Marinated Artichoke Hearts on Sourdough Toast

Artichoke Prep:

1. Fill a bowl with water and juice from 1/2 lemon.
2. Cut off the tough end of the stem if it’s long, but keep the stem—it’s edible.
3. Peel the stem with a vegetable peeler until you reach the pale yellow part.
4. Cut off the top of the artichoke.
5. Remove most of the outer leaves (you can snip the tips if they’re sharp) until you reach the very yellow core.
6. Trim off any remaining green or pokey parts.
7. Slice in half lengthwise.
8. Use a spoon to remove the purple flower and fuzzy choke.
9. Place cleaned hearts in the lemon water while you prep the rest.

To Cook the Hearts:

1. In a new pot, add the cleaned artichoke hearts and the other 1/2 lemon to fresh water.
2. Bring to a boil and cook until the hearts are fork tender (this can take 20-30 minutes depending on size).

For the Marinade:

1. In a large jar, combine olive oil, white wine vinegar, salt, pepper, whole peppercorns, Italian seasoning, dried oregano, garlic granules (or 1 minced clove), and 1 bay leaf.
2. Shake well to combine.
3. Add the cooked artichoke hearts to the jar. Let marinate in the fridge for at least a few hours, or overnight for best flavor.

To Make the Toast:

1. Whip goat cheese with a splash of heavy cream until smooth and creamy.
2. Fry or broil mortadella (or prosciutto) until crispy. This takes about 5-7 minutes.
3. Optionally, throw the marinated artichoke hearts on the same pan as the meat and crisp them up with the meat for about 5-7 minutes.
4. Toast sourdough bread.
5. Layer everything on sourdough toast, starting with whipped goat cheese, then crispy meat, and finally the marinated (and optionally crisped) artichoke hearts.
6. Top with fresh herbs from your fridge before serving.