Stuffed Artichokes – Why The Confusion?
Stuffed artichokes are easy to cook and eat but to the stuffed ‘choke newbie, this weird-looking vegetable can be confusing. How do you cook it? What do you cook it with and seriously, how do you even eat one? Not to worry, I’ll help you become an artichoke expert in no time!
An artichoke is a densely packed bulb with tough, fibrous leaves. At the base of the leaves are the edible, tasty pulp. Anchoring the leaves is the artichoke “heart”. (OK, that sounds gross, but it IS a vegetable and it IS delicious.)
Think of the artichoke as a goblet. You stuff the goblet with seasoned breadcrumbs, cook the artichoke and as you peel the leaves, the breadcrumbs stick to the leaves which you eat like a chip with dip on it. It’s like a vegetable nacho!
An Italian classic that packs a nutritious punch
Stuffed artichokes are an Italian comfort staple and integral part of my recipe repertoire. I often serve it as a side dish or it can even be a meal in itself.
Another great reason to eat artichokes is because they are chock full of nutrients and antioxidants. They may lower bad (HDL) cholesterol and raise good (LDL) cholesterol and help regulate blood pressure. They are also a great source of fiber which many American diets lack. You can find some of that nutritional information here
The secret to perfect, tasty stuffed artichokes is in the breadcrumbs. How you prepare and season them makes the dish. If your breadcrumbs are bland, you end up with a mouthful of dry particle board. Get it just right and you’ve got wonderful flavors in every bite.
I prefer homemade breadcrumbs where I control the amount of seasoning. They are super easy to make, but you can use seasoned, store-bought in a pinch. If you’d like to try your hand (and I suggest you do), here’s a post about how to make great homemade breadcrumbs.
How to eat a stuffed artichoke
No, you don’t cut it in half, eat it like an apple or blend until smooth and sip through a straw. Eating a stuffed artichoke is a bit of a dance, really. It looks complicated, but it’s really easy, if not a bit sloppy (read as “fun” if you like messy food).
Start with the outer leaves. Pull one leaf off at a time, along with the stuffing, and lightly bite down from the center of the leaf, scraping the top of the pulpy part of the leaf with your teeth. Discard the remaining part of the leaf. Think of it like scraping the dip off a chip with your mouth.
Continue until you get to the center of the artichoke. This is where the leaves are very thin and pointy.
Pull them off and discard them. These leaves are covering the inedible fuzzy choke.
With a spoon, carefully scrape off the choke from the heart of the artichoke. This heart is the best part! Cut it up and eat this with any breadcrumbs and broth that are left.
Now you’re a pro at eating artichokes!
Have a great meal!
Tracy from Real Not Perfect
Stuffed artichokes: How to Cook and Eat Them
Equipment
- Large pot
- skillet
Ingredients
- 2 large artichokes
- 1 1/2 cups homemade italian breadcrumbs ***see note
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth combine with 1/2 cup water and have some more on hand in case you need to replenish the cooking liquid during the simmering process
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 lemon for serving
Instructions
- This method does not require you to remove any of the inner leaves or "choke". I find it easier to remove while eating it.
- With a serrated knife, saw approximately 1 inch off the top of the artichoke leaves to make a flat top.
- Turn the artichoke upside down and grasping the stem, pound the top part of the artichoke on the counter a few times this helps to open up the center of the artichoke.
- Separate the inner leaves with your fingers. This gives room to stuff the artichoke with breadcrumbs.
- Squeeze 2 tbsp of lemon juice inside the artichoke. Cut off the stem and any tough outer leaves so the artichoke will sit flat.
- In a skillet, heat olive oil on medium heat and add minced garlic. Saute for about 1 minute until fragrant and just starting to turn golden. Add the breadcrumbs and ground black pepper to the pan and stir until the breadcrumbs are coated with the oil.
- Toast the breadcrumbs, stirring often on medium/low heat until deep golden brown. Be careful not to burn them. Transfer to a bowl to cool. When cool, add the parmesan cheese. Stir to combine.
- Take an artichoke and spoon the breadcrumbs into the center as well as the outer leaves, holding them open and spooning breadcrumbs all the way around throughout the leaves until the whole artichoke is stuffed.
- Sprinkle the top of each artichoke with lemon juice and approx 1 tsp olive oil.
- Place the artichokes upright in a pot wide enough to hold the artichokes.
- Carefully pour the broth/water mixture into the pot without wetting the tops of the artichokes. Fill the pot to about 1/3 the way up the artichokes.
- Cover tightly and bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for approximately 45 mins-1 hour, depending on the size of the artichokes. Check the liquid level every 20 minutes and add more broth if necessary. The artichoke is ready when the leaves are tender and the leaves towards the center are easy to pull out. Serve with the cooking broth and lemon.
