Stuffed artichokes

Prep time 15 minutes Total time 40 minutes Serves 4

Artichokes are very pretty and, contrary to popular belief, relatively easy to prepare. Serve these stuffed artichokes as a communal appetizer and let your guests dig in, it’s fun. Stuffed artichokes can be served whole or halved. The head is more fun eaten whole, even though it makes it a bit harder to clean out the artichokes’ fibrous center, so here are the instructions for whole stuffed artichokes.

 

-Marie des neiges Magnan

Ingrédients

  • 6 artichokes from Entreprise Vertueux
  • zest & juice of 1 Persian lime from Seasons Farm Fresh
  • 1 Le Petit Prince cheese with chives from Fromagerie du Vieux St-François
  • 2 green onions from Bio-Saveur
  • 3 tbsp. grated parmesan from Riviera
  • 1 clove summer garlic from Ferme M le Bio
  • ½ cup plain breadcrumbs from Fabrique Arhoma
  • ¼ cup organic extra virgin Tunisian olive oil from Olive Pressée
  • 1 bunch Greek basil from Lufa Farms Anjou
  • salt & pepper

Instructions

 
  • In a large cooking pot, bring some salted water to a boil. Cut the stem and the tip of the artichokes. Boil 5 to 10 minutes, depending on size. Drain and let cool.
  • Finely chop garlic and green onions. Chop basil.
  • In a bowl, mix lime zest, lime juice, Le Petit Prince cheese, green onions, parmesan, garlic, breadcrumbs, olive oil, basil. Season to taste.

  • Preheat oven at 400°F.
  • Pull lightly on the artichokes’ bracts (they’re not petals) to access their center. There, you’ll find a fibrous center that’s made up of underdeveloped bracts and the immature petals of what would become a flower (purple part). Remove this fibrous center with a spoon. Place the artichokes on a baking sheet. Press some stuffing into the cavity you’ve created and in between the bracts. Bake 15 minutes. If you want the top of the stuffing to be nice and crispy, set the oven to broil and grill for a few more minutes. Let cool a few minutes before serving. Then, just pull the bracts off one by one and enjoy.

Bon appétit!