6 artichokes, outer leaves trimmed and
top cut off
2 bay leaves
1 lemon, halved
Vinaigrette
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
¼ tsp sugar
8 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp red wine vinegar
sparkling water
To Serve: mustard microgreens
1Heat a large saucepan of salted water over high heat. Add artichokes, bay leaves and lemon halves, and bring to the boil. Lower heat to medium and cook for 30 minutes or until artichokes are tender when pierced with a knife.
2Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. Place Dijon mustard, flat-leaf parsley, sugar, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper in a medium bowl. Add olive oil and red wine vinegar, and whisk well to combine. Add a splash of sparkling water and whisk again. Cover until ready to serve.
3Transfer artichokes to a colander with a slotted spoon. Allow to cool then drain upside down on kitchen paper.
4To serve, place artichokes on a serving platter and sprinkle with mustard microgreens. Place small dipping bowls of vinaigrette near platter and serve with spoons to scoop out the hairy chokes.
5To eat, pull leaves off and dip into vinaigrette. When the artichoke heart is reached, use spoons to remove the hairy choke before eating.
Hmm, artichokes contain cynarin, a bitter component that makes matching a wine difficult. It’s not the wine’s fault but cynarin will make most wines taste bitter. The vinaigrette presents a second problem as vinegar and wine are not the best of friends. Enter sauvignon blanc. I’m not talking about a brash Marlborough style but a subtle minerally example. Sancerre is just that, the Tissier bright and tight with a zing of lemon-fresh acidity that’s an equal to the dressing.