Flowering Beauties

Three new recipes to celebrate the artichoke

Strategically spiked for protection from predators, this relative of the sunflower appears hard to handle. But with our easy prep guide and a bit of practice you will have these thorny globes mastered in no time. Plenty of fiber and a good amount of potassium and foliate make artichokes an obvious healthy choice. But still, even some professional cooks we know are shy about trying them. Italians seem to have a deeper attachment to this vegetable, which is native to the Mediterranean and first appeared in modern records in Naples around 1400. When spring rolls around in Rome, artichokes are served every way possible, from deep-fried to thinly sliced raw and topped with shaved pecorino and fruity olive oil. With characteristic Italian artistry they are even embellished with savory fillings.

The stuffing can be as easy as seasoned breadcrumbs like in our Caesar-stuffed version. (We opt for whole-grain breadcrumbs to keep it healthy.) If you want something a little fancier, risotto makes a wonderful stuffing. Next time you cook up a batch, double the recipe and stuff artichokes with the leftovers. Couscous, sausage or seafood, as in our Maryland crab-filled version, are also great options. If you plan to improvise with the stuffing, just keep in mind that you’ll need about 1 cup of stuffing per artichoke. Once the artichokes are stuffed, we braise them gently and slowly in the oven. In this recipe we use chicken broth, but try adding a splash of white wine to the broth or using a 28-ounce can of diced fire-roasted tomatoes with minced garlic instead of the broth. The braising liquid doubles as a sauce to dip your artichokes into while you eat them.

Expect rounds of “oohs” and “ahhs” when you bring these flowering beauties out at a dinner party. Admittedly they take some time, but you can assemble them ahead and put them in the oven once your guests arrive. Be prepared to give a little coaching on how to eat them. Just pick off each leaf and scrape the base of it with your teeth. You’ll get a taste of stuffing and the little fleshy bit from the bottom of the leaf. Once you work your way through the outer leaves you’ll get to the more tender and more edible inner leaves. Keep going and you’ll get to the artichoke bottom filled with the jackpot of stuffing. Use a knife and fork for this part. And enjoy!

Caesar-Stuffed Artichokes

Traditional Caesar salad dressing ingredients flavor the stuffing for these beautiful artichokes.

Makes 4 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 1 hour
TOTAL TIME: 2 hours
EASE OF PREPARATION: Moderate

Stuffing
    3        cups fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs (see Ingredient Note)
    3/4     cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
    1/4     cup pine nuts, toasted (see Tip)
    2        cloves garlic, minced
    4        anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced
    1        teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
    1/4     teaspoon freshly ground pepper
    2        tablespoons lemon juice
    1        tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil