Top 10 Ways to Enjoy Cardoon

from Fruits and Veggies More Matters

1. Cardoon Cherry Salad. Swap out the celery for cardoons in this recipe to create an unexpected but delightful combination of dried cherries, peas, cardoon, and toasted pecans topped with a yogurt dressing. See Recipe
2. Chilled. Heat a large, covered saucepot filled halfway with salted water to boiling. Add cardoon then cook about 20 minutes or until tender; drain. Toss with herbs and serve chilled, marinated in a mixture of vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. More About Prep
3. Savory Soup. Peel and wash cardoon. Place in boiling water for approximately 20 minutes or until tender; drain. Puree cooked cardoon and add to soups and stews.
4. Raw. Enjoy tender cardoon stalks as you would celery! Remove woody outer stalks and choose tender stalks that are easier to chew. Dip in low-fat dressing, peanut butter, almond butter, or hummus. Try sliced stalks with our Fruity Peanut Butter Dip.
5. Main Dish. Boil cardoon for approximately 20 minutes, or until tender. Stir cooked cardoons into whole-grain pasta or risotto along with chickpeas, zucchini, garlic, and lemon zest.
6. Sautéed. Cook cardoon in boiling water for approximately 20 minutes or until tender; drain and let cool. Once cooled, slice and sauté in frying pan with olive oil. Top with Parmigiano-Reggiano and enjoy! Add other favorite fruits and vegetables to this easy side dish too!
7. Texture for Tuna. Add a little texture to tuna or chicken salad. Mix together chopped cardoon, mayonnaise or mustard, and tuna or chicken. Serve over whole wheat bread or a toasted English muffin. For an extra kick, add a dash of hot sauce to the mixture!
8. Slowed Cooked on a Cold Day. Cardoons tend to have tough stalks, making slow cookers a great way to prep this vegetable! Add vegetable or chicken broth, lean meats, sliced cardoons, vegetables, and low-sodium seasoning to a crock-pot for the perfect warm stew on a cold winter day! Substitute them for the celery in our Turkey Cranberry Stew recipe!
9. Crunch! Slice cardoon and toss into salads, stir fry, or even tacos! That’s right, cardoons add just a little more crunch to these tasty California Avocado Tacos!
10. Braised. Lightly braise cardoon stalk in chicken broth, onion, parsley, thyme, rosemary, and pepper stock for a quick side dish—ready in 20 minutes! See Recipe

Click HERE for more info on Candoon, including storage and selection tips.