Venetian Artichokes
Starting this month, we'll try to give you, news, recipes about local venetian ingredients. April and May are the months of the “botoli” and the “castraure”, true treasures of the Venetian lagoon. They are a varietal of tiny artichoke (called “violetto” due to their deep purplish color, recently registered and guaranteed by the Slow Food Presidio under the name of “Violetto di Sant’Erasmo”) which grows in the salty terrain of the lagoon islands and its coastlines, Sant’Erasmo, Torcello, Vignole, Malamocco and Cavallino. The “castraura” is the first and only sprout of the artichoke, which embodies and accentuates all of the unique characteristics of the plant—its mineral properties, flavor, bitterness and tenderness. Once this sprout has been picked, the plant then “shoots” the “botoli” (about twenty per plant), the actual tiny artichokes, which are slightly less aromatic and intense in flavor, but equally exquisite. They are pan-sautèed with an unpeeled clove of garlic, extra virgin olive oil, parsley and water (salt and pepper to taste), or deep-fried with a light batter using flour, a bit of cornstarch, fluffily beaten egg whites, sparkling mineral water and very little salt. They are also golden and delicious dipped in flour and then in an egg beaten with salt, pepper and parsley and fried, or simply boiled in water and a hint of squeezed lemon and served hot on a boiled potato slice with extra virgin olive oil (from Garda) and wild chives. Not to miss, the risotto with “castraure”, bitter-sweet, an authentic Venetian delight! A word of advice: with the “castraure”, don’t uncork an important wine—the bitterness and aromatic intensity of these tiny artichokes would mortify it! A simple, fragrant, light white, from Veneto, naturally, would go beautifully!
vota 
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