“I love the acidity of the citrus salad,” says McEnearney. “It balances the bitterness of the artichokes and gives a huge boost to your immune system.”
Ingredients
Mint oil
Method
Main
1.Preheat oven to 120C. Working with an artichoke at a time, trim the top third, trim centre leaves and remove hairy choke with a teaspoon. Trim stems, peel off thick outer leaves to reveal the bright tender flesh, then place in a bowl of cold water with lemon juice added to prevent discolouration.
2.Place bay leaves, peppercorns and parsley stalks in the base of a non-reactive baking dish large enough to hold artichokes snugly in a single layer. Combine mint, parsley, capers and garlic in a bowl, season to taste and mix well. Drain artichokes, stuff each with a little herb mixture and arrange in baking dish on their bases, packed tightly so they remain upright. Pour wine over and 300ml cold water, season to taste with sea salt, drizzle with olive oil and cover closely with baking paper. Cover tightly with foil and braise in oven until tender (1¾-2 hours).
3.Meanwhile, for mint oil, warm oil in a small saucepan over medium heat to 80C. Transfer to a blender with remaining ingredients and blitz until very finely puréed (3-4 minutes). Transfer to a sieve placed over a bowl and lined with 3 layers of muslin and set aside to strain (don’t press on solids – even a tiny speck of leaf in the oil will turn it brown). Season to taste.
4.To serve, drain artichokes from cooking liquid and arrange on a platter. Scatter with citrus segments and herbs, drizzle with mint oil to taste and serve warm or at room temperature.
