This is an artichoke-centric take on French potato salad. It’s particularly good in the spring, when new potatoes, artichokes, and leeks are in season and at their most tender. But this salad can be a good option any time of year by trading out the artichokes for whatever is vibrant and seasonal at the market: broccoli, green beans, and radicchio are all good options.
Per serving:
Place potatoes in saucepan, cover with well-salted water, and set over medium-high heat until water is boiling. Boil potatoes until tender, but not falling apart, about 10 minutes. Drain, cut into wedges, and set aside.
In the meantime, pull tough outer leaves from artichokes and keep going until you reach the tender inner leaves. Trim off stem and 1/2 in (1.2 cm) or so of the top. Use a paring knife to trim around the base, removing any rough remains of leaves. Slice in half lengthwise and, to keep the artichokes from browning, place in bowl of water with lemon juice added until ready to use. If there is any fuzziness inside artichokes, carve it out with a spoon.
In skillet over medium, heat 1 Tbsp (15 mL) olive oil. Add garlic, prepared artichokes, a scant 1/4 tsp (1 mL) of salt, and water. Toss to coat. Cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Then remove the cover and continue to cook, tossing regularly, until water has evaporated and artichokes are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
In the same pan, over medium-low heat, add remaining 3 Tbsp (45 mL) olive oil, leeks, and another scant 1/4 tsp of salt. Stir regularly, avoiding any browning on the leeks. When theyu2019re wilted, after 4 to 6 minutes, stir in vinegar and continue to cook on low for another 8 minutes, until completely silky and tender. Take off heat and let cool just until warm.
Just before serving, combine potatoes, artichokes, leeks, and cucumbers in a bowl or platter, then drizzle with about 2 Tbsp (30 mL) of lemon juice, and adjust seasoning to taste. Finish with fennel or dill fronds or fresh herbs.
Tourtière is, for me, the dish that best represents Québec. It can be traced back to the 1600s, and there’s no master recipe; every family has their own twist. Originally, it was made with game birds or game meat, like rabbit, pheasant, or moose; that’s one of the reasons why I prefer it with venison instead of beef or pork. Variation: If you prefer to make single servings, follow our lead at the restaurant, where we make individual tourtières in the form of a dome (pithivier) and fill them with 5 ounces (160 g) of the ground venison mixture. Variation: You can also use a food processor to make the dough. Place the flour, salt, and butter in the food processor and pulse about ten times, until the butter is incorporated—don’t overmix. It should look like wet sand, and a few little pieces of butter here and there is okay. With the motor running, through the feed tube, slowly add ice water until the dough forms a ball—again don’t overmix. Wrap, chill, and roll out as directed above.
My love of artichokes continues with this classic recipe, one of the best ways to eat this interesting, underrated, and strange vegetable. Frozen artichoke hearts are a time-saving substitute, though the flavour and texture of fresh artichokes are, by far, much superior and definitely preferred.
Cervelle de canut is basically the Boursin of France, an herbed fresh farmer’s cheese spread that’s a speciality of Lyon. The name is kind of weird, as it literally means “silk worker’s brain,” named after nineteenth-century Lyonnaise silk workers, who were called canuts. Sadly, the name reflects the low opinion of the people towards these workers. Happily for us, though, it’s delicious—creamy, fragrant, and fresh at the same time. Cervelle de canut is one of my family’s favourite dishes. It’s a great make-ahead appetizer that you can pop out of the fridge once your guests arrive. Use a full-fat cream cheese for the dish, or it will be too runny and less delicious.