Braised Baby Artichokes with Tomato Coulis

1. Squeeze the lemons into a bowl of water. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, snap off the dark green outer leaves. Using a sharp paring knife, slice off all but 1 inch of the remaining leaves. Peel and trim the stems. Halve the artichokes, scrape out the hairy choke and drop them into the lemon water.

2. In a large, nonreactive skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic, carrots, onion, thyme, bay leaves, black peppercorns and coriander seeds and cook over moderately high heat until the onion begins to soften, about 2 minutes.

3. Drain the artichokes and add them to the skillet. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes longer. Add the wine and salt, cover and cook over moderate heat until the artichokes are just tender, about 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Spoon the artichokes and their juices onto plates. Drizzle with the Fresh Tomato Coulis and serve.

Make Ahead

The cooked baby artichokes can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Gently reheat before serving.

Suggested Pairing

Artichokes are tough to match with wine because they contain cynarin, which for most people makes wines taste overly sweet. To combat the effect, pick a tart white with good acidity, like a Sauvignon Blanc from California.