Artichoke Antipasto – Artichokes alla Romana/ Carciofi alla Romana

It’s raining today – in late April! But spring has sprung and there are artichokes in the Mercado Central. The prescribed method of cooking artichokes all Romana is to jam them choke-side down in a sauce pan and cover them with water and a layer of olive oil. The problem is that the choke is very buoyant – so, I now cook them loose in a large lidded pan. Once cooked, I halve them lengthways and marinade them – cut-side down. Much easier.

For the marinade, I now use tarragon or tarragon, thyme and rosemary: using only the picked leaves and chopping the rosemary before adding it in. Another option for herbs in the marinade is mint and parsley – I’m sticking with tarragon! This antipasto is great when twinned with brie in a quiche.

Instructions

1. To prepare the artichokes, fill a large pan with water and squeeze in the juice of one lemon – drop one squeezed half into the water, reserving the other. On a board, cut through the artichoke head to reveal the top of the choke. Peel off the tougher outer leaves; then, using a paring knife (or a peeler), trim the end off the stem and peel the outer layer off the stem. Clean up the area where the head meets the stem before rubbing the cut head with the reserved lemon half.
2. Once you have prepared all seven artichokes, bring the water to the boil and simmer for 30 – 40 minutes or until the artichokes are soft..
3. Remove from the water, cut in half lengthways and place cut-side down in a large dish before covering with the marinade.
4. Baste the artichokes as they marinate.
5. The artichokes can be served after about 2 hours. Any leftovers can be stored, covered in the fridge.

JAMx