What on earth do I do with the early season artichokes that arrived in my CSA box? Not tiny enough to be babies, not big enough to steam!

For artichokes of that size, I like to trim them, shave them into thin slices with a very sharp knife or a mandoline, then toss them with a tart lemon vinaigrette and eat them as a salad. It's great with cured meats like bresaola, or with a few big shavings of Pecorino Romano cheese.

Carciofi alla romana (Roman style artichokes). Hopefully there is still a decent amount of stem attached. Trim them with a sharp knife getting down to just the most tender inner leaves. Use a melon baller to remove the choke if necessary. Gently pull the leaves apart and fill with a mixture of bread crumbs and finely chopped mint. Braise (poach) in water with olive oil added. Cook until fork tender and serve at room temperature.