(Cynara cardunculus – Family Compositae [Asteraceae])
The cardoon is a close relative of the globe artichoke and a member of the Thistle family. It is a perennial grown as an annual for its “heart” and blanched leaf midribs. Long before the globe was developed, the cardoon was considered a delicacy by the ancient Greeks and Romans. It was first described by Theophrastus in the 4th century BCE. He stated that its origin was Sicily, although it more than likely came from North Africa originally.
The cardoon has an medium-sized flower head that has the appearance between that of an artichoke and a common thistle. It is found in the wild through much of the Mediterranean and North Africa, and was still a very popular vegetable in several countries in the 19th century. Today, it is viewed as an “exotic” and only of regional importance in Spain, the south of France, and Italy, which still exports a small quantity each fall. The leaf stalks taste similar to artichokes and look somewhat like celery, and can be prepared much like it; but, unlike the artichoke, the flower buds cannot be eaten. As a wild plant, the cardoon is noticeably persistent and fast-growing. It was accidentally introduced to South America, California, and Australia, and has now become a troublesome weed. It is not stated, however, how such a widespread “accident” could have happened.
The name, cardoon, was derived from the Latin “carduus” and, later, from the French “chardon”, which means thistle. A blooming cardoon is almost indistinguishable from a globe artichoke and differs only in the part that is eaten. It is not the flower head that is eaten, but the stalk and midribs of the main leaves. In Italy and Spain, the wild cardoon heads are gathered and used as a vegetable rennet for making certain kinds of cheese. Young buds are pickled in vinegar or brine, along with the spices, silphium and cumin. The fleshy stalk resembles that of flattened celery, with a suede-like finish. When it is cooked, it has a subtle bittersweet flavour that hints of artichoke, but also suggests celery and salsify. Rarely seen on the market, cardoons are snapped up by knowlegeable connoisseurs because the vegetable is nearly extinct as a commercial plant, despite its popularity. Growers mistakenly feel that it is only the Italians who eat them when chefs and diners all over the world are saying otherwise.
There are two types of cardoon: lunghi and gobbi. The lunghi are long, regular stalks that grow in a conventional manner. The others are bent over when very young and partially buried to make them more tender. California growers are not so selective and leave them after planting, causing “American” consumers to be satisfied with what they get. Cardoon was valued by the Romans who paid high prices for them as an ingredient for stews and salads. It reached England by 1658, and North America, the following century; but never established itself there as a viable crop, but rather as an ornamental foliage. The Italian types are tender enough to be eaten raw, but the American ones must be precooked to dispel any bitterness and then treated like an artichoke. Cultivated versions are valued as a vegetable and as an ornamental, and have been grown since ancient times. Some varieties include Gigante di Romagna, Plein Blanc Inerma Ameliora (can grow four feet tall with white ribs), and Tours (a very large vigorous variety with large spines).
