Skip to Main content
Create logo
Sicilian Artichokes 2 Ways: Gourmet or Good Enough

Sicilian Artichokes 2 Ways: Gourmet or Good Enough

Donna Cianciola (with Diane Delia), a top-18 winner in the Create Cooking Challenge: My Family Recipe, offers two takes on a Sicilian staple: artichokes.

Recipe Ingredients

  • Stuffed Artichokes
  • - 4-6 medium size artichokes
  • - 2 cups bread crumbs
  • - 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
  • - 2-3 cloves minced garlic
  • - ¼ cup chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
  • - Salt and Pepper to taste
  • - Olive Oil
  • - Lemons
  • - ½ stick butter
  • Artichokes with Dipping Sauce
  • - 4 to 6 medium size artichokes
  • - ½ cup mayonnaise
  • - ¼ cup sour cream
  • - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • - 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • - 1 garlic clove, grated
  • - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • - Salt to taste
  • - Chives, for garnish

Recipe Instructions

To prepare artichokes:

- Slice off the stem so the artichoke stands upright. Pick off the lower leaves and discard. Cut off about ½-inch from the top of the artichoke. Use kitchen scissors to snip the tips of the outer leaves so that they have flat edges.

- Fill a large bowl with cool water and a sliced lemon. Add the trimmed artichokes to the lemon water to keep them from turning brown. Allow to soak for 10 minutes and then swish to clean. Drain.

Stuffed Artichokes

- Follow the directions to prepare artichokes. Drain

- In a large saute pan, heat 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil.

- Add the breadcrumbs and minced garlic and saute on medium heat until the breadcrumbs are toasted golden brown. Be sure not to burn.

- Remove from heat and add the Pecorino Romano cheese, chopped parsley and salt and pepper.

- Filling one artichoke at a time, spread the leaves with your hands and fill the mixture between the leaves. Place upright in a deep Dutch Oven or heavy pot with a tight fitting lid.

- Once all artichokes are filled and placed in the pot, add enough water to reach the bottom of the leaves (approximately 1-2 inches). Add the sliced lemons and drizzle olive oil on the tops of the artichokes. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and allow to steam for 45 minutes to one hour. Periodically check to make sure the water does not completely boil away, adding more water if needed.

- Serve with melted butter and lemon juice.

Artichokes with Dipping Sauce

- Place the trimmed, cleaned artichokes in a pressure cooker filled with a lemon/water poaching liquid. Follow manufacturer’s instructions for pressure cooking. Cook for 20 minutes or until tender.

- To make the dipping sauce, in a serving bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic and salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly and refrigerate until ready to use. Garnish with chives.