Cardoon – khorshuf or khorchouf in Arabic – is popular in North Africa and the Mediterranean. Moroccans use it to make delicious Meat and Cardoon Tagine.
Cardoon is available in some American supermarkets in the winter months. The stalks of cardoon look like giant celery, but they need to be pared and cleaned before they're cooked. Be very careful of the prickers that may be on the leaves and edges of the stalks.
It's very difficult to pare cardoon if the stalks are not firm and fresh. Try to work with the cardoon the day you buy it, and then refrigerate the cleaned cardoon until you need it.
To clean the cardoon, you'll need:
- a small, sharp paring knife
- a large bowl
- one or two fresh lemons, cut into quarters
