The key to this recipe is the preparation of the artichokes. It seems like a waste to discard all the outer leaves to get to the heart, but that is the only edible part of the vegetable. Make sure to scrape out all the little hairs (the buds of the flower) from the centre. If not, the texture will be unpleasant.
Make a vegetarian-friendly version by simply eliminating the salted pork (bacon).