Stuffed Artichokes With Meat

Artichokes are a vegetable with a naturally almost lemony flavor. They are complicated to eat and I don’t have the patience to eat them leaf by leaf. I like to eat the bottom, which I find much easier to just purchase frozen rather than struggle with the whole thing, as well as that being the “meatiest’ part of the veg.

There are many different versions of meat stuffed artichokes but I find the lemon/parsley/garlic/water type enhances the lemony flavor so much that it’s almost bitter. Hence, I combine that version together with the tomato sauce version which you cook down for over an hour till it’s almost completely absorbed by the stuffed artichoke. This way, the lemony flavor is tempered and the bottom melds into this fabulous little cup to hold the meat and is elegant to serve as well.

I won’t lie, I buy the tomato sauce in a jar but I’m very careful to choose the kind that’s NOT pizza/pasta sauce overloaded with oregano. The sort I buy is a rich tomato sauce with mushrooms (although you don’t see a hint of a mushroom) but it’s not with an oregano tang, which turns the dish to a spaghetti and meatball type of flavor, in my opinion, a far less elegant dish.

Start with your frozen artichoke bottoms.

Make sure they don’t have those nasty hard bits, if they do, cut them off using a sharp knife. Then, you can fry them in a little oil, or boil them (which is what I did this time) for about 10 minutes. While this is happening, you can fry a small peeled chopped onion in some oil in a large frying pan where you will continue to cook the artichokes when stuffed. Take the onion and oil and place into a bowl with parsley, chopped meat, garlic, breadcrumbs and an egg and mix thoroughly.

Then stuff the drained artichokes with the meat mixture, mounding them.

Pour the jar of tomato sauce into the frying pan you already used and add the parsley, lemon juice, tumeric and crushed garlic, salt and pepper and olive oil to the mixture. Place the artichokes on top of the sauce and add enough water (1-2 cups) to come halfway up the artichokes. Bring to simmer, lower to low simmer and cover with the lid tilted and cook for approximately an hour or until most of the liquid has been absorbed and there is a reduced thickened sauce.

As you can see, the sauce “stains” the artichokes a bit and they should be very soft and succulent. Either pierce one with a toothpick or you might just have to eat one to be sure 😉 – DH is always willing to perform that job. If the chokes are still not soft enough, you should add a bit more liquid and cook them a bit longer.

The combo of lemony, garlicky (though mild) sauciness with the artichokes and meat will make you swoon. Serve with the remaining sauce from the pan scooped on top. An elegant dish and a delectable one.

Stuffed Artichokes With Meat

 

10-12 frozen artichoke bottoms (what is usually in a package), defrosted

1/2 kilo chopped meat, not too lean 

2 tablespoons chopped parsley 

2 tablespoons chopped fried onion (or one small onion, peeled, chopped and fried in two tablespoons of oil)

1 teaspoon crushed garlic 

1 egg 

1/2 cup breadcrumbs 

 
2 tablespoons chopped parsley 

2  tablespoons lemon juice 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1 16 ounce jar of tomato sauce, not pizza sauce

1-2 cups water 

1 teaspoon turmeric 

1 teaspoon crushed garlic 

Salt

Pepper 

Directions:

Take the defrosted artichoke bottoms and boil in salted water for 10 minutes and drain. They will not be completely cooked but that’s fine.

If you haven’t got frozen fried onion (I will post how to do that in the near future) take the chopped onion and fry in the 2 tablespoons olive oil. Mix into the chopped meat with the oil and add garlic, , breadcrumbs, egg and chopped parsley together into a smooth mixture. Pack evenly into the drained bottoms. Set aside.

Take the same frying pan and add the tomato sauce, chopped parsley, lemon juice, water to come up halfway up the artichokes, turmeric, crushed garlic a pinch of salt and pepper. Lay the stuffed chokes in the sauce and bring to a low simmer, covering them with a tilted lid. Cook approximately for an hour or till completely tender, only adding water if absolutely necessary and sauce is reduced. Serve with a scoop of sauce on top.