Stuffed Artichoke with Tomatoes and Panko

Instructions

1. ARTICHOKES: Trim the stems of the artichokes, leaving about 1/2 inch and be sure to cut straight to allow the artichoke to stand upright on its own. Rinse the artichoke under cold running water to be sure to remove any sand.
2. Using a very sharp knife, slice about 1 inch off the top, and then use scissors to cut the top off of each leaf.
3. Place artichokes in a large kettle of boiling salted water. Add the whole garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon of the EVOO, and 1/2 cup of white wine.
4. Cover and cook the artichokes for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until tender and a leaf can be easily removed. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the artichokes.
5. Remove them very carefully with a large slotted spoon and place them upside down on a rack to drain and bring to room temperature. Also, remove the garlic and set aside for the stuffing.
6. STUFFING: Cut the tomatoes in half, removed the seeds and then dice into 1/4 inch pieces. Chop the cooked garlic cloves. Mix the diced tomatoes with the garlic and mix in the chopped herbs, the salt and pepper, 2 tablespoons of the EVOO, and the lemon juice.
7. Stir in most of the bread crumbs. Check the consistency, and stir in more if needed. The stuffing should be fairly stiff. Finally, add in the Parmesan and/or Romano and the proscuitto if desired.
8. ASSEMBLY: When the artichokes have cooled, turn them over gently and pull open the leaves from the center of each artichoke, being careful to leave the artichoke intact. Pull out the leaves from the very center and carefully scrape out the fibrous choke with a teaspoon and discard.
9. Spoon some of the stuffing into the center of each artichoke and then spoon a bit more here and there between the leaves, trying to distribute evenly. You will use about 1/3 of a cup for each artichoke. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of EVOO, and sprinkle a little more lemon juice if desired just before serving.
10. Serve at room temperature or you can chill them. Do not hold them at room temperature longer than 3 to 4 hours.
11. These artichokes will look like a beautiful and colorful flower. Sprinkle with a little freshly diced Basil for decoration. Serve with a "bone" bowl to discard the eaten leaves.

• Servings : 6