After 36 years at Michelin-starred restaurant La Finca's helm, renowned celebrity chef Susi Díaz has honed her cooking philosophy of celebrating fresh ingredients while melding tradition with current trends. The self-taught chef, guided by her two grandmothers' values of effort and tenacity, has skillfully translated her love for her native city, Elche, into world-class dishes that brim with citrus fruits, aromatic herbs, and flowers from her garden.

"My culinary vision is quite simple," says the acclaimed chef. "The product is the centre of everything, and I try to make it recognizable...always taking great care of aesthetics and playing with the senses."

Among these innovative culinary creations, one stands out for its enduring popularity and embodies Díaz's philosophy—artichoke hearts with shrimp and gratinéed red onion. This time-honoured dish, a staple at La Finca for over three decades, is a testament to Díaz's creative culinary prowess.

This dish's fascinating interplay of old-school technique and modernity makes it unique. The artichoke, a local star product, takes centre stage. "This dish combines tradition and avant-garde, remaining a must for all our customers, and is possibly one of the most emblematic dishes of the restaurant," says Chef Díaz.

The intricate preparation reveals Chef Díaz's careful consideration of textures, temperatures, and crunchiness. She meticulously chops the shrimp tails, ensuring not to crush them so she can emphasize their delicate texture. In a seamless fusion of ingredients, the gratinéed artichokes get filled with homemade aioli, a savoury medley of egg, garlic, and olive oil that dances on the palate.

Cooking the artichokes al dente in a vegetable broth enhances their natural flavour, while the artichoke chips add a contrasting crunch as a topping. This careful preparation allows each ingredient to shine while creating a harmony of enchanting flavours.

Chef Díaz especially loves preparing this dish for patrons who appreciate the subtleties and the story it tells. The stellar result serves as a bridge between her grandmothers' teachings, her creativity, and the appreciative palate of the diner.

Through Díaz's playful take on artichoke hearts, we learn that creativity, tradition, and deep respect for ingredients can create a dish that transcends time and becomes iconic. And with just a dash of determination, any home cook can recreate this Michelin-star magic in their own kitchen.

Artichoke Hearts with Shrimp and Gratinéed Red Onion

Ingredients (6 people)

• 14 medium-large artichokes

• 7 gr. garlic cloves

• 50 gr. potatoes

• 40 gr. eggs

• 125 gr. onion

• 1 bay leaf

• 125 gr. tomatoes

• 1 gr. pepper

• 3 gr. pine nuts

• 65 ml. white wine

• 40 ml. extra virgin olive oil

• 1 litre water

• 200 gr. cleaned red shrimp tails

• 350 gr. cleaned and chopped red onion

• Parsley leaves

• Food colouring

• Salt (to taste)

• Artichoke chips

• Aioli

• Artichoke filling

Instructions

• To prepare the aioli, add a touch of garlic and a pinch of salt to the eggs, and mix them using an electric whisk while slowly pouring in a drizzle of oil. Beat until all the oil is combined and store in the refrigerator.

• For the filling, pour the oil into a pan and gently sauté the onions over low heat. Once lightly goldened, drain and transfer into a bowl.

• Chop the shrimp tails, being careful not to crush them. In a separate pan, brown the shrimp in a bit of oil without overcooking them. Season with salt and pepper, gently stir, and set aside.

• For the artichokes, peel all the ingredients and cook them in plenty of water. Remove the outer leaves of the artichokes to eliminate any toughness (including the inner strands), and cook them with the rest of the ingredients and vegetables.

• When the artichokes are al dente, remove them from the heat and drain (set some of them aside to blend with the vegetables).

• Place all the vegetables in a food processor and blend, incorporating some of the cooking broth until you achieve a creamy texture. Keep warm.

• Fill the artichoke hearts, dress with the aioli, and gratinée until they turn a beautiful golden colour.

• Spread a little of the vegetable cream from the cooking liquid on the surface of the plate and place the gratinéed artichoke heart in the centre in a unique fashion.

• Garnish the dish with artichoke chips on top.