Cardoon D'Alger - Cynara cardunculus

The Red Algerian Cardoon is a variety with very few spines and is heat-resistant. This vegetable plant can reach 2 metres (7 feet) and is cultivated for its reddish stalks. They are consumed, once blanched, in gratin, salad or as a meat accompaniment. Its finely cut, grey-blue foliage is very decorative. Sow from April to July for a harvest four months later.

Cardoons and artichokes belong to the same family; the two plants are very similar: the same finely cut foliage with a characteristic silver-grey colour, the same type of flowering producing large head-like inflorescences that resemble thistles (another cousin of the family) in indigo to violet. But while the artichoke is cultivated for its floral bud, the cardoon is grown for the central vein of its foliage. The cardoon flower is edible but much more challenging than the artichoke. Pre-blanched, the cardoon stalk or rib can be prepared in gratins, puree, juice, with pith or as a meat accompaniment.

The cardoon thrives in a rich, humus-rich, cool, and well-drained soil. It should be positioned in a sunny spot, preferably. Very voluminous at maturity, it can reach 2m (7ft) in height and 1.50m (5ft) in width if the stalks have not been gathered for blanching.

Cultivation: a few weeks before harvest for heirloom varieties, the stalks should be blanched. To do this, gather the leaves and wrap them in cardboard or opaque film. Make sure to allow air circulation. Mound the plants with 25 to 30 cm (10 to 12in) of soil to stabilize them. With this technique, the leaves no longer receive light. Without photosynthesis, the leaves become tender and turn white. A few weeks later, they are ready to be harvested.

Harvest: wear gloves, especially for spiny varieties. Pull out the whole root ball and place the leaves in a well-ventilated area protected from light. If stored correctly, the stalks can be stored and consumed throughout the winter.

Gardener's tip: promote crop rotation, especially by planning the cultivation of cardoons after a legume crop. This will enrich the soil with nitrogen. Replant the cardoon in the same spot after at least four years of rotation. Indeed, the cardoon is a heavy feeder of organic matter.