Sun Dried Tomato & Feta Stuffed Artichokes
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Whole artichokes stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes, crumbled feta, fresh basil, and garlic, then braised in a Dutch oven until tender. A showstopping vegetarian side dish that’s worth every minute.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
60 minREADY
1⅔ hrsThere’s something deeply satisfying about pulling leaves off a beautifully stuffed artichoke and scraping each one clean with your teeth.
These whole artichokes get packed with a Mediterranean filling of crumbled feta, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, and garlic. Then they braise in chicken broth and lemon juice until knife-tender, with the braising liquid doubling as a dipping sauce.
Yes, it takes some prep to clean the artichokes. But the payoff is a showpiece side dish that looks like it came from a proper Italian kitchen.
Pro Tips
- Use a melon baller or grapefruit spoon to scoop out the fuzzy choke cleanly. Don’t skip this step.
- Stuff from the center outward, tucking filling between the outer leaves near the base where it stays put.
- Save every drop of that lemony braising liquid. It’s liquid gold for dipping the leaves.
- Choose artichokes that feel heavy for their size with tightly packed leaves for the freshest pick.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F.
To prepare stuffing: Combine breadcrumbs, feta, tomatoes, basil, garlic, salt, pepper and oil in a medium bowl.
To prepare artichokes:
Cut off the top 1 inch of leaves from an artichoke.
Remove the outer layer of small, tough leaves from the stem end. Snip all remaining spiky tips from the outer leaves.
Cut off the stem to make a flat bottom.
(Discard the stem.)
Starting at the outer layers and progressing inward, pull the leaves apart to loosen.
Pull open the leaves at the center until you see the spiky, lighter leaves around the heart.
Pull out those lighter leaves to expose the fuzzy choke.
Scoop out the choke with a melon baller or grapefruit spoon and discard.
Repeat this step with the remaining artichokes.
Spoon ½ cup stuffing into the center of an artichoke.
Stuff an additional ½ cup stuffing between the outer leaves, toward the base, using a small spoon.
Repeat with the remaining artichokes and stuffing.
Divide any remaining stuffing among the artichokes.
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add broth and lemon juice; bring to a simmer.
Carefully stand the artichokes upright in the pan.
Drizzle each artichoke with 1 teaspoon oil.
Cover, transfer the pot to the oven and bake until tender when pierced down through the center with a knife, about 50 minutes.
Uncover and continue baking until the stuffing is slightly browned, about 10 minutes more.
Remove from the braising liquid and serve.
Use the braising liquid for dipping if desired.
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