March can be a tricky month to feel inspired by seasonal cooking. So can April for that matter. Winter crops are dwindling and the new season’s crops are still a way off.
So this month (and maybe next month, we’ll see!) I’m putting “pantry produce” front and centre in my newsletters. By “pantry produce”, I mean vegetables and fruits in jars, tins and freezer bags. Think: jarred peppers, tinned artichoke hearts, frozen spinach, tinned corn, dried porcini, frozen peas.
Picked and processed at their prime (and therefore deserving of higher regard than they are often given), all of the above have so much to offer year round, but especially so over the coming weeks of otherwise limited fruit and vegetable choice.
Pantry produce: offering variety when we need it most!
To kick things off, we’re turning to tinned artichoke hearts. And marinating them.
These have a unique transportive ability for me, whisking me back to holidays in Italy where carciofi alla Romana were a daily delight. Silky and luxurious, but also peppy with acidity, marinated artichokes are one of my very favourite things to eat.
While you can buy marinated artichoke hearts here in the UK, those that are most accessible (at supermarkets and corner shops) are made with lesser quality oils and their acidity has an almost synthetic tang. Those that are made with higher quality extra virgin olive oil (sold at Italian delis and specialist shops) are pricey, to say the least.
As is the joy of all home cooking, by marinating yourself, you make the artichoke hearts exactly as you like them.
~ Using a good quality olive oil is a worthy investment not only for the flavour it gives the artichokes, but also for its life beyond them drizzled over greens, tossed through grains, in meat and fish marinades, for future artichokes etc. Not a drop will be wasted.
~ For the aromatics, I like to use plenty of garlic, fresh oregano, bay leaves and chilli flakes. You might like pink peppercorns, sage, rosemary, strips of lemon or orange peel. Take this in whatever direction you choose.
~ Add vinegar trickle by trickle, to taste, until the artichokes are bright and brought to life by the acidity.
In terms of uses for the artichokes, if you’re anything like me, quite a few will be consumed stove-side while making supper with a glass of something spritzy. Beyond top-tier snacking, they can be dotted over pizzas, chopped into a herb salsa to spoon over meat or fish, tossed through pasta with lemon and parsley, used as a topping for a bean stew, stirred through grains and pecorino shavings as a packed lunch, or in leafy salads like the one above. In all of these applications, you can use the marinade as a dressing, drizzle or sauce base.
Marinated artichokes
200ml extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Bunch of fresh oregano
4 bay leaves
Chilli flakes
2x 400g tins of artichoke hearts, drained and halved
White wine vinegar, to taste
Put the olive oil, garlic, oregano, bay leaves and a good pinch of salt in a small pot. Set over a medium heat for 4-6 minutes until little “champagne bubbles” are rising to the surface, the garlic is beginning to turn very lightly golden, and it smells like an Italian holiday.
Remove from the heat and add a good pinch of chilli flakes and several twists of black pepper. Set aside to cool slightly.
Pour the oil over the halved artichoke hearts. Gently toss to coat then add vinegar, a trickle at a time, tasting as you go until the artichokes are bright and brought to life by the acidity. For me, this is around the 3 tbsp mark.
Leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Store in clean jars in the fridge for up to two weeks. It’s best to pack the artichokes as tightly as possible so they are submerged in oil; if necessary, add an extra drizzle of oil to cover.
Love this recipe and all the options. :)
Simply delicious, and so versatile too! Thank you for sharing, Florence!