Stuffed Artichokes

Most people know about artichoke hearts, usually bought marinated in a tasty mix with olive oil. Artichoke hearts are just the tender center of the artichoke. Artichokes are actually the buds of a thistle plant that have not yet flowered.

In Malta it’s common to cook the whole artichoke and eat the soft part of the leaves.

Beware that the below recipe is not for everyone. Eating artichokes involves a lot of work for a tiny amount of ‘food’.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 artichokes
• Parsley finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves crushed
• Half a can of tuna in oil
• Half a carrot cut into small pieces
• The soft part of a loaf bread slice
• Pepper & salt
• Vinegar
• Olive oil

Method

1. Start boiling a pan with water, some olive oil and vinegar. The pan should fit your artichokes. The water level should reach till the middle of the artichokes
2. Mix the parsley, garlic, tuna and carrot
3. Wet the bread and add to the mix
4. Season to taste
5. Mix the mixture well
6. Stuff around 2 tablespoons of mixture into each artichoke

7. Place the stuffed artichokes in the pan
8. Cook for around an hour, starting with high fire and lowering it later on.

9. After an hour the artichokes are ready to serve. Just sprinkle with oil, vinegar and salt for some seasoning.

I usually serve artichokes with a boiled egg, potatoes, some veggies and the left over tuna. A piece of loaf bread with tomato concentrate (‘kunserva’) matches perfectly to the tastes.

How to eat an artichoke!

1. Take the leaves off one by one. The edible part is lighter in colour and located at the base of the leaf
2. Scrape off the tender bits of the leaf by putting the leaf in your mouth, closing your teeth on it and pulling the leaf outwards. The eatable part will detach from the leaf easily.
3. Discard the rest of the leaf
4. Continue until you reach the smaller center of leaves.
5. Pull off the center leaves. A hairy area will be at the bottom of these leaves.
6. Remove the choke with your fork/knife.
7. Eat the heart of the artichoke!