Roman Style Baby Artichokes

What makes these Roman style is the mint in the stuffing. A great dish for the start of Spring, when the artichokes are just babies and the mint is pushing through the newly thawed ground. Not only an appetizer – these make a welcome change as a side dish like no other.

I call this my micro-mint. Purple from the still-cold weather and random blanketings of snow, the little buds emerge with a light mint flavor and add a  freshness to not only these artichokes but to salads and spring soups as well. Pushing away the dirt and finding these little gems is like greeting an old friend I’m so happy to see after a long and icy winter. And they rather remind me of artichokes with their tightly wrapped purple and green leaves!

 

The only lengthy part of this dish is preparing and cooking the baby artichokes…..the stuffing is quick and simple. Figure three whole baby artichokes per person when preparing this as a side dish;  for an appetizer one or two depending on what else is being served.

To Prepare Baby Artichokes For Stuffing:

Trim all of the tough, heavy outer leaves from the artichoke until you reach the pale yellow interior leaves. Trim the top third of the artichoke away with a knife, then trim any rough bits from the stem and bottom.

Once all the tough bits are trimmed away, cut the artichoke in half , rub with a cut half of a lemon, and add to a bowl with enough water to cover, to which the juice of the other half a lemon has been added. This will prevent any discoloration from oxidization. When cut in half, check the choke for any rough fuzz as well….just remove the fuzz and any tough inner leaves.

Put in pot with enough water to cover, a good dash of salt and some freshly grated black pepper. Simmer, partially covered with a lid for about 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain. Prepare the stuffing.

Roman Artichoke Stuffing: Serves four as a side dish, 3 baby artichokes per person

• 2 tablespoons plain dried bread crumbs (I use panko)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
• 1 large clove garlic, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all of the above ingredients, check for seasoning, then put a little mound inside each halved and cooked baby artichoke. Place in a 350 degree oven, covered, for 20 minutes. Switch on the broiler, drizzle the artichokes with a little more olive oil and place under the broiler for just a few minutes, or until lightly golden brown on top.

 

Serve with fresh lemon wedges, and as an optional garnish, some freshly grated parmesan cheese when they come out. Enjoy!