Artichoke Pasta Sauce

This is a relatively simply (in terms of flavour) but quite satisfying pasta sauce that I came across in another one of my many, very old, cookbooks that I got second hand from a charity shop at some point. You could use fresh artichokes if you can find them, but I used tinned for ease of cooking, since it makes the dish much quicker to cook. Not many photos on this one (or from now on, in fact) as the days have gotten so short I can't get any decent light in my kitchen when cooking.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 x 400g tin artichokes
1 small onion
150ml (1/4 pint) dry white wine
juice half a lemon
150ml (1/4 pint) vegetable stock/bouillon
200ml (1/3 pint) double (heavy) cream
salt and black pepper
40g strong flavored hard cheese/cheddar (optional)

Instructions:

1. Chop onion and fry in a generous helping of olive oil/butter until softened.

2. Drain the tins of artichokes, and rinse. Add to the pan and fry along with the onion for 2 minutes.

3. Add the white wine, and cook for 5 minutes on a reasonably high heat.

4. Add the stock and lemon juice, and simmer for a further 5-10 minutes (longer if you are using fresh artichokes).

5. Finally add the cream and cook on a moderate to low heat, ensuring the sauce does not boil, until heated through.

6. Season with salt and pepper, serve with pasta of your choice, covering with the hard cheese before you serve.