Artichokes Barigoule a Provencal Bistro Classic
François de Mélogue · Provencal Recipes · Restaurant Recommendations · Side Dish · Taste
Provencal Bistro Classic
We stumbled across the Bistrot du Paradou quite by hazard, on one of our drives around the Alpilles villages. It turns out that we were quite naive with regards to this restaurant’s gastronomic reputation and its loyal fan base. We now understand just how lucky we were to get a seat at the bar on our first visit (sans reservations) to this little bistro in paradise! The menu is straightforward traditional Provencal bistro favourites such as escargots in garlic butter, local lamb chops and artichokes barigoule.
Fait Maison (Made in House)
Some may erroneously proclaim this sort of bistro cooking to be dated or that French food, in general, is passé. Or perhaps that even the chef did not cook with the same clean purity found in the hallowed halls of overly fussy food. Let them continue to believe their fallacies and leave the good simple restaurants to those that truly love food.
Bistrot du Paradou was so good that in fact, we returned two more times that week to enjoy good solid Provencal food. On the third visit, the entire staff made us feel part of the local colour; almost habitues ready to join the good ole boys for a pastis at the bar.
Enjoy my recipe for artichokes barigoule (baby artichokes simmered in white wine, thyme, and basil) inspired by our visit to the Bistrot du Paradou.
Artichokes Barigoule Provencal Recipe
In honor of the Bistrot du Paradou, I offer my recipe for artichokes barigoule. It is a mainstay dish on my table from the very early artichokes in spring that my friend Patreece grows at her organic farm near Tillamook.
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 40 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr
Course Side Dish
Cuisine French, Provencal
Cooking Artichokes:
- 1 lb (.45 Kg) Baby Artichokes about 10 to 12
- 1 lemon cut into four slices
- 1 tbsp sea salt
- 2 quarts (1.89 L) Water
To Finish:
- 1 cup (235 ml) Artichoke cooking liquid
- 1 cup (235 ml) white wine
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) fruity olive oil
- 3 oz (85 g) smoked lamb bacon diced
- 2 each carrots young, peeled and sliced
- 3 garlic cloves mashed
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 Lemon for zest and juice
- 1/4 cup (56 g) fresh basil sliced
- 2 oz (56 g) unsalted butter optional
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cooking Artichokes:
Trim the top and bottom 1/4 inch off of the baby artichokes. Use a sharp paring knife and trim the outer leaves off. Peel the stem if there is one attached.
Cut the artichoke in half lengthwise and drop into a pot with the emon, sea salt and water.
Bring to a boil, then simmer till tender, about 20 minutes. The tip of a knife should easily pierce the artichoke.
To Finish:
Put one cup of the artichoke cooking liquid, white wine and olive oil in a pan and bring to a boil.
Add lamb bacon, carrots, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf. Simmer until the carrots are tender, about 15 minutes.
Add artichokes, lemon zest, and some lemon juice. I say some lemon juice because I want you to taste it. Add just enough to taste the lemon juice's acidity slightly.*
Add basil and whisk in the butter.
Adjust with salt and pepper then serve.
* The purpose is to add just enough bright acidity to cut the fattiness of the olive oil and butter. The lemon flavour should not overpower the barigoule.Like any recipe, this one loves modifications. Use bacon, don't use bacon; use pork bacon, use pancetta, use guanciale. Add more carrots if you like. I sometimes chop fennel bulbs and add them as well. Wild mushrooms like chanterelles are great in here, so are regular white buttons. Go crazy add black truffles if you have some. The point is, the recipe is a starting point. The finish line is where you take it. Keyword Artichokes, Carrots, Lemon, White Wine
Book Ahead!
Bistrot du Paradou
57 Avenue de la Vallée des Baux
Maussane-les-Alpilles
They don’t have (or need) a website so give them a call at +33 (0)4 90 54 32 70

More Recipes with Artichokes
Zucchini Flowers Stuffed with Artichokes and Goat Cheese
Artichokes à la Barigoule a Classic Provencal Recipe
Apero Hour Recipe: Hot Artichoke Dip
Provencal Artichokes Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Tapenade
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Chef François de Mélogue
François de Mélogue grew up in a very French household in Chicago. His earliest attempts at cookery began with the filleting of his sister’s goldfish at age two and a braised rabbit dish made with his pet rabbits by age seven. He eventually stopped cooking his pets and went to the highly esteemed New England Culinary Institute, where he graduated top of his class in 1985.
Chef François has over 30 years of cross-cultural culinary experience and brings an impressive culinary history and a unique Mediterranean cooking style. After graduating top of his class from the notable New England Culinary Institute, Chef François began his career in a number of highly acclaimed kitchens across the country, including Chef Louis Szathmary’s restaurant The Bakery in Chicago, Old Drovers Inn, a Relais and Chateaux property in New York and Joel Robuchon Gastronomie restaurant in Paris, before opening award-winning restaurant Pili Pili in his hometown of Chicago, rated in the Top Ten new restaurants in the World by Food and Wine magazine in 2003.
Chef François resides in St Albans, Vermont with his wife Lisa and ten-year-old son Beaumont, who has proclaimed himself the family saucier. Chef François' latest publication French Cooking for Beginners: 75+ Classic Recipes to Cook Like a Parisian takes you on a culinary journey well beyond the streets of Paris. Francois is a professional photographer specializing in food/product photography, real estate photography and shooting rural landscapes of Vermont and France. Explore his work on https://www.francoisdemelogue.com/.
Take a look at his website Simple French Cooking filled with delicious recipes and beautiful photos. Also follow Francois on Medium for more tempting dishes Pistou and Pastis.
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