Stuffed Baby Artichokes Izmir Style Recipes

THE ULTIMATE STUFFED ARTICHOKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Fill a steamer pot with a few inches of water, and place a steamer basket on top. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. Turn the heat to low and let it simmer.
• Use a Chef's knife to cut off about 1-inch from the top of each artichoke, and enough off of the bottom to form a nice base. Remove any especially tough outer leaves and discard them. Then use kitchen scissors to cut off the sharp tips of the leaves.
• Using your hands, carefully pull the leaves away from the middle of the artichoke -- just enough so that you can see down to the choke. Now use a spoon to reach down and gently scrape away and discard all of the fuzz, to reveal a clean heart. (See above image.) This will take a bit of muscle, but must be done. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice inside and over each one.
• Place the artichokes, stem-end up, in the steamer basket, cover, and steam until they are almost tender, about 35 minutes. (They'll finish cooking in the oven.) Check for doneness by pulling off an outer leaf - it should come off fairly easily. Set them aside to cool.
• While the artichokes are steaming, preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over low-medium heat. Let it simmer until it begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Pour in about ⅓ cup of lemon juice and the wine. Stir and let this simmer on low heat for about 4 minutes. Add the bread crumbs and parsley, stir to blend and remove from the heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper (here's how), and set aside to cool.
• Place the artichokes, sitting on their bases, in a baking dish.
• Use a spoon and/or your hands to carefully fill the center of each artichoke with the stuffing -- fill it to maximum capacity! (If you think there's too much stuffing, don't worry just pack it in.) Then fill all of the spaces between the leaves as much as possible. Sprinkle the top of each one with 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan.
• Place the stuffed artichokes in the preheated 375°F oven and bake until the breadcrumbs are golden and the cheese has melted, 15 to 20 minutes.
• I like serving these whole for sharing.

STUFFED BABY ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Grate 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest and set aside. Quarter the lemon and squeeze the juice into a medium bowl of water; add the squeezed lemon quarters. One at a time, cut off the top one-quarter of each artichoke; pull off the tough outer leaves (there will be several layers). Using a paring knife, trim the stem and lightly peel around the bottom of the base where it meets the stem. Halve the artichokes lengthwise and add to the lemon water.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain the artichokes, pat dry and place cut-side down in the skillet; add the lemon quarters. Add the 2 smashed garlic cloves and a generous pinch of salt. Cook until the artichokes soften slightly, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a simmer, then add 1 cup water. Cover, reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the artichokes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Uncover and remove from the heat.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the reserved lemon zest and the grated garlic and cook, stirring constantly, about 20 seconds. Add the breadcrumbs and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Stir in the parsley.
• Transfer the artichokes cut-side up to a platter and season lightly with salt. Top with the breadcrumb mixture and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Serve warm or at room temperature.

STUFFED ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Mix 3 cups breadcrumbs, 3 grated garlic cloves, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1 cup each grated parmesan, pecorino, chopped parsley and olive oil in a bowl. Trim 4 large artichokes (see Cook's Note), removing the stems. Separate the leaves; stuff the crumb mixture between each. Stand upright in a steamer basket over simmering water, cover and steam over medium-low heat, adding more water as needed, until tender, about 1 hour, 20 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and some of the cooking liquid.

STUFFED ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cut the stems from the artichokes to leave a neat, flat base. Lay each artichoke on its side, and cut away the upper third with a sharp knife. With kitchen shears, remove the prickly leaf tips from each remaining leaf. Rub the cut sides and bottom with a lemon slice, squeezing lemon juice onto the cut areas and set aside.
• Place the prepared artichokes, lemon slices, crab boil and bay leaves in the boiling water and simmer, partially covered, until the bottom is tender and can be pierced with a sharp knife and an outer leaf pulls out easily, about 25 minutes.
• Heat the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 4 minutes.
• To the onion pan, add the garlic and oregano and continue to cook for 30 seconds.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the bread crumbs, lemon zest, Parmesan, and 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Mix well and adjust seasonings with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Drain the artichokes upside down in a colander.
• When the artichokes are cool enough to handle, press the leaves gently back so that the artichoke opens to reveal the inner choke and prickly leaves. Pull out the cone of undeveloped white leaves and gently scrape out the choke with a spoon so as not to damage the heart. Gently pull the leaves outward from the center until the leaves open slightly.
• Fill the artichoke cavities with bread stuffing, and pack a little bit into the space between the leaves.
• Place the artichokes in an earthenware baking dish and drizzle the tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
• Pour 1/2 cup of water into the bottom of the dish and place in oven. Bake until the artichokes are golden brown and the bread crumbs develop a nice crust, about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Transfer to a serving plate, drizzle with some olive oil and sprinkle some grated Parmesan. Serve with additional lemon wedges.

