How to re-create this recipe:
Ingredients:
(Serves 6)
- 3 Artichokes (See tips on trimming an Artichoke below)
- 2 Cups of shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 3 slices of oatmeal bread
- 1 large lemon
- 1/2 a stick of unsalted butter (4 Tablespoons)
- 1 Tablespoon of Herbs De Provence
- 2 garlic cloves
- Olive Oil for drizzling
- 1/2 a tsp of Salt
Putting it together:
- Pre-heat your (toaster) oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Fill a large (tall) pot with water (enough water till it reaches 2 inches from top of pot) and heat up to a roaring boil.
- Line a sheet tray with parchment paper, place oatmeal bread on paper, drizzle a little olive oil on each piece of bread and toast in oven for about 10-12 minutes (turn the bread over halfway through cooking time). The bread should be very golden brown.
- While water is heating up and bread is toasting, with a cheese grater, grate the Parm cheese into a bowl. Set aside.
- Get a food processor ready with a blade attachment and to it add pieces of the bread you toasted, Herbs De Provence, 2 garlic cloves, 1/2 tsp of salt. Blend till all ingredients are well incorporated and you have a bread crumb consistency.
- When Artichokes are done boiling (after 42 minutes exact), using a set of tongs, carefully take the Artichokes out of the water and turn them upside down so most of the water drains out of them. Immediately place them in a baking dish.
- Using a small spoon, stuff each leaf with a small amount of bread crumb mixture and top them off with the grated Parm cheese
- Place the Artichokes under a broiler for 10 minutes
- While they are in broiler, melt the 1/2 stick of butter in a microwave safe dish and then squeeze the juice of 1 lemon into it when it comes out of microwave. Whisk the butter and lemon juice together.
- When Artichokes are finished, using a spoon, spoon the melted butter and lemon juice onto each Artichoke.
How to trim an Artichoke:
- With a serrated knife, saw off 1 inch off the top of Artichoke. To make Artichoke stand upright, saw off stem (leave about 1/2 inch of the stem so the Artichoke maintains its shape when it is boiling).
- Snap off the tiny leaves around the stem.
- Using kitchen shears, trim the top of each leaf, taking off the sharp thorny leaf tips
Nourishment for your body: Artichokes have so many nutritional health benefits. They are known to boost the immune system, aid in digestion, reduce bad cholesterol, act as a diuretic. They are high in fiber and contain multiple vitamins and minerals.
Tips when cooking: Herbes De Provence is a spice mixture that you can find in most grocery stores. The spice blend includes herbs like Thyme, Marjoram, Savory, Rosemary, Mint, Lavender, sage. Many stuffed Artichoke recipes will call for adding halved lemons in the boiling water (this is done to prevent discoloration) as well as coring the center before stuffing it. I find this unnecessary and wasteful. When you are done eating the leaves, to get to the heart of the Artichoke ( which is very delicious) simply clean the choke (fine fuzzy looking strands) beneath all the leaves with your fingers. It can get a little messy but that’s ok too! I love watching my guests eat them because they are so enthralled by them. Artichokes are probably one of my most favorite vegetables. They can be prepared in so many different ways! I usually prepare 1 Artichoke for two people. Sometimes I make this recipe to have as my meal instead of a side dish . I’ve been making this recipe for the past 11 years. Artichokes can be intimidating to prepare for a lot of people but once you make them a few times, you can get the hang of it and it becomes less of a daunting process. Start experimenting with making just 1 and see how it goes.