Marinated artichokes star in a vibrant tart

Is there a vegetable that makes you afraid? For me, it’s the artichoke. For years, I did not understand this big bulky vegetable. How do you cook it? How do you eat it? What dishes can I make out of it?

When I finally discovered store-bought marinated artichokes, artichoke pesto and green pea pasta became a staple in our spring rotation of meals. So did marinated artichoke focaccia. And I started putting them in sandwiches.

Today’s recipe, Marinated Artichoke and Pea Tart is the epitome of spring deliciousness. Since store-bought marinated artichokes can cost a pretty penny, I ventured into making my own.

The artichoke is a visually beautiful vegetable. It is the bud of a plant from the thistle family. When the plant is not harvested, it blossoms into a lovely but inedible blue-violet flower. The bud consists of the heart, covered by the petals and a stem. The petals have tiny thorns and have to be handled carefully.

The petals are tough. Steaming or boiling will soften them, though the outer petals have to be removed. The top is cut off to expose beautiful concentric greenish lines.

I prefer steaming them. I add the juice of a lemon into the steamer, along with the lemon skin to prevent the artichoke from browning. It takes about 40 minutes to soften, and then you have to discard the hairy, inedible choke in the center.

While preparing artichokes takes some work, the marinade is simple, consisting of extravirgin olive oil, vinegar, chile flakes, garlic, chives, basil and salt. I like to make the marinated artichokes a day ahead of making the tart.

The tart uses frozen puff pastry, making it easy to assemble and bake. You just defrost it in the refrigerator overnight, roll it out, cut out a circle and line a tart pan with it. The tart shell is placed into the freezer until ready to fill and bake.

The filling starts out with sauteing green garlic and green onions in butter and olive oil. Green garlic and green onions are in peak season, and the fragrance of both these alliums is intoxicating. Next I add green peas, which are peaking now as well, and marinated artichokes. Separately, I whisk together eggs, cream, cheese and herbs for freshness.

The vegetables are layered onto the tart shell, then the cheese mixture is distributed evenly on top. After about 45 minutes in the oven, the tart puffs up and turns golden brown. I like to broil the tart as well, briefly, for a slightly darker color.

The tart is best eaten the same day you bake it. It goes perfectly well with a glass of rosé wine and a side salad.

Serves 4

This rustic tart is the epitome of spring with artichokes, green peas, green garlic and green onions. Marinating the artichokes gives this tart additional flavor and texture, while chives and basil add freshness. Enjoy it with a side salad and a glass of rosé. I recommend making the marinated artichokes the day before you make the tart, though you could make them further in advance. If you want to take an easier route, using store-bought marinated artichokes is fine, too. Use leftovers for sandwiches, pizza or pesto. You’ll need an 8-inch tart pan with a removable bottom to make this recipe.

FOR THE MARINATED ARTICHOKES

2 jumbo artichokes

1 lemon, cut in half

13⁄4 cups extra-virgin olive oil

cup Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon red chile flakes cup chives, finely chopped cup basil, finely chopped

FOR THE TART

All-purpose flour, for dusting 1 frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed in the fridge overnight 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 tablespoon olive oil

cup green garlic, finely chopped (or use 3 to 4 garlic cloves, finely grated)

cup green onion, finely chopped

cup green peas

11⁄2 cup marinated artichokes, roughly chopped (see above) 1 tablespoon marinade from artichokes (see above)

2 large eggs

cup heavy cream, plus 2 tablespoons for brushing the pastry

2 ounces cream cheese

cup grated Monterey Jack cheese or fontina cup chives, finely chopped cup basil, finely chopped 11⁄2

1 teaspoons table salt

teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Make the marinated artichokes:

Remove all of the shorter, outer petals on the first artichoke, until you get to the petals that are intact from the bottom to the top. Cut the stem so it is about 2 inches long. Chop about inch off the top of the artichoke.

Repeat the above steps for the second artichoke.

Add about 2 inches of water to the bottom of a steamer pot. Squeeze the juice of the lemon into the water, and then add the squeezed lemon halves to the water as well. Place the artichokes on top of the steamer rack.

Place the steamer on the stove, on medium to high heat. Cover and steam the artichokes for about 40 minutes. Poke a knife through the artichoke to ensure that it passes through easily. If it’s still tough, steam for 5 more minutes and check again. Remove from heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil to a microwavable measuring cup or pourable jar. Heat in the microwave for about 40 seconds. Add the vinegar, garlic, sea salt, red chile flakes, chives and basil. Whisk to combine.

Place the cooled artichokes on a cutting board. Remove one round of outer petals from the artichokes. Using a sharp knife, gently cut the artichokes in half.

Use a spoon to remove the hairy choke from the center, exposing a cavity in the middle. Repeat for the remaining 3 portions.

Cut the artichoke halves in half, giving you quarters. Place them in a tall glass jar. Stir the marinade and add to the jar. Close the lid. Store in the refrigerator at least overnight and up to 2 months.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and adjust a rack to the lower middle position.

Dust all-purpose flour onto a clean work surface. Unfold the puff pastry onto the surface. Sprinkle all-purpose flour on top, and then roll it out to extend all of the sides by an inch.

Place the tart pan on top of the pastry to help you cut into a rough circle that’s about 1 inch larger than the pan all around.

Line the tart pan with the cut pastry, tucking it neatly all around the edges and extending it to the top of the pan. Place the tart onto a baking sheet and into the freezer until ready to fill.

In a small saute pan, on medium heat, add the butter and olive oil. After 30 seconds, add the green garlic and green onion. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes, until they are softened. Turn off the heat. Add the green peas, marinated artichokes and the marinade to the pan. Mix to combine, and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until homogeneous. Add the cup heavy cream and cream cheese, and whisk to combine. Add the grated cheese, chives, basil, salt and pepper, and whisk to combine. Remove the baking sheet with the tart pan from the freezer. Add the vegetable mixture into the tart shell and lightly spread with a spatula. Distribute the cheese mixture evenly on top of the vegetables. Level it with a spatula.

In a small bowl, combine the 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and sugar. Mix well to combine. Using a pastry brush, dab the edge of the tart with the cream.

Place in the oven and bake for about 40-45 minutes, until puffy and golden brown in color. Broil for 1-2 minutes for more color. Remove from the oven. Cool for about 30 minutes. Cut into slices and serve with a side salad. Note: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in an oven at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes.