August 4, 2006
Stuffed Artichokes
Philippe Waterinckx, Tucson CSA
2-4 artichokes
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
Oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, herbs
With a sharp knife, cut off the stem as well as top third of each artichoke. With scissors, cut the sharp tips off the remaining leaves – this is mostly for aesthetic purposes. Then, using your thumbs, pry open the artichokes as much as you can, to separate the leaves. Don’t hesitate to apply force – artichokes are tough babes!
Peel an onion, cut it in half, and slice it into 1/3” thick strips. Peel two cloves of garlic and cut them into 4 to 6 slices each. Insert the garlic slices and onion strips among the leaves. Pack in as many as you can!
Place artichokes in a pot. Fill the pot with water halfway up the height of the artichokes. Pour ¼ cup oil and ¼ cup vinegar over the top of the artichokes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and thyme, Italian herbs, or Herbes de Provence (or any seasoning of your choice).
Cover, bring to a boil, then simmer for 1 to 1-1/2 hours, or until you can pull a leaf with ease.
Serve hot, warm or cold, by itself or with a garlic-butter dip or mayonnaise.
To eat, pull one leaf at a time, dip it in the dip, and suck/chew on the end. When you’ve pulled all the leaves, you are left with the artichoke heart that is covered by the fibrous/hairy choke. Remove the choke with a spoon (it will come off easily). Eat the heart.