Artichoke leaves
Artichoke leaves are a bold, bitter ingredient, primarily used in infusions but also gaining ground in creative culinary and botanical uses.
Artichoke leaves are a bold, bitter ingredient, primarily used in infusions but also gaining ground in creative culinary and botanical uses.
Classified as a herbal infusion and bitter flavoring agent, dried artichoke leaves have a deep, earthy, and vegetal taste. Traditionally used in Mediterranean cultures, they've found their way into broths, bitters, and botanical drinks.
In the kitchen, they can flavor vegetable stocks, be used for savory infusions, or serve as a base for homemade aperitifs or digestif liqueurs with herbs like bay, rosemary, or sage.
Try making a broth with artichoke leaves, garlic, and thyme, which works well for cooking grains or legumes. Alternatively, grind the dried leaves and mix with sea salt and lemon zest to create a flavored bitter salt – a perfect finish for roasted vegetables or grilled meats.
Fun fact: Before commercial bitters, artichoke leaves were often used to add depth and bitterness to homemade wines and aperitifs.