A Warm Salad of Artichokes and Bacon

Peel the artichokes, dipping each one into cold water containing a squeeze of lemon juice as you go.

This will stop them browning.

Pile into a steamer basket or colander and steam over boiling water until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a nonstick pan until lightly crispyou probably wont need any fatthen cut into finger-thick strips and drop into a salad bowl.

Make a dressing with the olive oil, walnut oil, lemon juice, and mustard, whisking the ingredients together with a seasoning of salt and pepper.

Chop the parsley and stir it into the dressing (the parsley is essential here, I think).

Slice the artichokes thickly, I like them quite chunky for this recipe.

Over medium heat, warm the pan in which you cooked the bacon, then add the sliced artichokes, letting them cook until nicely colored on both sides.

Now toss them carefully with the bacon and the dressing.

Serve with cold roast beef or chicken.