Artichokes, along with beets and mushrooms represent for me a moment of growth for my palate. I still remember clearly (you know those memories you cannot shake off) my parents trying to force me to eat those tough raw green leaves when I was a kid: they could not convince me, no matter the effort. There are many flavors you get to enjoy in life, only after you have developed a sense, an affinity for them. I tried to convince both my daughters that artichoke leaves in”Pinzimonio” (eating raw vegetables dipped in evoo, salt and pepper) are really good for them, and I told them of how Tuscan and traditional the whole “experience” is. They just looked at me sideways and move on.
So I moved to “plan B”, and I created a recipe that is in between the traditional “Carciofi alla Romana”, which are lightly stuffed with herbs, and a recipe I picked up at Angelini Osteria a few months back, while spending some time on the line with Maestro Gino.
Now my daughters are in heaven every time I serve this dish.