Arichoke and Anchovy

Artichokes and Anchovy Salad
It was one of those ah-ha moments. When you find two flavors that completely compliment each other. Here it was the crunch and freshness of thinly sliced raw artichoke, brought into focus by the salty earthiness of the anchovy. Match made in heaven.

Make a lemon vinaigrette dressing: 3T olive oil, 1T lemon juice, 2 whole salted anchovies, one small chopped clove of garlic, dash of salt and pepper.  Chop up the anchovy, then mash it together with the garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. 
I like the salt packed anchovies, they seem to hold their flavor better over a longer period of time.

Remove all the outer leaves from the baby artichokes. You need to use the little baby artichokes because the big ones that you find in the U.S. are usually too tough to eat raw.
After you’ve taken off all the tough leaves and you’re down to the tender green ones, very thinly slice the artichokes and toss them in the vinaigrette.  Let marinate for at least ½ hour before serving.

Great with a crisp white wine like a Grechetto or a Vouvray. And a crusty piece of bread.