Chef Graziella
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Insalata di Carciofi Crudi
Created by
Raw artichokes shaved impossibly thin, dressed with nothing but lemon, olive oil, salt, and curls of aged Parmigiano. A Roman springtime ritual that proves the knife can be mightier than the flame.
Salads
Italian, Roman
Dinner Party
Special Occasion
30 min
Active Time
0 min cook•30 min total
Yield4 servings
This is not a salad you can make in January. It is not a salad you can make with the large globe artichokes that sit in American supermarkets year-round. This is a spring dish, a celebration of the tender young artichokes that appear in Roman markets from February through April, when the carciofi romaneschi are so young and sweet that cooking them would be an insult.
Americans overcook artichokes. They boil them for forty minutes, then scrape the flesh from tough outer leaves with their teeth. This is one way to eat an artichoke, but it is not the only way, and it is certainly not the most refined. When the artichoke is young enough, tender enough, fresh enough, you eat it raw. The flavor is grassy and bright, with a pleasant bitterness that the lemon tames and the Parmigiano balances.
The technique is simple but demands attention. You must work quickly, because cut artichokes oxidize within minutes. You must shave them thin, because thick slices are fibrous and unpleasant. You must use your best olive oil, because there is nowhere to hide. What you keep out is as significant as what you put in. There is no cooking to develop flavor, no sauce to distract. Only the artichoke, expressing itself.
Romans have eaten raw artichokes since the Renaissance, when the carciofo romanesco was cultivated in the gardens outside the city walls. The Jewish community of Rome's ghetto developed their own traditions with the vegetable, including carciofi alla giudia, but this raw preparation predates even those famous fried artichokes. It was, and remains, poor people's food made elegant by the quality of spring's first harvest.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
baby artichokes
Quantity
8
or 4 medium artichokes
lemons
Quantity
2
extra virgin olive oil
Quantity
1/4 cup
finest quality
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Quantity
3 ounces
in one piece
flaky sea salt
Quantity
to taste
black pepper
Quantity
to taste
freshly ground
flat-leaf parsley leaves (optional)
Quantity
small handful
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| baby artichokesor 4 medium artichokes | 8 |
| lemons | 2 |
| extra virgin olive oilfinest quality | 1/4 cup |
| Parmigiano-Reggianoin one piece | 3 ounces |
| flaky sea salt | to taste |
| black pepperfreshly ground | to taste |
| flat-leaf parsley leaves (optional) | small handful |
Equipment Needed
- •Mandoline slicer with hand guard
- •Large bowl for lemon water
- •Vegetable peeler for cheese and stems
- •Sharp paring knife
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the lemon water
Fill a large bowl with cold water and squeeze in the juice of one and a half lemons. Drop the squeezed lemon halves into the water as well. This acidulated bath will prevent the artichokes from oxidizing to an unappetizing brown. Work quickly once you begin trimming. The artichoke's enemy is air.
- 2
Trim the artichokes
Working with one artichoke at a time, snap off the dark outer leaves until you reach the pale yellow-green inner leaves. These tender inner leaves are what you want. Cut off the top third of the artichoke, where the leaves are still tough. Trim the stem, leaving about an inch attached, and peel away its fibrous outer layer with a vegetable peeler or paring knife. If using larger artichokes, halve them lengthwise and scoop out the fuzzy choke with a spoon. Baby artichokes have no developed choke. Drop each prepared artichoke immediately into the lemon water.
You will discard what seems like a shocking amount of the artichoke. This is correct. Only the tender heart and pale inner leaves are suitable for eating raw. Be ruthless. - 3
Shave the artichokes
Remove one artichoke from the lemon water and shake off the excess liquid. Using a mandoline or a very sharp knife, shave the artichoke into paper-thin slices, no thicker than a coin. The slices should be nearly translucent. Transfer immediately to a serving bowl. Repeat with the remaining artichokes, working quickly to minimize oxidation.
- 4
Dress the salad
Squeeze the remaining half lemon over the shaved artichokes. Add the olive oil and toss gently with your hands. The artichokes should glisten but not swim. Season with flaky salt and several grinds of black pepper. Toss once more.
- 5
Add the cheese
Using a vegetable peeler, shave curls of Parmigiano-Reggiano directly over the salad. The curls should be thin enough to bend. Scatter them generously. If using parsley, tear the leaves and scatter them over the top. Serve immediately. This salad does not wait.
The cheese must be Parmigiano-Reggiano, aged at least 24 months. Its granular texture and sharp, nutty flavor balance the artichoke's mineral bitterness. Grana Padano is acceptable. Nothing else is.
Chef Tips
- •Seek out baby artichokes or small artichokes labeled 'carciofi' at Italian markets in early spring. They should feel heavy for their size, with tightly closed leaves and no browning at the tips. If the leaves have begun to open and spread, the artichoke is past its prime for eating raw.
- •A mandoline makes this salad possible. Attempting to slice artichokes thin enough by hand requires knife skills that take years to develop. Use the mandoline. Use the hand guard. I have seen too many fingers.
- •The salad must be served within fifteen minutes of assembly. The artichokes will continue to oxidize despite the lemon, and the cheese will lose its delicate texture. This is not a make-ahead dish. Prepare everything else first, then shave the artichokes at the last moment.
Advance Preparation
- •There is no advance preparation for this salad. The artichokes oxidize. The cheese dries. The parsley wilts. Prepare the lemon water and have your ingredients ready, but do not begin trimming until your guests are seated.
- •You may prepare the lemon water up to one hour ahead. Nothing else.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 115g)
Calories
240 calories
Total Fat
19 g
Saturated Fat
6 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
13 g
Cholesterol
21 mg
Sodium
365 mg
Total Carbohydrates
9 g
Dietary Fiber
4 g
Sugars
1 g
Protein
10 g
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