MAKES 4
Most kids beg for chicken nuggets, mac ‘n’ cheese, or for their dad to stop eating so many beans. My sisters and I used to beg our mom to make artichokes. Whenever I think of eating an artichoke, I think about being outside on a gorgeous day with a glass of wine, leisurely putting each succulent leaf into my mouth. It’s so glamorous to eat an artichoke! And it’s a little bit sexy. You feel like you’re breaking the rules when you’re eating an artichoke. Even better, when you buy them in season, they are delightfully priced.
4 large artichokes
2 lemons
11/2 cups bread crumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 teaspoon each salt and pepper
5 cloves garlic, minced
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Cut off the top 1/3 of each artichoke and cut off the stem to create a flat bottom. Remove all the tough leaves from the outside and snip off the prickly bits with kitchen scissors. Rub the artichoke with the juice from one of the lemons to prevent browning. Open the leaves of the artichoke with your thumbs, spreading the leaves apart so you can place the filling inside.
In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, 1 cup of cheese, parsley, salt and pepper, garlic, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix until combined.
Place the artichokes in a medium baking dish. Sprinkle mixture over and inside the artichokes, moving the leaves around to get the mixture in between the leaves. Pour boiling water about 1 inch up the sides of the artichokes.
Spray a piece of aluminum foil with oil. Cover the baking dish tightly with the foil, oil side down. Bake for 45 minutes or until a knife pierces the bottom of the artichoke easily.
Remove from the oven and heat the oven to broil. Remove foil from the artichokes and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Place under broiler for 2 to 3 minutes to brown.
Serve with lemon wedges.