You can buy frozen artichoke bottoms.

Photo that motivated me.

That looks delicious.

Thanks, Zalco.

I don’t have fresh asparagus, but I am wondering what else I could substitute or juggle into this…

Seasonings in addition to aforementioned include marjoram and nutmeg, EVOO, salt, pepper.

I always have an appetite and I must drive to any markets. Frozen artichokes — may have to keep some in my freezer. It is, unfortunately, a modest sized chest freezer that does not automatically rotate items for me to see or peruse. There is frozen spinach in there somewhere, but I may need to pull a mining permit to look for it. Time to start eating the freezer.

Check if you can find canned artichoke hearts. I've seen those. When we lived in the Monterey Bay area, there were artichoke plants everywhere, and I could have just stopped on the side of the road and cut one (had I the proper knife with me) from the field (but I'd never do that). But now we are here in PA, and they are an exotic beast. They are seasonal here. I've found good ones at Trader Joe's, Fresh Market, and on occasion at the local Giant and Acme. I don't shop WF. I've seen them from 2.95 and up.

Preparing fresh artichokes is a PIA. I do love them. I have found that frozen artichoke hearts are the best tasting substitues. Canned or jarred artichokes aren't the same as far as taste. About as different as a fresh cucumber and a pickle...

I buy artichokes when in season, cook them, eat the stuff on the leaves and freeze the hearts because I make Cream of Artichoke soup for Christmas dinner (it is green) Simple pureed softened leeks, the hearts, strong chicken broth (real) and heavy cream. Sieve out the fiber. It is lovely stuff. anyway the hearts or even the whole cooked artichoke freeze well.

A lot of artichokes nowadays aren't nearly as prickly as they used to be and can be cooked without trimming. You could just cut off the leaves and choke, like they do in restaurants, but it's easier when they're cooked. Just rinse and put whole on a steamer rack over simmering water for about 50, or since they'll be cooked again, maybe a little less, but they should be tender in the base.

We've just passed high season, but you might find some large ones in the $3 range. Most ”better” grocery stores should have them. Don't be scaared off Frozen might work, but canned are probably too small and mushy.

I'd probably use frozen hearts for a quiche/torta or soup preparation.

We buy only medium and large sized ones. Cutting an inch or more off the top isn't so much because of the thorns at the end of leaves but rather to make them cook faster by cutting off the inedible stuff at the top that otherwise blocks heat and steam from getting to the core. We pull off the bottom layer or two of outer leaves too and also cut the core down to about 1/2 inch long or less - these steps are because both the outer leaf bases and the cores are usually too stringy and tough to eat. Put them stem side up (top side down) on a steamer basket in a pot with boiling water to just below the basket level, they're done in 35 minutes. Test with a fork straight down into the stem, cooking is done when it enters easily with little resistance.

True. You can spend the time trimming them or spend it just cooking them. :)

30 seconds per choke using a 9-10 inch serrated bread slicing knife and a few finger pulls for the leaves. Few other fresh veggies that come to mind require so little prep time.

Thanks, all. You’ve given me some good tips (pun?) and suggestions. I may hook up the horses and take the wagon into town tomorrow. If any good sized, decent priced fresh chokes on offer, I may get 4 to 6. Else, I will head for frozen.

Hearts and bottoms aren't the same thing. I'm guessing that lovely looking pie is using bottoms. We get good frozen ones.Do you have the recipe; please?

Thank you, Islay. Yes, recipe wants bottoms. Large bottoms.

(can I sned a snapshop via messaging?)

It's not clear to me, from Islay's comment, what part of the lower part is the heart and what part is the bottom. After pulling off and eating the bottoms of the leaves and then removing the fuzz with a spoon, I thought that entire tasty whole part with just a bit of the stem attached was the heart. Is the "bottom" something different? (Click to enlarge image)

Really easy to cook a whole artichoke but you’d be fine with canned or frozen. Hearts can be subbed for bottoms due to the similarity in taste/texture. For your torta recipe my preference would be the canned hearts I get at TJ’s.

