Artichauts violets
Even in its simplest incarnation—steamed or boiled, served with a dipping sauce of vinaigrette or lemony melted butter—the multipetaled bud of the Cynara scolymus thistle plant is a delight. In this Provence specialty, it is slowly simmered to silken tenderness in olive oil and a touch of lemon juice, with seasonings of onion and garlic and slivers of ham or bacon; mushrooms, carrots, and even the slightest trace of tomato may make an appearance as well. What must be present is thyme, or barigoule (Provence’s bastardized version of the Niçois word farigoule), the defining herb.
After having carefully trimmed the leaves and removed the thorny choke, some cooks choose to stuff the opened, raw artichokes with the aforementioned ingredients, then tie the chokes closed and let them simmer in the broth. Either way, small, young artichokes give the most tender results.
Served warm in a bowl that can accommodate a shallow pool of the pan juices, the artichokes make light and palatepriming appetizers.
This cooking method, known as à la grecque, renders the entire artichoke edible, so no need to tackle yours leaf by leaf; just use a fork and dig in, not forgetting to sop up the last of the savory juices with some bread or a spoon.
Further information and recipes:
Cuisine Niçoise: Recipes from a Mediterranean Kitchen by Jacques Médecin (1991);
The Lutèce Cookbook by André Soltner with Seymour Britchky (1995);
saveur.com (search artichauts a la barigoule).
See also: Carciofi Romaneschi
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