The Renaissance Vegetable

This week I had another new experience; cardoons! From what my CSA told me and what I read online, I was expecting this stalk vegetable to taste like artichokes. I found an intriguing recipe for breaded and fried (can’t go wrong with fried, right?!). The prep included peeling the stringy outside (think celery) and soaking it in vinegar water. Then I boiled the heck out of it (30 minutes) waiting for it to get “very tender,” which it never really did. It was a simple egg, breadcrumb and parmesan cheese breading that was then fried for about five minutes. The result was rather perplexing; the flesh was still rather tough and quite bitter, and I didn’t pick up any hint of artichoke. So I wonder a couple of things, these were rather thin/young stalks, so did I not peel enough off? Secondly, did I not boil them long enough?

Of course, I am willing to give them another try as what I read about them made them seem like a real culinary specialty. My second attempt will probably be down the gratin path. Anyone else have any ideas?