THE BEST STUFFED ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Cut top 1/4 of an artichoke off and discard. Trim off the top 1/2 inch from remaining leaves. Cut off bottom inch from stalk to create a flat bottom. Turn artichoke upside down and bang on surface to loosen the leaves. Zest 3/4 teaspoon of lemon zest from the lemon and set aside. Cut lemon in half and rub cut leaves and stem of artichoke with lemon. Repeat artichoke prep with remaining artichokes.
• Combine reserved lemon zest with bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, and pepper in a medium bowl and stir well.
• Sprinkle bread crumb mixture evenly into all the artichoke leaves, avoiding the thistle leaves in the direct center. Work mixture evenly into each crevice of each artichoke until all of the mixture is used.
• Pour water in the bottom of a Dutch oven. Add remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Set artichokes in the pot so that they are touching, so that they may remain upright during cooking. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook until the leaves release very easily, about 1 hour.
• Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with more parsley if desired. Serve warm or room temperature.

STUFFED BABY ARTICHOKES, IZMIR STYLE

Steps:

• Wash the rice in several changes of water; drain. Place in a small bowl and cover with very hot water. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine 6 cups cold water, the juice of 1 1/2 lemons, 1 teaspoon salt and the flour. Gently smack each artichoke on the edge of a hard surface to open up the leaves. Remove the tough outer leaves and cut off the spiky tips of the remaining ones. Cut off the stems so the artichokes will stand upright. Remove any hard surfaces around each base with a vegetable peeler. Spread open the inner leaves and use a melon baller to scoop out the choke in the center. Place the artichoke in the water mixture as you finish each one.
• Drain the rice and combine with the scallions, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the dill, 2 teaspoons of the sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Drain the artichokes and reserve 1/2 cup of the liquid. Spread open the artichoke leaves and stuff the cavity of each one with the filling.
• Place the onion in the center of a deep 9-inch nonreactive skillet with a tightly fitting lid or a round flameproof casserole with lid. Surround the onion with the artichokes, fava beans and carrots.
• In a small bowl, combine the remaining olive oil, the remaining sugar, the reserved 1/2 cup liquid and 2 tablespoons lemon juice and pour over the artichokes. Crumple and wet a 12-inch square piece of parchment paper and lay it directly over the artichokes.
• Top with an inverted, heatproof plate that just fits inside the pan. Place over medium-high heat and bring the liquid to a boil. Pour 1 cup of boiling water down the inside of the pan. Boil vigorously for 1 minute. Lower the heat, cover with a lid and cook slowly until the artichokes are very tender, about 40 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside, still covered, until the artichokes are completely cool, about 3 to 4 hours.
• Discard the onion. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the artichokes, favas and carrots to a shallow serving dish. Spoon some of the cooking juices over them, garnish with the dill and lemon wedges and serve.

ROASTED BABY ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Prepare artichokes. Remove the tough outer leaves of the artichokes and trim the stems. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the tough outer green layer from the stem. Cut off the top third of the head to remove the tough ends of the leaves, then split it down the middle. Rub with lemon as you work so they don't turn brown.
• Mix together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and garlic. Lay the artichoke halves cut-side up in a roasting dish and drizzle with the olive oil mixture. Roast in the oven until the artichokes are tender, about 20 minutes.
• To serve, top with the cheese and garnish with the parsley.

ITALIAN BABY STUFFED ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Take baby artichokes and trim off top and bottoms. Snip sharp parts off artichoke with scissor. Make sure artichoke has a flat top after trimming is done. When all trimmed, transfer artichokes to pot of water with lemon juice, cover and boil for about 30-40 minutes. When fork tender, drain artichokes and cool. In the meantime, while artichokes are cooling, prepare stuffing. Add bread crumbs, both grated cheeses and minced garlic with 1/2 cup of olive oil and mix together. When cool, transfer artichokes to corning ware baking dish and stuff with mixtures. Add last 1/2 cup of olive oil to top of artichokes, add two cups of water to top of artichokes and bottom of dish, cover with aluminum foil and cook in oven on 325 degrees for 45 minutes. Take aluminum off and cook or broil on LOW on lower part of oven for 10-15 minutes to crisp up.

STUFFED ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Squeeze the lemon halves into a large bowl and fill the bowl with cold water. Trim the bottom off each artichoke. Trim off the tough outer leaves. Snip the thorny tips off the top leaves. As each one is completed, place it in the lemon water to prevent it from discoloring.
• In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, cheese, garlic, and parsley and season with pepper. Pull each leaf open slightly from each artichoke and stuff a little filling into the opening. Place the artichokes snugly side by side in a large pan with a tight-fitting lid. Add 1 inch of water to the pot. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and steam until the bottoms of the artichokes are tender, 35 to 45 minutes; a knife should insert easily. Make sure the water doesn't boil dry. Add more water if necessary.
• Serve each artichoke hot, on an individual plate.

ITALIAN STUFFED ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Using a sharp knife, level the bottom of each artichoke and cut 1 in. from the tops. Using kitchen scissors, snip off tips of outer leaves; brush cut edges with lemon juice. Stand artichokes in a Dutch oven; add 1 in. of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until leaves near the center pull out easily. , Invert artichokes to drain; let stand for 10 minutes. With a spoon, carefully scrape out the fuzzy center portions of artichokes and discard. , In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, garlic, Italian seasoning, lemon zest, pepper and salt. Add olive oil; mix well. Gently spread artichoke leaves apart; fill with bread crumb mixture. , Place in an 11x7-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until filling is lightly browned.