My love of artichokes continues with this classic recipe, one of the best ways to eat this interesting, underrated, and strange vegetable. Frozen artichoke hearts are a time-saving substitute, though the flavour and texture of fresh artichokes are, by far, much superior and definitely preferred.
Artichauts en Barigoule
Ingredients
- 1 lemon
- 4 large globe artichokes
- 5 tablespoons (75 mL) olive oil, divided
- 3 thick slices smoked bacon (2.5 ounces/75 g), cut into 1/4 by 1/2 inch (6 mm by 1 cm) lardons
- 8 pearl onions, peeled and halved
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 stalk celery (1.75 ounces/50 g), cut into small dice
- 1 medium carrot (2.5 ounces/75 g), peeled and cut into small dice
- 1/2 bulb fennel, cut into small dice
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 12 cup (125 mL) white wine
- 1 cup (250 mL) Chicken Stock or Vegetable Stock (or store-bought) or water
- 1/4 cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1 teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Directions
01
Fill a large bowl with cold water. Using a peeler, peel three strips of lemon zest from the lemon; set aside. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the water.
02
Gently pick off the first layer of the outer leaves from each artichoke. Using a sharp paring knife, cut off the stalks about 3/4 inch (2 cm) from the base, and cut 3/4 inch (2 cm) off the leaf tips. Turn each artichoke by cutting around the outside of each one to remove any green parts, trimming the leaves a bit at the top and removing any woody parts at the base. Using a melon baller or a small spoon, scoop out each furry choke, found in the centre. Cut the artichoke hearts into quarters and immediately put them in the lemon water to prevent oxidation.
03
In a medium pot on medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of the oil. Sauté the bacon lardons, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until nicely caramelized. Add another 3 tablespoons (45 mL) of the oil, and stir in the pearl onions, garlic, celery, carrot, fennel, thyme, and bay leaves. Cook gently for 8 to 10 minutes, until softened but without colouration. Stir in the artichokes and lemon zest. Deglaze the pot with the wine and reduce by half. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until you can just pierce the artichokes with slight resistance to the tip of your paring knife. Discard the bay leaves. Toss in the parsley leaves, salt, pepper, and the remaining oil. Taste for seasoning.
04
Serve the artichokes with all the vegetables and broth in a bowl. If you prefer a more intense flavour, use a slotted spoon to transfer the artichokes and vegetables into a bowl and reduce the cooking liquid by half on high heat. Pour the reduced liquid over the artichokes and serve either warm or cooled to room temperature.
Tiffany Mayer is a journalist based in St. Catharines, Ontario. She finds no shortage of inspiration in the Niagara Region where she lives.
