The cardoon has done less wandering than its better-known cousin, the more aristocratic artichoke. Yet thistles similar to the cardoon grow wild around the world - the thistle flower is the traditional symbol of Scotland. Sicily just happens to be one of the few places where the stalks of certain types of thistle are consumed. Here the dish is called carduna, from the Latin term carduus (which is the plant's principal genus). The Italian word cardo is more generic and does not refer to a specific scientific family; in North America certain types of thistle are similar to the cardoon and some are the same varieties, having been introduced into Mexico and California by the Spaniards. Thistles have prickly stems and leaves and rounded heads of purple, violet or pinkish flowers. They are related to certain kinds of daisies.

The cardoon, "artichoke thistle" or "musk thistle," is in the asteraceae family. Its stalks are similar to those of the artichoke - another thistle in the asteraceae family indigenous to Sicily - and have a similar taste and texture. Only in the eighteenth century were these plants identified scientifically, though they had obviously been consumed for millennia. The cardoon is mentioned anciently in Egypt and Ethiopia, and makes an appearance in both Greek and Norse mythology.

The cardoon most often consumed in Sicily is the cynara cardunculus, which is indeed closely related to the artichoke, cynara scolymus. The leaves and stalks of the two plants are nearly identical. Artichokes are harvested in late autumn and again in early spring, but the cardoon stalk is usually picked once annually, beginning in early December.

Bearing a vague resemblance to celery, the cardoon stalk is high in potassium, low in sodium, and is a good source of B vitamins, folate, magnesium, calcium and iron. For all its nutritional benefit and delicious taste, the cardoon enjoys little more than a cult following among gourmands and aficionados beyond the Mediterranean. It seems to be regarded as the "poor cousin" of the more famous artichoke.

Preparation for cooking begins with cutting the long stalks and removing some of the tough external fibres. Next the stalks are boiled (with a little salt) in a large pot for at least fifteen minutes. This is the cooking stage, and if you prefer you can eat the stalks this way, but in Sicily the carduna is rarely served after having been merely boiled. Instead, it is then battered (in egg, flour and then bread crumbs) and fried. It should not be deep fried, but pan fried in a mixture of corn oil (perhaps 80%) and refined olive oil.

Carduna is served simply, without dressings or dips. Tasting it with a bit of horseradish or wasabi sauce, or even Dijon mustard, while not grounds for trial on heresy charges, is less than traditional. Sicilians prefer - if anything - a generous splash of fresh lemon juice.

About the Author: Roberta Gangi has written numerous articles and one book dealing with Italian cultural and culinary history, and a number of food and wine articles for Best of Sicily Magazine.