Frozen Artichoke Hearts

Our answer

Frozen artichoke hearst are a fairly common ingredient in the US and are probably most commonly considered to be an Italian product. Frozen hearts should be found in some Italian delis and also a few speciality greengrocers. If you have a good Italin deli near you then it is worth checking to see if they stock the hearts, or they may be able to suggest a local source. You could also try on-line at Nife Is Life as they stock some Italian frozen foods and deliver frozen foods in Central London.

We would also suggest trying Panzer's in St John's Wood, Booth's in Bermondsey and Michanicou Brothers in Notting Hill. These stores stock a wide array of fruit and vegetables and are good sources for more unusual items. However do telephone ahead to check before making a special trip (the phone numbers can be found on-line).

In many cases canned or jarred artichoke hearts can be substituted instead. Jarred hearts preserved in oilve oil would be our preference, but check that they are not the ones that are chargrilled as they will have a more smoky flavour.