Artichokes à la Barigoule might be on the menu, I could hardly wait for the day to arrive. This classic Provencal dish includes artichokes, salted pork, onions and white wine. What’s not to love about that combination?

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 …

Zucchini flowers are beautiful, delicate, and can be a bit tricky to cook. However, they are also delicious, so don’t shy away from trying this recipe below for zucchini flowers stuffed with fresh goat cheese and artichokes.

Artichokes Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Tapenade. The combination of fresh artichokes, goat cheese and tapenade translate into “Provence in a bite” to be enjoyed with some chilled rosé.

When perky artichokes announce the arrival of warmer weather, it is time to revisit Artichokes à la Barigoule a Provençal delight, rich, flavorful and complex. Fresh artichokes are usually available in local markets from spring through late summer. The garlic, carrots and fresh herbs give the dish its flavour. You can make this dish vegetarian by omitting the bacon.

This quick and easy dip is hard to share, but worth it for all to enjoy. Have someone who doesn’t think they like Artichokes try it, they will be pleasantly surprised and… hooked! Serve it warm, as an appetizer with pre-dinner drinks, accompanied by breadsticks, thin slices of French bread, tortillas or crunchy raw vegetables.

Gilles Conchy is the Provence Gourmet and he shares his version of Artichokes Barigoule. The artichokes hearts are braised in a white wine broth along with a few other vegetables for this simple dish.