Useful information

Artichoke - the king of French cuisine and a friend of the liver

The artichoke is a rare plant in our country. Meanwhile, this is the king of French cuisine. In appearance, it resembles a thistle so much that it is more associated with weeds than aristocrats of the garden. In general, "on the face of the terrible", but tasty inside. Recently, interest has arisen in him as a medicinal plant. Every self-respecting pharmaceutical company produces either a drug from this plant, or a food supplement with its participation.

Sowing artichoke (Cynara scolymus)

 

Showy and heat-loving

Sowing artichoke, real, or barbed (Cynara scolymus) is a perennial herb up to 1.5 m tall from the Astrovye family. It has large feathery leaves and large heads of inflorescences.They are larger than that of a thistle, and blue (in a thistle, inflorescences are red, with a slight purple tint). The artichoke usually blooms only in the second year. It is its inflorescences that attract the creators of haute cuisine (not only fashion can be high, cooking can also be an art).

The homeland of the plant is the Mediterranean. A successful crop requires fertile soils, a warm climate and sufficient moisture. Better to grow it through seedlings. Then the plant will be older for wintering and, accordingly, more powerful. For the winter, you can either cover it with peat or humus, or let it overwinter in a cold basement at low positive temperatures. And next year, plant plants in a fertile garden. But even if the plant does not overwinter with us, the leaves to support the liver can be harvested in the first year of life of this wonderful plant-healer.

Sowing artichoke (Cynara scolymus)

 

For a clear mind in old age

The artichoke is used in old age as an anti-aging plant. It is especially useful for elderly people suffering from atherosclerosis. In experiments on laboratory animals, the property of dried grass and artichoke roots was revealed to prevent the development of atherosclerosis of the coronary vessels of the heart. This effect is due to the presence of cynarin in the plant. Patients with atherosclerosis, who were prescribed cynarin in a dose of 1.5 g per day for two months, not only improved their health, but also decreased blood cholesterol levels. The choleretic and diuretic effect of this biologically active compound has also been noted.

Given that artichokes contain inulin, it can be recommended as a desirable food for diabetics.

In German herbal medicine, there is an opinion that if there are artichokes for lunch and dinner, then constant headaches quickly and for a long time go away. With black flies in the eyes, the cause of which can be very different (astigmatism, retinal diseases, anemia, hypertension, high cholesterol, sclerosis, migraines), if eye diseases have been excluded and the headaches are of a vascular nature, you need to take 10 g of artichoke leaves, pour 1 liter of boiling water, leave for 15 minutes, strain, drink 150 ml before meals. The infusion is very bitter. Therefore, it can be replaced with an alcoholic tincture 1: 5, which is taken 10 drops 3 times a day.

The same recipe can be used for atherosclerosis, jaundice, urolithiasis, arthritis, rheumatism, gout.

Sowing artichoke (Cynara scolymus)Sowing artichoke (Cynara scolymus)Sowing artichoke (Cynara scolymus)

New role

The artichoke was eaten in ancient Rome and Greece. In the XV-XVI centuries. began, as it were, the rebirth of the artichoke and began to grow it everywhere in the gardens. From Italy, the artichoke culture spread to other countries. Unfortunately, in our country, the value of this healthy vegetable is still underestimated and it is cultivated in small quantities. But pharmaceutical firms have fully appreciated it. What are we lagging behind, dear owners of 6 acres ?! After all, it is useful for both children and adults. The heads of inflorescences are mainly eaten.

Sowing artichoke (Cynara scolymus)

Artichoke (Cynarascolymus L, wild form they call him Cynaracardunculus L.), as early as the 16th century it was known as a choleretic agent.And even earlier, in the 1st century, it was mentioned by the Roman writer Columel, who was born in Cadiz.

The composition of artichoke inflorescences includes carbohydrates (15.5 ° / o), including inulin characteristic of all asteris, nitrogenous substances (3.26%), a small amount of fat (0.22%), tannins, provitamin A, vitamins groups B and C. Artichokes accumulate large amounts of potassium and magnesium salts. In the juicy bases of the outer leaves of the wrapper and in the bottoms of the heads, there are aromatic substances that give the artichoke a pleasant taste and help improve appetite. But herbalists use leaves as well. Therefore, the chemical composition of the plant continues to be studied and refined. The main active ingredient is cynarin. The plant contains 0.2% caffeoylquinic acid in the leaves, up to 5% bitterness (cinaropicrin), represented by diterpene lactones from the guayanolide group, primarily cyanopicrin. Clinical trials have reliably established the following action: increase in choleresis (increase in the amount of bile secreted), facilitation of bile secretion, hepatoprotective effect (protective effect on the liver), decrease in blood cholesterol content, increase in urine output (diuretic effect).

