If you really like artichokes, you have found many ways to prepare and enjoy them. But for most people, if they have ever eaten artichokes at all, their familiarity with them begins and ends with one of these two ways -
1) Pulling the leaves off of a steamed artichoke, dipping them in melted butter or some kind of mayonnaise preparation and eating the tender inside of the leaf, or
2) Having them in some kind of cream cheese artichoke dip at a party.
Those are OK, but there are so many other, better ways to enjoy artichokes - what about grilled or roasted, or fried or stuffed or marinated or in a variety of pasta dishes or on pizza? I am going to start a series of posts through the Spring - because it's artichoke season - on a variety of ways to prepare and enjoy this versatile and tasty vegetable.
Yes, they are a little time consuming to prep but if you are a follower of this blog, you are most likely the kind of person who doesn't find that a problem. You know the results are going to be worth it for a special meal. And guys, listen, you can blow a girls mind by making a cool "wow factor" artichoke dish (it's not that complicated). At least it works with Lisa... : )
Our favorite way to enjoy artichokes is stuffed. We call the following recipe Moonstruck Stuffed Artichokes because they are like "Cosmo's moon!"
Moonstruck Stuffed Artichokes
Ingredients:
2 large globe Artichokes
bread crumbs - home-made
garlic
diced pancetta
pecorino cheese
flat leaf parsley
oregano
toasted pine nuts
mint
Red pepper flakes
minced artichoke stalk
lemon zest
lemon juice
olive oil
salt & pepper
Prepping the Artichokes:
Pull off some of the tougher discolored outer leaves. Cut the top ½ to 1 inch off the tops of the artichokes. Using kitchen scissors, snip off the tips of the rest of the leaves. If the artichokes have long stems, good! Cut them off about 1/2 inch from the base, mince them and add to the stuffing mixture.
Stand artichokes in a Dutch oven; add 1 in. of water. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat; simmer for 15 minutes. This will loosen up the artichokes enough to make stuffing easier. Let cool. In the meantime make the stuffing.
The Stuffing:
Tear up and add several thick slices of crusty Italian bread to a food processor.. Grind the bread to a coarse crumb.
Toast the pine nuts in a frying pan. Then remove to a bowl.
Using the same pan, sauté the pancetta in a little olive oil until it is crisp. Then remove and put on paper towels.
Saute the garlic in olive oil until fragrant, then add homemade bread crumbs with salt and pepper. Stir to coat the crumbs well with the garlic & olive oil and toast.
Dump the toasted bread crumbs into a mixing bowl and let cool, then add the pancetta, the pecorino cheese, parsley, oregano, mint, red pepper flakes and lemon zest. Mix well and taste to see if you think it needs any additional seasoning. It should be moist from the oil but not wet.
Stuffing the artichokes:
Gently pull open up the center leaves and scoop out the choke and any thorny inside leaves. Remove as much as possible. A melon baller works great for doing this.
With a spoon and your fingers push the stuffing in between all the leaves.
Put the stuffed artichokes back in the Dutch oven in a broth of white wine, water and chunks of lemon, and simmer, covered for about 45 minutes.
How to eat - pull off individual leaves. They will be like little spoons holding the stuffing. The cheese will melt into the stuffing helping it cling to the inside of the leaves. You will get a little stuffing along with the artichoke "meat" with each leaf bite. When you get down to the heart, just cut it up and eat, the flavors from the stuffing and the cooking broth will be infused in it. That's right!
Out on the back deck with a side of Italian sausage, watermelon, arugula salad, crusty bread & olive oil and, of course, wine.
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