SERVES 4
1 lemon
16 baby artichokes
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 each fennel bulb
1 cup fava beans, shelled, about 1 pound unshelled
To taste Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
A few drops of lemon juice
One-quarter pound wedge Parmigiano Reggiano
- Fill a bowl with water and squeeze in the juice from the lemon, and then toss in the squeezed halves. Discard the outer leaves from the artichokes, peeling down until you reach the part that is yellowish green. Trim off the top, peel off the tough outer layer of the bottom, and cut in half. Remove the small thistle if it has started to form in the middle. As each artichoke is stripped, put it into the lemon water..
- When all the artichokes are prepared, cut each artichoke lengthwise, and lay each half flat side down on a cutting board. Using a sharp, stainless steel knife, slice lengthwise as thinly as possible. Alternatively, shave them with a mandoline. Put the slices in a bowl with the olive oil as you finish them, tossing to coat to prevent oxidation.
- Combine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic and anchovies in a blender or work bowl of a food processor.
- Blend until smooth, adding some of the 1/3 cup olive oil if there isn’t enough liquid to move the mixture around the blender jar. Add the mustard, egg yolk, salt, Worcestershire sauce, pepper and remaining olive oil if any.
- Blend until is smooth and creamy. Taste the dressing: If it’s a little too tangy, pour in a splash or two of olive oil and blend until it’s incorporated. The dressing shouldn’t be too dense.
- Shave Fennel as thinly as possible with a mandoline.
- Serve on a chilled plate:
Layout slices of Artichokes, then fennel, top with the fava beans and season with salt and pepper and a few drops of lemon juice. Shave cheese over the top with a vegetable peeler and serve and ENJOY!!