Artichokes!
Either you love them or you hate them! I love them!
I like them both Stuffed or Unstuffed, but more often I make them unstuffed so I don’t get so full from the stuffing and can have more leaves! I love the leaves as much as the heart!
Here are two recipes, one for the Unstuffed and one for the Stuffed version.
I have made artichokes for years by feel rather than by a written recipe. It took me a while to measure and write down the seasonings I use! I am glad I finally did that.
You will see a big difference in the calories of the stuffed version, but they are so good, and worth a treat! The unstuffed version is really low in calories, fat, and carbs. The sodium is high. If that is an issue for you, maybe a salt substitute would be the way to go.
Remember to taste a leaf at the half-way mark of the cooking time to adjust the salt. Artichokes need more salt than you might think!
My mom always made sure artichokes were on the table at Easter and I continue that tradition. But we have them at other times too.
An OPTION for you: My mom would lightly sprinkle some olive oil on top of each artichoke while they are cooking. You can if you’d like that. I do not add oil, I think because I want to keep the calories lower. I do not miss the oil.
Don’t be surprised if not everyone likes artichokes! Those that do are the lucky ones! They are a real treat!
I think they are a lot of fun to eat and so delicious! That artichoke broth is tasty too!
To change the number of servings, Use the RECIPE ADJUSTER CALCULATOR before you print to easily scale the ingredients up or down to adjust the servings you want.
See some pictures how I make them in the slideshow below. There are pictures of the unstuffed version using a teaspoon to get the GARLIC in between the leaves. For the stuffed artichokes, also use a teaspoon to easily get the STUFFING in between the leaves!
Enjoy!
Artichokes~ UNSTUFFED
Ingredients
- 3 artichokes large
- water
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- parsley fresh
- garlic minced
Instructions
- Turn the artichokes upside down and bang them quite a few times on the countertop or on a cutting board to open up the leaves a bit.
- With your fingers, spread the leaves apart a little more.
- Put a parsley leaf and about 1/4 teaspoon of minced garlic in between the leaves. Do this to about every other leaf.
- Place the artichokes base side down in a tall pan. Fill the pan with water half-way up the artichokes.
- Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of salt over each artichoke! Then just lightly sprinkle each one with pepper. The water absorbs the salt, and without enough salt the artichokes will be very bland.
- Drizzle about a heaping tablespoon of olive oil over each artichoke.
- Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and let them simmer about 40-60 minutes., depending on the size of your artichokes. Check the water level after about 20 minutes. Add more water if necessary.
- Half-way through, taste an artichoke leaf to be sure it has enough salt. Artichokes need a lot of salt!
- Before removing them from the stove, taste one leaf to check if the leaves are tender and the salt is right. Use a large spoon or tongs to remove the artichokes to a serving plate. Reserve some broth for reheating.
- Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate them to serve later. Reheat them in the artichoke broth in the microwave for a few minutes.
EXTRA TIP:
Artichokes~STUFFED
Ingredients
- 3 artichokes large
- water
- 3 tablespoons olive oil to drizzle over the artichokes
STUFFING INGREDIENTS:
- 3 cups breadcrumbs homemade or bought, (I prefer homemade breadcrumbs. See my Notes below.)
- ½ cup Romano cheese grated, or Parmesan cheese
- ¾ cup parsley fresh, chopped
- 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning I use Bell’s Poultry Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Use a sharp knife to cut off about a half inch of the top of each artichoke.
- Turn the artichokes upside down and bang them quite a few times on the counter or on a cutting board to open up the leaves a bit.
- With your fingers, spread the leaves apart a little more.
- Use a scissors to trim just the points off each leaf, then bang the artichokes once again to open up even more.
- Put apiece of parsley and garlic in between the leaves. Sprinkle each artichoke with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, Romano cheese, parsley, poultry seasoning, salt, pepper, and water until the breadcrumbs appear moist.
- Use a teaspoon and your fingers to place some stuffing in between each leaf. Try to have some stuffing on each one, but if you miss a few, no big deal! Put some stuffing over the center of the artichoke, and push it down firmly.
- Place the artichokes in a tall pan and drizzle about a heaping tablespoon of olive oil over each artichoke.
- Fill the pan with water halfway up the artichokes.
- Add salt to the water, start with about 2 teaspoons, and place the pan on the stove over high heat.
- Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and let them simmer about an hour.
- Half-way through, taste an artichoke leaf to be sure it has enough salt. Artichokes need a lot of salt!
- Use a very large spoon or tongs to remove the artichokes to a serving dish. Save the broth in case you want to reheat them. Serve immediately or refrigerate them covered and then reheat them with some broth in the microwave for a few minutes.