ARTICHOKE, THE KING!

I love artichokes! They are among my favorite vegetables!
When spring comes and they are freshly available on the market I really enjoy using them in my kitchen for different recipes!

The peak season for artichoke harvesting is the spring, but artichokes continue to be harvested throughout the summer, with another peak period in mid-autumn.
Artichokes, in particular those that have been cut, can turn brown due to the enzymatic browning and chlorophyll oxidation. If not cooked immediately, placing them in water lightly acidulated with vinegar or lemon juice prevents the discoloration.
In Italy, artichoke hearts in oil are the usual vegetable for 'spring' section of the 'Four Seasons' pizza (with olives for summer, mushrooms for autumn, and prosciutto for winter). A recipe well known in Rome is Jewish-style artichokes, which are deep-fried whole.
Stuffed artichokes recipes are many. A common Italian stuffing uses a mixture of bread crumbs, garlic, oregano, parsley, grated cheese, and prosciutto or sausage. A bit of the mixture is then pushed into the spaces at the base of each leaf and into the center before boiling or steaming.
In Spain, the more tender, younger, and smaller artichokes are used. They can be sauteed in olive oil with garlic and combined with eggs in a tortilla (frittata).
The total antioxidant capacity of artichoke flower heads is one of the highest reported for vegetables. Cynarin, an active chemical constituent in artichokes causes an increased bile flow. This diuretic vegetable is of nutritional value because of its exhibiting an aid to digestion, strengthening of the liver function and gall bladder function, and raising of the HDL/LDL ratio. This reduces cholesterol levels, which diminishes the risk for arteriosclerosis and coronary heart disease.

After all this said, are you ready to prepare a nice
ARTICHOKE's FRITTATA?

Ingredients:

4 fresh artichokes
6 eggs
half cup grated mozzarella
4 scallion
1 clove of garlic
parsley
olive oil
salt

Prepare the artichokes eliminating the hard external leaves,
then cut in half and put them in water with lemon.
Dry them on a paper towel and slice them in quarters.
In a frying pan warm up 3TBS of olive oil, add the chopped scallion
and the artichokes, cook for few minutes then add minced garlic and salt.
Cover with lid and cook till tender (about 10 minutes).
Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Beat eggs, add salt and mix them with mozzarella.
Pour egg mixture on the artichokes and cover pan with lid.
Cook at low heat.
When it starts smelling nice turn over the frittata with the help of lid.
Cook for few more minutes and the frittata is ready!

Buon appetito!