1. Using a small knife or vegetable peeler, clean the cardoons, remove the tough spines. Chop into small dice. As you're dicing, immerse the cardoons in acidulated salted water (squeeze lemon juice into the water and float the lemon halves) to prevent discoloration. Just before making the risotto, drain the cardoons. In a medium sauté pan, warm olive oil over medium heat and sauté the cardoons for several minutes until soft, test with the tip of a knife or fork. Remove from the heat and reserve.

2. In a deep pan, melt some butter over low-medium heat and sweat the minced shallot for a few minutes without browning. Add the rice, stir to coat and cook for a minute or two. Pour in a small amount of white wine, and simmer off alcohol. Adding 2-3 ladles of broth, cook the risotto, occasionally stirring. As this broth is absorbed, add another ladle one-at-a-time, and continue to cook for 25-30 minutes or until the rice swells and reaches the al dente stage.

3. Near the end of cooking, add the sautéed cardoons, the anchovies, stir and cook for a few minutes more, season to taste. Pull off the heat, immediately add a few tablespoons of butter and some grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir creating a silky smooth sauce.