Sweet, Nutty, Earthy, and Smokey Artichokes are Now Back in Season!

It's artichoke season in Texas again! The main harvest of artichokes in Texas usually happens around this time (Early April and May) so you can expect bountiful displays of artichokes at your local farmers markets! Let me just get it out there, artichokes have a hard exterior shell that kind of reminds me of armadillos. The shells are tough and fibrous so they are usually discarded and what's eaten is the tender hearts inside.  The "vegetable" is actually an immature thistle bud that's consumed before they turn into those beautiful purple flowers.

Artichoke hearts are so versatile that you can see them in salad recipes, dips, pasta, and even soups!