INGREDIENTS
artichoke(s)
breadcrumbs
one egg per artichoke
parmasean cheese (green can ok)
parmasean or romano cheese (not canned please!)
golden raisins
pine nuts
crushed garlic
olive oil
bacon fat or anchovy paste or extra olive oil
one lemon per artichoke

PREPARE ARTICHOKE(s)
trim thorns from leaves with scissors
steam each artichoke until bright green
dunk in cold water to stop cooking
using your fingers to hold the center leaves of the artichoke open, use a spoon to gently scoop out the spiny “choke” leaving the “heart” intact.
use water to rinse the center of the artichoke of all spiny choke debris
place artichokes upside down to drain excess water

PREPARE STUFFING
add to bowl and mix:
breadcrumbs of any sort (if purchasing them in a can, i buy the italian seasoned ones. one large can will usually be enough for 4 small artichokes. loosely cubed stale french bread will also work if you add your own desired seasonings like parsley, oregano, sage, salt, pepper)
add about one scrambled egg per artichoke
parmasean cheese (this is one of the only recipes where i’ll use the stuff in the green can. but use a LOT of it)
golden raisins
pine nuts
crushed garlic (optional)
olive oil
bacon fat/ anchovy paste/ more olive oil (optional)
mix together until a loose moist consistency is formed. it should still feel somewhat crumbly. you don’t want it to be doughy paste.

STUFF IT
beginning with the outer layers of the artichoke use a spoon to peel back leaves and force stuffing down into the artichoke. proceed around the artichoke spiraling upward and inward. when you reach the center leaves, hold them open and pack the center, all the way down to the heart with stuffing. mound the stuffing all the way to the top, level with the tops of the center leaves. when you are finished it should look like a fat flower. drizzle with olive oil. squeeze a lemon over the artichoke. garnish with a lemon slice over the center stuffing mound.

COOK IT
bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees (F) until breadcrumbs have thoroughly browned.
remove from oven and sprinkle some good cheese (not from the green can here) either parmasean or romano over the leaves. bake again very briefly until the cheese wilts and melts but does not brown.
it is easier to make several of these at once than one at a time. they refrigerate and reheat well in either a microwave or foil covered in an oven or toaster oven.

EAT IT
remove from oven and let cool. eat by pulling leaves and using your teeth to scrape the stuffing and bit of heart from the leaf edge. discard tough part of leaves. eat main portion of the heart and center stuffing with a fork.