Trimmings from 4 artichokes
- 1 small onion
- 1/2 a celery stalk
- 1 small piece of fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon of fennel
- 2 litres of water
Optional: salt. It is best not to add salt if the stock will be used in another recipe.
Drink it as it is or add it to dishes such as soups, rice dishes or stews. You can also include any vegetables and aromatic herbs you wish.
Method
- Wash the artichoke leaves thoroughly and peel the onion and ginger.
- Place all the ingredients in a pressure cooker with 2 litres of water and cook for 10 minutes. Alternatively, use a normal saucepan and cook for 20 minutes.
- Blend all the ingredients with a hand blender or food processor. Fibrous clumps may form and clog the blades; remove them whenever this happens, then continue blending.
- Once everything has been blended, strain the stock until no fibres remain.
If you are not using the stock immediately, keep it in an airtight jar for a couple of days or freeze it.
Creamy artichoke soup
Difficulty: Easy
Preparation time: 50 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
Trimmings from 5–6 artichokes
1 onion
1 garlic clove
1 carrot
2 potatoes
- Water
Salt and pepper
A splash of cooking cream
1 tablespoon of cream cheese
Extra virgin olive oil
Optional garnish: croutons
Method
- Place all the artichoke leaves in a pressure cooker with water and cook for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, peel and chop all the vegetables and sauté them in another saucepan with a little oil.
- Once the vegetables have been sautéed and the artichoke leaves have finished cooking, drain the leaves and add them to the vegetables.
- Add water and cook for about 10 minutes, until the remaining vegetables are tender.
- Blend and strain the soup.
- Once strained, add the cream cheese and cream and mix thoroughly.