Steamed, Stuffed & Roasted Artichoke Recipe

Have you always wanted to cook an artichoke but were too intimidated to take it on? Steamed, Stuffed & Roasted Artichoke Recipe is a super easy recipe to try. In just a few simple steps you will have your artichokes steamed, stuffed and roasted. My personal favorite is to simply steam the artichoke and dip each leaf in a yummy sauce. But, my daughters favorite is the "overly" stuffed artichoke with tons of garlic & breadcrumbs. I will share both recipes and you decide which is your favorite!

When and How to Choose Artichokes

California artichokes are available through out the year but the peak season is in the spring months March - May and then again in October.

When purchasing, choose artichokes that are firm and have tightly packed leaves. The stem will be slightly brown but it shouldn't be dry or slimy. It's fine if the leaves have a few brown spots.

Place the steamer basket in a large pot with enough water to reach the bottom of the basket, but not flowing over. Add 1/2 tablespoon thyme, 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon peppercorns and a few slices of lemon in the water.

How to prep an artichoke

• Squeeze half a lemon into a bowl and set aside
• With a sharp knife, cut off the bottom of the stem and then top 1-inch of the top of the artichoke
• Pluck off and discard any of the lowest leaves near the stem
• Trim off the pointy tops of the outer artichoke leaves (they can be pokey), with a scissor
• Spread leaves apart under running cold water to clean
• Dip the bottom of the stem in lemon juice & squeeze a little on top (keeps the artichoke from browning), place in steamer basket
• If possible, remove the center leaves (to make a little more room for stuffing in the middle) *See Note
• Repeat until each one is done

*Note - sometimes the leaves are a little too tough to pull out before steaming so just pull them after (these are usually the least desirable leaves to eat)

Steam the artichokes for approximately 30 - 45 minutes, dependent on the age of the artichoke. You will know it's ready when you can give a leaf a little tug and it comes off.

Need a little more instruction - click here to see video!

Artichokes - steamed or stuffed?

This is definitely a personal choice, but try both ways and decide for yourself!

While the artichoke is steaming you can prepare the (1) sauce or (2) breadcrumb mixture.

(1) Steamed Dipping Sauce - simply mix plain yogurt, dijon mustard, chopped shallots, lemon juice, sea salt and pepper

(2) Stuffed Breadcrumb Mixture - Mix Italian style bread crumbs with olive oil, crushed garlic cloves, parmesan cheese (optional)

When the artichokes are finished steaming, they are ready to be served with the dipping sauce. Just peel them leaf by leaf, dipping and sliding thru your teeth. When you reach the heart of the artichoke, scrape away the fuzzy choke part, cut the heart into bite size pieces, dip and enjoy the best part of the artichoke!

For stuffed artichokes, remove the artichokes from the steamer and individually stuff each artichoke with the breadcrumb mixture by spreading the leaves apart. Once done, place in a baking dish, cover and roast at 375 ° for 15 minutes (last 5 minutes uncovered).

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