Braise, baby, braise! Artichokes are back.

Grazie Dio! Carciofi are back! The first few fall ‘chokes are back in the market. The spring harvest is about 5 times bigger than the fall, but at least now, we also have cardoons.
To celebrate, we had white wine braised artichokes.

Grazie Dio! Carciofi are back! The first few fall ‘chokes are back in the market. The spring harvest is about 5 times bigger than the fall, but at least now, we also have cardoons.
To celebrate, we had braised artichokes.

White Wine Braised Artichokes
1 choke per person, clean and prepped
1 lemon

Filling:
1-2 plum tomatoes
1 shallot
1-2 cloves garlic
3T grated cheese
2T bread crumbs
Olive oil, salt pepper

White wine, enough to partially submerge the chokes.

To clean an artichoke: Pull off the tough outer leaves and slice the artichoke down the middle. Using the tip of a sharp knife, carve out the downy thistles in the center. Rub all the cut exposed pieces with a cut lemon.  Peel the stem of the outer layer. Don’t throw the stems out! They are delicious.

For the filling:  Throw all the filling ingredients in a blender and puree for a few moments. Add enough olive oil that you get a loose, thick porridge consistency.

Place the filling into the artichoke heart cavity. Arrange the artichokes in a baking dish that has a cover. Add enough wine to come at least halfway up the sides of the choke.
Braise at 325F/165C for about 20 minutes or until the choke is soft. Serve with some of that white wine, a piece of cheese and a hunk of bread. Buon’appetito.