Internationally renowned chef Theo Randall opens his pantry to share the secrets of Italian home cooking
STUFFED GLOBE ARTICHOKES
If you’re familiar with my recipes, you will have probably realised that I love a globe artichoke. For me, it is one of the most satisfying vegetables to prepare and eat. The trick is simple – the fresher, the better. When it is really fresh, the leaves are softer and will cook much more quickly. When it is older, the choke tends to be dry and can ruin the flavour. You don’t have to use extra-large artichokes for this dish – the best ones are violet artichokes, which are readily available from greengrocers and tend to come in boxes with the long stem intact or in bunches of five. The preparation is important, so take your time – the end result will be worth it.
Serves 4 as a starter
8 GLOBE ARTICHOKES
SMALL BUNCH OF FLAT-LEAF PARSLEY
FOR THE STUFFING
100G DRIED BREADCRUMBS
50G PARMESAN, GRATED
1 GARLIC CLOVE, CRUSHED TO
A PASTE WITH A LITTLE SEA SALT JUICE OF 1 LEMON
5 TBSP EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
75ML DRY WHITE WINE GENEROUS PINCH EACH OF SEA SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
1 Take each artichoke and peel off the outer leaves until you get to the lighter-coloured ones. Peel the outer green part of the stems and heart. Then cut the top off the artichoke with a sharp kitchen knife or bread knife, to expose its heart. Use a teaspoon or melon baller to scoop out the thistly choke. If there is very little, the artichoke is young and tender – this is good.
2 Place the prepared artichokes in a bowl of water. Lightly bash the parsley, then add it to the bowl. Leave in the bowl for 10 minutes, then take out and leave to one side, ready to be stuffed, ensuring there is no water left inside them.
3 Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan oven) gas mark 6. To make the stuffing, add all the ingredients, except the wine, to a bowl and mix well. Evenly divide the mixture between the artichokes, then place them on their sides in a lightly oiled baking dish. Add the wine and 75ml of water to the dish and cover tightly with foil.
4 Bake the stuffed artichokes for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for a further 10 minutes. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then serve them on their own, or with some sliced prosciutto di Parma and asiago cheese as an antipasto.
ARANCINI WITH SPINACH AND RICOTTA
Arancini are a great way to use up leftover risotto but, in reality, there is never any left… so I make a batch and freeze it. Saffron risotto is a joy to make. If you think you might find the flavour too much, reduce the amount slightly. It is also delicious made with chicken stock.
Makes about 14
FOR THE VEGETABLE STOCK
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