Cardoon with almonds recipe

Total: 1 h Diners: 3

Thistle with almonds is, without a doubt, one of the most popular Spanish recipes in the northern interior. This very winter vegetable together with almonds, a tremendously nutritious nut, results in a simple dish that seems to have little substance but is comforting.

Have you ever wondered why seafood, sea bream, endives or red cabbage are eaten at Christmas? The reason is simple: religious. As happens at Easter with Lent, until 1966, the Church advocated that Christmas Day should be a religious feast with fasting and vigil.

That is, not only could you not eat meat, but, unlike today, Christmas binge eating was not usually the order of the day. Along with them, other classic dishes such as consommé, cabbage or cardoon with almond sauce, marked the future of many of Madrid’s recipes.

After all, it was the capital and what was worn in Madrid, became fashionable and directed the course of the rest of the gastronomy of Spain (although the rest of places had their typical regional dishes).

The cardo with almond sauce is a classic dish and very typical of Spanish restaurants and homes of the last century. Although it is no longer hardly known and consumed is an ideal vegetable to eat at this time of year, since, among other things, it is very healthy for being a great detox food, high in fiber and Vitamin C (which is perfect to be strong against colds and flus that come now).

Consuming seasonal products helps us to guarantee a quality food, which provides us with the necessary nutrients and minerals and preserves the natural cycle of fruits and Vegetable Recipes. In short, now that autumn has arrived and, with it, the drop in temperatures and time changes; it is crucial to eat responsibly to always have the batteries charged.

The thistle can be found fresh, although it must be cleaned in a similar way as you would do with a chard. However, nowadays, you can find very good preserves that only contain the food, water and salt; or also, frozen thistle. Both options come free of impurities, cut and almost ready to eat.

How to make cardoons in almond sauce

Ingredients

. Cleaned thistle (frozen or canned is also valid), 500 g Garlic cloves, 3 pcs Extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons Flour, 30 g Almonds, 80 g Pine nuts, 30 g Whole milk, 80 ml Salt, c/s Black pepper, c/s

If you cannot find fresh, frozen or canned thistles, the same recipe will also be very tasty if you prepare it with borage or chard stalks.

Step 1

If our thistle is fresh, we will have to peel it very well, to remove all the rough parts, with the help of a peeler. It is advisable to wear gloves because the hands can get red.

If we use fresh thistle, cook in plenty of salted water with a little lemon and parsley, even a tablespoon of flour. If it is frozen, neither the lemon nor the rest will be necessary. Cook until tender and drain reserving the cooking water.

Step 2

Mash the almonds with the pine nuts until you have a fine flour. Or you can also leave something coarser if you like it better.

Step 3

Peel the garlic cloves and slice. Toast the garlic slices in a pan with the olive oil and add the flour.

Step 4

Stir well so that the flour cooks but does not brown, as if it were for a béchamel sauce. Add then the nuts that will give the point to our cardoon with almonds.

Step 5

Incorporate the milk and 400 ml of the thistle cooking water and stir well with the whisks so that the sauce takes body. We do not want a liquid sauce or anything too dense, it has to cover the thistle.

Step 6

Salt and black pepper the sauce and add the reserved thistle. Mix everything with enveloping movements of the pot, it is not advisable to introduce any utensil to prevent the thistle from breaking. Serve hot.

Tricks and suggestions

In many recipes the ham appears as an addition, it could be incorporated in small cubes at the time of sautéing the flour or at the end. We could also incorporate a ham broth or even fish broth to make it with a special touch. Saffron is also always welcome in this recipe as well as parsley.