Italian Stuffed Artichoke
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Recipe by:
Serves: 4 to 6
Ingredients
Olive Salad Mix (Makes 4 cups)
  • 1 (10-ounce) jar green olives, pimiento-stuffed
  • 1 cup Italian black olives, pitted
  • ½ cup celery, chopped coarse
  • ½ cup carrots, chopped coarse
  • ½ cup cauliflower, chopped coarse
  • ½ cup jarred or fresh red pepper slices
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon capers
  • ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon celery seed
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Italian Stuffed Artichoke
  • 1 extra-large globe artichoke
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 (16-ounce) jar olive salad mix, such as Boscoli
  • 1 (15-ounce) canister bread crumbs, such as Progresso
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 fresh lemon, halved with seeds removed
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
Olive Salad Mix
  1. Place all ingredients in a food processor. Quick pulse until chopped but not pureed. Cover and refrigerate overnight and up to a week or more.
Italian Stuffed Artichoke
  1. In a large pot of boiling water, add the artichoke along with a pinch of salt and the lemon juice. Once the water returns to a boil, cover the pot, lower the heat, and let simmer until the bottom stem of the artichoke is tender when pierced with a knife, 30 to 40 minutes.
  2. Remove the artichoke and let drain top-down on paper towels removing as much moisture as possible. Let cool for stuffing.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, add the jar of olive salad mix. Add the entire canister of bread crumbs along with the Parmesan cheese. Add ½ cup of the grated mozzarella along with the black pepper. Squeeze 1 half of the lemon into the mixture and stir to combine all. A little at a time, add olive oil until the mixture has the texture of wet sand and you can pinch it together, and it will hold.
  4. Starting at the bottom of the artichoke, hold down the leaves with one hand and stuff the leaves full of the mixture. Working your way to the top of the artichoke, pull down each leaf to stuff it to the center. Any leftover stuffing should be added to the leaves to have an equal distribution. Add the remaining mozzarella cheese to the leaves and drizzle over a bit more of olive oil.
  5. Place the artichoke on a 2 large squares of aluminum foil and place on a baking tray. Bring the sides of the foil up to form a tent around the artichoke and pinch to seal. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes and remove. Let sit for 15 minutes before peeling back the foil. Squeeze the remaining lemon half over the artichoke, finish with a light drizzle of olive oil, and serve on a large platter with a separate bowl for discarding the leaves.
Notes
Prep time does not include making olive salad mix. My recipe is all about simple and cheap, so if you would rather buy an ultra-expensive Parmigiano-Reggiano and grate it yourself, then it will only be better. And the same goes for making your own bread crumbs or grating an expensive artisan mozzarella. The one area I wouldn’t skimp is in using a good quality extra-virgin olive oil for the finish. Use either plain or seasoned bread crumbs. If you do not intend to stuff the artichoke right after boiling, you should immerse it in acidic (lemon juice) water to prevent discoloration. I use the aluminum foil tent method for two reasons: It folds the leaves up to seal in the flavors, and it provides the steam necessary to melt the cheese and keep the ingredients from drying out. My recipe is for one artichoke, but I suggest making several because they will go fast and are just as good—or maybe even better—days later.
Recipe by Acadiana Table at https://www.acadianatable.com/2023/12/11/italian-stuffed-artichoke/