3 recipes with artichokes from El Prat fields
We prepare the kitchen utensils and we start cooking. Cooking is fun and if we prepare our meals with local products like the artichoke, meals are even better. In El Prat de Llobregat, where we are, the Carxofa Prat is grown. It is a delicious vegetable, with a unique flavor because this artichoke is grown in our own rich soil. Today we are going to provide three simple recipes. MuchaMasia is the rural hostel urbà del Prat. We are five minutes from the airport and ten minutes from the center of Barcelona as well as just a few minutes from the agricultural reserve where generations of farmers maintain and cultivate crops.
Why is Carxofa Prat so Good?
You may already know that MuchaMasia is surrounded by a Parc Agrari and a special environment. The agricultural tradition of El Prat begins in the mid-14th century, when our town was created. We are in the middle of a fertile delta, thanks to the sediments provided by the Llobregat River, and the underground aquifer. Thanks to the quality of this so fertile soil, the vegetables acquire a special flavor. The Artichoke del Prat, which comes from Tudela, becomes singular when grown in our delta.
Buy them and Prepare your Artichokes Yourself in MuchaMasia
In MuchaMasia we have many services. You will see the kitchen right next to reception. This room is equipped with everything you need to cook. Oven, gas stove top, refrigerator, blenders for juices or liquids etc … All the equipment is present so you can prepare your lunch or dinner. We propose a fun activity. And surely, you can NOT do these in any other hostel in Barcelona.
What do you think about getting up early on Saturday and enjoying the morning hustle and bustle of Mercat de Pagès where local farmers set up stands?
At the Mercat de Pagès, you will find all the variety of homegrown products grown by farmers. Also, during the week you can buy the artichokes in your local stores. We are friends of several local farmers. From Xavi Oliva and Andrea Segú, who have El Rebost del Pagès. De Josep i de Rosa, with La Masía del Prat, or Agustí García Santafe in El Pagès del Remolar. In the Municipal Market you will also find artichokes at the Valentina stop. All of them work from sunrise to sunset to offer us a first class product, next to MuchaMasia.
Three Simple Recipes with Carxofa Prat that you can make in MuchaMasia
To enjoy the artichokes Carxofa Prat to the fullest, we propose three easy-to-make recipes. You may want to try and cook them here because we’re here to help or go ahead and try the recipes at home. We’re going to make it easy for you. The members of our staff will help you, especially Enric, who is a great chef.
Carpaccio by Carxofa Prat. This is the easiest and fastest recipe. We take the raw artichoke, wash it and peel it and leave the most tender part. To peel the artichoke, remove the tough outer leaves until you reach the center where the artichoke is a lighter green and the leaves are tender. Cut off the top ⅓ of the leaves as well. Then, we cut it into very thin slices and marinate them with salt and oil. Put these slices in a dish and then in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. They’re ready to eat after this short time. If you want to add anchovies, the best ones are in Cal Pere Tarrida, just in front of our house. There are even people who add parmesan and balsamic vinegar to make it more elevated.
Carxofa Prat baked. This recipe is about a classic. It’s how many of us prefer to eat artichokes. Buy a few large artichokes with stems. We cut the stem and hit it against a wood cutting board to enlarge the base. Season with salt and pepper, in addition to garlic and oil, accompanied by pieces of ham or bacon. Once ready in a tray, we put them in oven and wait around an hour and a half to about 180 degrees celsius( 350 degrees fahrenheit) . Once out of the oven, they’re ready to eat.
Chips of Carxofa Prat. With this recipe you will make everyone love artichokes, even the most skeptical. Cut the artichoke into very thin slices, creating artichoke leaves and prepare a saute pan with hot oil. Once it is ready, we begin to fry the artichoke chips. When they are crispy, remove the oil and then salt to taste. Serve at the moment, because cold, they are not as good.
We hope to see you soon and share with you our love of locally sourced, top quality ingredients.
In this photo you can see the dinner that Jordi prepared so that Katie from the United States could enjoy la carxofa prat for the first time.
And, if you are hungry for more adventurous cooking, we propose recipes with Carxofa Prat prepared by several of the chefs of the restaurants in the city. You can check them all by clicking on this link.