Stuffed Artichokes

After making these I don't know that I will ever make artichokes any other way again.  I loved these.  Even if I don't use the same filling, cooking them this way makes it much easier and faster.  I usually cook the whole artichoke in a pot of boiling water and it takes forever.  Figuring out when they are done is also difficult so I tend to overcook them and then they fall apart. Cooking them this way allows you to tell very easily when they are done. 

Ingredients: 

Salt 
2 large artichokes 
1 large lemon 
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp olive oil 
3 cloves garlic, minced 
2 tbsp anchovy paste 
1/2 cup black olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
2 tbsp capers, drained and chopped
1/4 to 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese


Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.

Cut the lemon in half. Cut the artichokes in half lengthwise and using a paring knife remove the chokes.  Trim the ends of the leaves with scissors to remove the spikes. Rub the cut sides with lemon.  Add the lemon juice and the lemons to the pot of water, add the artichokes. Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the artichokes are tender. You can test for this by using the tip of the paring knife. Allow to drain completely in a colander. 

In a heavy skillet heat the butter and olive oil. Add the garlic and anchovy paste and stir, then add the artichokes face down.  Cook for 5 to 6 minutes to get a slight brown on them.  Turn over and cook another 4 minutes. 

Preheat the broiler. 

Arrange artichokes cut side up in the skillet and fill.  

To make the filling: in a small bowl mix together the black olives, capers, breadcrumbs and cheese. 

Cook under the broiler only a couple minutes to get a nice brown crust on them. Serve immediately. 

I make my own breadcrumbs.  I always keep good quality multigrain bread in my freezer. I remove a couple of pieces and allow them to defrost. Then I remove the crust, cut them up into small pieces and put them in the food processor and pulse until I get the desired crumb.