Artichokes with sauce moutarde

[Guest guest]

This sauce is Julia Child's. I've never had it anywhere else besides

at home (everyone else seems to eat their 'chokes with just butter or

something boring like that), which is a shame, because it is the best

artichoke sauce ever. I used to request them every year on my

birthday.

 

In case you need a refresher on cooking artichokes, here's that too

(from a piece of paper that my mother wrote for me when I left home 12

years ago):

 

A desirable one is compact, with fleshy, closely clinging leaves of a

good green color all the way to the tips, stem also fresh green.

 

Remove stem by slicing base so that the artichoke can stand upright.

Remove base leaves. Lay on side and slice off 3/4 inch of top of

center cone. Trim off points of remaining leaves with scissors. Put in

cold water with 1 tablespoon vinegar per quart (prevents discoloring,

not an essential step) for 30 mins or so.

 

Put artichokes into large pot of boiling, salted water (1.5 tsps per

qt.). Lay double cheesecloth over them. Return to a boil quickly, but

continue boiling for 35-40 mins. (I don't have cheesecloth, but that's

how my mom always did it and hers taste perfect.)

 

Sauce moutarde:

 

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons boiling water

1/3 - 1/2 cup olive oil

salt & pepper

1/8 lemon, squeezed

2 pinches Herbes de Provence

 

Rinse small metal mixing bowl in hot water. (I know this sounds

strange, but this is what Julia says to do so I always do it right.)

Add mustard to bowl and whisk. Add water slowly and whisk continually.

Then add oil slowly, whisking. Whisk in rest in order.

 

Serving suggestion: Allow artichokes to cool about 10 mins on paper

towels. Serve on large enough plates to leave room for leaf piles.

Give each person a small bowl of the dipping sauce. Depending on how

much you dip, sauce will serve 3-5 people.