Thistle thrill you!
Stuffed Artichokes! Some dishes are just so delicious but may require a bit more time than you might usually allow. Well, this is one of those recipes that make the extra effort well worth it. This is one of my very favorite ways to serve artichokes. Believe me, I like artichokes in almost any way you’d like to imagine. Stuffed Artichokes have been a favorite of mine since I first learned to worship butter. And the funniest thing about this recipe, not a smidge of butter anywhere to be found!
This is a great way to thrill your guests and it works as a great side dish or even as an appetizer before dinner. My family always orders the artichoke appetizers at restaurants. If you love artichokes, I think this one is better than any other. Here’s how I do it!
Cleaning and Prepping the Artichokes.
Select an artichoke that’s fresh as possible. The leaves should be nicely green, not too much brown spotting or coloring, and the leaves should not be too loose.
Wash the artichokes then trim the stem and remove the bottom leaves. Cut the very top of the artichoke leaves off with a very sharp knife. Then, with your kitchen shears, trim all the leaves of their sharp tips. Slice the artichoke in half and remove the hairy parts of the inside and trim away any of the smallest purple leaves.
You need enough room to fill these artichokes and those little leaves are not actually very edible. Using a lemon cut in half, immediately rub all the exposed leaves with lemon. Put the artichokes into a large pot, with enough water to completely cover the artichokes. Add the lemon you used to rub on the leaves into the water. Cook the artichokes for about 20 minutes, just enough that they are starting to soften and the leaves will pull off fairly easily. Set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, add breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, mix it up with a fork, set aside.
Nothing Fishy About It!
In a large pan, add 1/4 cup of olive oil and 3 large, peeled and smashed cloves of garlic. Heat the oil and add the garlic, let the garlic sizzle for about 2 minutes. Remove the garlic and throw it away. Add 4-5 chopped anchovies to the oil. The Anchovy will disappear into the oil. Cook for about 1 minute. If you don’t want to use anchovy, you can substitute anchovy paste (3 tablespoons). It’s in a small tube and you can buy it at any grocery store. I use it for artichokes, but I also use it whenever I make Cesar salad dressing too. Trust me, like in Cesar dressing, no one will know that you are using anchovy, but it’s a really important part of the final taste of these artichokes. Go on, you can do it! Just don’t tell anyone!
Place the drained, cooked artichokes face down into the oil and let them cook on medium high for about 5 minutes.
Carefully turn them over and cook another 3-4 minutes. Now, add the cooked artichokes to a broiler safe baking pan, sprayed lightly with cooking spray. Now, fill the artichoke centers with the breadcrumb mixture and top with capers, then top with the oil from the last process. It’s full of great garlic and salty flavor! Broil for 3-5 minutes, just until the top is golden brown. Serve and enjoy!
Stuffed Artichokes
Ingredients
- 2 artichokes
- 1 lemon
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 3-4 anchovy fillets or 3 tablespoons anchovy paste
For the stuffing
- 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon capers
- salt
- freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Wash the artichokes then trim the stem and remove the bottom leaves. Cut the very top of the artichoke leaves off with a very sharp knife. Then, with your kitchen shears, trim all the leaves of their sharp tips. Slice the artichoke in half and remove the hairy parts of the inside "choke" and trim away any of the smallest purple leaves. Using a lemon cut in half, immediately rub all the exposed leaves to inhibit any browning.
- Put the artichokes into a large pot, with enough water to completely cover the artichokes. Add the lemon you used to rub on the leaves into the water. Cook the artichokes for about 20 minutes, just enough that they are starting to soften and the leaves will pull off. Set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, add breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, mix it up with a fork, set aside.
- In a large pan, add 1/4 cup of olive oil and 3 large, peeled and smashed cloves of garlic. Heat the oil and add the garlic, let the garlic sizzle for about 2 minutes. Remove the garlic and discard. Then, add 4-5 chopped anchovies to the oil. The Anchovy will disappear into the oil. Cook for about 1 minute. If you don't want to use anchovy, you can substitute anchovy paste (3 tablespoons).
- Add the drained, cooked artichokes to the oil and let them cook, face down, on medium high for about 5 minutes. Then turn them over and cook another 3-4 minutes. Then, add the cooked artichokes to a broiler safe baking pan, sprayed lightly with cooking spray. Fill the artichoke centers with the breadcrumb mixture and top with capers, then top with the oil from the pan.
- Broil for 3-5 minutes, just until the top is golden brown.
