The end of spring in Umbria is prime artichoke season, with tender varieties of this vegetable being found all over the region. Locals often thinly slice the artichokes raw and eat them in various fresh, spring salad. While we may not be able to get these exact, soft artichokes here in the U.S. right now, you can still easily make a traditional Umbrian artichoke salad with boiled artichokes. The bright color of the orange and the green of the artichoke make this dish a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach.

Ingredients:

4 small artichokes
Toasted almonds
Olive oil
2 tsp honey
1 orange, peeled and diced
Juice of 1 lemon
Parsley or mint to garnish
Dark salad greens, like arugula or spinach (optional)

Wash and trim the artichokes, then boil them until tender, roughly 16 minutes. Drain, and discard any of the tougher outer leaves of the artichokes. Roughly chop them, and then combine with the diced orange. Season with salt and pepper. Mix the honey, lemon juice, and about 2 tbsp of olive oil. Drizzle the dressing over the artichokes and oranges (and greens if using), top with toasted almonds and herbs, and enjoy!