Artichokes a la Mama with 3 Dips
Here they are, the delicious treats my mother prepared for us when we stayed at her house in the countryside last weekend! I have to leave out the first dinner of the evening we arrived, I was too hungry and exhausted to take any photos after the six hour drive. I got a beautiful aperitif, white wine mixed with Limoncello and mint and I was told to sit down and relax (my family knows that this is not always easy for me to do). So we all gathered in the kitchen, watched my mother cook a fruity tomato sauce with bell peppers and spaghetti, chatted and were happy to be together again!
Today I will share the recipe we enjoyed on the second night, artichokes a la Mama with three kinds of dipping sauces. This is one of her summer classics! She uses big globe artichokes with fleshy leaves, the same kind as those ripening in her garden. It's the first year that she has grown them herself and they look impressive, big plants with a strong stem crowned by a majestic globe, simply stunning! Their leaves are perfect to dip into sauces, there's a lot to nibble on before you finally reach the heart which is thick and tasty once the hairy choke is cut off. My mother always makes a few different sauces, most of the time it's a classic mayonnaise, a smooth tomato dip with black olives, thyme and basil and a yoghurt dressing mixed with hardboiled eggs.
In the next couple of days I will share three more of her recipes with you, one of the best fish soups I have ever eaten, refined with saffron and cooked with king prawns, wolfs fish and cod. Last Saturday we went a bit overboard on the sweet side and we had two desserts in one day, both are so quick to prepare that you can easily make (and eat) them after each other!
Artichokes a la Mama with 3 Dipping Sauces
For 4 people you need
globe artichokes 4
lemon 1/2
Cook the artichokes in lots of salted water together with the lemon for 35-45 minutes (closed with a lid) until you can easily pull off an outer leaf.
For the mayonnaise
My mother whisks the mayonnaise by hand but you could also mix it with a stick mixer in a mug like I did with my aïoli.
organic egg yolks 2
olive oil around 250ml / 8.5 ounces (more or less, depending on the size of the egg yolks)
Dijon mustard to taste
freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste
salt and pepper
Whisk the egg yolks and slowly add the olive oil. Stop adding more oil when the texture is thick (it will take a few minutes) and season with the lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper to taste.
For the tomato dip
medium tomatoes, finely chopped, 4
black olives, finely chopped, 8
ketchup 3 tablespoons
fresh basil, chopped, 1 tablespoon
thyme leaves of 2-3 sprigs
balsamic vinegar to taste
freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste
salt and pepper
Mix the ingredients with a spoon to a smooth dip and season to taste.
For the yoghurt dip
yoghurt 150g / 5.5 ounces
organic eggs, hardboiled and finely chopped, 3
Dijon mustard to taste
freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste
salt and pepper
chives, snipped, 2 tablespoons
Mix the ingredients (except the chives) with a spoon to a smooth dip and season to taste. Sprinkle with chives.
Lemon-spiced Chicken Wings with Cumin, Harissa and Mint Yoghurt
Chicken wings are often underestimated, unfortunately. Their tasty meat is packed in between the bones which keeps it juicy and due to the short roasting time it doesn't dry out. There isn't much meat on the wings which is an advantage to me as I prefer a small portion of meat especially when it's getting closer to summer and the temperatures rise. It's definitely enough for a spicy treat together with some aromatic cumin, harissa, lemon juice and a few slices of my Moroccan preserved lemons (which you could replace with lemon zest).
The spices and lemon made a delicious skin, golden and crisp after 20 minutes in the oven and packed with wonderful aromas. I like to eat the wings with my fingers, to feel their sticky juices and dip them in a refreshing sauce of yoghurt, sour cream, lemon and mint.
You could also throw them on the grill which would add some smoky flavours or take them out with you on a summery picnic. It's almost June and my mood calls for an early summer picnic with friends and lots of pots and plates of delicious food, so one dish is already sorted!
Lemon-spiced Chicken Wings with Cumin, Harissa and Mint Yoghurt
For 2 people as a main you need (we had half for lunch)
chicken wings 8
olive oil 4 tablespoons
freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 tablespoons
ground cumin 1 teaspoon
harissa 1 teaspoon
black peppercorns, crushed, 10
preserved lemon, sliced, 1/4 (or lemon zest 1 teaspoon)
coarse sea salt
For the yoghurt dip
yoghurt 4 tablespoons
sour cream 2 tablespoons
freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste
mint leaves, chopped, 10
salt and pepper
Set the oven to 210°C / 410°F top / bottom heat.
Whisk the olive oil with the lemon juice, cumin, harissa and black pepper and stir in the slices of the preserved lemon or the lemon zest. Place the chicken wings in a baking dish or on a baking sheet and coat with the spice oil. Sprinkle with salt and roast for 20 minutes or until golden and crisp.
Mix the yoghurt, sour cream, lemon juice, mint, salt and pepper and whisk until creamy.
We ate this with a simple green salad on the side and some baguette to dip into the juices. The French bread was also great with the yoghurt dip although Naan bread would have been more authentic.
