Cardoons in cream

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Cardoons in cream - about this recipe

It's almost a certainty that you are growing cardoons if you are looking at this recipe as I have never seen cardoons for sale, even in France or Italy.

Ingredients

• 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) cardoons
• 25 g (1 oz) butter
• Olive oil for greasing
• 100 ml (3.5 fl oz) milk
• 100 ml (3.5 fl oz) double cream
• 40 g (1.5 oz) Parmesan cheese
• Sea salt

Method

1. To a large pan, add the lemon juice and a big pinch of salt and set it boiling.
2. Remove the leaves and trim the ends, run a mandoline or potato peeler down the back and remove any strings, as you would with old celery.
3. Cut the cardoons into 5 cm (2") lengths and drop them into the boiling pan.
4. Return to the boil and lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, grease an oven proof dish with a little olive oil.
6. Drain the cardoons and add to the dish.
7. Dot with butter and add the milk and heat on the hob on a low heat for 30 minutes.
8. Add the double cream and cook for a futher 10 minutes.

Serving suggestions

Serve hot, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.