It’s carciofi season in Cilento, and Franco Vastola sent us this picture of him harvesting his artichokes. This time of year, Franco and his Maida dream team are busy trimming, peeling, scraping, pampering their marvelously tender artichokes, so we don’t have to.
Maida’s aren’t just any artichokes; they’re Pascaioli, a Romanesco variety named for their Easter bloom (Pascaioli > Pasqua. Get it?), picked at peak ripeness and preserved in the family’s extra virgin olive oil. No ascorbic acid, no weird brines, no sketchy preservatives—just lemon, herbs, and local EVOO to bring out their natural, velvety texture.
Farmer Franco preserves his artichokes two ways: Grigliati are halved, grilled, and kissed with black pepper and parsley for a smoky kick, while Piccoli are whole baby hearts with a velvety texture and delicate sweetness.
They’re not only our favorites, they’re the NYTimes’s favorites too. Food legend Florence Fabricant gave them a shoutout for their “deep flavor and a texture at once tender and firm.” Fabricant recommends to pour yourself a Negroni, pop open a jar, and let the best of spring unfold—straight from the fork, no recipe required.
Artichoke Primavera UN-Recipe
If you want to elevate the luxurious Maida artichokes even more, this no-cook pairing is for you. Melt-in-your-mouth grilled artichokes are married to creamy cannellini beans and dressed up with paper thin slivers of the umami powerhouse mullet bottarga. It’s inspired by the super traditional Sarda salad of carciofi con la bottarga. Boil the beans, combine all the ingredients, shower with EVOO, and let the flavors mingle.