It’s hard to believe that two years have passed since Jim’s Mom passed away. We still miss her, and I know we always will. Some of my fondest memories of her were of us sitting in her apartment watching her make Eggplant Parmesan. She always made it for me each time we visited and as I would help myself to a third serving, she would look at me and say, “God bless.” I don’t think she could believe how much I ate!
Jim often talks about growing up in an Italian/Polish household and his mother’s cooking. According to him, she often made stuffed artichokes. For some reason, I never thought of artichokes as being a classic Italian food, but after a quick look at Wikipedia I learned that they are native to the Mediterranean basin, with Italy being one of the primary producers.
Artichokes aren’t common in southern cuisine, so I don’t think I had one until I reached adulthood. They are a good bit of work to prepare and to eat, but I say they’re totally worth the effort. I typically steam them in a pressure cooker and serve them with a lemon garlic aioli for dipping. However, for this post, I wanted to do something a little more special and with Jim’s mother in mind, I created my version of stuffed artichokes.
The most difficult part of the preparation involves removing the inner leaves and scraping out the fuzzy choke. Once you’ve completed that step, the rest goes fairly quickly. Cooking time will depend on the size of the artichokes. You’ll know the artichokes are done by pulling off a bottom leaf and tasting it. If the edible part comes off easily between your teeth, then they’re ready to eat.
Serve these stuffed artichokes as an appetizer or as a side. This savory Italian artichoke preparation will dress up any dinner.
Ingredients
3 lemons
4 artichokes
3 cups panko bread crumbs
3/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 anchovy filets, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for drizzling
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Fill a large bowl about halfway with water. Cut the lemons in half and squeeze juice into water. Drop the lemon halves in the water as well.
3. Working with one artichoke at a time, cut the stem and about the top 1/3 of the artichoke off and discard. Using kitchen shears, cut the pointed end of each remaining leaf off. Pull the center leaves apart until you see the purple tipped leaves. Pull out the purple tipped leaves. Using a teaspoon, scrape out the fuzzy choke. Rinse and drop in lemon water. Repeat for remaining 3 artichokes.
4. In a medium bowl, mix bread crumbs, parsley, cheese, anchovies, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper.
5. Remove artichokes from water and drain them on a dish towel. Using a teaspoon, work the stuffing into each leaf and into the center of the artichoke. Repeat with remaining artichokes. Drizzle olive oil over the top of each artichoke.
6. Pour chicken stock, wine, 1/2 cup of the lemon water, and 1 teaspoon salt into a baking dish. Stir until salt is dissolved. Place the artichokes in the dish. Cover with foil and bake for 35 to 45 minutes until base of artichokes are tender when pierced with a fork. Uncover and bake until bread crumbs are browning and artichokes are completely done. Test for doneness by removing an outer leaf and tasting. If the edible part of the leaf comes off easily between your teeth, it's done. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
https://southernboydishes.com/2014/11/04/stuffed-artichokes/You may also like:
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Don’t throw awAy the stems. If you peel the skin with a potato peeler and cook it with the artichokes, it is just like the heart of the artichoke. It is literally the best part of the artichoke!
This is the first stuffed artichoke recipe I’ve seen other than my own recipe which was passed down from my Sicilian great grandmother. My recipe is much different as I: does not use panko bread crumbs {I make my own}; no anchovies; I do not pull the center leaves – people eat around them; I do not soak artichokes in lemon water; I cook them on the stove top!
Your recipe looks good and I’m always up for something different and I can’t wait to try it!
One of the perks of where I live, it’s just 15 minutes from the artichoke capitol of the world…. Castroville. There are fields and fields of artichokes, and I absolutely adore them. Good for you for pressure cooking them, because it’s so much faster. I love mine with a homemade aioli sauce, but making a stuffed artichoke has been on my “must do” list. I think you did a great job, and I could seriously eat 2 or three of these as a complete meal.
Thank you so much, Debby!!
What a wonderful thing to do in honor of Jim’s mother. So beautiful and I’m sure they are amazingly good! I never had a fresh artichoke until I moved to New Mexico and after the first one, I was addicted. They are so good! I’ve never pressure cooked them before but that somethings I’m definitely going to try.
I have the best memories of baby artichokes fried on the street corner in Roma and served in brown paper cones. Here in CA stuffed artichokes like this are a happy addition to my life and these are a prime example. GREG
Thanks, Greg! I’m dreaming of fried baby artichokes!
My parents are Sicilian born ,and my father was a huckster then had a fruit store for 40 years .
my mother stuffed them after par boil in lemon water first . The lemon stop them from discoloring.
Cut off bottom clip tips off cut 1inch off top
Cut out center fuzz
Mix bread crumbs onion garlic Romano grated cheese salt pepper n enough olive oil so when you pinch it it will stay . If you use to much oil you will mess it up
Then my mother would pack center then surrounding leave
Turn upside down and fry top til light brown
Stand them up in pot
Drizzling oil on top lightly and sauce over top and half way up artichock
Cook on low or 350 in oven for 45 to 1 hour til leave easy pull off
Enjoy
Stuffed artichokes are one of those dishes I love, but rarely prepare — they’re work! But so worth it. This is so good — thanks.
I agree, John. Definitely worth the effort! Thanks for the comment!