Stuffed Artichokes

Thistle is the best recipe for artichokes. Ok, so that was my poor attempt at humor, but artichokes are a species of thistles that are cultivated as food. The edible part of the artichoke is the top bud before the plant blooms. They grow on thick stalks that support the head of the plant.

Artichokes are native to the Mediterranean area and they have records of them being used as a food among the ancient Greeks and Romans. The artichoke is mentioned as a garden plant in the 8th century BC and share a strong history in Egypt, Spain, Sicily and Israel. The Dutch introduced the artichoke to England in 1530 and they were featured in Henry VII's garden.

Today, artichokes are cultivated in Europe, Italy, Spain, and France. The the main American producers are Argentina, Peru and California.

My daughter, Nicole brought back beautiful artichokes from her recent trip to California. A foodie's dream, having a daughter that travels the World and brings Mom presents home.

When purchasing an artichoke, make sure the outside leaves are closed tight and they are dark green in color. Any brown leaves or wilted leaves, means your artichoke has seen better days and you don't want to purchase it. Fresh artichokes (not frozen or processed) can stay in a plastic bag in your refrigerator for seven days. Unless you have a wonderful daughter who stops at a farm stand on the side of the road in California (purchased directly from the farm), you want to use your artichoke as soon as possible. You never know how long they have been hanging out at the store waiting to be purchased. Once cooked, they can stay in the refrigerator up to four days.

You can't eat the whole artichoke, it's an art to know how to eat one. Some people trim the end of the leaves (which can be pinchy) so they don't stick you while you're eating. It depends on the individual artichoke, this one didn't need it since it was young and the leaves were soft. You do need to trim the bottom and remove the stem. Lay the artichoke on it's side and cut just below the bud at the top of the stalk.

The stalk (stem) that you cut off, you're going to peel off the outside (like you would a carrot) and cut into small pieces. They will boil in the pot when you're cooking the artichoke. They get tender and yummy!

Let's get cooking you'll need: (this makes three stuffed artichokes)

3 fresh artichokes

6 slices of white bread

1 stick of butter

4 garlic cloves chopped

4 cloves of garlic whole

1/4 cup grated parmigiano reggiano (or grated cheesed)

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp mixed dry Italian herbs

2 eggs (beaten)

You'll need to "bloom the bud" before you can stuff them. There's no fancy way to do this. The old fashion way of turning the artichoke upside down (leaves are facing the counter) and give it a good wack, still works. If one hit doesn't do the trick, by all means do it again. I find if I let a primal yell when I do this, it works better. Of course my dog Jersey hides under the table when I yell, but the artichoke opens up nicely.

This one has been bloomed and you can see how fresh and beautiful it is. The different brilliant shades of green tells me this artichoke was picked within the last few days. In between the leaves we're going to add a stuffing and to the top of the artichoke.

Let's make the stuffing:

In a bowl, melt the butter reserving 2 tablespoons to use later. Add the garlic, herbs, pepper and parmigiano reggiano. Mix well. Break the bread into small pieces (doesn't have to be cubed) and use your hands to squeeze everything together. You have to get your hands into it to ensure that the bread is coated. It will turn into a dry stuffing. Beat the eggs and add them to the bread mixture. Yes, continue to use your hands and incorporate the eggs. In between a few leaves, push the stuffing in (be gentle) and make a mound of stuffing on the top of the artichoke between the top leaves. I like to top them with a piece of garlic when they're steaming in the pot.

Place the stuffed artichokes and the stems to a stock pot with enough water to come a quarter way up the artichokes. Add the whole garlic and butter to the water. Top the artichokes with pieces of garlic (optional). Simmer with the cover on the pot for 2 hours. This is a low and slow cook so you can go about your day, just make sure the water doesn't evaporate. If it does, add more slowly to the pan only, do not get on the artichoke or stuffing.

I'm sure you can try to modify this recipe for the slow cooker. I don't see any reason why instead of putting on the stove, you can't put in the slow cooker, on high for 8 hours. Just make sure there's enough water to steam the artichokes. Gluten free bread would make this recipe GF.

Once cooked, they are tender and will fall apart. You need to remove from the pot carefully and serve them with melted butter.

Eating an artichoke: pull a leaf off and hold it with the top of the leaf (resembles a heart shape) in between your fingers. Scrap the other end against your teeth to get the soft pulpy part off or bite the tender end off. You can only eat the tip of the leaf. There's not much there but what is there is so yummy.

Artichokes can detoxify your body and are consumed due to their associated benefits of protecting against various forms of cancer, bolstering the immune system strength, lowering cholesterol, and protecting against diseases such as diabetes, atherosclerosis, heart attack, and stroke. Beside being delicious, they're good for you! (Ok maybe not the stuffing, but one does need to enjoy oneself)

Once you're finished eating the leaves, you're going to remove the remaining bud and expose the heart of the artichoke. Using a spoon, remove the fuzzy center of the heart and throw away. DO NOT EAT THIS.

If you purchased baby artichoke, long-stem, globe, organic or frost kissed, know that they are all delicious and you're going to enjoy eating them. This is a basic recipe, later we'll make a holandaise sauce for dipping the leaves which add a rich and creamy texture. I still prefer the melted butter which compliments the earthy taste of the artichoke and doesn't hide it under a rich sauce.

I'll leave you with this..."Where did the artichoke go to have a few beers?"

Answer: The salad bar!

(Note: this is not the professional way to clean or cook an artichoke. This has been a tradition to prepare and stuff artichokes for years in my family. Correct or not, it's delicious. You can add anchovies, pine nuts or raisins to the stuffing. Make this recipe your own and enjoy!)

How do you prepare your artichokes?