Artichokes & Vinaigrette
This is just a quick and easy recipe, but I love it because of how simple is is, and because of how delicious artichokes are! This makes a great starter at a dinner party, or a good snack if you’re feeling a little luxurious. This is a recipe that dates back to when I was little – I remember eating artichokes dipped in balsamic vinegar and thinking it delicious, and also great fun, as artichokes are very much a finger food – especially when you get to the heart and have to rip off all the funny little hairs in order to get to the good bit!
Some people spend forever preparing their artichokes but I personally don’t see the point – it takes too much time, and is unnecessary as there are always going to be bits that you won’t eat, regardless of whether or not you chop off the tips of the leaves before cooking.
I have opted to serve these with crusty white bread, as this can be used to mop any excess oil and vinegar, but it is up to you whether you do the same!
Ingredients (serves 2)
2 large globe artichokes
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 bay leaves
1/4 of a lemon
100ml balsamic vinegar
100ml olive oil
Salt and pepper to season
Crusty white bread to serve
Method
Place a large pan of water on the hob, with the garlic cloves, lemon, bay leaves and a dash of salt, and leave until it comes up to the boil.
Meanwhile, try and give your artichokes a good rinse. I realise this is tricky because they are very tightly put together, but if you can get into all the nooks and crannies then that’s great. Once washed, chop the ends of the stalks off – these are the most bitter and dry part, so not worth eating!
Once the water is boiling, pop the artichokes into the water, cover with a lid and turn to a low heat so the water continues to simmer. Leave these to cook for around half an hour – or until the outer leaves come away easily. The bigger the artichoke the longer it will take to cook!
Whilst the artichokes are cooking, mix together your balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Once this is done, why not have a gander at this article about street artist ATM and his recent ‘graffiti’ that has been appearing in London. ATM has created a series of beautiful paintings of Britain’s endangered birds on buildings around the capital city. The result is wonderful, and much better than most of the other street art you will have seen. I for one shall be keeping an eye out for these lovely feathered friends when I head to London next week. These paintings also act as a timely wake up call to the fact we need to stop messing around with the environment, and start acting to prevent climate change, and the extinction of various species of animals and birds.
Once the artichokes are cooked, drain the water and dig in. Pull away the individual leaves and dip the bottom of them in the vinaigrette, then eat the little fleshy bit at the bottom of each leaf. Once you have peeled away and eaten all the leaves (which takes a while – although some of the very inner leaves won’t have any fleshy stuff to eat so can be discarded quickly) you will get to the heart of the artichoke. This is the most delicious part! With a sharp knife, carefully cut away all the hairy stuff and the end of the stalk, until you are left with the smooth green heart. Give this a good soaking in the vinaigrette and enjoy!
The Peckish Pescatarian 