Ask your butcher to saw the knuckle of veal into rounds, retaining the marrow in the center of the bone (as for Italian osso buco). You can buy very good frozen artichokes, which come from Egypt, from Middle Eastern stores. They come in packages weighing 14 ounces and containing about 9 small artichoke bottoms. If you want to use fresh artichoke hearts or bottoms, see page 8. Use young fresh peas or frozen petits pois.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter or 3 tablespoons sunflower oil

　　1 onion, chopped

　　2 garlic cloves, crushed or chopped finely

　　1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

　　1/2 teaspoon saffron threads

　　4 thick rounds cut from the knuckle of veal

　　Salt and black pepper

　　One 14-ounce package frozen artichoke bottoms, defrosted

　　Juice of 1/2 lemon

　　Peel of 1/2 to 1 preserved lemon (optional) (see page 7)

　　14 ounces fresh young peas (shelled weight), or frozen petits pois, defrosted

　　2 tablespoons chopped coriander

　　8 green olives (optional)

　　

Step 1

Heat the butter or oil in a wide pan or casserole. Put in the onion, garlic, ginger, saffron, and meat. Cook over a low heat for about 5 minutes, turning over the meat.

　　

Step 2

Cover with water, season with salt and pepper, and simmer, with the lid on, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the meat is so tender it almost comes away from the bone. If necessary, add water to keep the meat covered, and stir occasionally to make sure it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Remove the lid toward the end to reduce the sauce.

　　

Step 3

Add the artichoke bottoms, cut in half or quartered, lemon juice, and preserved lemon peel cut into strips, if using, and cook for 5 minutes. Then add the peas and coriander, and, if you like, the olives. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. The sauce should be reduced and thick.

　　Arabesque