Stuffed Artichokes

Recipe courtesy of Vegetarians in Paradise: www.vegparadise.com

You couldn't want a more eye-appealing dish. The appetizing stuffed artichokes resemble giant flowers in full bloom. For an attractive plate presentation, put a serving of cooked grain, such as, barley, bulghur wheat, or brown rice, on the side of the plate and sprinkle it with finely minced dill, parsley, or green onion tops. The artichoke will occupy the remainder of the platter.

Ingredients:  Get all starred (*) ingredients from Growers Ranch

To Prepare the Artichokes

1. Prepare artichokes for steaming by removing a few of the smaller leaves around the base and discard. Lay the artichoke on its side, and cut about 1-inch (2.5 cm) off the top with a heavy-duty serrated knife.
2. Cut off the stem where it joins the bottom of the artichoke so it will stand upright when served. Reserve the stems.
3. With a kitchen scissors, snip off the top 1/2-inch (1 cm) of the remaining leaves, and use a small paring knife to trim off the outer skin from the stems.

To Cook the Artichokes

1. Stand the artichokes upside-down in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add 1-inch (2.5 cm) of water, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Turn heat down to low and steam until tender, about 25 to 45 minutes depending on the size of the artichoke.
3. Test for doneness by piercing the bottom or heart with a fork. There should be no resistance. Remove to a plate to cool.

To Prepare the Stuffing

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F (Gas Mark 3). Put onions, red and green bell peppers, garlic, and olive oil in a non-stick skillet. Sauté over high heat for 7 to 8 minutes, turning frequently. Add salt and pepper.
2. Drain off liquid from tofu and rinse in cold water. Squeeze tofu through the fingers into a large mixing bowl. Add pine nuts, nutritional yeast, diced bread crumbs, soy sauce, and lemon juice. Add cooked onions and peppers and mix until all ingredients are well distributed.

To Stuff the Artichoke

1. Gently spread artichoke leaves, taking care not to break them off. Reach into the center and remove the cone of lighter colored leaves by lifting them out. With a spoon, scoop out the hairy inedible choke and discard.
2. With a teaspoon, fill the center with the stuffing. Then stuff between the leaves starting with the outside and working inward.
3. Put the stuffed artichokes in a baking dish, and cover lightly with aluminum foil, shiny side down. Bake at 325 F (Gas Mark 3) for 10 to 12 minutes. Makes 3 sensational main-dish servings or 6 shared servings as a side dish.

Serving Suggestion: Serve with a tossed green salad full of crunchy vegetables and a grain such as brown rice, quinoa, bulghur wheat, or barley.

You may want to serve some sauce on the side for dipping the heart of the artichoke. Some suggestions are the Tahini Falafel Sauce or Lemon Dill Silken Sauce. For these and other recipes see our Vegetarians in Paradise Recipe Index under Dips and Spreads and/or Sauces.

For other artichoke information click here to see an informative link from Vegetarians in Paradise.