tajine of meat and wild artichokes

Ingredients for 6 to 8 people :

* 1 1/2 kg (3 lbs 5 oz) meat (mutton chops and shoulder or veal knuckle)

* 5 kg (11 Ibs) of wild artichokes * 1/2 teaspoonful of ginger

* 1 level teaspoonful of pepper enough cumin to cover the tip of a knife

* 1/2 ladle ful of groundnut oil * 100 g (4 oz) of butter * 1 grated onion

* 1 coffeespoonful of saffron (mixed packet saffron and crushed flowers)

* 1 handful of chopped parsley * 1/2 teaglassful of lemon juice * salt

Preparation: 

First peel the artichokes carefully, keeping only the hearts. Put into a bowl of water and vinegar as they are peeled. Cut the meat up into pieces weighing about 150 g (5 oz) Rinse and put in a thick-bottomed saucepan with salt, ginger, pepper, saffron, cumin, 1 grated onion, butter and oil. Cover with water and cook with the lid on, stirring from time to time. Add the small onions a little later. Add water if necessary. Leave to simmer until the meat is done.

When the meat is cooked and breaks off easily in the fingers, remove from the saucepan and put on one side. Take out the onions when cooked as well.Put the well-rinsed artichoke hearts in the sauce which is still on the heat. Sprinkle hghtly with salt, add the chopped parsley and cover with water. Leave to cook on a moderate heat and then add the lemon juice.

Let the sauce boil down until it becomes thick and remove from the heat. Put the meat and onions back in the sauce, taking care not to crush the artichokes, and re-heat very gently, before serving. Arrange the meat on a round dish with the artichokes on top. Scatter the smafl onions over and cover with the sauce.