Cardoons are an unusual choice for vegetable gardens, but they are one of the few vegetables that grow perennially in many areas. Not only that, but perennial cardoons have an impressive history, and they’ve been grown as edible crops since Ancient Greece and Rome.
Today, most gardeners keep cardoons for their regal, purple flowers, which are magnets for bees; however, if you know how to harvest cardoons correctly, you can also enjoy these plants as delicious and nutritious edible veggies, too!
But while cardoons can be delicious, when these plants are harvested incorrectly, they can become tough, bitter, and unpleasant to eat. Luckily, there are easy ways to improve the taste and texture of cardoon plants and make them much tastier in the kitchen.
The easy harvesting and preparation tips below will help you harvest cardoons at the right time for peak flavor and texture so you can experience these pieces of edible history right at home!
Jump to:
- Blanching perennial cardoons
- How to harvest perennial cardoons
- How to prepare cardoons for cooking
- 8 ways to eat perennial cardoons
- Overwintering perennial cardoons
- Frequently asked questions
- What is another name for cardoon?
- What does cardoon taste like?
- Can you eat raw cardoons?
- How do you get the bitterness out of cardoon?
- Are cardoons hard to grow?
- Are cardoons invasive?
- Summary
Blanching perennial cardoons
Cardoons are members of the thistle family, so it’s no surprise that these plants become spiny and tough as they age. Plus, older cardoon plants can also develop a bitter flavor, which some growers may not enjoy. But there is a simple workaround that can improve the taste and texture of cardoon plants and make them much more scrumptious on your dinner plate: blanching!
If you’ve ever preserved homegrown vegetables before, you’re probably familiar with the general concept of blanching in the kitchen. However, cardoons typically need to be blanched twice: once in the kitchen and once in the garden before the plants are even harvested.
Garden blanching is a process wherein plants are deprived of light for several weeks before they’re picked. A surprising number of common vegetables benefit from the blanching process, including endives, escarole, leeks, cauliflower, celery, rhubarb, and… yes… cardoons too!
When to blanch cardoons
Cardoons grow as perennials in USDA growing zones 7 and up, and in these areas, cardoons can be harvested for years. However, in cooler locations, cardoons are grown as annuals, and they’re harvested about 120 to 150 days after planting. And if you want to improve the flavor of your cardoons, you’ll need to blanch your crop a little earlier than that, or approximately 4 to 6 weeks before you intend to harvest cardoons.
In most areas, cardoons are harvested towards the end of summer or into early fall. Gardeners in cool locations with short growing seasons may not have enough time for cardoons to reach full maturity before frost arrives, but this is usually not a problem. After all, cardoons are harvested for their edible stalks, not their mature flowers, and if you harvest cardoon stalks a bit early, they’ll be even more tender and tasty.
How to blanch cardoons
In order to blanch cardoons, you’ll want to deprive your plants of light for several weeks before harvesting them, and you can do this in several different ways. But first, slip on some quality gardening gloves because cardoon plants are quite prickly, and they can scratch your hands when you’re working with them!
One of the most popular ways to blanch cardoons is to gather up cardoon stems at their middles and then wrap a piece of cardboard or several sheets of newspaper (without colored inks!) around the center of the stems. Then, fasten this covering in place with a bit of garden twine and allow your covered cardoons to blanch for about 3 to 4 weeks before you harvest them.
If you don’t want to tangle with cardboard, you can also wrap an old, dark blue or black sheet or pillow case around cardoon stems or cover them up with burlap or untreated wood. Another option is to heap weed-free straw or hay around the base of your plants and anchor it in place with an 18” mound of hilled-up soil.
Regardless of how you choose to blanch cardoons, leave the covering in place until you’re ready to harvest your plants. It’s totally fine if the top leaves are poking out of your cardboard or sheet covering. After harvesting, you’re going to eat cardoon’s stalks, not their leaves, so you don’t need to worry too much about depriving the leaves of light!
How to harvest perennial cardoons
Once cardoons have been blanching for 3 to 4 weeks, put your gardening gloves back on and remove whatever covering you used to cover up your cardoons. Then, gather your cardoon stems in one hand and cut the plant off at the soil line with a sharp gardening knife or pair of pruners.
After that, cut away the leaves from the cardoon stalks and toss the cardoon leaves in your compost pile, where they’ll serve as a nitrogen source. Then, bring your edible cardoon stalks indoors to prepare them further.
You have several options for how to handle the cardoon roots that are left behind after harvesting the plant’s stalks. If you’re growing cardoons as annuals, you can leave the plant roots in your garden bed over the winter and allow the roots to naturally decompose and enrich the surrounding soil. However, if you live in a spot where cardoons grow as perennials, skip ahead to the section below to learn how to overwinter your plants!
How to prepare cardoons for cooking
Unlike artichokes, cardoons are grown for their edible stalks (not their flowers), and cardoon leaves aren’t palatable. But after you’ve harvested all of those homegrown cardoon stalks from your garden, there’s still a bit of prep work to do.
Cardoon stalks are covered in tough skin, which may or may not be covered in prickles. To improve the taste and texture of your stalks, first cut away and compost the top sections of your cardoon stalks so that you’re left with the bottom 18 to 24” of stems. Then, use a pairing knife or vegetable peeler and peel all of the skins off of your stalks.
Because peeling the interior of cardoon stalks can sometimes be tricky, try cutting the stalks in half and then peel away the interior skin. When you’re finished, your peeled cardoons should look a lot like celery. Many recipes suggest that cardoons be blanched (the kitchen kind of blanching!) in boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes to prepare them; however, you can cook cardoons in other ways depending on your tastes.
