A Month of Side Dishes: My Italian Artichoke Heart

It wasn’t until I was 23 years old and living in New York City that I ate an artichoke that wasn’t stuffed with Italian breadcrumbs, garlic, Parmesan and olive oil. It never occurred to me that it could be prepared any other way.

I was taking an acting class and my scene partner was most definitely a WASP (I say that with affection). She lived on the Upper East Side in a beautiful spacious apartment with a library and paintings on the walls.  One evening she invited me to join her, her husband and son for dinner. She emerged from the kitchen with a porcelain tray filled with delicate, lovely cold artichokes, served with a lemon dipping sauce. I was at a loss as to how to eat them but imitated my hosts, put on my best demeanor and focused on the hearts.

In contrast, let me tell you that artichokes were a messy passion in my family.  They were my father’s favorite food and we even named our black Labrador retriever “carciofo” (artichoke), "Cioffi" for short.  Every Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter meal (and occasional Sunday) included a huge platter filled with stuffed artichokes. When I was very little the holidays were well-attended, at least 25 people. Even when we ate at my Aunt Phil's house, my mother was in charge of the artichokes. She’d have a couple of pots going at the same time in our kitchen and she'd let me test the leaves to see if they were ready. She’d cart a Pyrex dish filled with drippy, delicious artichokes and carry them at her feet in the front seat of the car so that they wouldn’t spill. We ate every part of them- even the “tough” leaves and the stems. As we devoured the artichokes, unsightly piles of discarded leaves piled up on the sides of our plates. To this day, a holiday never feels complete without artichokes. And an artichoke never feels quite as tasty if it isn’t stuffed Italian-style.

Yesterday wasn't a holiday, but I was inspired to make artichokes. They were the perfect accompaniment to a Sunday family dinner of "ronies" and sauce. This is what you'll need if you want to try the same thing next Sunday:

• Medium-sized globe artichokes
• Dried bread crumbs (I use Whole Foods 365 brand Italian Style bread crumbs) - Approximately 1/2 cup per artichoke
• Grated parmesan cheese
• Chopped garlic
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Garlic salt

You'll have to experiment with amounts. That's part of the fun. For instance, I love a lot of garlic. I add a clove for every artichoke I cook. But my mother doesn't add that much. Mix the stuffing and taste it until you are happy with the way it tastes. You might even enjoy some variations on these basic ingredients; I am eager to try this recipe that uses olives and pine nuts.

Most instructions for preparing artichokes suggest removing the tough outer leaves. I never do. There is some tasty meat in those outer leaves and I don't want to miss out on a morsel. For me, eating an artichoke is akin to eating a lobster; I don't mind working hard for the reward.

Begin by laying the artichoke on its side and cutting off the stem at its base with a sharp knife. I reserve the stem to cook later.

Next, use your knife to cut about 1/2 inch off the top.

Use a sharp scissors to cut off the prickly, pointy ends of the leaves.