Recipes


This recipe was brought to you by Mandy Van Zanen.
Mandy has always been a foodie but has never considered herself to be any kind of cook until she got roped into all this by me! You’ll see that she’s pretty awesome in the kitchen, but her true creative talent lies in music – she has a music degree in classical singing from the Melbourne Conservatorium, and not only does she sing all sorts of pop music, she also plays the drums, orchestral percussion, and the clarinet as well!
Aioli
Step 1
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and add the bay leaf. Wash the artichoke thoroughly, then chop off the stem and tips and remove the choke.
Step 2
Carefully place the artichoke in the boiling water (you can also place it in a steamer basket over a saucepan of water if you’d prefer to steam it). Cook for about 30 minutes, turning it now and then to ensure it cooks evenly. The artichoke is ready when the leaves are easy to pull off.
Step 3
To serve, heat the mash (if cold) and place a dollop in the centre of a plate. Make a small indent in the middle for the artichoke. Sit the artichoke upright in the middle and fan out the leaves for maximum visual effect. Serve the aioli in a small dish on the side for dipping the leaves.
Step 4
Eat by removing the leaves, one by one, dipping in the aioli and sucking the ‘meat’ at the bottom of each leaf through gritted teeth. As you reach the end of the leaves, you will find the heart. This is the best, best bit – savour it!
Step 5
Make the aioli, using tarragon as your herb of choice. Combine all the ingredients except the herbs or spices in a blender. Blend on low speed until the cashews are incorporated, then slowly increase the speed to high. Continue blending on high for 2–3 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Add the tarragon and blend for another 10–15 seconds. Easy!