Elmer, I always considered the “bottom” as a continuation of the heart then going into the stem. As I mentioned, the taste and tender texture are very close IMO.
Bottom…

Heart…

Thanks elmer and chloebud.

I’m going to aim for what chloebud shows quartered. It that the same as what is outlined here in red?

I haven’t gotten to the store yet. Hot, muggy and sudden downpour.

Instead of ”peel me a grape,” I’m going to command, ”give me four large cooked artichoke bottoms.”

Then make me a drink.

I think you've highlighted the bottom. If I understand right, the quartered choke has both the bottom and part of the tender leaves that can be eaten whole, with the fuzz (choke) removed. Bottom in red, attached leaves in blue. Red and blue together are the heart, just the red is the bottom. Speak up if I have this wrong.

The quartered 'hearts' are usually small and most often marinated. Your recipe probably does not include the marinated, I'd go for real artichokes and cook them.

Right, sushipup.

Elmer thanks. I missed the tender inside heart leaves. I'll enjoy those as I am dicing the bottoms. I will use fresh or frozen when I go to make these. I wish they were not so expensive.

Years ago, I had cold artichoke soup that was absolutely delicious for summer.

Cream of artichoke soup is a regional favorite, around Monterey Bay and a bit to the north (I'm thinking of a dive named Duarte's in Pescadero on the San Mateo County coast that also has it).

I'm sure there are recipes to find. I suspect hearts (with the tender leaves attached) could be used because the soup seems to always be blended, as "cream of" soups are. I'd stick to frozen if you can find them and not bottled or canned.

Thanks, Elmer.

I had lots of roommates back then, and someone of them made this soup. It’s in my modest CBL — Culinary Bucket List. Along with the elusive fantastic garlic soup I had in Colombia. I haven’t yet found that ”the one” recipe.

I’ve made ajiaco And even served it in the black,clay pottery bowls.

"If I understand right, the quartered choke has both the bottom and part of the tender leaves that can be eaten whole,"

Exactly Elmer except I know you meant heart, not choke. It's pretty common to see heart referred to as "heart or bottom." Again, all really the same in taste and texture. The inner part of the stem in also edible but you have to remove the tough outer skin.

petalique, hearts can be purchased marinated in oil, in water or frozen. A recipe will usually indicate "marinated" or "marinated in oil" if that's what's intended. I actually prefer the taste of canned to frozen.

Castroville is "Artichoke Central" here in CA. We have friends in Fallbrook who give us the most gorgeous artichokes I've ever seen. So picture perfect they don't look real.

Mail me some. I’ll send you seaweed or kelp. lol.

👍🏻☺️

A report from my personal shopper gives photos and narrative.

Small-medium fresh artichokes are $2 each and I would likely need 8, maybe 12. That would be over $16 for a recipe that might not be worthy.

The freezer aisle offer a bag of ”quartered artichokes” from Italy. The pieces looked similar to the quartered sections that chloebud posted. That includes the soft leaves, and part of the stem; 10 oz for $4.50.NO artichoke bottoms. My PS (personal shopper) is not keenon driving fom market to market.

Those mostly all water ”shedder” lobsters are $7 per pound. Each soft shell, underveloped Homarus americanus from the tank would weigh about 1.18 Lb, maybe 1.25 lb. with a lot of sweet, soft lobster in a shell filled with salt water.

Two watery shedders, even if 1.25 Lb each, would cost $17.50. I can extract every edible piece. I could make 4 bowls of lobstert stew for about $20 worth of ingredients. And I KNOW that will be devine. Been there.

I won’t be making lobster stew, or the artichoke torta. Not now. Maybe just steamed and a couple of lobstah rolls with the leftovers. Plus I get compost and the opossum gets a treat.

Now I have to find a good recipe for that black bean, corn, tomato, onion, jalapeno, lime juice, EVOO, parsley, cilantro salad. I love it. Made up a fecipe once from the ingredients list from a groc store container off the stuff.

