Artichokes with dijon dressing

• 4 fresh uncooked artichokes
• 4 lemon slices of about 1 cm
• Small cotton rope
• Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup dijon mustard
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• Salt and ground pepper

• Cut the artichoke at the base to remove the stem, so that the artichoke can lay flat. With some cotton rope, tie a slice of lemon at the base where the stem was. Make it solid!
• In a big sauce pan, bring a big quantity of water to a boil. Add the artichokes and cook for 40 minutes. There must be enough water to cover them. Add a small plate on top to make sure they are evenly in the water. Cook for 40 minutes.
• In a bowl, prepare the dressing by mixing the lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, garlic and balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper then slightly whip to bring ingredients together. Reserve in fridge.
• When artichokes are cooked, remove from water and put upside down in a strainer for about 2-3 minutes, to remove water.
• Serve in a big plate and pour a nice quantity of dressing on top!

***Artichokes can be eaten by pulling leaves off one by one and by scraping the lower interior part with your teeth, pulling the leef outwards. Usually, the leaves at the exterior are tougher but they get better and better as you dig in. THEN, you will get to the best part : the heart! Simply remove the tender purple leaves in the center and cut off the choke to keep only the hard part. Then, dip it in the dressing and enjoy! ***Find a guide here for more infos!