I love artichokes, one of the first spring vegetables to appear in greengrocers. I love them finely shaved raw in a salad, deep-fried Roman-style (carciofi alla Giudia), and preserved on an antipasto platter. But most of all I love them in this very rustic dish of Italian stuffed artichokes, which you have to eat with your hands removing one leaf at a time and scraping the tender base off between your teeth. They are a little messy, but well worth it! For a more refined dish that can be eaten with a knife and fork, trim more of the tough leaves away leaving only soft, edible leaves, but it won’t be as much fun (see video below for a step-by-step guide to preparing artichokes). Artichokes are notoriously difficult to match with wine, as cynarin – a bitter compound in them – makes many wines taste sweet and simple. My answer is a fortified – especially an Amontillado Sherry such as Sanchez Romate’s NPU, dry with some nice nutty, spicy notes and a hint of its own bitterness. When artichokes are out of season, or you just need a quick fix, try this simple artichoke and white bean dip using good preserved artichoke pieces.
Serves 4 as a starter
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