Braised Artichokes Stuffed with Sausage and Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 6 medium artichokes, top half removed and trimmed
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1/4 pound mushrooms, brushed clean and thinly sliced
• 1/2 pound lean pork sausage, crumbled
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 10 fresh basil leaves
• 4 ounces cured ham (Westphalian, Black Forest, Virginia, Smithfield, prosciutto, Serrano), finely diced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 2 small carrots, thinly sliced
• 6 parsley stems
• Large pinch of dry thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/4 cups dry white wine such as a Sauvignon Blanc