Greek Style Stuffed Artichokes

Recipe by The View From the Great Island

Greek Style Stuffed Artichokes with a delicious herb and feta cheese stuffing are a super healthy Mediterranean appetizer or a light spring meal.

Ingredients

• stuffing
• 2 tbsp olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• 1 large clove garlic (minced)
• 1 generous cup bread crumbs (I make my own with stale bread)
• 1 tbsp fresh minced rosemary
• 10 marinated Greek olives, pitted and finely chopped
• ½ tsp salt
• lots of fresh cracked black pepper
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 tbsp finely grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup feta cheese
• lemon
• artichokes
• 2 large artichokes (I used Frieda's purple Fiore Viola)
• 2 lemons

Method

1. Set oven to 350F
2. First make the stuffing. Heat the olive oil and butter in a skillet and saute the garlic and pine nuts for a few minutes.
3. Add the bread crumbs to the pan, along with the rosemary, olives, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Saute for about 5 minutes until everything is nice and toasty.
4. Take off the heat and mix in the Parmesan cheese, and then toss with the feta and lemon zest.
5. Prepare a large bowl of water and squeeze the juice of 1 lemon into it. Throw in the leftover lemon after it has been squeezed. You can use them to rub the cut parts of the artichokes as you work.
6. Working with one artichoke at a time, trim the stem end of the artichokes so they will sit nicely in a baking dish. Use a large sharp knife to trim off the tops of the artichokes, maybe about 1 1/2 inches from the top.
7. Use a small spoon to scoop out the inedible parts, the purple leafy bits and the hairy chokes. This will leave you with a cavity. Sprinkle the cut edges with lemon juice to prevent browning as you work. Put the finished artichoke cut side down, in the lemon water.
8. Set a steamer basket in a large pot and fill just to the bottom of the basket with water. Bring the water to a boil and steam the two artichokes for about 15-20 minutes.
9. Remove the artichokes and set them, face up, in a baking pan.
10. When they are cool enough to handle, use your fingers to gently open the leaves and layers for stuffing. Fill the main cavity of each artichoke with the stuffing, and let the extra fall into as many layers and leaves as you can.
11. Drizzle the artichokes with a little bit of olive oil and lemon juice. Pour 1/2 cup water in the bottom of the pan, cover loosely with foil, and bake for about 25 minutes. Be sure to check for doneness, because artichokes can vary a lot in size and density...a small sharp knife should pierce the bottom of the artichoke easily.
12. Eat hot from the oven, with lemon wedges on the side.

View the recipe instructions at The View From the Great Island