Entertain (Yourself?) in these still Covid times...

Here's to relaxed cooking with Stuffed Artichokes from Miss Maggie's Kitchen Relaxed French Entertaining by Heloise Brion (Flammarion, September 2020).

Stuffed artichokes

Serves 5

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

5 globe artichokes
3 lemons, preferably organic
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups (10½ oz./300 g) bread crumbs
Leaves of 3 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped
Leaves of 3 sprigs fresh basil, chopped
1½ cups (5¼ oz./50 g) Parmesan, grated
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

1. Cut off the base and the top 1¼ inches (3 cm) of each artichoke and remove the tough outer layer of leaves.
2. Grate the zest and squeeze the juice from 2 of the lemons. Set the zest aside and pour the juice over the artichokes to prevent browning.
3. Steam the artichokes for 20 minutes and let cool.
4. Meanwhile, juice the remaining lemon, then sauté the garlic in a skillet over medium heat with a small amount of olive oil and a pinch of salt. When the garlic begins to color, stir in the lemon juice, bread crumbs, parsley, and basil.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper, stir in the lemon zest, and remove from the heat.
6. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/Gas Mark 4). Remove the inner leaves from the center of each artichoke and scoop out the chokes with a teaspoon.
7. Stir the Parmesan into the bread crumb mixture, then stuff this filling into the cavity of each artichoke, packing some between the leaves as well. Sit the artichokes close together in a single layer in a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, and bake for 15–20 minutes, until the artichokes are completely tender and the bread crumbs golden.

       Serve hot or warm.

For more from the author, visit her Miss Maggie's Kitchen website

(* Reprinted from Miss Maggie’s Kitchen by Heloise Brion -Flammarion, September 2020- Photographed by Christophe Roue)