Stuffed Artichokes Nicoise
Why I Love This Recipe
This is one of my signature dishes...I have to double the recipe every time because everyone in my household loves them so much...with the price of artichokes these days I have considered growing my own! People are offten in a quandary as to which wine to pair with artichokes..given the nature of ingredients, I suggest a Rose du Provence which is an inexpensive dry rose from the south of France. bon appetite!
Ingredients You'll Need
5 large globe artichokes
2 lemons, cut in half
4 large onions (2 1/2 pounds), sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch wedges
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs(To make the breadcrumbs for this recipe, choose a coarse-textured country loaf, remove the crust, and pulse in the food processor until coarse crumbs form. It's best if the bread is one day old
1/2 cup olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
6 anchovy fillets, minced to a paste (optional)
1 tablespoon thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup Homemade Chicken Stock, or canned low-sodium chicken broth, skimmed of fat
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Trim artichokes; snap off tough outer leaves. Cut off about top third of artichoke. Snip any leaf tips remaining below the cut with scissors. Trim stem so artichoke will stand upright. Trim base. Spread leaves open to gain easier access to choke. Using a melon baller, scoop out choke. Squeeze some lemon juice directly onto heart; squeeze juice from lemons into bowl of ice water; add lemon halves and artichoke while preparing the rest.
In a 12-inch saute pan, cook onions and garlic in oil over medium heat, until tender and lightly caramelized, about 1 hour; let cool. Take two-thirds of onions, and coarsely chop; place in a bowl, and add bread crumbs, olives, parsley, anchovies, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper; mix well.
Heat oven to 375°. Drain artichokes upside down on a paper towel; gently open leaves. Fill centers of artichokes with mixture; place small amounts in crevices of leaves. Place a string around outside of artichoke; tie snugly. Repeat with remaining artichokes.
Strew remaining onions on bottom of large Dutch oven or baking dish with tight cover . Fit in artichokes; add stock to bottom of pan. Sprinkle each artichoke with Parmesan. Cover; bake 30 minutes. Uncover; bake until golden and crusty on top and hearts are tender when pierced, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with a little olive oil before serving
