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It's the middle of the winter and we can all agree this has been a long one - by now, we're definitely longing for the flavour and freshness of some tasty local vegetables.

Our markets are full of produce, but most of it comes from south of the equator. Inevitably, freshness is lost the longer the travel time.

One vegetable that is in season and available from not too far away is the artichoke. Harvested from December to March and again in the late summer, it is the freshest and tastiest produce around right now.

Artichokes originate in the Mediterranean basin and have been part of the diet there for centuries. They were later exported to the United States where the climate and fertile ground allowed a great number of varieties to be cultivated. Generally, the artichokes we consume in Canada come out of California.

The plant can be used in many ways; one of my favourite drinks is an artichoke extract liqueur that can be sipped as a digestive or served with soda and lemon juice.

One of the bestsellers on my menu at Mistura is carciofi fritti, artichokes prepared fried and served as an appetizer.

And there is something almost sexy about eating an artichoke leaf by leaf, scraping the tender part gently between your teeth and savouring the sweetness of the creamy flesh. Perhaps this is the reason in the past the artichoke was thought to be an aphrodisiac and only men were allowed to consume it. Fortunately, times have changed and we can all enjoy this strange-looking flower bud.

All artichokes should be handled the same way: Buy ones that feel firm and are without blemishes, keep them cool, always use an acidulated water bath to maintain the green colour after cleaning. When cleaning artichokes, keep in mind there is a lot of throwaway. The good parts to eat are generally the heart, the bottom parts of the leaves and the stem, if long enough.

It is important to use the right recipe for the variety you're working with: If you have globe artichokes, cook them stuffed or plain, in a peel-and-eat style. Medium artichokes can be cleaned, well blanched and fried in olive oil with or without flour.

If you are daring, try making this raw artichoke salad - one of my favourites - using only the tender parts of a baby 'choke and dressing it with olive oil and lemon juice.

RAW ARTICHOKE

AND MUSHROOM SALAD

What you need

1 pound fresh artichokes cleaned only to the white part

2 stalks of celery (centre part)

¼ pound of fresh white mushrooms

1 bunch of arugula washed and dried

Salt and pepper

Lemon juice

Extra virgin olive oil

Shaved parmigiano

reggiano cheese

What you do

Slice the artichokes as fine as you can, try not to mince them too much. Keep the artichokes in acidulated water until it's time to eat.

Slice the celery thin with a mandolin or by hand. Slice the mushroom very thin and set aside.

Prepare the plate by putting the arugula on the bottom, celery, mushrooms and artichokes. Season to your liking with salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil (in that order). Top with parmigiano and serve immediately.

Massimo Capra is chef and co-owner of Mistura Restaurant and Sopra Upper Lounge in Toronto, and guest chef on the show Restaurant Makeover