Every month we feature a fruit or vegetable that is in season, along with a fun fact or recipe idea. We are currently working on a project, Citizen’s CAP, highlighting the importance of citizen involvement in agricultural policy to ensure healthy food and protection of our agricultural land. In a way, this is a continuation of a previous project, AgroKatina, through which we have published a report on the local fruit & vegetable supply chain. Find out more on www.foemalta.org/agrokatina, where you can also order a free copy of the pocket guide to seasonal fruit and veggies.
Stuffed artichokes are a classic Maltese recipe. They are usually stuffed with a variety of Maltese food staples: breadcrumbs, parsley, olives, capers, garlic and olive oil. Anchovies or tuna are also often added into the mix, but for a vegetarian variant we suggest adding some sun-dried tomatoes, which provide a kick of sour and salty flavour.
Stuffed Artichokes
Ingredients
- 4 large artichokes
- 4 slices Maltese bread crumbled
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 8 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 4 tbsp olives, chopped
- 2 tbsp capers, chopped
- A handful fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt & pepper
- Olive oil
Method
- Chop the olives, capers, parsley and sun-dried tomatoes and toss them together with the bread crumbs, garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
- Prepare the artichokes by trimming the stem and removing the outer leaves at the base of the artichoke. Then trip the top off the artichoke and cut off the prickly points of the leaves.
- Pry the artichoke leaves open and stuff between the leaves with the mixture.
- Place the artichokes upright all together in a large pot of water, on a simmering fire. Cover and steam for about 45 minutes, until you can easily pull out a leaf of the artichoke. Serve and enjoy!
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This article reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
This project is co-financed by the Ministry for Education and Employment (MEDE) and the Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Sport and Voluntary Organisation.