Baby Artichokes in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Large Jar

A machine cleans an artichoke quickly and leaves a few of the tougher leaves behind. A pair of hands is slower and does not. This is the slow version, in the size that suits a kitchen where artichokes disappear fast.

The artichokes grow in open fields in Italy, harvested across a season counted in weeks and cut down by hand to the tender heart. They are blanched in Chardonnay and white wine vinegar — the original recipe, which most producers have abandoned for the simple reason that water is far cheaper than wine. The wine rounds the sharpness and brings the artichoke forward. Wild rosemary, sage, bay and whole peppercorns go in before the Italian extra virgin olive oil. Two hundred jars at this size, the smallest run of the three.

Tender at the centre, with a crispness that survives months in oil, and a herbal warmth that deepens the longer the jar sits.

Drain and griddle them briefly for an antipasto, or serve alongside roast lamb. The oil left behind is worth keeping for potatoes or grilled fish.