Artichokes Montillana Recipe: Easy Cordoban Tapa Classic 2026

Artichokes Montillana is a traditional Cordoban dish where Montilla-Moriles wine takes center stage and gives the recipe its name. Tender artichoke quarters simmer in a savory sauce built from garlic, onion, saffron and little cubes of serrano ham, and the result is deeply aromatic and irresistible.

It works beautifully as an entrante or tapa, and it comes together in under an hour with just nine ingredients. Serve it warm with plenty of bread to soak up the golden, wine-scented sauce.

If fresh artichokes are not available, canned or jarred cooked artichokes work perfectly here. In that case you skip the cleaning and boiling and start right at the sofrito, swapping the cooking water for the same amount of vegetable broth or plain water.

Ingredients for Artichokes Montillana

This makes 2 servings as an entrante or tapa.

• 4 artichokes
• A few sprigs of parsley
• Salt
• 5 saffron threads
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 100 g onion
• 75 ml fino Montilla-Moriles wine
• 50 g serrano ham, cut into small cubes

How to Make Artichokes Montillana Step by Step

1. Clean the artichokes

The first thing we are going to do is clean 4 artichokes. To do this, first remove all the outer leaves and cut off practically the entire stem, also removing its outer layers.

2. Trim the tips

Next, cut off the top third of the artichoke so that only the heart remains, as shown in the following photograph.

3. Keep them in water with parsley

As we clean each artichoke, we immediately submerge it in a bowl with cold water and a few sprigs of parsley. Artichokes oxidize very quickly, so this step is essential to keep them from browning.

4. Boil the artichokes and dissolve the saffron

Now we are going to boil the artichokes. Put a cazuela with water over high heat and as soon as the water starts to boil, add a little salt and the artichokes. Let them cook for about 15 minutes, then remove them from the pot and cut them into quarters. We will also prepare a mixture of 100 ml of the artichoke cooking water with 5 saffron threads, which we will use later to make the sauce.

5. Sofrito the garlic and onion

Put a cazuela over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and when the oil is hot, add 1 very finely chopped garlic clove and saute it for a few moments. Then add 100 g of very finely chopped onion, a pinch of salt, and mix well. Let it cook for about 6-7 minutes over medium heat.

6. Add the Montilla wine

Then raise the heat and add 75 ml of fino Montilla-Moriles wine, and cook for 2 minutes so the wine reduces and the alcohol evaporates.

7. Add the saffron water

Next, add the mixture of artichoke cooking water and saffron, and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.

8. Add the serrano ham

Now add 50 g of serrano ham cut into small cubes and cook for a couple of minutes.

9. Add the artichokes and serve

Then add the artichokes, mix them into the sauce, cook for a couple of minutes over low heat, and these artichokes Montillana are ready to serve.

Tips for the Best Artichokes Montillana

Work quickly to stop oxidation

Artichokes brown fast once cut, so drop each one into the bowl of cold water with parsley the moment it is cleaned. This keeps the hearts pale and sweet instead of gray and bitter.

Adjust the sauce consistency

In our case the sauce came out well reduced and thick, but if you see that it is too thin, you can thicken it by adding a little cornstarch dissolved in cold water. Let it bubble for a minute so it thickens properly.

Shortcut with cooked artichokes

This recipe works perfectly with canned or jarred cooked artichokes when fresh ones are not available. You save the cleaning and boiling steps, start directly at step 5, and replace the cooking water with the same amount of vegetable broth or simply water.

30 Favorite Recipes I Keep Coming Back to at Home

Maybe you're a lot like me and like having a stash of cozy comfort dishes, tried-and-true international favorites, and desserts that please a crowd.

On nights when I'm after something indulgent and rich, my picks tend to be this La Viña Molten Cheesecake recipe, this refined Original French Crème Brûlée recipe, or a luscious Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe. And whenever a fruity, comforting dessert is calling my name, this timeless French Tarte Tatin recipe is the one I reach for.

For mornings that need to be easy and meals on the lighter side, these airy Oatmeal and Banana Pancakes recipe are a regular at my house, along with a hearty Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe or these vibrant Eggs Stuffed with Avocado and Salmon recipe. And when my pantry needs a gluten-free basic, this no-fuss Gluten-Free Rice Flour recipe is one I'm happy to whip up.

If tapas and Mediterranean cooking are what I'm craving, I'll cycle through this punchy Basque Tuna with Tomato recipe, a crunchy Patatas Bravas Air Fryer recipe, a smooth Tirokafteri Greek Dip Sauce recipe, and a bright Burrata Salad with Tomato and Pesto recipe. This elegant Italian Vitello Tonnato recipe is another one I love to serve when the occasion calls for something a bit more dressed up.

Come lunchtime or a cozy evening meal, these are the dishes I point people toward: a warming Meatballs in Spanish Sauce recipe, a time-honored Meatballs in Almond Sauce recipe, a deep-flavored Italian Bolognese Sauce recipe, and velvety Chicken Croquettes in Thermomix recipe. When I'm after something more substantial, I'll bake up this Greek Pastitsio Pie recipe, a homey Potatoes and Squid Stew recipe, or the deeply satisfying French Boeuf Bourguignon recipe.

