Stuffed Artichokes! Just like grandma made… well almost.
As a child Christmas time was always filled with great anticipation of Santa bringing gifts. But it was my grandmothers Christmas Eve feast that really made me crazy!! My cousin and I would talk for months about what we would eat that night. The pasta, the cookies, the fish and the stuffed artichokes!!!!!!! Filled with bread crumbs and goodness. I would go through every last leaf making sure not to leave a morsel behind. Of course now a bread crumb packed ANYTHING is a bit of a problem. It doesn’t have to be a memory of the past though. I have found some great gluten free, dairy free options out there to make this a realistic choice today. Of course these days I make bread crumbs from my home made bread (and I promise those recipes are coming) but for now the gluten free options in the store are worth making this dish!
As always I’m constantly thinking of the nutritional value in the foods and recipes I recommend and WOW are these packed with so many health benefits! Artichokes are loaded with antioxidants, they lower cholesterol, improve liver function and are a great digestive aid – which we all need. And for me, they simply taste great and remind me of Christmas back at my grandmothers table waiting to hear Santas’ sleigh bells on the roof.
Grandma’s Stuffed Artichokes
Ingredients:
4 artichokes
1 cup gluten free bread crumbs (I used Gillian’s Original Bread Crumbs, gluten AND dairy free)
1 healthy bunch of parsley chopped small (about 2 tbls)
5 medium mushrooms, cleaned, remove bottoms and chop small
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove
Directions:
1. Rinse artichokes and cut bottoms off so that they are flat on bottom to stand. Also cut about 1/2 inch off top. Discard any brown leaves as well.
2. In a large bowl with a rim add bread crumbs, chopped onion, parsley, mushrooms, salt, and pepper and mix till combined.
3. Add olive oil a bit at a time to mixture stirring as you go. When the bread crumb mixture is well coated with olive oil start to stuff the artichokes, carefully pulling back the leaves.
4. Artichokes are now ready to steam! If you do not have a steamer, then in large saucepan (with a steamer plate or without) pour in a cup or two of water so that 1/4 of the bottoms of artichokes are covered.
5. Peel and place one clove of garlic in the water.
6. Drizzle tops of artichokes with some more olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and put heat to medium.
7. When water starts to boil turn down heat to low.
8. Cook for about 30 minutes. To test when done you should be able to pull a leaf off easily. YUM!!!
These look delicious! I think we will have them Christmas Day- thanks for sharing!
Jennifer, Thanks for sharing your stuffed artichoke recipe. They sound delicious. I can’t even begin to imagine how your diagnosis of celiac disease changed your life. You must have been overjoyed to have a diagnosis, and overwhelmed all at the same time. Your passion to educate the public through your blog is inspiring. Keep on blogging!
Love your recipes, thank you!! Never stop writing…You have a gift.
I appoligize for the lengthy comment….
Well, I thought I was the only one who loved stuffed artichokes ….as much as I do. The story my italian american mom always loves to tell is, when I was about 3yrs old we were in the grocery story and I ask for an artichoke and a lady passing stopped in shock and said ” did that baby just say artichoke”!
I could barley pronounce my colors or my sibilings names but clear as day I could ask for an artichoke. And olives, and pepperoni etc
After a few years of feeling awful and helpless , and just back from a trip to Italy. That left me feeling chronicly exhausted and sick, my sister a nutritionist suggested I cut out gluten!
Well, hallelujah finally after all the doctors and their bills and years of ugh.
I can start to feel normal again.
Yet, missing the meals and dishes I grew up has been rough.
I do my best and recreate the food I miss. I love making pizzas and breads!
So thank you for this recipe and your story . It reminded me of my family and our food!
With a grandmother from Sicily we had stuffed artichokes for holidays. We used bread crumbs, grated Romano cheese, green onions, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil. As I’ve evolved with technology, I now use a food processor and found that an oval crock pot will cook them (3 to 31/2 hours on high) without having to baste. Mmm…Mama mia!
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My grandmother only stuffed the hearts and even if they were delicious, they didn’t look as smart as yours…