I’ve always thought that the strange looking “vegetables” known as artichokes look very lonely in the produce aisle of the grocery store. Does anyone ever buy this unusual member of the thistle family? Concerned that the current crop I was assessing recently might have been there since the last millennium, I awkwardly asked the Giant produce manager if they were fresh. He assured me that they were and that he gets a shipment from California almost every day. Ah ha! Someone is buying them.
Known as carciofi in Italy, artichokes are a harbinger of spring. My father waited eagerly for them every year. My mother steamed them in a simple mixture of olive oil, water and lemon or, if my father got lucky, stuffed them with cheese and breadcrumbs. For us, artichokes were a special treat and served as the main course of our dinner. We dipped the artichoke leaves in melted butter and scraped the sweet flesh with our teeth, savoring every bite.
While most everyone at one time or another has tasted artichokes from a can or the marinated ones in a little jar, nothing can compare to fresh ones. Italians prepare them in endless ways: Cooked in savory stews with chicken and lamb; stuffed with meat, rice or cheese; dipped in batter and crisply fried for the antipasti table. Baby artichokes are especially prized but they are difficult to find in U.S. markets.
Don’t be discouraged by the preparation required before cooking artichokes. While it takes a little time, it isn’t difficult and after the first two or three, the chore will go quickly. The recipe for stuffed artichokes below is as close to that of mother’s that I have. Paired with lamb or ham, it is perfect for Easter dinner. But first, you must learn how to get artichokes ready for cooking.
Preparing artichokes for cooking
Choose fresh, firm, green artichokes and use them as soon as possible after purchase. Wash them in cool water and dry with paper towels. Taking a sharp paring knife, remove the small tough leaves at the bottom of the globe. Using a larger chef‘s knife, cut off the bottom so that the artichoke rests flatly on a surface. Reserve the stem and, for the recipe that follows, peel and finely chop it. Next, remove several layers of darker green leaves until you reach the light green tender ones underneath. Again with the chef’s knife, cut off the top third to one half of the artichoke and discard. Cut off the pointy tips of all remaining leaves with kitchen shears. Place all the cleaned artichokes in a bowl of cold water and the juice of one lemon. Now you are ready to make stuffed artichokes.
Rose’s Stuffed Artichokes
Prepare 6 artichokes as above. In a large bowl, combine the chopped stems, 2/3 cup dried bread crumbs, ½ cup grated Romano cheese, ¼ cup chopped parsley, 1 chopped garlic clove, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix in enough olive oil to moisten the mixture.
Remove the artichokes from the lemon bath and dry them. Spread the leaves apart and place a little of the stuffing mixture inside each layer. Repeat until all the artichokes are stuffed.
Put the artichokes into a Dutch oven or kettle just large enough to hold them. Add water to reach up to 1/3 of the sides of the artichokes and then drizzle olive oil over the top.
Bring the pot to boiling, then cover and simmer over low heat for about 45 minutes. The artichokes should be tender enough when pierced with a knife that a leaf pulls out easily. Add a little more water to the pan if needed during cooking.
When they are cooked, carefully remove the artichokes from the pot and arrange them in a pretty serving dish. They can be served hot or at room temperature. Make them early in the day and they will be ready to lend a Mediterranean touch to your Easter dinner.
There is no delicate way to eat artichokes, I suppose. Just pull out a leaf with its wonderful bread and cheese stuffing and scrape with your teeth. Only the soft inner portion of the artichoke leaf is eaten when prepared this way. They are delicious!
In Italy’s open air markets, the stands will soon be piled high with newly harvested green and purple artichokes and other fruits of spring like fava beans, radicchio and chicory. Italians like to cook seasonally, which accounts for the wonderful freshness of the cuisine. So at this time of year, you will find artichokes in countless dishes, even lasagna.
You will like my mother’ stuffed artichokes. Bouna Pasqua!
