Cooked artichokes with herbal oil
1 artichoke/person
Check that the stem of the artichoke is hard, the bud heavy and solid and the leaves close to the bud. Remove smallest low petals and any discoloured onew. Twist the stem off to loosen the stiffest fibres or cut off the stem with a small sharp-tipped knife.
Cook the artichokes in plenty of salted water. Add some lemon juice to prevent darkening. Cooking time depends on the size and the time of harvesting. Test with a knitting needle after 25–30 minutes. Artichokes are done with the base is tender and the bottom leaves come loose. Turn artichokes upside down to drain. Serve still warm artichokes with butter or Béarnaise sauce and cold artichokes with aioli, saffron mayonnaise or vinaigrette. Herbal oil goes well with both warm and cold artichokes.
Herbal oil
one pot parsley
one pot chervil
one pot thyme
a couple of basil leaves
2 dl virgin olive oil seasoned with lemon
2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
salt
Put all ingredients in a blender and mix into a bright green oil. Herbal oil goes well with baked potatoes, grilled meat, vegetables and fish.