Recipe: Stuffed Purple Artichokes

1- Sweat off the shallots in a bit of olive oil for few minutes. Then, add 15 cl of wine and allow to reduce down by half. Add another dash of olive oil into the pot and add the dices of ham and the mushrooms. Season well and allow to cook for few more minutes. Then, off the heat stir in the egg yolk and clear the stuffing to cool down onto a tray.

2- Now the artichokes. Trim down the tough green leaves on the outside. Then, cut down the top part of your "poivrades" (about half way) using a sharp knife. As you go, put your trimmed artichoke in a bowl of water and vinegar to avoid their oxidation.

3- Take a cast iron pot and pour the wine left over in it. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaf and the water. Season well.

4- Drain your artichokes and get rid off the centre leaves and fluffy bits, with a spoon. Then, fill them with the

stuffing and place them, flat into the pot. Add some olive oil and cover.

5- Cook gently for an hour.

6- Delicately remove the stuffed artichokes out of the cooking juices and place them onto a serving dish and pour some of the cooking juice over your artichokes.

Eh voilà!