Sautéed Artichokes
This is one of those dishes that stuck in my mind as a wonderful one. I first tried this dish at a road restaurant south of Madrid with my dad, who knew all the best places… I was still a teenager, and, as I couldn’t make decide what to have, my dad suggested it saying “you will like it”. I have never looked back.
In Spain it is often served with diced serrano ham or shavings of Iberico ham. I have adjusted it to the UK, and I tend to use bacon lardons.
Ingredients
1 tin of artichokes hearts, halved or quartered
3 or 4 garlic cloves, sliced
3 or 4 tbsp Negra Harvest olive oil
80g diced panceta* or lardons (optional)
Takes 15 mins – Serves 2 as a main, 4 as a starter
Method
Cover the bottom of the saucepan with Negra Harvest olive oil, the olive oil is the sauce, so be generous with it. Heat it at a medium heat, then add the sliced garlic and let it soften. Before it starts to brown, add the artichokes and stir them gently.
After 2 or 3 mins, add the panceta or lardons and let it all cook for 5 -7 mins, medium heat, allowing them to cook thoroughly and become a little bit crispy.
If not adding the panceta, allow the artichokes to gently cook in the garlic olive oil for 5 mins.
Season with sea salt to taste and serve.
Tip: This is an elegant starter, or a light lunch. You can serve it with crusty bread to mop up the warm olive oil.
*panceta (pronounced pan-th-etta) is Spanish for pork belly.
