Kitchen Diva: Welcome spring with fresh artichokes

Artichokes are strange and lovely. It’s a thistle, a flower and its pale green blossoms are one of the first signs of spring. Artichokes are in season, so it’s time to go to the market and get some thorny deliciousness for yourself.

Artichokes may be a food you already think you know, stripped down to its heart and frozen and packaged in a box, a jar or a can. The wonderful thing about artichokes is that they are delicious in all their forms.

But if you’ve never had the chance to buy them in their full, sculptural beauty, fresh off the plant, mature or tender and young, then you are missing something special.

The artichoke is a member of the cardoon family, which is native to the Mediterranean, and cultivation began there as early as the ninth century. The plant likes mild, dry climates, and in the United States it seems to like California’s central valley almost exclusively.

Being what it is, which is a leafy flower, it is a great source of fiber. It’s also high in vitamin C and magnesium.

If you live in California, you’ve probably had the opportunity to savor a fresh artichoke. However, the artichoke might be a little exotic to the rest of us.

The big round globe, with all its layers, might seem a little intimidating. What to do with it? What is edible, and what is not?

Use fresh artichokes within a few days of purchasing. You may want to trim off the prickly points of the leaves before preparing them. Surprisingly, most of the artichoke flower is edible.

The only exceptions are the more fibrous end of the stem — although the upper part of the stem is very good — and the fuzzy center, or beard of the flower, called the “choke.” This part of the large, mature artichoke is not edible.

There are many tasty and attractive ways to prepare fresh artichokes. Large heads are delicious stuffed and roasted. Or, artichokes can be steamed and the leaves removed and served for dipping into any sauce your imagination can dream up.

Once the “choke” is removed, the hollowed-out core can be used as a serving dish for salads or soups. Small, young artichokes don’t need to have the fibrous center choke removed, and it can be cooked and eaten whole.

This recipe for Lemon Chicken with Artichokes and Olives is the perfect showcase for fresh artichokes and the vibrant flavors of spring. Just follow my step-by-step instructions for preparing them.

Lemon Chicken With Artichokes And Olives

Servings: 4 to 6

Ingredients

1 large (4 pound) chicken, halved, backbone removed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons poultry seasoning

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

6 whole garlic cloves with skins on

1/2 medium yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped

5 large artichoke hearts, quartered, 3 1/2 pounds total (See “How to Prep Hearts” below)

2 tablespoons grated lemon peel

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 cup pitted green or black olives

5 flatleaf parsley sprigs

Procedure

How to Prep Artichoke Hearts: Snap off thick green outer leaves down to yellowish core. Halve artichokes crosswise; discard thorny tips. Trim stem to about 1/2 inch and peel tough outer skin from remaining stem. Halve artichoke lengthwise; scoop out and discard fuzzy, red-tipped choke. Put hearts in cold water with a little lemon juice and set aside until you’re ready to cook.

To Prepare the Recipe: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken all over with poultry seasoning, salt and pepper; lay chicken in hot oil, skin-side down. Cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn chicken over. Pour the chicken broth around the outside edges of the chicken. Add the garlic, onion, artichokes, lemon and lemon peel.

Roast chicken in the oven, uncovered, until cooked through, about 1 hour, or when the temperature reaches 165 degrees on a thermometer placed in the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone. Remove the bird from the oven and let it rest 10 minutes. The thigh meat is forgiving, even if overcooked. In fact, it becomes more tender when cooked to at least 160 degrees. Add the olives and parsley, and serve immediately.