Heaven is a slice of artichoke

How to change a basic ham and salad sandwich into a taste sensation – a slice of marinated artichoke heart will transform most foods and a jar can go a long way.

I wouldn’t recommend buying a whole globe artichoke as getting to the heart can be a lengthy process (like a love affair). However, if you have time, it can be particularly satisfying (equally like a love affair).

Just rinse, trim the stem, plop into boiling water until the leaves are tender, then sit back and peel off the leaves one by one, dipping each one into a fine vinaigrette. When you finally get to the centre, grab a spoon and scrape away the hairy bits (or the choke).

Now, the hardest bit is trying not to devour the whole heart in one go. Wow.