Stuffed Artichokes
Stuffed artichokes are a Giordano family staple, with each person adding their own twist to the classic recipe. My grandmother, Rose, remembers her grandmother, Rosa, making this delicious dish in her kitchen, and it is likely the recipe made its way over from Sicily.
Like all good family recipes, the ingredients are mostly estimates and based on personal experiences, preferences, or tastes. This recipe is structured with my grandparents’s recipe as the main guide with notes of how my father, Gary makes his different.
Some of my favorite memories of having stuffed artichokes are the competitions that would ensue. When Gary would make a batch, his father, Benny, would then have to make his own to prove that his artichokes were better and vice versa - leaving the family feasting on the leaves for days!
If you do not have them already, you will want to invest in some artichoke racks. I have made stuffed artichokes without having the racks by balling up aluminum foil and propping up the artichokes between the foil balls. It did the trick, but it resulted in some scorching and spilling.
Servings
This recipe makes approximately 12 servings. Serving sizes vary depending on the size of the artichoke, and a serving size is typically ½ and artichoke.
Time to Make
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Steam Time: 2.5-4 hours, depending on the size and tenderness of the artichokes
Cooling Time: 20 minutes, minimum
Total Time: 3.5-5 hours
Equipment
10-12 quart pot with lid (reduce the number of artichokes to fit whatever size pot you have)
Large mixing bowl
6 artichoke racks (1 per artichoke)
Ingredients
Scale the ingredients based on the number of artichokes used, which may be dependent on how many racks you can fit in your pot.
6 fresh, whole artichokes
When purchasing your artichokes, look for thick green leaves and freshly cut stems
Stuffing ingredients
6 eggs (1 egg per artichoke)
Benny and Rose typically use 1 egg per artichoke while Gary uses 1 egg per 2 artichokes
2 cups Italian style bread crumbs (Progresso is a good brand)
Gluten free option - Cento’s gluten free Panko Italian Style Bread Crumbs
½ - 1 cup grated parmesan and/or romano cheese
Gary uses 2 cups
¾ of an average sized bundle of green onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon or ¼ of a bunch of fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 head of garlic, finely chopped
A few dashes Tony Chachere’s
Multiple drizzles of olive oil (both in stuffing and after stuffed)
Additional Gary ingredients
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt (instead of Tony Chachere’s)
½ teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon paprika (will sprinkle some more over stuffed artichokes)
1 lemon, sliced into thin rounds
Benny Giordano stuffing artichokes.
Instructions
Boil eggs by placing them in a saucepan covered with water; bring water to a boil then reduce to low heat for 8 minutes. Drain water and add cool water, let soak for about 5 minutes before peeling.
Prepare the artichokes.
Cut off the top of the artichokes.
Clip the tips of the leaves off the artichokes.
Open up the artichokes by pulling the leaves out and away from the choke.
Submerge the artichokes in salt water and soak for 10 minutes.
Gary soaks for 30 minutes.
Remove the artichokes from the water and drain them upside down to empty any water out while preparing the stuffing.
Peel boiled eggs and chop into small pieces.
In a large bowl, mix together the stuffing ingredients. Sprinkle in olive oil and mix, making the stuffing a little damp by not saturated. The stuffing should be a crumbly consistency.
Stuff the artichokes.
Add 1-1.5 inches of water to the base of a 10-12 quart pot (water ratio does not change based on pot size).
Put the artichoke racks in the base of the pot and place the artichokes upright in the racks. Make sure the tip of the artichoke stalks are not soaking in the water when they are placed in the pot; the goal is to steam them, not boil.
Drizzle olive oil over the artichokes.
Remove an artichoke from the rack and hold it over the bowl of stuffing. Open up the artichokes again by pulling the leaves out and away from the choke. Start filling the artichokes starting from the center and working your way out. Pull the leaves back and push the stuffing all the way down as you go. Make sure to allocate an equal amount of stuffing for each artichoke so you do not run out before finishing the last one.
Place the stuffed artichoke on an artichoke rack.
Repeat until all artichokes are stuffed.
Sprinkle a light coating of paprika over the artichokes followed by a drizzle of olive oil.
Top each artichoke with lemon slices. Option to squeeze any excess lemon juice over the artichokes.
Place the pot over medium heat and steam for 2.5-4 hours or until leaves pull out easily. Check the water level periodically and add more if needed to avoid scorching.
Carefully remove the artichokes from the racks and wrap individually in aluminum foil (be careful not to burn yourself or spill the artichokes; we often use two large metal spoons to pull them out). Let sit for at least 20 minutes.
Buon appetito! They are good to enjoy at any temperature.
Artichokes soaking in salt water with tops cut off and leaf tips trimmed.
Artichoke stuffing mixed.
Artichokes stuffed and ready to steam.
Buon appetito!