Allergic properties have been established for cynaropicrin and groshemin. When growing and harvesting artichoke, contact allergic eczema is common. With oral (internal use) intake of artichoke extract, allergic reactions were not observed.

Earlier, some Western European doctors prescribed decoctions of artichoke leaves (up to 3 cups a day) for liver and biliary tract diseases. In folk medicine, the diuretic effect of artichoke is often used for urinary retention and dropsy. In these cases, it is advised to eat or drink in the morning and evening up to ¼ glass of juice squeezed out of the plant. A decoction of artichoke baskets with fresh egg yolks is sometimes used for constipation and liver diseases.

And here is a lovely French recipe, which, as you would expect, is made with wine. Artichoke infusion on wine prepared from 40 g of dry leaves and 1 liter of dry white wine. Insist 8 days and take 1 glass before meals 2 times a day. This remedy can be used for all the diseases listed above.

But it would be very unfair to limit yourself to medicinal use of the artichoke. Here are some quite affordable recipes.

Artichokes with pumpkin

 

16 artichokes, 200 g pumpkin, 1 pc. onion, 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped parsley, 2 lemons, flour, olive oil, water, salt.

Thoroughly peel the artichokes and cook for 1 hour in salted water with the juice of 2 lemons and 1 tbsp. a spoonful of flour. In a frying pan, fry the Julian-style batun onion and finely chopped garlic with olive oil, add the pumpkin, cut into small pieces, part of the broth after boiling the artichokes and leave on the fire for 15 minutes. When the pumpkin is soft, add the boiled artichokes, cut in half, sprinkle with finely chopped parsley, simmer for another 5 minutes and serve hot.

Artichokes with lemon

 

6 artichokes, 200 g ham, 2 lemons, a walnut-sized piece of butter, flour, water, salt.

Thoroughly peel the artichokes and boil in salted water with 1 tbsp. a spoonful of flour and lemon juice. Dissolve the butter in a frying pan and add the finely chopped ham. When the ham begins to take on a golden hue, add a little flour and, stirring constantly, add a little broth after boiling the artichokes to make a sauce. Leave on the fire for 2 minutes, stir, add the already boiled and halved artichokes, salt, if necessary, and serve.

Artichokes with potatoes

 

16 artichokes, 800 g potatoes, 1 ripe tomato, 1 clove of garlic, olive oil, salt.

In a saucepan, fry the finely chopped garlic and tomato with a little olive oil, add the potatoes, cut into rather large pieces, and simmer for a few minutes.

Peel the artichokes thoroughly, cut into 4 pieces and place in a saucepan with potatoes, then pour over hot water, close the lid and leave for about 45 minutes over the fire (it takes 10 minutes to cook in a pressure cooker).

To prevent the artichokes from darkening, they must be poured with lemon juice, which significantly improves the taste. When the sauce begins to thicken, remove the pan from the heat, drizzle with a little olive oil and serve.

Artichokes in the oven

 

8 large artichokes, 8 cloves of garlic, 150 g of bacon or lard, olive oil, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of corn flour, 1 lemon, water, salt.

Peel the artichokes by removing the tough leaves and cutting off the ends and pour over the lemon juice. Then spread on a baking sheet and sprinkle each artichoke with 1 slice of finely chopped garlic and finely chopped half of the bacon or lard, pour over with a stream of olive oil and 1 glass of water.

Place in a 180 ° C oven for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven, put on a dish. In a frying pan, fry the rest of the finely chopped bacon or lard with olive oil, add the sauce formed on the baking sheet and a little flour diluted in cold water to thicken the sauce. Place this sauce over the artichokes and serve.

Artichokes with white beet cream

 

9 artichokes, flour, 1 beaten egg, olive oil, 1/2 lemon, water, salt; for the cream you need 1/2 kg of white leaf beet (chard), 2 medium potatoes, olive oil, water, salt.

Boil the artichokes, peeled and poured with lemon juice, in a saucepan with salted water and a little flour. Carefully sort and peel the white beetroot, finely chop the leaves, boil with potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces, in salted water, add a small amount of olive oil, for about 25 minutes, then beat. Roll the artichokes in flour and a beaten egg, fry. Put the cooked beetroot cream on the bottom of the dish, put the artichokes on it and sprinkle with a little olive oil.

Artichoke recipes:

  • Potato salad with artichoke and leek
  • Creamy artichoke and basil soup
  • Grilled artichoke
  • Salad with pasta, artichoke and feta cheese
  • Artichoke with spinach and pine nuts

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