Ingredients:

  • 1 cup bread crumbs
  • 3/4 cup grated Italian cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

Wash artichokes; trim stems; cut off 1 inch at the top of each petal. Remove thick, outer leaves. Brush cut edges of leaves with lemon juice to prevent from getting black. Carefully spread leaves. Fill each leaf with filling. Place in a pot small enough so vegetables fit snugly and filled with about 1 cup of water. Steam vegetables for about 20 to 35 minutes or till a leaf pulls out easily. Serve hot or at room temperature.

There’s not too much to say about the artichoke recipes.  the stuffed artichoke is different than American recipes in that I add Italian cheese.  For the batter-dipped artichokes, you must use frozen vegetables and the batter is the same as for the cauliflower fritters.

As with all my fried foods, the secret is to keep the oil at the right temperature.  Do not let it get too hot and do not let it cool down.  Keep adding the vegetables or meat as one is removed.  this is important!