JEWISH ARTICHOKES RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• Put a casserole pan that will snugly fit the artichokes later on a medium- high heat. Scrunch in the tomatoes through your clean hands, then pour in 2 tins’ worth of water. Peel and finely chop the onion, garlic and celery. Finely chop half the basil leaves and half the parsley (stalks and all). Stir it all into the pan, simmer for 30 minutes to thicken and reduce the sauce, then taste and season to perfection. Meanwhile, prep the artichokes (see tip), then quarter each one lengthways, dropping the pieces back into the lemon water. Put the flour into a shallow bowl, and beat 2 eggs in another shallow bowl. Place the mince in a bowl with the chilli flakes and a good pinch of sea salt, and crack in the remaining 2 eggs. Finely chop the remaining basil leaves and parsley, add to the bowl, then scrunch and mix together, and divide into eight. Take one piece, then press and hug 3 artichoke quarters together around it, packing and squeezing it back into its original shape. Roll it in the flour, dunk it in the beaten egg, letting any excess drip off, then pop on a tray ready to fry. Repeat until you have 8 re-formed artichokes. Meanwhile, pour 5cm of vegetable oil into a large, sturdy, deep-sided pan on a high heat. Get it to 160ºC on a thermometer, then gently lower all 8 artichokes into the oil – they’ll pack it out. Fry for 10 minutes, or until golden, then use a slotted spoon to lift them into the sauce. Reduce to a medium-low heat, simmer for 10 minutes, turning halfway, then serve.