On Thu, 4 Mar 2010 21:41:59 -0800, "Bob Terwilliger"
> wrote:

>Bitterness is alleviated in two ways, and you only have control over one of
>them: When cardoons are grown, the stalks are supposed to be kept covered
>with soil (like white asparagus gets covered; dirt is piled around the
>growing plant to keep the sun from it). Second, the cardoons are supposed to
>be blanched in boiling water for 15-30 minutes, that water is thrown away,
>and then the cardoons are cooked a second time. That blanching is supposed
>to remove bitterness (kind of like boiling citrus peel in multiple changes
>of water is said to remove bitterness when candying it).
>
>Bob

Here you can buy them already blanched (and vacuum-packed) at the
farmer's market. Thanks for all the recipes!

Nathalie in Switzerland