This UltimateStuffed Artichoke recipe is out of this world. Serve it for a scrumptious vegetarian shared appetizer or first course. One of the best artichoke recipes ever, your guests will absolutely flip for it!
Prep Time35 minutesmins
Cook Time1 hourhr
Total Time1 hourhr35 minutesmins
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: stuffed artichokes, appetizers for sharing
Use a Chef's knife to cut a couple of inches off of the top of each artichoke, and enough off of the bottom to form a nice base, so the artichokes can "sit" without wobbling.
Remove any especially tough outer leaves and discard them. (These are most likely small and towards the bottom of the artichoke.) Then use kitchen scissors to cut off the sharp tips of the leaves. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice on each artichoke.
Steam the Artichokes
Fill a steamer pot with a few inches of water, and place a rack on top. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. Turn the heat to low and let it simmer.
Place the artichokes, stem-end up, on the rack, cover and steam until they're tender, about 45 minutes. You should be able to pull off one of the outer leaves with only a slight tug. Set aside to cool.*While the artichokes are steaming, preheat the oven to 375°F and make the stuffing.
Make the Stuffing
Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over low-medium heat. Let it simmer until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Pour in the remaining ½ 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). Set aside to cool.
Remove the Chokes
Once the artichokes are cool enough to touch, use gently pull the leaves away from the center of the artichoke -- just enough so that you can see down to the choke. Now use a spoon to reach down and very gently scrape away and discard all of the fuzz, to reveal a clean heart.
Assemble
Place the artichokes, sitting on their bases, in a baking dish that they can fit into snugly. 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 and then drizzle them with 1 tablespoon of olive oil each.
Bake and Serve
Place the stuffed artichokes in the preheated 375°F oven and bake until the breadcrumbs are golden and the cheese has melted, about 15 minutes.
Let them cool for a few minutes before serving. You can slice them into halves or quarters for sharing, or everyone can share them whole.