Some nights I'm in the mood for street food or party fare, and that's when I'll throw together this saucy Homemade Chicken Doner Kebab recipe, a crispy Salchipapas recipe, a punchy Mexican Pork Carnitas recipe, or these crisp Korean Hobak Jeon recipe. These simple Air Fryer Zucchini Rings recipe also make a great little appetizer or snack.

And when guests are coming and drinks are part of the plan, I'll often serve dinner alongside this cool Original Cuban Mojito recipe, a strong Long Island Iced Tea recipe, or a pitcher of this fruity Bleeding Spanish Sangria recipe. To fill out the spread, this zippy French Remoulade Sauce recipe works beautifully on the side, or I'll finish the table with this eye-catching Mediterranean Black Rice with Squid recipe.

Even More Tasty Recipes to Cook for the Family

After years of testing and tweaking recipes in my own kitchen, I've come to believe the greatest dishes are built on simplicity, dependable methods, and serious flavor.

The recipes gathered here are the ones I genuinely keep coming back to—whether I'm putting together a fast meal just for me or making something memorable for friends and family.

When dessert is on my mind, the rich, silky Orange Chocolate Mousse Recipe is a go-to for those times I want something elegant without much fuss. The caramelized Trdelnik Slavic Pastry Recipe, modeled on the well-known Central European chimney cake, is another sweet favorite. If baking is your thing, knowing how to make syrup for better dessert texture comes in handy, and my Inverted Sugar Recipe walks through exactly how I do it at home.

On days when I want something light and fresh, I'll usually make the timeless Italian Caprese Salad Recipe or a flawlessly cooked Simple Poached Egg Recipe. For comfort cooking with more heft, the filling Meatball Sandwich Recipe, the creamy Russian Stroganoff Beef Recipe, and the fast weeknight go-to One Pot Pasta Recipe are ones I recommend often.

I'm also a big fan of passing along dishes from kitchens around the world, such as the genuine Sorropotún de Bonito Fish Stew Recipe, crunchy Chilean Pumpkin Sopaipillas Recipe, and the traditional Spanish Cochifrito Segovian Fried Pig Recipe.

Air fryer cooking is another area I turn to often, since it cuts down on time without sacrificing texture. The ones I make most include Air Fryer Pork Ribs Recipe, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe, Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Peppers Recipe, Air Fryer Mixed Sandwich Recipe, Air Fryer Toasted Bread Recipe, and Air Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs Recipe.

And for those steering clear of wheat, my cozy Gluten-Free Lasagna Recipe shows that a classic baked pasta can still be indulgent, cheesy, and deeply comforting without any gluten.

Gluten free Empanada Dough Recipe 🍕 Fluffy Apple Cake Recipe 🍔 Langos Hungarian Fried Bread Recipe 🌭 Gluten Free French Brioche Recipe 🍟 Madeira British Sponge Cake Recipe 🌮 Chocolate Argentinian Cookies Alfajores Recipe 🌯 Barmbrack Irish Sweet Bread Recipe 🥙 Gluten free Cookies Recipe 🥗 Homemade cream Maruxas Galician Biscuit Recipe 🍝 Japanese Dumplings Gyoza Dough Recipe

American Gluten Free Cookies Recipe 🍜 Gluten Free King Cake Recipe 🍲 Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe 🍛 Extremadura Style Chard Recipe 🍣 Keto Sliced Sandwich Bread Recipe 🍱 Gluten Free Waffles Recipe 🍤 Low Carb Keto Pizza Recipe 🍗 Gluten Free Bread Rolls Recipe 🍖 Flourless Gluten Free Bread Buns Recipe 🥓 Protein Ice Cream Recipe 🥞 Chia Pudding Dessert with Seeds Recipe

Fluffy Cloud Bread Pan Nube Recipe 🧇 Quinoa Bread Recipe 🍞 Schiacciata Tuscan Focaccia Flat Bread Recipe 🥐 Shokupan Japanese Milk Bread Recipe 🥨 Potato Sandwich Bread Recipe 🧀 Homemade Breadsticks Recipe 🍳 Stollen German Dried Fruits Cake Recipe 🥚 French Gingerbread Spiced Cake Recipe 🍰 Gluten Free Pancakes Recipe

🥔 Potato-omelet-in-Thermomix 🍓 Smores-Sandwich-Dessert 🍰 Womens-Day-Mimosa-cake ☕ Coffee-Sorbet 🍆 Eggplant-pizza 🍋 Ciambella-Italian-Lemon-Cake 🥖 Zapiekanka-Polish-Snack 🌰 Dukkah-Egyptian-Nuts-Mix 🧆 Best-Hummus 🥑 Best-Avocado

Best Products We’ve Tested and Rated

Our testing team has hands-on reviews of stair climber machine, elliptical trainer, rowing machine, gummies nerve pain, and coffee creamer diabetics. Every option below was compared across price, build quality, and real-world performance, with honest pros and cons. We update these guides regularly as new models arrive, so the recommendations stay current.

Our testing team has hands-on reviews of tanning lotion, castor oil knee pain, tirzepatide compounding pharmacy, chewing gum, and morning tea. Every option below was compared across price, build quality, and real-world performance, with honest pros and cons. We update these guides regularly as new models arrive, so the recommendations stay current.