Artichokes à la Barigoule

This is an extremely flexible way of preparing small young artichokes by poaching them with aromatic vegetables in a mixture of olive oil and white wine. They can be served hot as the accompaniment to a main meat; or cold as a refreshing salad just before the cheeses; or as the hors d’œuvre at the start of the meal. This is a regional dish of Provence, and the name Barigoule comes from the Provençal dialect word Berigouliero, the land where the artichokes and mushrooms grow. (