Best 4 Southern Italian Baby Artichokes Recipes

ITALIAN STUFFED ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Trim the stem of an artichoke so the base is flat and even. Trim the top inch off the artichoke and remove and discard any tough, woody outer leaves. Gently open up the leaves to get to the center. Using a spoon, scoop out the fuzzy choke in the center. Using scissors, trim off the sharp points of the large outer leaves. Rub and pour lemon juice all over the inside and outside (reserve half of the juice). Repeat with remaining artichokes.
• Mix together pulverized crackers, Pecorino, olive oil, parsley, Italian seasoning, garlic, lemon zest and salt and pepper.
• Pack each artichoke with the stuffing mixture, starting with the interior and working your way around between the outer leaves. Continue this process with the remaining artichokes. Place artichokes in an 8-inch square baking dish and add about 1 inch of chicken stock and the reserved lemon juice to the bottom of the dish. Cover tightly with foil.
• Bake until leaves pull out easily and the meat at the bottom of the leaves is tender, 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes. Preheat the broiler. Take off foil, drizzle the artichokes with olive oil and broil until tops are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Serve!

ROASTED BABY ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Prepare artichokes. Remove the tough outer leaves of the artichokes and trim the stems. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the tough outer green layer from the stem. Cut off the top third of the head to remove the tough ends of the leaves, then split it down the middle. Rub with lemon as you work so they don't turn brown.
• Mix together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and garlic. Lay the artichoke halves cut-side up in a roasting dish and drizzle with the olive oil mixture. Roast in the oven until the artichokes are tender, about 20 minutes.
• To serve, top with the cheese and garnish with the parsley.

PAN-ROASTED BABY ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Peel off and discard a few outer petals of the artichokes until you reach the pale, tender center. Trim the top and stem end, then quarter each artichoke. There should be no discernible choke, but if there is, remove it with a paring knife. Put the artichokes in a bowl of cold water to which the lemon juice has been added.
• In a wide, heavy, nonaluminum skillet, heat a 1/2 inch of olive oil over medium heat. Drain and blot the artichokes and, when the oil is nearly smoking, carefully add them to the skillet. Season well with salt and pepper, stirring to coat with oil. Let the artichokes brown slightly, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until they are tender when probed with a paring knife.
• Add the red pepper, garlic and parsley. Stir well and let sizzle for a minute or so. Transfer the artichokes to a platter, sprinkle with coarse salt and serve with lemon wedges, or sprinkle sparingly with red wine vinegar. Eat hot, or at room temperature.

ITALIAN STUFFED ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Using a sharp knife, level the bottom of each artichoke and cut 1 in. from the tops. Using kitchen scissors, snip off tips of outer leaves; brush cut edges with lemon juice. Stand artichokes in a Dutch oven; add 1 in. of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until leaves near the center pull out easily. , Invert artichokes to drain; let stand for 10 minutes. With a spoon, carefully scrape out the fuzzy center portions of artichokes and discard. , In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, garlic, Italian seasoning, lemon zest, pepper and salt. Add olive oil; mix well. Gently spread artichoke leaves apart; fill with bread crumb mixture. , Place in an 11x7-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until filling is lightly browned.