No vegetable is more precious to our family than the artichoke, with their tender almost velvet-like leaves. From their first flush in late winter, through to a peak in spring we enjoy them in a countless number of ways.
My first encounter of anginares avgolemono came in the late spring, in a little family run taverna in the Peloponnese not far from my father in law’s village near Ancient Olympia. The almost buttery hearts of the artichokes were combined with the sweetness of baby carrots and onions, a slightly bitter edge of the local extra virgin olive oil and aromtatic dill, all bound in a thick, rich egg-lemon sauce. Eaten in the soft sunshine, this dish perfectly captured those fleeting days of spring. Combined with a little dish of slightly salty-sour feta, it was one of the best lunches I have enjoyed.
Anginares Avgolemono (artichokes in egg-lemon sauce)
Ingredients
- 8 very young globe artichokes or 4 larger ones
- 1 bunch spring onions white bulbs
- 1 white onion finely chopped
- 4 young green garlic bulbs trimmed and left whole
- 3 medium potatoes peeled and quartered
- 4 baby carrots peeled and cut into rounds
- 3 lemons juice only
- 1 wine glass of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small bunch fresh flat leaf parsley finely chopped
- 1 small bunch of dill finely chopped
- Sea salt and white pepper to taste
For the sauce
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 lemon juice only
- 1 tsp cornflour
To prepare
- A bowl of cold water with the juice of one fresh lemon
Instructions
-
Peel the artichokes and remove the hard outer leaves and stalks. Gently halve and remove the inner purple leaves and the 'lint'. Trim the stems down to the white core. Place the prepared artichokes and stems in the bowl of lemon water to stop them going brown.
-
Heat the olive oil in a frypan and add the chopped onion. Saute for a few minutes until translucent but not brown. Add the onion bulbs, garlic bulbs, carrots, potatoes artichokes and stems. Just cover with water and the lemon juice. Add a small piece of baking paper over the mixture, bring to the boil and cover with a lid. Reduce to a simmer for around 45 minutes.
-
After 45 minutes, remove the paper and add the fresh herbs, and a touch more water if needed. Return the lid and simmer for another 15 minutes.
-
Prepare the sauce: in a separate bowl, add the lemon juice and combine with the cornflour. In another separate bowl, beat the egg and then slowly whisk in the the lemon juice mixture until frothy. Next, slowly add the broth from the pot whisking continuously (about 2 tea cups worth). Finally, add the sauce back into the pot covering the artichokes and vegetables Return to a very very low heat and swirl the sauce by shaking the pot from the handles. Do not stir or allow the sauce to boil. The sauce will slowly thicken.
-
Remove from the heat and then serve a slice or two of really good sourdough bread, plus a side dish of good quality Greek feta.
