Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Carciofi alla Romana (Roman Artichokes)

We have moved to Italy a month ago. It has been a really busy time during the past year and so and I neglected my food blog. I guess I had a million excuses for doing that... but for heaven's sake... WE ARE IN ITALY NOW! The world-capital of delicious food. I don't have any more excuses. Wherever I go, whatever I eat is worth building a lasting memory. So, here I am again... after a long silence, I am ready to repent from the slack and resume my food journal. And since we now live in Rome, what better start than the original CARCIOFI ALLA ROMANA?

Roman artichokes are smaller and with no thorns. They are rounder and I would also say they might be a little more tender. We bought ten of them for 5 euros from a guy selling them from a truck parked on the side of the road. I would think this recipe would work for any kind of artichoke.

INGREDIENTS:
1. Fresh whole artichokes
2. Fresh parsley
3. Fresh garlic
4. Olive oil
5. Chicken broth
6. White wine (optional)

Remove a couple layers of outer leaves and cut about 1/4-1/2 inch from the top. Roll the artichokes on a hard surface until they become a little more lose and tender, enough to stuff them in the middle. Chop the fresh parsley and mince the garlic. Mix them and stuff a spoonful inside each artichoke. In a large pan, place oil, broth, and wine. Place each artichoke face down in the pan, cover and cook at low/medium heat until artichokes are tender (use a fork to poke them). Enjoy!