The Art of Artichoke.

Some dishes don’t need fancy cutlery. Just your hands, a little time and good company. The Zuzel artichoke from our Poststube is cooked in an aromatic white wine stock, plucked leaf by leaf, and best shared with aioli, gremolata and fresh focaccia.

• 4 artichokes
• 1 litre of water
• 1 litre of white wine
• 2 shallots, quartered
• 20 g sprigs of thyme
• 5 garlic cloves, crushed
• 5 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 lemon
• 5 bay leaves
• 20 g coriander seeds
• 60 g salt
• 20 g sugar
• 100 g olive oil
  
  

Pour the water and white wine into a large saucepan. Add the shallots, thyme, garlic, cherry tomatoes, bay leaves and coriander seeds. Squeeze the juice from the lemon directly into the stock. Add the squeezed lemon halves to the saucepan as well. Add salt, sugar and olive oil. Simmer the stock for about ten minutes to allow the alcohol in the white wine to evaporate.

Then add the artichokes and cook over a gentle simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on their size. They are ready as soon as the outer leaves can be pulled out easily.

Serve the artichokes whole. They go well with aioli, fresh gremolata and warm focaccia.
Then it’s time to pluck off the leaves, dip them and pull the soft flesh away with your teeth. Take your time. There are no rules.

The perfect accompaniments? Oven-roasted aubergines and Pimientos de Padrón round off the Zuzel artichoke perfectly. Currently on our menu at the Poststube.

Come hungry. Dig in.