Artichokes a la montillana recipe

Autumn and winter are the perfect times to enjoy artichokes, a very traditional product of Spanish cuisine. We love to cook with them, as they provide many vitamins and are also excellent for eliminating liquids and reducing the abdomen. In addition to being very healthy, they are exquisite and there are many ways to enjoy them.

In this case, we will prepare a traditional recipe for Montillana-style artichokes, an inexpensive and simple dish that is combined with ham, sweet onion and, in particular, a sauce prepared with white wine with Montilla-Moriles designation of origin. If you dare to make them, try to choose good-sized artichokes, because you will practically only use the heart to eat them as a bite without finding hardness in their layers. With everything ready, you just have to keep reading to discover how to make montillana artichokes, a typical and authentic preparation of the cuisine of Córdoba.

Ingredients to make Montillana Artichokes:

•  4 very beautiful artichokes
•  1 piece of sweet onion
•  3 garlic cloves
•  1 pinch of turmeric
•  1 small glass of Montilla-Moriles white wine
•  30 grams of serrano ham
•  1 tablespoon of common wheat flour
•  3 tablespoons of olive oil
•  1 squeeze of lemon
•  1 sprig of fresh mint

How to make Montillana Artichokes:

1. Cut both ends of the artichoke and remove the hardest layers until you see that the leaves are more yellowish. Rub with lemon juice to prevent them from turning black. On the other hand, put a pan to heat with 1 or 2 liters of water, enough to cover the artichokes.
2. Tip: if the artichokes are very large, cut them into two halves.
3. When the water in the pot is boiling, add two large pinches of salt, then put the artichokes in the pot and boil for 10 minutes, putting the lid on the pot. Once cooked, let the artichokes drain to stop cooking, don’t worry if they are too whole, then you have to cook them again a little more.
4. Tip: the cooking of the artichokes should be minimal and try not to make them too soft.
5. Chop onion and mince garlic cloves. Meanwhile, heat a frying pan with a good splash of oil.
6. Once the oil is hot, fry the onion and the garlic slices until golden brown and add the flour, stir until it is mixed and do not let it burn, have a minute over low heat.
7. After this minute, pour the Montilla-Moriles white wine, stir and you will see that a thick mass forms, keep stirring and add a glass of water. Dilute until the dough becomes a sauce, if it is too thick add more water.
8. Let boil for 3 minutes and add a pinch of turmeric and minced mint. Let it continue boiling for 3 more minutes, then add the artichokes that you left draining again.
9. Add the shavings of Serrano ham and let it boil over medium heat for 7 minutes without covering the pan, try and add a pinch of salt, bearing in mind that the ham already has a bit of salt.
10. Serve hot the artichokes a la montillana with their sauce and the ham shavings on top, you will love their sweet and delicate flavor.