Artichoke, fennel and celery salad with bottarga

As artichokes tend to be expensive, I decided to pair them with other vegetables that share the same clean, crunchy character: fennel and celery.

I have been feasting on artichokes all throughout winter, mainly Sardinian varieties, and now, finally, Tuscan artichokes are coming to the market. The artichoke is probably the vegetable that best carries you from winter to spring in the kitchen — a faithful companion as the days grow longer and lighter, and your preferences at the table shift towards fresher, zingier dishes.

Artichokes are at their best when fried (or double fried, as in carciofi alla giudia from Rome), braised with mounds of fresh herbs and garlic, or eaten raw in a pinzimonio (one of the most classic, and satisfying, of Italian appetisers — raw vegetables dipped in extra virgin olive oil and salt), or shaved into a salad, as we are doing today.

As artichokes tend to be expensive, I decided to pair them with other vegetables that share the same clean, crunchy character: fennel and celery.