Stuffed Artichokes Carciofi Ripieni Food

CARCIOFI RIPIENI (STUFFED ARTICHOKES)

Steps:

• Remove as many as the outer leaves of the artichokes as look tough, bruised or split. Don't worry about taking off too many; there are plenty under there. Trim the stem, but not too far, and create a flat bottom for the artichokes. Cut off about 1/2 inch of the tops with a sharp blade.
• Rinse each artichoke under water, and place in a large bowl of water into which you have squeezed half the lemon. This acidulated water will keep them from turning brown on their cut edges.
• Drain the artichokes upside down on a clean dish cloth, while you prepare the filling. Put all the rest of the ingredients, except the olive oil, in a bowl and mix well. Now, hold each trimmed artichoke over the bowl, and spread the leaves with the fingers of one hand, while filling the gaps with a teaspoon and the bread crumb mixture. The goal is to get as much of the filling distributed as evenly as one can.
• Place all the filled artichokes in a baking dish, and liberally pour olive oil to taste over each one - nearly a tablespoon for each is about the right amount. Pour a scant cup of water, or even water and white wine, into the baking dish. Cut the remaining piece of lemon up, and tuck around the artichokes. Cover securely with foil, and bake at 350F for about 1 and 1/2 hours. The leaves should pull out easily when they are done.
• These should be cooled a bit before serving. Enjoy.

STUFFED ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Trim artichoke (Starting at the bottom, grasp leaves, bending backwards and snap off) up about 1 inch up from base.
• Snip sharp points off remaining leaves.
• Use Serrated knife to take off top- giving artichoke a"flat top".
• Trim stem off at the bottom.
• After trimming, place artichokes in acidulated water.
• Steam artichokes with lemon juice and water (I use about 4 lemons juiced) for 20 minutes.
• While chokes are steaming, mix bread crumbs, cheese, basil, garlic and 1/2 cup of the olive oil.
• Remove'chokes from steamer, turning upside down to drain Using a towel grab choke and with"flat top" side down press down smartly on the counter to"open up" choke.
• Then take bread crumb mixture and stuff between the leaves.
• Place chokes in heavy pot,stem side down, adding about 1/2 cup of bread crumb mixture to the bottom of the pot Add 2 inches of water Pour olive oil over each choke.
• Cover and steam over low or bake at 325 oven for 45 minutes, until leaves come out easily.
• After removing chokes to serve, reduce remaining liquid slightly- the bread crumbs will make it thicken.
• Drizzle sauce over chokes.