We like eating according to the seasons of the year and in winter artichokes are awesome in the market.
Artichokes grows in fields of Llobregat delta, very close to Barcelona, where they have been cultivated since the mid-20th century.
ALCACHOFAS RELLENAS DE BRANDADA / Artichokes stuffed with salt cod brandade
Ingredients (serves 4)
8 artichokes
1 lemonBrandada
250 gr of salt cod, rehydrated
200 ml of olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 small dry chili (guindilla)
100 ml of cream
Method
Cut the lemon in half and squeeze in a pot with water.
Cut off the stalks of each artichoke. Trim off the tough outer leaves. Snap the thorny tips off the top leaves. With a spoon, carefully scoop out the fluffy center of artichokes and discard. Put in the lemony water (so they don’t oxidize) with a bit of salt and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes and cool in cold water.
For the brandada, cut the cod into thick slices (1 cm).
Put the oil in a pan, finely slice the garlic and add it to the oil together with the chili. Warm it up until the garlic bubbles. Turn off the heat and wait for the bubbles to stop. At this point and out of the stove, sink the slices of cod in the oil. They will cook with the remaining heat. Let the whole cool down.
Put the cod in a bowl and blend with a hand blender adding a bit of the cooking oil and a bit of cream alternately until you get a creamy texture.
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the brandada filling into each artichoke bottom. Bake in the preheated oven, until the tops of the artichokes are golden brown.
