Recipe courtesy of Mark Picone, Executive Chef, Vineland Estates Winery.Cardoons are thistles, with a flavour reminiscent of celery and artichokes. To clean them, remove the thorns, leaves and back strings (tough fibre on outer side of stalk). Before cooking, cardoons must be parboiled in salted water for 10 to 15 minutes to remove their bitter taste. Regular fresh ricotta can be substituted for the fresh goat milk variety.Also called Tuscan peppers, pepperoncini are long, thin, 2- to 3-inch-long chiles that have green, wrinkled skin and a hot, slightly sweet flavour. They’re usually sold pickled. Yield is 4 servings.
ingredients
Cardoons
Filling
Assembly
directions
Preheat oil in large frying pan to 350 degrees F.
Cut the cardoons into bite-size lengths and line up half on a work surface.
In a mixing bowl, gently combine anchovies, cheeses, herbs, pepperoncini and lemon zest.
Put a small spoonful into centre of each cardoon and cover with remaining pieces.
Dredge pieces in flour and then egg whites, and finally breadcrumbs.
Fry until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels.
Garnish with lemon wedges.