Easter weekend came and went – and I barely set foot in the kitchen. I was mentally prepared to whip up a side and dessert for a family get-together, but there was a last-minute change of plans. The potluck was cancelled and I was off the hook to cook. I’ll admit it was a relief as I hadn’t given significant thought to the dishes I’d be making.
What’s more, Jason was fighting a lingering cold and wasn’t in the best condition to be out and about. So the two of us – and Rookie – laid low. We resolved to eat leftovers since (1) Jason didn’t have much of an appetite and (2) I lacked culinary inspiration.
And then my local Whole Foods surprised me with an amazing Easter “bagsket”! You have no idea how excited I was as I unpacked the parcel. There was a bounty of fresh produce – and cold brewed cinnamon coffee ice cream (thank you, Steve’s, for dreaming up this concoction)!
On Sunday, I put my present to use and made these stuffed artichokes. Considering how simple the list of ingredients is, they pack a flavor punch. The braising liquid is my favorite part – use it as a dipping sauce for the artichoke leaves or, better, some toasted crusty bread.
Recipe adapted from Rocco Gets Real: Cook at Home, Every Day via ABC News.
- 1 cup fresh bread crumbs (see notes)
- ½ cup grated Asiago cheese
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 3 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes in oil, removed from oil (reserve oil) and chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 fresh artichokes
- 1 lemon, cut in half
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 cup chicken broth, divided
- baguette slices (for serving, optional)
- In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Asiago cheese, garlic, parsley, thyme, sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoons reserved sun-dried tomato oil, olive oil, lemon zest and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cut off stems of artichokes and pull off tough outer leaves. Cut 1 inch off the top of each artichoke. Using kitchen shears, snip off remaining leaf tips. Rub cut leaves with lemon.
- With your fingers, gently spread leaves away from the center, revealing choke. Using a small spoon, scoop out choke and discard; squeeze lemon juice in cavity. Repeat with remaining artichoke.
- Spoon filling into the cavity of each artichoke. Then, with your fingers, stuff filling between leaves.
- In a medium pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the smashed garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the thyme, wine and ½ cup chicken broth. Arrange artichokes in pot, cover and simmer over medium heat until artichokes are tender, 40-45 minutes. Check pot after 20 minutes and add remaining chicken broth if more than half of liquid has evaporated.
- Serve artichokes with sauce and baguette slices, if using.
I love artichokes! They’re a lot of work to cook and eat but so worth the effort! This recipe looks delish and your photography is gorgeous!
Thanks so much, Mary Frances! Artichokes are a lot of work to eat, too. 🙂
This looks delicious. With Artichokes, I usually like to keep it simple but delicious like this,
Thanks, Rachel! I enjoy them simply steamed, too.