I have never been a big fan of artichokes. I will admit that they intrigue me, though. They look cool and weird at the same time. And they are quite a delicacy in Italy, especially Rome.
2. Cut the stems off of the artichokes and pull off the tough outer leaves. Cut about ½ inch off of the top of each artichoke to create a flat top. Make sure the bottoms are flat so the artichokes can stand up. With your fingers, spread the leaves apart as much as you can, stuffing the breadcrumb mixture between them. Put plenty of the filling on the top of the artichokes.
3. In a Dutch oven, heat the remaining ¼ cup olive oil over medium heat. Add the smashed garlic cloves to the oil and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add thyme, wine, lemon juice, and vegetable broth. Arrange artichokes in pot, cover, and place over medium heat. Simmer until artichokes are tender throughout, about 30 minutes.
I must admit, they really looked delicious when they were done, and the broth smelled wonderful. But, as I started peeling and sucking petal after petal, I just couldn’t help but ask myself why anyone would do this?
Considering the amount of time that goes into cleaning, peeling and preparing the ‘chokes and the time it took to make the recipe- it just isn’t worth it in my opinion.
I don’t like to work this hard for my food- especially when that food is almost, uh, non-existant?! There was hardly any meat on those petals!
So while I am glad I conquered my fear of artichokes, I have decided that we won’t be making them again in this house.
We’ll be saving our artichoke consumption for the talented chefs when we dine out, or for those lovely jars of hearts at the market.
Do you make artichokes? How do you like them?