Ingredients
4 tender young artichokes
lemon juice
2 shallots or 1 small onion
50g prosciutto
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
150ml meat stock
300g shelled fresh peas
salt and freshly ground black pepper


Method
Prepare the artichokes by discarding the tough outer leaves (you will know when you have discarded enough leaves because the base of the leaves will be yellow rather than green), cutting off about 2cm in from the tops (discard the cut tops) and peel the stalks. Cut the stalks into 1 inch long pieces and the artichoke heart into quarters. Scrape out any furry choke with a teaspoon. Place the prepared artichokes into a bowl of water with about 1 tbsp of vinegar or lemon juice to stop them going black.

Finley chop the shallots or onion and prosciutto and put in a heavy saucepan or flameproof earthenware pot with olive oil and butter. Sauté gently for a few minutes. Drain artichokes and shake the water out of the hearts. Add the artichokes to the onion and prosciutto mixture and cook over a medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring them regularly.

Pour the stock over the artichokes, add the fresh peas and season with a little salt and plenty of pepper. Cook until the artichokes and peas are tender - you might have to add a couple of tablespoons of water during cooking if the dish seems too dry.