On stuffed Artichokes and versatility

It looks like a flower

Whenever I see a jar of artichoke hearts it makes me sad to think of all the delicious leaves left behind. We serve this as a first course or side, but they can easily be substituted as a main course if someone is so inclined.

The recipe’s below, but first I wanted to mention that Alison over at Happy Domesticity (love that name) recently awarded me a Versatile Blogger Award which she’d been given by The Baker’s Laboratory, who I’d given it to. (It’s sort of a pay-it-forward thing.) Here’s Alison’s list and here’s one I wrote when Cadencies was nice enough to award it to me a bit earlier. So go check out their blogs, but first buy some artichokes.

Stuffed Artichokes

• 4 large artichokes
• 1 lemon
• 2 cups bread crumbs
• ½ cup grated Romano
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• White wine
• Salt/pepper
• Olive oil

Cut ¼” off the tops of artichokes and trim all the points off the leaves. Cut bottom stem so each artichoke can sit upright. Fill a pot large enough to hold the artichokes in one layer with water. Squeeze lemon in and add halves to water as well. Bring to a boil and cook on medium until a knife can pass through the base of each artichoke, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile mix breadcrumbs, cheese and parsley. Add wine until mixture resembles course crumbs that barely stick together. Remove artichokes from water and let cool. Working from the outside in spread each ring of leaves and stuff with breadcrumbs. Continue until all are done. Drizzle with olive oil and put in a baking dish. Bake at 365 degrees until done about 25 minutes. To eat, take a leaf and scrape the stuffing along with the soft flesh off with your teeth. Once all the leaves are pulled off, remove the choke (hairy part) and enjoy the heart at the end.