Violet Artichokes

Name: Violet Artichokes
Brand: LE MARCHE
SKU: VARTI5
Price: 9.50 GBP
Availability: InStock

£9.50

Net: 500g± (5 artichokes) Small, young Italian artichokes For risotto, pasta, antipasti, or shaved raw with lemon

Small, young and deeply violet — Italian artichokes picked before the choke develops, so the entire heart is edible. Trim to the pale centre, halve, and use in risotto, pasta, antipasti, or shave raw with lemon and olive oil.

Violet Artichokes

£9.50

Violet artichokes (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus) from Italy — small, young artichokes harvested well before the bud opens, while the leaves are still tight and deeply tinged with purple. These are an entirely different proposition from the large globe artichokes used for steaming whole. Violet artichokes are picked small enough that the choke — the fibrous centre that has to be removed from a mature globe — has barely formed, which means the entire heart is edible with minimal waste. The leaves are more tender, the flavour is sweeter and less astringent, and the preparation is far quicker.

This is the artichoke of Italian spring cooking: trimmed down to its pale inner heart, halved or quartered, and used in risottos, pastas, braises, and antipasti. Raw, shaved thinly and dressed with lemon and olive oil, the young hearts have a clean, nutty sweetness that works alongside burrata, Parmesan, cured fish or simply on their own. Cooked, they hold their shape and develop a deeper, earthier flavour without turning to mush. Sold as a bunch of five — enough for a generous starter, a risotto for two, or a substantial antipasti plate.

Origin: Italy

Ingredients: Violet artichokes (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus)

Storage: Refrigerate immediately. Store unwashed in a sealed bag or wrapped in damp kitchen paper. Use within three to four days.

Fill a bowl with cold water and the juice of a lemon — artichokes discolour quickly once cut, so drop each one into the acidulated water as you work.

Snap off the tough outer leaves until you reach the paler, more tender inner ones. Cut about 1cm off the top to remove the spiny tips. Trim the base and peel the stem with a vegetable peeler — the inner stem is edible and sweet.

If the artichoke is very small and young, cut in half lengthways. If slightly larger, quarter it and check the centre — if there is any fuzzy choke forming, scrape it out with a teaspoon.

To serve raw: shave the trimmed hearts thinly on a mandoline, dress immediately with lemon juice, good olive oil and salt. Serve with burrata, shaved Parmesan or alongside cured fish.

To cook: drain the artichokes from the lemon water. Sauté in olive oil with a crushed garlic clove, a splash of white wine and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook gently for 10–15 minutes until tender. Use in risottos, fold through pasta, or serve warm as part of an antipasti plate.

Order Cut-Off Times & Delivery Date Selection

Orders placed before 2 PM (Monday to Friday) are dispatched the same day, unless you select a future delivery date at checkout.

Our Delivery Service

We use reliable third-party express courier services and high-quality insulated packaging. While our couriers are generally excellent, occasional delays can happen. We pack everything to stay fresh, even if transit takes a little longer.

Time-Sensitive & Event Orders

Can we guarantee delivery on a specific day? Unfortunately not - we rely on third-party couriers and can't control their schedules. All items leave us in perfect condition with good use-by dates, but final timing depends on the courier.

If your order is for a specific event, let us know in the notes section at checkout. We can often dispatch a day earlier to give you the best chance of timely arrival.

DELIVERY Changes After Dispatch

Once dispatched, your package is with the courier and we're unable to redirect it or change delivery details.

Saturday Delivery

Saturday delivery is available, though please note our couriers don't operate phone support at weekends and our office is closed. For event-critical orders, a weekday delivery gives us more flexibility to help if any issues arise.

Full delivery details and shipping rates: here

Description

Violet artichokes (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus) from Italy — small, young artichokes harvested well before the bud opens, while the leaves are still tight and deeply tinged with purple. These are an entirely different proposition from the large globe artichokes used for steaming whole. Violet artichokes are picked small enough that the choke — the fibrous centre that has to be removed from a mature globe — has barely formed, which means the entire heart is edible with minimal waste. The leaves are more tender, the flavour is sweeter and less astringent, and the preparation is far quicker.

This is the artichoke of Italian spring cooking: trimmed down to its pale inner heart, halved or quartered, and used in risottos, pastas, braises, and antipasti. Raw, shaved thinly and dressed with lemon and olive oil, the young hearts have a clean, nutty sweetness that works alongside burrata, Parmesan, cured fish or simply on their own. Cooked, they hold their shape and develop a deeper, earthier flavour without turning to mush. Sold as a bunch of five — enough for a generous starter, a risotto for two, or a substantial antipasti plate.

Origin: Italy

Ingredients: Violet artichokes (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus)

Storage: Refrigerate immediately. Store unwashed in a sealed bag or wrapped in damp kitchen paper. Use within three to four days.

Preparation / Cooking

Fill a bowl with cold water and the juice of a lemon — artichokes discolour quickly once cut, so drop each one into the acidulated water as you work.

Snap off the tough outer leaves until you reach the paler, more tender inner ones. Cut about 1cm off the top to remove the spiny tips. Trim the base and peel the stem with a vegetable peeler — the inner stem is edible and sweet.

If the artichoke is very small and young, cut in half lengthways. If slightly larger, quarter it and check the centre — if there is any fuzzy choke forming, scrape it out with a teaspoon.

To serve raw: shave the trimmed hearts thinly on a mandoline, dress immediately with lemon juice, good olive oil and salt. Serve with burrata, shaved Parmesan or alongside cured fish.

To cook: drain the artichokes from the lemon water. Sauté in olive oil with a crushed garlic clove, a splash of white wine and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook gently for 10–15 minutes until tender. Use in risottos, fold through pasta, or serve warm as part of an antipasti plate.

Recipes

Delivery

Order Cut-Off Times & Delivery Date Selection

Orders placed before 2 PM (Monday to Friday) are dispatched the same day, unless you select a future delivery date at checkout.

Our Delivery Service

We use reliable third-party express courier services and high-quality insulated packaging. While our couriers are generally excellent, occasional delays can happen. We pack everything to stay fresh, even if transit takes a little longer.

Time-Sensitive & Event Orders

Can we guarantee delivery on a specific day? Unfortunately not - we rely on third-party couriers and can't control their schedules. All items leave us in perfect condition with good use-by dates, but final timing depends on the courier.

If your order is for a specific event, let us know in the notes section at checkout. We can often dispatch a day earlier to give you the best chance of timely arrival.

DELIVERY Changes After Dispatch

Once dispatched, your package is with the courier and we're unable to redirect it or change delivery details.

Saturday Delivery

Saturday delivery is available, though please note our couriers don't operate phone support at weekends and our office is closed. For event-critical orders, a weekday delivery gives us more flexibility to help if any issues arise.

Full delivery details and shipping rates: here

Order Before 2pm For Uk Next Day Delivery

SELECT YOUR DELIVERY DATE AT CHECKOUT

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Violet Artichokes