Tanno's Braised Artichokes

Ingredients

• 1.8 artichokes, outer leaves pulled back; stems peeled; prickly tip cut off; rubbed with lemon half to prevent discolouration
• 2.lemons, halved; for rubbing artichokes and adding to pot
• 3.garlic, 4–5 cloves; crushed
• 4.250 millilitre olive oil, divided: ¾ cup poured into pot first, ¼ cup drizzled over at end
• 5.salt, to season
• 6.black pepper, freshly ground
• 7.45 millilitre fresh parsley, chopped
• 8.lemon zest, zest of ½ lemon
• 9.1 stock cube, chicken or vegetable; crumbled; added to pot

Method

1. 1.Prepare artichokes: pull off outer leaves until you begin to see the pale green of the inner leaves. Peel the stems with a potato peeler. Now peel around the artichoke as if it were a potato — do not put knife under leaves. You will be peeling the upper part of the leaf, leaving the tender lower part. Peel in a spiral from the bulbous end up. Cut prickly tip off.
2. 2.Rub each artichoke all over with a lemon half. This prevents discolouration. The artichokes can at this stage be put in a plastic bag, sealed and refrigerated. Just before using, put artichokes into a bowl of water to cover. Tuck in a good few lemon halves or quarters.
3. 3.Pour about ¾ cup olive oil into a heavy-bottomed pot. Heat and then add the garlic. Stir-fry a few moments to release the aroma. Remove pot from heat and put in artichokes. Artichokes must be put in, stems up. Pack tightly — pot size should just take the quantity of artichokes.
4. 4.Remove lemon halves from water and add to pot. Add the lemon zest, the parsley, the crumbled cube, salt and pepper. Drizzle over the remaining ¼ cup olive oil.
5. 5.Cover to top of bulb with boiling water. Put over a sheet of brown paper and seal with lid. Bring to the boil and then turn heat down to simmer. Simmer slowly 1–1½ hours. Time depends on the artichokes. Artichokes should become deliciously tender.
6. 6.Do not open for the first hour of cooking — all the steam built up will escape.
7. 7.Taste for seasoning. The artichokes may need a little more of all the seasonings.
8. 8.Serve as a first course or as a vegetable.

Notes

• Sealing with brown paper under the lid traps steam for a gentle braise.
• Artichokes are packed stems-up so the tender heart remains submerged.
• See also: to-cook-artichokes (boiling method) and artichokes-vinaigrette-with-caviar (serving suggestion).