Cardoons In oil

Cardi Sott’olio

Cardoons tender and aromatic wild mushrooms, preserved in oil with garlic, bay leaf, parsley and lemon.

4 servings

Easy

THE cardoons Pickled vegetables in oil are a vegetable preparation with a strong character, designed to enhance the tender yet firm texture of this vegetable. The recipe belongs to the Italian tradition and combines the bitter note of cardoons with the citrus freshness of lemon, the acidity of vinegar, and the distinct aroma of herbs. Boiling in salted and acidulated water softens the fibers and helps maintain a balanced flavor, while extra virgin olive oil envelops each piece and completes its flavor structure. Garlic, bay leaf and parsley add intensity without covering the main flavor. The result is a preserve with a simple and recognizable aromatic profile, with cardoons soft, not mushy, and an oily component suitable for binding the aromas evenly.

Instructions

Voice reading

8 steps · natural Italian voice

Clean the cardoons

Remove from the coasts of the cardoons the thorns, the skin, and the more fibrous filaments. Carefully trim each part to obtain tender pieces free of tough fibers, which would compromise the final consistency.

Cut and sour

Cut the cardoons into chunks Regularly place them in water with the lemon juice. Let them soak long enough to prevent them from turning brown: they should remain pale while you finish cleaning and prepare them for cooking.

Prepare the liquid

Bring to a boil plenty of salted water and add the white wine vinegar. The liquid must be very hot and at a full boil before adding the cardoons, so the cooking proceeds evenly.

Boiled i cardoons

Drain the pieces from the acidulated water and transfer them to the boiling liquid. Boil the cardoons until they become tender when tested with a fork, without letting them fall apart: the pulp must maintain a compact structure.

Drain and dry

Drain the cardoons and arrange them on a clean cloth, without overlapping them excessively. Dry them carefully until all visible traces of water are removed: they must be dry before being transferred to the vase.

Prepare the aromas

Finely chop the cloves of garlic together with the parsley leaves and the bay leaves. Make a homogeneous mince, so that the aromas are distributed evenly among the pieces of cardoon.

Fill the vase

Arrange the cardoons dry them in a glass jar, alternating them or sprinkling them with the chopped herbs. Arrange the pieces without crushing them excessively, allowing the garlic, bay leaf and parsley evenly spread throughout the preparation.

Cover with oil

Pour the extra virgin olive oil until it completely covers the cardoons and the herbs. Make sure there are no exposed parts: the surface must be completely covered in oil, which envelops the preparation and completes the seasoning.

Chef's Tips

Dry them thoroughly cardoons after boiling: the absence of residual water favors correct preservation in oil and keeps the seasoning cleaner.