Anyone got a good/decent recipe?

PS maybe some day, next spring or Thanksgiving, I will find a better deal on artichoke bottoms.

Petalique - I make a black bean and corn salad with drained, rinsed black beans, fresh cooked corn cut off of the cobs, diced red onion, diced sweet red bell pepper, diced jalapenos (no seeds), lime juice, ground cumin, a little bit of salt and pepper, chopped parsley and chopped cilantro. I don't include tomatoes or any oil. Very colorful and holds up well, I just eyeball the ingredients and go by taste - maybe a sprinkle of Cholulah hot sauce...depending on the crowd.

"I know you meant heart, not choke."

Yes. Thanks.

Yum, seagrass. I will try making some of this again, as you describe.

Winging is good ;)

BTW, seagrass, have you been watching any of the whate and GW shark action in your area? You saw the video (Channel 5 WCVB) the people in the boat took of the breaching whale that crashed onto their boat? Luckily, no one was hurt, but I sypathize with thde whate if it got scraped.

This is another version...one of my favorites. I sometimes add jalapeno...not too much.

Black Bean, Corn and Avocado Salad

Dressing
1 small clove garlic
3 T. lime juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 cup olive oil

Salad
1 cup fresh corn kernels (from about 2 ears)
1 orange or yellow bell pepper, diced (use half if large)
About 1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 T. olive oil
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small hass avocado, halved, seeded and diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, leaves and stems

For the dressing: Smash the garlic clove, sprinkle with a pinch of the salt, and mash with the flat side of a knife to a paste. Whisk the garlic, lime juice, salt and chili powder together in a bowl. Gradually whisk in the olive oil, starting with a few drops and then adding the rest in a steady stream.

For the salad: Cook the corn, bell pepper, and onions in the olive oil for about 3 minutes over medium-high heat. Toss in the black beans and cook until warm. Add the dressing and toss to coat evenly. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and gently fold in the tomatoes, avocado, and cilantro. Serve.

Thanks for taking the time chloebud. I love these salads.

They are both pretty and good. Briefly cooking the veggies helps them absorb the tasty lime vinaigrette.

Can you post the recipe for the pie, please?

Now I have to ask Petalique about that ’personal shopper’. I’ve heard of them in clothing stores but never for food. How does it work?

Islay — I can snap a photo and can I message you the image?

floral_uk — It’s usually pretty stright forward. I keep a running grocery list on a small spiral notebook that flips over vertically, and write on each side as if I am writing on a long strip of paper. When an item is outside a grocery store or not a grocery item, I enclosed that item in square brackets so the personal shopper doesn’t have to go looking for wheel barrel tires in the frozen food aisle.

I also take the flyer for the grocery store and circle items that are interesting well that I might want and I put either an*or a? Next to it.

Then I asked my husband if he would do the grocery shopping for the “outside (car trip) errands.” He usually agrees, even if it isn’t something he’s going to rush off to do. OK shortly he will snap a photo of an item or call me and ask do I really want an item since it’s $250 per pound, say.

When he arrives home he puts the groceries away in the appropriate places.

Meanwhile, I stay at the compound and clean refrigerators or cupboards or floors or vacuum or do laundry, water plants, prepare dinners, maybe get up on the roof to nail down a few wayward shingles or paint the bottom of the yacht. Sometimes I mow the lawn but when it’s 99° F out I just stay inside where it’s air-conditioned. And pretend that I’m mowing the lawn.

Once, while shopping at Marshall’s or TJ Maxx, I encountered a real honest to goodness personal shopper. And I chatted with her and decided that personal shopping wasn’t a good fit for me. She told me she also used to cook meals for people and shared tips on how to do that if I wanted to hire myself out as a personal chef. That might be a possibility, if the people are mature and not nuts. But Covid came and ruined my big plans. Alas.

Thank you. I'll save it. It looks so good.

Ahhh, that kind of personal shopper. 😉