CookEat Recipe
Dried Artichoke Hearts for Cooking
Artichoke hearts briefly blanched in lemon water and dried in thin strips for later rehydrating and cooking.
Method
Steps
Step 1
Gather the ingredients: 500 g fresh globe artichoke hearts, weighed after removing all leaves, choke and stems; 2.16 litres water; 180 ml lemon juice.
Step 2
Use fresh sound artichokes and clean equipment. Rinse under running water, remove all leaves, the fibrous choke and stems, and trim the hearts to edible flesh. Cut the hearts into even strips about 3 mm thick. This modern drying method uses thin heart strips rather than thick quarters with stems.
Step 3
Mix the water and lemon juice in a large saucepan. Bring to a full boil. Add only a small batch of artichoke strips at a time so the boil returns within 1 minute, and boil for 6–8 minutes from that point. At elevations of 1,500 m or higher, add 1 minute. Repeat for the remaining strips, renewing the solution in the same proportions if needed.
Step 4
Drain well, briefly cool with cold water just enough to stop cooking, and blot away surface moisture. Arrange the still-warm strips in one layer on food-safe dehydrator trays without touching or overlapping. Use a dehydrator with a thermostat and fan set to 60°C.
Step 5
Dry for about 4–6 hours, or longer if needed, rotating trays as the appliance requires. Test several cooled pieces: they must be completely dry and crisp or brittle, with no soft damp centre. Do not stop merely because the estimated time has elapsed.
Step 6
Cool for about 30–60 minutes, then promptly pack into small clean dry airtight containers. Store in a cool, dark, dry place and use within about 4 months for best quality. Check for moisture during storage; if sound pieces soften, dry them again promptly, and discard any batch with mould or spoilage. Do not preserve these vegetables by hanging them outdoors in sun or shade.
Step 7
When needed, cover the dried strips with boiling water and leave until softened, checking after about 20–30 minutes. If soaking would exceed 2 hours, refrigerate. Drain and use promptly in a simmered dish, cooking until fully tender, or dry their surfaces well before frying. The stated duration allows preparation, drying and cooling; later soaking and cooking are additional.
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