Insalata di carciofi bolliti con limone

Boiled lemon and artichoke heart salad

For 6

4 organic, thick-skinned lemons

6 small or 4 large artichokes with their stems

Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper

150 g (5 oz) almonds, toasted

4 tablespoons soft raw honey

juice of 2 lemons

120 ml (4 fl oz) extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

Wash the lemons thoroughly, and put 3 of them whole into a small saucepan. Cover with water and add 100 g (4 oz) Maldon salt. Cover with the lid turned upside down so that the handle keeps the lemons below the surface of the water. Otherwise the lemons will float and not cook properly. Boil for 20 minutes. The lemons will become soft; the skin should easily be pierced with a fork. Drain and cool.

In boiling salted water, to which you have added the halved remaining lemon, cook the artichokes for 20 minutes or until one of the central leaves will come away with a little give. Drain and cool. Pull away the tough outside leaves, trim the stalks of string and fibre, and cut away the choke if there is any. Cut the hearts in halves, or quarters if they are large. Put in a salad bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Cut the boiled lemons in half and scoop out and discard the pulp and inner segments. Cut the soft skins into quarters and add to the artichoke hearts with the almonds.

Mix the honey with the lemon juice, then add the olive oil. Season and pour over the artichokes. Stir in the thyme.