Artichoke and Pancetta Italian Skillet

Ingredients

• 7-8
  
  Artichoke hearts
  
• 1
  
  fat garlic clove
  
• 
  
  A small bunch of parsley
  
• 1
  
  tablespoon (scant) olive oil
  
• 1
  
  Quarter inch thick pancetta slice
  
• 1
  
  teaspoon (heaping) mustard seeds, yellow and black
  
• 1/2
  
  cup White wine
  
• 
  
  Salt and pepper
  
• 
  
  Eggs & toast, to serve
  

Directions

1. Let us take care of the artichokes first. If using fresh, remove the outer leaves until you get to the softer hearts (once you can see the brighter hues halfway, you’re good) and cut off the tips. Trim the bottoms, which are edible, and put them in lemon water if not using straight away. If using frozen, skip this.
   Cut them into quarters, or into fine strips if you prefer.
2. Add the oil, mustard seeds and pancetta to a pan, and let the pancetta crisp up a bit and release the fat, about 5 minutes on medium-low. In the meantime, chop the garlic and parsley together as finely as you can. Add them to the pan, along with the artichokes and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Toss everything well and let cook for 2-3 mins.
3. Add the wine to the pan, and let the artichokes cook until soft. If they dry out too much, ad a splash of water. Cooking time will depend on how fresh the artichokes are, but fresh, tender artichokes should take about 15-20 minutes, and up to 30 for ones that are less fresh.
4. Check for salt and pepper and, once everything is cooked, serve with toasted bread and a poached or sunny side up egg on top for a complete meal. This works wonderfully with lentils instead of bread.