All About Jarred Artichokes

“Heart” of the matter

When cooking with prepared artichoke hearts, you often have the choice of those packed in oil or water, or the frozen variety. For our Spinach-Artichoke Soup, use those packed in water. Artichoke hearts packed in oil will have intruding flavors from the marinades and spices (which can be great served by themselves), but they don't jive with this soup. If using frozen hearts, be sure to thaw them fully before using. Also, be sure to quarter whole artichoke hearts before adding to any soup or dish — they're hard to eat otherwise!