Recipe: Stuffed Artichokes (the easy way)

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Title: Stuffed Artichokes (the easy way)
From: Michelle in N.O.
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
Date: 1997/04/16

This is a great stuffed artichoke recipe. It's a recipe I got from one of Frank Davis' cookbooks, but have altered over the years to suit us (probably more garlic and anchovy paste, the latter being a great addition even if you have anchovies, which my husband does). The original recipe from Frank Davis was obliterated from my database, so I had no choice but to post my altered one. This is pretty simple to make (for stuffed artichokes), and it's always a big hit with our guests, even those who normally avoid artichokes. I hope you get the chance to try it, as it sure beats stuffing the leaves with a spoon or your fingers. --Michelle

2 fresh artichokes - with tight leaves
2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1 1/2 cup imported Romano cheese - PLUS 4 tablespoons
1 tsp Italian seasoning - heaping
5 cloves garlic - minced
1/2 cup onion - minced (as fine as you can get it)
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp anchovy paste
6 drops Tabasco
Pinch fresh grated lemon peel
2 slices lemon
1-1/2 to 2 cups extra-virgin olive oil

PREPARE ARTICHOKES:
Trim off the stalk portion of the artichoke as close to the leaves as you can get; trim it straight so that it sits level. Then with a VERY SHARP KNIFE (an electric is best), cut off the top third of the artichoke so that the upper leaves are exposed. Next, wash the artichoke thoroughly, inside and out, and rub the cut edges with a piece of fresh lemon to keep the leaves from turning brown. Then, using a melon baller or small teaspoon, dig out the "choke", the prickly, fuzzy center of the artichoke. But remember, you just want to remove the center thistle (that's the purple part), not all the inside tender leaves.

Now rinse the artichoke again, rub it once more with lemon juice, and turn it upside down on a couple of paper towels to drain.

STUFFING:
Simply add all the ingredients (except the lemon slices and the olive oil) to a large bowl and mix them thoroughly with your hands until uniformly blended.

Now, working with one artichoke at a time, place it in the bowl of stuffing mix and begin heaping the mixture over the top of the leaves. Then, just like shuffling a deck of cards, run your thumb over the leaves and allow the stuffing to drop between them until the spaces are filled. The more you stuff the leaves, the larger the artichoke will become. Stuff both the artichokes this way.

STEAMING:
Now lay 1 thin lemon slice (cover with 1 "eraser" of anchovy paste, if desired) on each artichoke and place the artichokes into a steamer pot so they just touch each other -- this keeps the outer leaves from falling off. Then add water to the steamer, bring to a slow boil, and place the lid on the pot. Total cooking time is about 1 hour, 15 minutes for medium artichokes to 1 hour, 30 minutes for large ones. *But every 15 minutes* remove the lid carefully and -- in a thin stream -- pour some of the olive oil over the top of the artichokes. Then replace the lid and continue cooking until a meat fork will pierce the artichoke through and through.

TO SERVE THE ARTICHOKES HOT:
To serve the artichokes hot, cook them about three-quarters of the way in the steamer, then transfer them to a baking pan, along with about 1 or 1-1/2 cups of the steaming liquid. Then sprinkle a little extra Romano cheese over each artichoke, cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil, and bake in your oven at 325F for 30 minutes.

This will easily stuff two medium artichokes and may do three. The stuffing freezes well in a ziploc bag and is also an excellent coating for veal cutlets, pork chops, meatballs, chicken and seafood. Recipe adapted from Frank Davis.