A spring dish from the countryside
Alcachofas a la montillana is the kind of recipe that doesn't travel well on a menu description but makes complete sense on a plate. Artichoke hearts, slow-braised in Montilla wine with garlic, olive oil, and fresh parsley, until the artichokes have absorbed the wine and the cooking liquid reduces to a light, fragrant sauce.
This is countryside cooking from the Montilla-Moriles region — the same area that produces the wine used in the dish. The combination is not decorative; the wine's slight dryness and fruity character soften the artichoke's natural bitterness and add a depth you don't get from water or stock.
The recipe in brief
Artichoke hearts go into a wide pan with a generous pour of extra-virgin olive oil, finely chopped garlic, and diced onion. Add Montilla white wine, enough to partially submerge them, then cover and braise low and slow. The artichokes turn tender without going soft, and the sauce concentrates around them. Some versions include diced serrano ham. The vegetarian preparation — without the ham — is more common and cleaner in flavour.
The result is not elaborate. It's the kind of dish that works because the main ingredient is handled with restraint rather than technique.
When to eat it
Fresh artichokes peak from March to May. That's the window when this dish is at its best in Córdoba's restaurants. Outside that season, it still appears on menus — but the artichokes won't be the same.
Served as a generous tapa or a light main course with rustic bread to mop up the sauce. Pairs naturally with a dry Montilla-Moriles white or fino — drinking the same wine used in the cooking closes the loop in a satisfying way.
Where to find it
Taberna Salinas and Bodegas Campos are the two addresses most associated with traditional Córdoba cooking and both serve this dish. It also appears at La Casa de Manolete Bistro. Like berenjenas con miel, it's a reminder that the most interesting Córdoba dishes are often the vegetarian ones.
