Carciofi alla romana—Roman-style artichokes—are whole artichokes braised upside-down in olive oil and water with garlic, mentuccia (a wild mint native to the Roman countryside), and parsley, producing a melting, golden-brown vegetable of incomparable tenderness and aromatic depth. The preparation requires the specific Roman artichoke variety: carciofo romanesco, also called mammola—a large, round, thornless globe artichoke with a purplish-green exterior and a fleshy, tender heart with almost no fibrous choke, available from February through April. The cleaning is methodical: outer leaves are snapped off until only the pale, tender inner leaves remain, the stem is peeled to reveal its sweet, pale core (the stem is never discarded in Roman cooking—it is as prized as the heart), and the leaf tops are trimmed flat. A mixture of finely chopped garlic, mentuccia, parsley, and salt is pressed between the leaves and into the centre. The prepared artichokes are placed upside-down (stem up) in a pan just large enough to hold them tightly, with olive oil and water reaching halfway up. The pan is covered and the artichokes braise gently for 30-40 minutes until completely tender—a knife should slide through them with no resistance. The braising liquid reduces to a golden, herbaceous, olive-oil-rich sauce. The finished artichokes are served warm or at room temperature, golden-brown and yielding, with the concentrated braising liquid spooned over. Mentuccia (Calamintha nepeta) is the irreplaceable herb—it has a minty, slightly camphoraceous flavour quite different from regular mint, and is the aromatic signature of Roman artichoke cookery. Dried mentuccia or fresh pennyroyal are the closest substitutes.
Use carciofo romanesco (mammola) variety. Clean thoroughly, keeping the peeled stem. Season with mentuccia, garlic, parsley. Braise upside-down in olive oil and water until melting-tender. Serve with the reduced braising liquid.
Rub cut artichoke surfaces with lemon to prevent browning. The artichokes should fit tightly in the pan so they support each other upside-down. Low, steady heat is essential—rushing produces tough artichokes. The braising liquid is precious—serve it in a spoon or soak bread in it.
Using globe artichokes with tough choke (need the Roman variety). Discarding the stem (it's the best part). Using regular mint instead of mentuccia. Under-braising (must be meltingly tender). Overcrowding the pan (they need to be tightly packed but not crushed).
Ada Boni, La Cucina Romana; Rachel Roddy, Five Quarters