Stuffed Artichokes with Peas and Dill

These stuffed artichokes are so filling and are great if you want to ‘wow’ your guests without spending hours in the kitchen.

The flavourful and tender artichokes are perfectly complemented by the veal filling and bright green peas and fresh dill. I love pairing this one with my Persian walnut salad and my favourite dessert - hazelnut spread brownies!

I love incorporating artichokes into my dishes because they are low in fat yet rich in fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. The trick to simplifying this dish is to buy artichoke bottoms from the grocery store instead of doing it yourself - it saves so much time and they taste just as great! Sometimes I struggle to find them in my grocery store, so I’ve linked them HERE in case you can’t find them.

Stuffed Artichokes with Peas and Dill

INGREDIENTS

• 250 g. veal

• 1 medium onion, chopped 

• 1 large egg

• 1 tsp. ground allspice

• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 3 tsp. chopped parsley 

• 2 tbsp. almond flour

• ⅓ cup olive oil

• 2 bags of frozen artichoke bottoms*

• 1 cup all-purpose flour, for coating the artichokes 

• 500 ml organic low sodium vegetable broth

• 6 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 1⅓ cups frozen peas

• ⅓ oz.  dill, coarsely chopped

• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 

NOTE:
*You can substitute frozen with canned artichoke bottoms

INSTRUCTIONS

1. For the meat mixture, combine the veal, onion, egg, spices, parsley & almond flour, and mix well.

2. Fill each artichoke bottom with 1-2 tbsp. of the meat mixture; make sure to press the filling in. Then, gently roll the bottoms in some flour, coating lighting and removing any excess.

3. Once the artichoke bottoms are prepared, place the olive oil in a saucepan wide enough to hold the artichokes lying flat, and heat over medium heat. Once hot, fry the artichokes in hot oil for 1-2 minutes on each side. Make sure to watch them closely so they don’t overcook! Once the artichokes are done, wipe the pan clean and return the artichokes to the pan, arranging them flat and snug side by side. 

4. In a medium-sized bowl, mix the broth, lemon juice, and the remaining oil. Season generously with salt and pepper and stir until well combined. Ladle spoonfuls of the liquid over the artichokes until they are almost, but not completely, submerged (HINT: You may not need all of the liquid!). 

5. Place a piece of parchment paper over the artichokes and cover the pan with a lid. Simmer over LOW heat for about 1 hour, until the artichokes are tender and there is around 4 tbsp. of liquid remaining in the pan. If you’ve added too much liquid, simply remove the excess with a spoon. Let the artichokes cool on the side.

6. While the artichokes are cooling, bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the peas for 1-2 minutes. Once finished, drain them and add the peas and dill to the pan with the artichokes. Gently mix everything together. Plate and sprinkle additional fresh dill on top to garnish, et voilà! 

TIP: If you have extra artichoke bottoms, they can be used similar to artichoke hearts (i.e. in salads, snacks, as appetizers, or in other side/main dishes).

BON APPETIT!

Photography by: Patricia Brochu