Tip: Like artichokes, cardoons will discolor and oxidize quickly when they’re exposed to air. To avoid oxidation, fill a large bowl with cold water and some lemon juice or vinegar before you peel your cardoon stalks. Then, pop your cardoons stalks into the slightly acidic water bath after you’ve peeled them and leave them there until you’re ready to finish cooking up your cardoons.
8 ways to eat perennial cardoons
One of the tricky things about growing cardoons is knowing how to use them. After all, cardoons are an old-timey vegetable that’s not used that often, so many gardeners don’t know what to do with them. Luckily, there are lots of tasty ways to prepare and serve cartoons, and you’ll find a few delicious suggestions below!
- Cardoon risotto.
Served with a squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle of truffle oil, cardoon risotto looks and tastes like a luxurious dish, but it’s easy on the budget. If you love creamy artichoke dishes, like artichoke dip, cardoon risotto may be the dish for you!
- Cardoon soup.
Heartwarming cardoon soup is the perfect seasonal treat. Served with eggs and parmesan cheese, cardoon soup can be made in bulk and frozen or served in a piping hot bowl… yum!
- Cardoon gratin.
A lower-calorie alternative to scalloped potatoes, cardoon gratin, makes a unique side dish at holiday tables. Slathered in mozzarella and parmesan cheese, cardoon gratin pairs beautifully with both meat and vegetable recipes, but you can also gobble it up on its own!
- Fried cardoons.
Tired of French fries and fried zucchini? Then why not give Roman-style fried cardoons a try! After they have been breaded and fried, fried cardoons can be eaten up on their own, but they can also be served with a bit of garlic aioli or marinara sauce.
- Braised cardoons.
Cooked in butter with a handful of wild mushrooms, braised cardoons are a savory and cozy treat that is scrumptious on its own. But you can also serve braised cardoons as a side with your favorite meat or veggie dish.
- Cardoon mac and cheese.
Children who are picky eaters may be reluctant to eat vegetables… especially unusual ones like cardoons. But if you slip some cardoons into a tasty mac and cheese dish, even the most hardened “veggie haters” won’t know. Even better, this recipe is gluten-free!
- Cardoon salad.
Garnished with olives, citrus, and thyme, cardoon salad is a refreshing treat that’s just as healthy as it is flavorful. Eat it on its own or with a side of crusty bread and cardoon soup. It’s up to you!
- Bagna cauda.
Perhaps the most traditional way to serve cardoons is in bagna cauda, a popular Italian dish that’s served around the holidays. Much like fondue, bagna cauda involves dipping foods like cardoons and toasty bread in a savory sauce and eating the entire affair with your fingers or fondue forks.
Overwintering perennial cardoons
Cardoons grow as perennials in USDA growing zones 7 and up. In these areas, perennial cardoons may not need much winter care, but they can benefit from a thick layer of mulch applied in the fall after you harvest cardoon stems. When properly cared for, perennial cardoon plants will live about 5 years, and then you’ll need to sow new plants to keep your cardoon harvest coming.
In USDA growing zones 6 and below, cardoons are typically cultivated as annuals, and plants are composted at the end of the growing season. However, you can sometimes keep these plants as perennials even in cooler climates by adding a bit of winter protection.
If you want to keep cardoons in cold climates, locate your plants in a sunny but sheltered section of your garden. At the end of the season, harvest your cardoon stems, leaving about 1’ of stems in place on your plants. Then, add a thick layer of loose mulch, like straw, over your plants, place a rose cone on top, and cover the entire setup with a tarp supported by stakes, which will help dispel rain.
This added winter protection may help cardoons overwinter in zones 5 and 6, but it’s not always successful. For best results, be sure to remove the covering and mulch first thing in spring, as soon as your cardoon plants start to leaf out again.
Frequently asked questions
What is another name for cardoon?
Cardoons (Cynaracardunculus) are members of the thistle family, and they’re also sometimes referred to as artichoke thistles.
What does cardoon taste like?
Cardoons are closely related to artichokes, and like artichoke hearts, these plants have a sweet and slightly earthy flavor. The taste is comparable to artichokes, as well as sunchokes and celery root. Consistency-wise, cardoons are similar to celery, and they can be used as celery substitutes in a number of dishes.
Can you eat raw cardoons?
Cardoons have a bitter flavor, which may not be for everyone. However, if you don’t mind bitter tastes, you can enjoy cardoons raw. In fact, these veggies are typically served raw in the traditional dish known as bagna cauda!
How do you get the bitterness out of cardoon?
Blanching cardoons prior to harvesting them is the best way to improve their flavor and texture and remove bitterness. But even after garden blanching, cardoons can be bitter, so you may want to cook them in water and then pour off the cooking water before serving to remove some more of that bitter flavor.
Are cardoons hard to grow?
No, if you live in a warm climate, cardoons are super easy to grow, and they don’t require much fuss. What’s more, cardoons are naturally drought and heat-resistant, and they can grow in a range of soils where other vegetable plants fail to thrive.
Are cardoons invasive?
They can be! In cold climates, cardoons are grown as annuals, and they don’t have invasive tendencies. However, if you live in an area where cardoons can grow as perennials, you will want to take precautions when sowing these plants, as they can spread invasively in some areas.
Summary
If you love growing unusual plants or crave different tastes in the kitchen, cardoons can be a fun plant to cultivate in your vegetable garden. However, the flavor of homegrown cardoons will improve significantly if you know how to harvest and prepare them correctly. By blanching cardoons once in the garden and again in the kitchen, you can get rid of a lot of that bitter cardoon flavor, leaving you with the most delicious and versatile prepped cardoons that you can roast, fry, braise or cook as you please!
Want to discover more unique veggies to try in your garden? Check out our guide on 20 unusual seeds for the adventurous gardener!
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