Artichoke bottoms are a versatile base for stuffing—think spinach, mushrooms, or more—always topped with a creamy cheese béchamel and gratinéed to perfection in the oven. This recipe, drawn from the authoritative Les Cuisines Régionales de France: Savoie-Dauphiné, delivers an elegant warm starter with proven regional authenticity.
Prepare the artichokes: Trim with kitchen scissors, then pressure cook for 15 minutes. Discard outer leaves and choke. Scrape edible flesh from thicker leaves with a teaspoon; reserve the bottoms and pulp.
Meanwhile, clean and thinly slice mushrooms, tossing with lemon juice to prevent browning. Drain, then sauté in 25 g butter for 10 minutes. For the white sauce, melt remaining 25 g butter, stir in flour, salt, pepper, and hot water to thicken. Incorporate the artichoke pulp and mix well.
Chop the ham and add with 2 tablespoons chopped parsley to the mushrooms. Combine with the sauce. Fill artichoke bottoms, top generously with grated cheese, and broil at 240°C for 10-12 minutes until golden. Serve immediately as a hot appetizer.
Source: Les Cuisines Régionales de France. Savoie-Dauphiné. Editions du Fanal.
