A beautiful flower

I really love artichokes. This delicate flower shaped vegetable is a joy to eat. A very basic recipe is probably the best: stock poached artichoke with a simple mustard vinaigrette. I'm not talking about just the artichoke hearts! Don't forget to munch on the leaves. It's a pleasure to tear off the leaves from the flower, dip them in the vinaigrette and suck the lovely "meat" out.

I sometimes eat artichokes for lunch. It doesn't require anything else and I find it very fulfilling. You may serve artichoke hearts as an appetizer if you prefer. But if you do want your artichokes to be a whole meal, you could try this recipe. It doesn't ask for fresh artichokes, so you can make it any time you want.

what do we need:

• 1 can of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped (try to find marinated artichokes, it will add to the taste)
• 60 grams of Parmesan cheese, grated
• 90 ml of good mayonnaise
• 90 ml of sour cream
• a pinch of salt and pepper
• a clove of garlic, minced
• 4 chicken breast halves

what do we do:

• Preheat the oven to 190°C.
• Mix the artichokes with the cheese, mayo, sour cream, pepper and salt and garlic.
• Place the chicken in a greased baking dish and cover evenly with the artichoke mixture.
• Bake the dish for 30 min or until the chicken is done.
• Serve with slices of fresh baguette and a green salad.