Farmers Market Finds: Stuffed Artichokes
I am done being intimidated by vegetables! A few carefully placed snips, another couple scoops of choke, and these beauties are ready to be stuffed, steamed, and enjoyed. While this version uses Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs in the filling, you could certainly omit or swap out the cheese and bread crumbs with vegan versions to make this vegetarian dish vegan-friendly. You’ll be wondering why you didn’t try these simple and satisfying bulbs before!
Servings Prep Time
3people 10minutes
Cook Time
45minutes
Servings Prep Time
3people 10minutes
Cook Time
45minutes
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Rinse and dry the artichokes. Using a very sharp knife, cut off the stems all the way to the bottom of the bulbs. Cut off hte top of the artichoke leaves and bulb, making sure to snip the tips off of all remaining leaves (they’re sharp!).
  2. Carefully begin to pull the leaves away from the center of the bulb to reveal the core of the artichoke. You will see a soft and fuzzy yellow center. Using a melon baller, remove the choke and discard. Place the artichokes, cut side up, in a large dutch oven.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine the bread crumbs, garlic, cheese, oregano, and parsley. Drizzle with 2 tbsp. olive oil and stir to combine. Salt & pepper stuffing mixture to taste.
  4. Using a small spoon, carefully stuff the bread mixture into the middle of the artichoke, as well as into the base of each leaf. If you don’t have enough stuffing for each and every leaf, that’s OK. Be sure not to over stuff the artichoke–you don’t want the leaves to be coming off. Squeeze half of a lemon over the top of the artichokes. Drizzle with additional tbsp. of olive oil.
  5. Pour vegetable broth into bottom of pot. Cover and cook artichokes over medium to medium low heat for 45 minutes, or until the leaves are tender and easily pull away from the artichoke base.
  6. Serve immediately. To eat, simply pull leaves away from base and enjoy the tender goodness at the base of each leaf.
Recipe Notes

What’s so great about this recipe is that you can add whatever flavors you want to the stuffing.  Don’t have fresh oregano on hand?  Use thyme instead.  Don’t have Parmesan in the house?  Use mozzarella for a gooey version of the stuffing.  Get playful and have some fun with what you stuff in there!

Wondering what to drink with these elegant and scrumptious artichokes? Because of the chemical makeup of the artichoke (it can make many wines taste sweeter, which can be off-putting for some), I reach for a yummy Sauvignon Blanc (one of my absolute favorite summer wines).  The green minerality and crisp citrus in this wine is a perfect counterpoint for the natural flavors of the artichoke.  The garlic in this particular stuffing will help with that balance as well.

Have you ever tried making artichokes?  How have you made them?  Steamed?  Baked?  Grilled?  I want to to hear all of the great variations out there!