As we are nearing the end of artichoke season, it is not without much culinary sadness on my part.  Truly a stuffed artichoke ranks as one of my most beloved vegetable starters (although I’ve been known to eat them as my actual meal when they are big enough to do so).

As a person who believes that best utensils were the ones that nature gave us (my very own fingers), there is nothing more delightful to eat using those instruments than a massive stuffed artichoke.

Now, this is not for the gastronomically faint-at-heart.  Oh no!  You must be brave.  Dig in with abandon.  Not be wary about getting your fingers messy (or teeth, for that matter.  You might be flossing after you finish eating one, but it’s so worth it).

Trust me, you will be amply rewarded at the end as the pièce de résistance awaits you as the crowning glory at the bottom.

Before we roll up our sleeves and start preparing the artichokes, I thought I’d review how to eat an artichoke, just in case you’ve never dove in.

How to Eat A Stuffed Artichoke

1. In addition to your platter with the artichoke, have a medium-size bowl for your petals.
2. Also, have lots of napkins, preferably cloth as paper will shred in your fingers. Won’t be pretty.  You don’t want to mix eating paper napkins with your stuffed artichokes.
3. Ready to dig in? Here goes:
   1. Starting with the outer petals, one at a time, remove a petal along with the stuffing. Scrape the top part of the petal through your teeth so that you remove the soft, pulpy inner part of the petal along with the stuffing.
   2. Discard the remaining part of the petal into your bowl.
   3. Continue around the artichoke until you’ve removed all the petals and stuffing.
   4. Remove the choke (the stiff fuzzy section) with a spoon. Discard the choke into your petal bowl. Warning:  You definitely do NOT want to eat this.  It is not called ‘choke’ for no reason.
4. You have now exposed your pièce de résistance, the artichoke heart.  Cut it into bite-size pieces, and savor each and every morsel of it.

Alright then.  Now that we are all schooled on how to eat an artichoke while avoiding any drama, let’s get down to the business at hand…making the stuffed artichokes.

Linda Voorhis - Veganification

Stuffed Artichokes

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Ingredients

• 4 artichokes
• 1-½ cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• ½ cup Follow Your Heart Grated Parmesan cheese
• Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Clean artichokes: Cut points off each leaf. Cut stem off bottom so artichoke will sit upright. Open up artichokes to expand space between leaves. Rinse well. Park in acidulated water until ready to stuff.
2. Mix bread crumbs with cheese.
3. Using a small spoon, start stuffing the artichoke starting from the center, and nudging the leaves outward as you stuff to expand artichoke. Work your way around the artichoke, stuffing each individual leaf until all are stuffed.
4. Continue until you have all the artichokes stuffed.
5. Please artichokes in a sturdy enameled cast iron Dutch oven. Pour water down into Dutch oven, being careful not to pour on top of the artichokes, until water is 1” deep.
6. Drizzle the artichokes with extra virgin olive oil.
7. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
8. Depending on the size of the artichokes, cook time will be approximately one hour, but can vary up to as much as an additional 15 minutes. Start checking for doneness at the 50 minute mark by shimmying a leaf. If should easily be removed from the artichoke.

Notes

*You can also place the stuffed artichokes in a large baking dish that is deep enough to cover the tops of the artichokes. Add the water and seal with aluminum foil or oven-proof lid. Bake in preheated 400 degree Fahrenheit over for 60-90 minutes. Again, ensure that all the water does not evaporate, and start checking for doneness at the one hour mark.

*Throughout the cooking process, check to ensure that the water doesn’t evaporate as you don’t want the bottoms of the artichokes to burn, and you need the seam to tenderize and cook them.

Tags

Diet

vegan

Allergy

egg free

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Amount Per Serving
• Calories 827
% Daily Value*


• Total Fat: 14 g 21.54%
• Saturated Fat: 6 g 30%
• Cholesterol: 34 mg 11.33%
• Sodium: 2021 mg 84.21%
• Potassium: 72 mg 2.06%
• Total Carbohydrate: 149 g %
• Sugar: 3 g
• Protein: 41 g
• Vitamin A: 19.74%
• Calcium: 580 mg 58%
• Iron: 11 mg 61.11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.




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Linda Voorhis, Veganification

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