ARTICHOKES

ARTICHOKES, FOR ME, were always elusive. Kind of dangerous. Really beautiful. But I didn’t understand what people loved about eating a prickly thistle; I never got their seductive quality. Even though as a chef I had dutifully learned how to “turn” artichokes, it took spending an Easter with my daughters in Rome (where artichokes are prized and prepared with great style) to truly become enamored of this vegetable. Artichokes—fried whole (alla giudia), braised with fava beans in spring vignarola, sliced raw with anchovies and lots of lemon, and baked on pizza—were a real discovery for me as an eater. As I travelled to other places where artichokes are grown and appreciated, I began to experience the nostalgia around the tradition of eating them, and I really fell in love. I felt inspired to dream about these delicious ways of preparing them.

Prepping Globe Artichokes

This book is full of inspiration, of course, but I also want to make sure to share with you the techniques you need to unlock these delicious vegetables. Each artichoke recipe asks for a different approach—not difficult, different! To stuff a big globe artichoke, there’s some trimming to do, plus removing the choke. Getting to the prized artichoke hearts take some serious cutting.

Stuffing Artichokes

Once the artichokes are trimmed and hollowed out with a spoon, use a paring knife to flatten the bottoms so they’ll sit upright in a deep baking dish. Season the hollowed-out artichokes with salt, pepper, butter, olive oil, and lemon juice. Combine the stuffing ingredients—clockwise from top, coppa or pancetta, bread crumbs, oregano, garlic, capers, anchovies, black and green olives—in a small bowl and mix well. Spoon the stuffing into each prepared artichoke, filling generously.