Artichoke with Lemon, Parmesan and Shiitake Mushrooms

For this light and hearty starter or side dish, I'm turning back to fresh artichoke. Both the soft insides of the leaves and the heart are equally delicious, but for this dish I have whittled the plants down to their hearts and baked them.

Ingredients:

2 Fresh Artichokes

2 Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms

Juice of 1 Lemon

Small Handful of Grated Parmesan Cheese

Large splash of Olive Oil

Sprinkle of Dried Oregano

Seasoning of Salt and Pepper

Handful of Fresh Coriander to garnish

Method:

Preheat your oven to about 200C. Snip the tough stalks of the artichoke off the bloom of the artichoke and then trim the top of the artichoke just a little to neaten the leaf ends. Make sure the artichoke is rinsed thoroughly, especially under the leaves.

Next, peel the larger outer leaves away one by one and store safely - these can be baked or grilled just as they are or added to another dish.

When you have peeled your way down to the small inner leaves that are hugging the artichoke's heart, quarter them and place them carefully into a baking tray with a few slices of shiitake mushroom. Drizzle with plenty of olive oil and lemon juice and bake them for a good 30 minutes.

Once out of the oven, arrange the artichoke and shiitake mushroom pieces on a plate and drizzle generously with more olive oil. Squeeze as much of the remaining juice from the lemon as you can and grate large chunks of parmesan cheese all over.

Finally, season well with salt, pepper, dried oregano and a garnish of fresh coriander.