Akkoub

Ingredients

Akkoub

• 1 kgakkoub stalks, if legally and sustainably obtained
• or 800 g artichoke hearts, as a substitute
• or 800 g cardoon stems

Lamb version

• 500 glamb shoulder, in cubes
• 1onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoonsghee or oil
• 1 teaspoonseven spice, baharat
• salt and black pepper
• 500 mlwater or stock

Egg and lemon version

• 4eggs, beaten
• juice of 2 lemons
• 4garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 tablespoonsolive oil
• salt

To serve

• rice
• flatbread
• yoghurt

Directions

1. Check the current position wherever you are. Do not gather it where doing so is prohibited. Hold a stalk with a gloved hand. Work from the base toward the tip. Peel off the tough outer skin as you go. Trim the base and the woody end. Cut the cleaned stalk into short lengths. Drop each piece into acidulated water. Water with lemon juice stops it browning.
2. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add a squeeze of lemon to the water. Drop the cleaned pieces into it. Boil them for about ten minutes. They should soften but keep some bite.
3. Drain them and set them aside. Heat the ghee in a heavy deep pot. Brown the lamb cubes on all sides. Take them out and set them aside. Fry the chopped onion until soft and golden. Give it a good eight minutes there.
4. Return the lamb to the pot now. Add the seven spice, salt and pepper. Pour in the water or the stock. Bring it to a simmer and cover it. Cook it for about forty minutes. The lamb should be properly tender. Add the blanched akkoub to the pot. Simmer for another fifteen minutes. The stalks should be soft but not collapsing.
5. Reduce the sauce if it is too thin. Taste it and adjust the salt again. Heat the olive oil in a wide pan. Fry the crushed garlic for thirty seconds. Do not let it brown or it turns bitter. Add all of the blanched akkoub. Toss it in the garlic oil for three minutes.
6. Season the whole pan with salt. Beat the eggs with the lemon juice. Pour the mixture over the akkoub. Turn the heat right down to low.
7. Stir gently as the egg sets around the stalks. It should stay soft and creamy. Take it off the heat while it still looks loose. Serving it is always done hot. Serve the lamb version with rice. Serve the egg version with flatbread. It keeps two days refrigerated.

Technique

• Akkoub is a seasonal foraged food of great cultural importance in Palestinian cooking.
• Its legal status in Israel as a protected plant, and the enforcement of that status, has been documented and contested.

Substitutions

• Artichoke hearts give the closest flavour and need no cleaning.
• Cardoon stems are botanically closer and are prepared much the same way.

Variations

• The lamb stew version is the richest and is made for guests.
• The egg and lemon version is a lighter everyday dish.
• Akkoub is also cooked with yoghurt into a laban stew in some households.

History

Foraged in the hills each spring; peeling the thorns is slow work that makes it an expensive seasonal delicacy.

Frequently asked questions

What is Akkoub?

Akkoub is a salad & side from Palestine: spiny wild thistle stalks peeled and stewed with lamb or lemon and eggs. Foraged in the hills each spring; peeling the thorns is slow work that makes it an expensive seasonal delicacy.

How long does Akkoub take to make?

Akkoub takes 1 hour, mostly cleaning of preparation and 45 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 4. It is rated hard to make.

What can I substitute in Akkoub?

Yes, within limits. Artichoke hearts give the closest flavour and need no cleaning. Cardoon stems are botanically closer and are prepared much the same way.

What is the most important thing to get right in Akkoub?

Check the current position wherever you are. Do not gather it where doing so is prohibited. Hold a stalk with a gloved hand. Work from the base toward the tip. Peel off the tough outer skin as you go. Trim the base and the woody end. Cut the cleaned stalk into short lengths. Drop each piece into acidulated water. Water with lemon juice stops it browning.