Drain the artichokes, collecting the oil in a bowl ... To serve, carefully remove the salt crust from the sea bass using a sharp knife and a fork, brushing any excess salt away from the skin ...

They feel like something special to add to a dish, offering a more subtle kind of luxury than, say shrimp cocktail or a big steak. Artichokes are a vegetable we wish we could eat all the time.

Francesco Maazei favours Mammole, the traditional variety of artichokes from Rome, for this classic Italian dish, but others could be substituted. Whichever variety you use, choose globes that are ...