Flower power
Jean-Pierre Bagnato has worked at Michelin-star restaurants in France, England and Australia. Four years ago, he came to Hong Kong as group executive chef of Lan Kwai Fong Entertainments and executive chef of French restaurant Cafe des Artistes in Lan Kwai Fong. He has since joined many prestigious food and wine organisations, including La Commanderie des Cordons Bleus de France (he's its first French chef in the Asia-Pacific region) and Commandeur de la Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs. At his home in Pokfulam, Bagnato cooks a dish of sunflower artichokes for his wife Dawn to enjoy.
Sunflower artichokes
Ingredients
4 large artichokes
2 tbs shelled sunflower seeds
1 tbs chopped parsley, plus extra for garnish
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tbs red wine vinegar
7 tbs sunflower oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Step 1: Wash artichokes and break off stems at the base. Place artichokes in a large pot with a heaped tablespoon of salt and cover with water. Bring to the boil, then simmer on low heat for about 25 minutes, or until tender. Drain and allow to cool.
Step 2: Over medium heat, saute sunflower seeds with one tablespoon of sunflower oil for about two minutes, or until toasted. Whisk together remaining sunflower oil, vinegar, garlic and one tablespoon of parsley, and season with salt and pepper.
Step 3: Sprinkle chopped parsley around the plate and scatter with sunflower seeds.
Step 4: Pull leaves from the artichokes and arrange in a flower pattern around the plate. Discard the smallest leaves at the centre. Scrape out the hairy choke and discard. Place the heart in the centre, then drizzle with the dressing.
Bagnato recommends accompanying the artichokes with the Louis Jadot Batard Montrachet 1998 grand cru.
