Raw artichoke carpaccio: no-cook, easy and healthy recipe

Time:        prep. 5 mins
                  rest min. 15 mins
Difficulty: easy
Yields:      2 portions
Cost:         medium-low

Raw artichoke carpaccio is definitely the healthiest way to consume the precious vegetable, as well as the easiest and in my humble opinion one of the tastiest!
As it happens lately I am always short of time, given my physical and mental participation in the 3R Project: Reuse, Reduce, Rebound!

Personal note: 3R Project

The project consists of giving a second life to a beautiful boat, Rebound, but with a sad past behind it: it sank, then was abandoned for a good 12 years; an incredibly long time to reduce it almost to a wreck; which now translates into a ‘penance’ job for me and my partner Giampaolo.
Once the work is finished, Rebound will serve as a traveling platform for CHE Food Revolution, allowing us to move with low impact from port to port, with the aim of stimulating meetings, conferences and spreading the importance of healthy and sustainable nutrition, demonstrating how it is possible even in a sailing boat, with small and often uncomfortable spaces: yes, I am determined to bring the Revolution and Awareness to as many people as possible.
To receive progress updates and to support us you can visit the dedicated page

Although this project is a source of pride for me, at the end of the day it leaves me without strength and physical time to devote to my beloved kitchen. Consequently, I almost exclusively buy vegetables from the market that are easy to wash/clean/cook (for example, I have only bought spinach once… and I think it will be the last time).
That’s why artichoke carpaccio seems to be made especially for me and for those who come home late from work: ready in 5 minutes, regardless of whether it’s prepared by an expert or by someone who is not very handy, like my husband.

What’s more, it doesn’t even need to be cooked, which is what makes me love this recipe: and it is the only one among many artichoke recipes that provides maximum nutrients in these healthy (but not exactly cheap) vegetables.

As always, it goes without saying how much I favor foods with an enormous potential for health benefits; especially when we live in a period characterized by physical exertion and stress in general; artichokes, thanks to their rich store of phenolic compounds, but also inulin, protein, fiber and minerals[1,2], belong to the highest ranks of nutraceuticals.
Get to know them better

Benefits of artichokes

In the words of the great poet Neruda, the tender heart that dressed as a warrior, has been used since ancient times as both food and medicine against hepatic-biliary diseases; indeed, clinical studies have found that artichokes can even regenerate liver tissue[3].
Furthermore, given high levels of polyphenols, artichoke fiercely combats the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), known as bad cholesterol[4].
Also being a valuable remedy for various digestive problems, artichoke should definitely be included among the foods for a healthy diet and thus a long life.

Ingredients for the Raw Artichoke Carpaccio

1 young artichoke, possibly freshly harvested
half a lemon to use in the washing process
3 walnuts
2 tablespoon of lemon to use in the marinade (I always abound)
2 tablespoon of evo oil
half a clove of garlic, chopped very finely (optional)
1 tablespoon parmigiano cheese flakes (optional)
parsley (optional)
orange zest (optional)
salt, pepper to taste

Directions

Pull off the outer leaves of the artichoke, until you reach the edible soft leaf layer; then also cut off the tips of the leaves by placing the artichoke on a cutting board as if it were a carrot.
Now cut it in 2 lengthwise and remove any stubble from the heart, along with any other hard, spiny leaves.
Wash the 2 pieces: first under running water and then, without wasting time, immerse them in a bowl filled with water and the juice of half a lemon, so as to block the oxidative reactions.
At this point, you only need a chopping board, a well-sharpened knife and certainly a firm wrist to make the raw artichoke carpaccio.
Cut the 2 halves as thinly as you can and place the slices on a serving plate, arranging them like a sunflower, or as you like it best.
In the meantime prepare a citronette: first mix well the salt, pepper and lemon juice (and if you want the garlic), then add the extra virgin olive oil at a trickle; keep mixing, preferably with a whisk, until you get a slightly opaque sauce, a clear sign of a well-made emulsion, although it certainly won’t last forever (I write slightly because, wanting a light side dish, we halved the amount of oil needed for a proper citronette recipe).
Pour the citronette as evenly as possible over the raw artichoke slices and leave them to rest for at least 15 minutes (personally I appreciate it more if the resting time is min 1 hour, or more).
While the raw artichoke carpaccio waits, prepare the parmigiano flakes, break up the walnut kernels, chop some parsley leaves and grate an orange zest (a pinch is enough) if desired, for a more impressive flavor.
After the resting time, lay them on top of the artichokes and you are ready to bring them to the table.
You can also double the quantities of this recipe and enjoy the leftovers the day after, but be aware that artichoke slices won’t result so raw and fresh anymore. However, for the best result you can prepare the marinade in the morning and eat it for dinner.

Smart combos

This side dish rich in functional molecules is ideal to serve with a few slices of chickpea flatbread, or with meatless meatballs, or even to season a pasta, or rice or barley salad.

Enjoy your raw artichoke carpaccio and have a good revolution

Bibliography
1) Orlovskaya TV, Luneva IL, Chelombit’ko V A (2007). Chemical composition of Cynara scolymus leaves, Chem. Nat. Comp. 43: 239– 240.
2) Fratianni F, Tucci M, De Palma M, Pepe R, Nazzaro F(2007) Polyphenolic composition in different parts of some cultivars of globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L. var. scolymus (L.) Fiori), Food Chem. 104: 1282–1286
3) El-Sohaimy, Sobhy. (2013). The effect of cooking on the chemical Composition of Artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.). African Journal of Food Science and Technology. 4. 2141-5455. 10.14303/ajfst.2013.037.
4) Lattanzio, V.; Kroon, P.A.; Linsalata, V.; Cardinali, A. Globe artichoke: A functional food and source of nutraceutical ingredients. J. Funct. Food 2009, 1, 131–144

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