A typical winter vegetable, thistles have a flavor similar to artichoke, a little sweeter. They are excellent baked or oven roasted. And the gratins are even better!
I card are close relatives of artichokes, both come from wild thistle and also look alike - a tuft of large, long, silver-green leaves. They are vegetables that ripen in winter and the most famous varieties are the Romagna Giant, Riccio d'Asti, Bolognese and Gobbo of the Monferrato. The latter is so named because it is grown by bending the tip and burying it in side holes. This process causes the hunchbacked and white thistle to grow, due to the lack of light.
Full of fiber and minerals
Thistles are a very low calorie vegetable and therefore suitable for anyone with balance issues. So they are rich in fibers and mineral salts, especially potassium and calcium. But its most important virtue is that purification, especially when it comes to the liver. In fact, this vegetable contains a substance called silybin, which helps the body eliminate toxins.
How to choose them
Thistles should be taken with the leaves tight, compact and intact. Choose them as much as possible white, with a few traces of green they will be sweeter. To clean them, remove the outermost leaves and then remove them with a potato peeler. the hardest ribs, to the tender heart. To cook, cut the stems to a length of 15-20 cm, remove all the outer ribs from the ribs and pour them into plenty of sour water. Let them cook for 2 to 3 hours, to soften the stems. Then you can bake them or fry them in a pan with oil and garlic.
The recipe: thistle gratin
Clean as suggested 1 kg of thistles, cut them into small pieces and make them boiling in plenty of salty water for 2 hours. When they are tender, drain them and let them cool. Meanwhile, grease a buttered baking dish, put a first layer of thistles, sprinkle liberally parmesan flakes and butter. Cover with Bechamel. Add a new layer of thistles and cover them again with Parmesan, butter and béchamel. Put the dish in the oven at 180 ° for 30-40 minutes, until you see a golden crust form on the surface. At this point, remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Follow the tips in the gallery to cook them in the best way
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