Commercial Artichoke Harvest

[barnhardt9999]

Usually by April I can find 2 for $3 at the grocery store. This year I haven't seen any artichokes at any price. Did something happen to the harvest this year?

[gumbo2176]

I found them at that price here in New Orleans a few weeks ago and bought 6 of them to stuff. I'll stuff 4-6 of them at a time at least 4 times a year since they are a hit with the wife and daughter.

These past 2 weeks I've harvested 8 off my 3 huge artichoke plants in the garden and have several more maturing now.

I've seen them going as high a $4 each earlier in the year, but that was for chokes as large as softballs and looking picture perfect.

[GardenGnome]

What do you stuff them with?

[gumbo2176]

What do you stuff them with?

I make a stuffing that is heavy in garlic, Italian bread crumbs and Parmesan Cheese.

This is how I do it for 4-6 artichokes, depending on size of the chokes.

Finely mince at least 6 toes of garlic per artichoke.
Mince one large onion.
1-8 oz. container Parmesan cheese
18 oz. Italian Bread Crumbs
Olive oil

First I cut the top 1/4 off the choke with my chef's knife, then using a pair of kitchen shears, cut the tips of the remaining leaves to remove the sharp point. Submerge the chokes in cold water to clean. To do this, I gently pull the leaves outward working this in a circular motion from the outer leaves to the inner ones as to not tear the apart and swish them in the water to remove any dirt. After I'm satisfied they are as clean as I can get them, I'll turn them upside down and shake out the excess water and place them on a towel upside down to finish draining while I make the stuffing.


Making the stuffing:

Take 1/4 cup olive oil, put it in a heavy pot and cook down the onion for a couple minutes until slightly wilted. Next add the garlic and cook down for a couple minutes more and shut off the fire. You just want this lightly cooked and not browned.

Transfer the onion, garlic mixture to a large mixing bowl and add the bread crumbs, Parmesan Cheese and enough olive oil so that the mixture is still grainy but will bind when squeezed in your hand.

To stuff the artichokes, start at the outer bottom leaves. Gently pull the leaves away from center and using your hand, layer some of the stuffing into the space where the leaf meets the choke. I generally try to get enough stuffing to go halfway up the leaf. Repeat this process all the way around the choke and get as many leaves as possible this way. As you get closer to the center the leaves get more difficult, but with a bit of patience, it can be done. Once the leaves are stuffed, the choke will be at least 2x the size you began with. Cut a nice slice of lemon and place this on top of the choke. Wrap the choke in aluminum foil to refrigerate and later cook.

Cooking the chokes:

I use a wok with a steamer tray but any steamer will work fine. Open the top of the foil to expose the top of the choke. Place it in the steamer and get it to a medium boil. I find if I let it steam for about 1 1/2 hours the choke is done. To test for done, pull on one of the leaves and it should come off with just a bit of resistance. The steaming process will moisten the stuffing, cook the leaves enough that you can eat the stuffing and pulp portion of the leaf where it attached to the choke by using your teeth to scrape the leaves.

I will be making some of these today since I opened the paper and found chokes on sale at a local market for $.79 each. These do freeze well if you prepare too many. With my wife and daughter, there can never be too many.