A French Feast

Barigoule (serves 4)

Vegetable composition with artichokes

All ingredients except artichokes vary according to season. What's key is the manner of preparation.

Ingredients
150g smoked bacon (optional)
1 bouquet small globe artichokes (large artichokes ok)
4 onions
4 fennel bulbs
6 carrots (preferably baby carrots)
6 white baby turnips
8 green asparagus spears
1 handful green peas
Also good are parsnips, Jerusalem artichokes, green beans - whatever's fresh from the garden:

mint, lemon balm, verbena ...
zucchini, raw beets, cucumbers …
calendula flowers, rose petals, bee balm …
olive oil, salt, sugar, pepper, fenugreek, cardamom, anise, cumin, vanilla, cinnamon, lemon ...
2 glasses white wine (optional)
soy lecithin (organic)

Preparation
Cut the bacon into small cubes and lightly brown in 5 cl olive oil. Chop the onions finely, add to bacon, with a generous pinch of salt and an equal amount of sugar. Then add the fenugreek and cardamom.

Put some lemon juice in a big bowl of water.

Wash the artichokes and pull (do not cut) out the stem, remove the outer leaves and only use the soft parts and the heart. Use a knife to remove the deep green part under the heart. Then peel the stem and cut it into small pieces. Put the artichoke parts into the water so they do not turn black.

Add the artichokes to the bacon and onions, pour in the white wine (optional) and bring to a simmer. Cut the fennel bulbs into 1.5 cm thick slices and add them to the artichokes. Add water and allow to simmer slowly. The fennel should have a bit of crunch.

Cut the white baby turnips into 1 cm thick slices and do not forget to use the stem. Put in a pan with oil, salt, sugar, a pinch of cumin and aniseed, as well as some water. Bring to a simmer and leave to cook. The turnips should be crunchy.

Put the carrots in another pan, adding salt, sugar, a vanilla pod and a cinnamon stick - bring to a simmer and leave to cook.

Each vegetable should be prepared in a different pan so that it retains its unique taste. At the last minute, add the peas to the carrots and let them cook 2-3 minutes.

To serve, take a deep dish. Put in the artichokes and the fennel first (keep one slice of fennel aside for decoration) then layer the cooked and raw vegetables. Scatter the petals on top.

To make a sauce that is served on the side, puree the cooking water from the different vegetables in a mixer with 10 ml olive oil and a spoonful of soy lecithin.

This recipe comes to us courtesy of Philippe Alcalde of the L'Oustalou Guesthouse in Rosières in Southern France.