This classic Turkish combination is gently flavored with dill, lemon, garlic, and a tiny bit of sugar. It looks wonderful on the serving dish. I use the frozen artichoke bottoms from Egypt, which I get in Middle Eastern stores, and fresh young peas that I am lucky enough to find already podded from my supermarket; however, frozen petits pois will do very well. If you want to use fresh artichokes, see page 8 on how to prepare them.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　1/2 pound carrots, peeled and diced

　　2 garlic cloves, chopped

　　4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

　　One 14-ounce package artichoke bottoms, defrosted

　　Salt and pepper

　　7 ounces young peas (shelled weight) or frozen petit pois, defrosted

　　Juice of 1 lemon, or to taste

　　1 teaspoon sugar

　　3 tablespoons chopped dill

　　

Step 1

Put the diced carrots in a pan wide enough, if possible, to hold the artichoke bottoms in one layer. Add the chopped garlic, 3 tablespoons oil, and about 1 3/4 cups cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Put in the artichoke bottoms, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes, until they are just tender, turning them over once. Then add the peas, lemon juice, sugar, and dill, and cook 2 to 5 minutes more (less if they are the tiny petits pois), or until the peas are cooked.

　　

Step 3

Place the artichoke bottoms on a serving plate, and spoon some of the carrots and peas into each. Pour the remaining reduced sauce around them. Serve cold with a drizzle of the remaining olive oil over the top.

　　

variations

Step 4

Instead of peas use fava beans. Although it depends on how young they are, they usually need cooking a little longer, so put them in at the same time as the artichokes.

　　

Step 5

To add body to the sauce, put a diced potato in 5 minutes before the carrots. It will fall apart by the end of the cooking and thicken the sauce.

　　Arabesque