The distinct but delicate flavour of the globe artichoke is an unsung hero for me. Try this one and you’ll feel like a pro, plus it looks like a real show-stopper.
Ingredients
- 4 globe artichokes
- 1 lemon
- olive oil, for drizzling
- smoked paprika, to garnish
Garlic & Tomato Drizzle
- 2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 red chilli, thinly sliced
- sprinkle of chilli flakes
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 14 oz (1 x 400 g) tin of cherry tomatoes
- handful of fresh cherry tomatoes
- handful of finely chopped oregano
Parmesan Topping
- 4¼ oz 2 cups (120 g) fresh breadcrumbs, ideally homemade
- 3½ oz (100 g) parmesan, finely grated
- 1 lemon finely grated zest
- handful of chopped parsley
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F/gas mark 5) and bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil.
- To prepare your artichokes, cut off the stalks – make sure it’s straight, so they’ll stand up – then remove the tough outer leaves and trim 2–3 cm (¾–1¼ in) from the top, so there are no spiky bits left. Rinse, then put straight into a bowl of water with a squeeze of lemon juice added, to stop discolouration. When all the artichokes are done, put them in the pan of boiling water, adding another squeeze of lemon juice, and cook over medium–high heat for 15–20 minutes. When they’re ready, they should be soft but not mushy. Transfer to a baking dish and drizzle generously with oil, then season with salt and pepper and roast for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a pestle and mortar or a blender, combine the garlic with the fresh chilli, chilli flakes and paprika. Season with salt and pepper, then pound or blend to a rough paste. Pour a glug of oil into a pan over medium heat and cook the paste for a minute, stirring so it doesn’t burn, then add the tinned and fresh cherry tomatoes and the oregano. Increase the heat to high and cook for 5–10 minutes until thick. Blitz with a stick blender, then taste and adjust the seasoning.
- To make the parmesan topping, combine all the ingredients and season with pepper.
- Once the artichokes have been in the oven for 30 minutes, drizzle over the sauce and sprinkle with the parmesan crust. Return the artichokes to the oven for 5 minutes until they just start to brown, then crack an egg into the centre of each one and bake for 3–4 minutes or until the egg is set and the breadcrumbs are golden. Garnish with an extra sprinkle of smoked paprika.
