Aunt Dodie's Stuffed Artichokes

This recipe was featured in my newsletter dated May 31, 2007.

Aunt Dodie's Stuffed Artichokes
by Chip Desormeaux

This recipe will appear long at first glance. But it's actually very simple.

24 oz. Italian bread crumbs
½ c. minced garlic
8 oz. freshly grated Romano cheese
8 oz. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
24 oz. EVOO
salt to taste

Snip the points of the leaves. Cut off the top so it's all even. Trim the stem so it will stand well. Turn it upside down and mash it on the counter and roll it (like a top that's loosing its spin) to open the leaves.

Run under cold water to wash them out real well and turn upside down to drain.

Mix all stuffing ingredients (except for EVOO) in a large wide mouth bowl.

Starting with the outermost leaves, nearest the base, work your way around the artichoke mashing the stuffing into each leave so the stuffing is very well packed in each leaf. You're trying to get the stuffing all the way down to the base of the leaf. (Sounds like a bigger job than it actually is.)

When you get to the top, stuff it with extra stuffing so it makes a nice treat. The artichoke will be about triple its original size.

Grab the stem and shake the excess stuffing back into your bowl.

When all artichokes are done, jam-pack them into a Dutch oven. They must be tight or, as they cook, they'll shrink and fall over, losing the stuffing.

Click to view larger image.

Pour enough water so it reaches the base of the chokes but doesn't get into the stuffing.

Drizzle the olive oil over the artichokes very slowly so the oil has a chance to soak into the bread crumbs in every leaf.

Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. Steam on a medium heat for two or more hours. (Be sure to check the water level frequently.)

To test for doneness, tug on a leaf left to right. It should come out easily. If it doesn't, go another 15 minutes and check again.

Cooked artichokes freeze very well. To thaw, steam again in the same way on a very gentle simmer. Might take about an hour.

Buy an artichoke steamer to make this job a whole lot easier.

Makes 8 artichokes.

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Stuffed Artichokes Recipe