I got two more small artichokes from the plants I planted in heavy clay soil a few months ago. I have great expectations for good harvests next year. Because the artichokes were small and tender I decided to fry them. The last harvest I fried in a batter of only flour and water, as is traditionally used in Italy when frying vegetables, but today I dipped the boiled artichoke in egg and covered it in crumbs. I love fried artichoke, frying brings out a flavour so delicious and that lingers in the mouth, making one wonder if one should destroy it by taking another sip of wine. ( Now that is some flavour)
Fried Artichoke
2 young, fresh artichokes with as much stem left on as possible. Do not cut the stems off as everything is edible.
1 egg, whisked
1/2 cup unflavoured dried breadcrumbs (Home made)
olive oil or vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste
Boil the artichokes in salted water until just tender – about 10 minutes should do it. Cut the artichokes in half and dip the pieces in the beaten egg. Add salt and pepper to the crumbs and liberally cover the pieces in crumbs. Use a smallish saucepan that fits all the pieces and pour in the oil up to about 1 cm deep, when the oil is hot, slip the artichoke pieces in and cook until golden on all sides .
Serve immediately with a slice of lemon if you have any – I had mine without anything .
Back Yard Farmer 
Artichokes and jerusalem artichokes would be perfect for breaking up our soil and as drought tolerant species to grow but our chooks love them and peck away at the base of the stalk and the wallabies scoff the Jerusalem artichokes down to nothing so we have to plant them somewhere protected next year. I love globe artichokes and am going to plant them out into the protection of stacks of tyres! Needs must…
My chickens prefer the Cardoons, which is related tot the Artichokes, but fortunately it is growing so fast they cannot reach the leaves any more
I am very interested in cardoons…might have to get hold of some seed and give them a go. I don’t know why chooks and wallabies love the taste of the stems of the artichokes but they do and they chomp them off (peck them out) at ground level 😦
Lucky I do not have Wallabies as well. MY chickens and the Blackbirds are enough to cater for
Blackbirds eat them?!!! We just dealt with our feral cat problem and got a quoll problem and possum invasion for the swap and the blackbirds have come back en mass…looks like ANOTHER invader to watch out for 😉