Garlic Parmesan Baked Artichoke Halves

Artichokes look intimidating until you have trimmed one or two, and then they become one of the more satisfying things to cook. What you are eating is actually the flower bud of a thistle. The leaves are tough on the outside, but the base and the tender inner leaves are where the sweet, nutty flavor lives. That is why this recipe asks you to pull off the outer leaves and scoop out the fuzzy choke before anything else happens. Once you have done it a time or two, the whole job takes about as long as making a salad.

A small tip from my own kitchen: keep a bowl of water with a squeeze of lemon nearby while you trim. Cut artichoke turns brown quickly when the flesh meets the air, and the lemon in the boiling pot does the same job for the halves once they go in. Give the halves their full five minutes in the pot. They should be just tender enough that a knife slides in, but still hold their shape. If they feel soft and floppy, they will be hard to fill and will collapse a little in the oven.

The stuffing is simple and forgiving. Two slices of whole wheat bread turn into crumbs that soak up the olive oil and garlic, and the Parmesan gives it a salty finish that goes well with the artichoke. Pressing it in firmly makes a difference, because loose crumbs fall out as the halves cook. If you have leftover stuffing, it keeps well in a sealed container in the fridge for a couple of days and makes a nice topping for roasted vegetables or a bowl of soup.

These halves are good warm from the oven, but they are also very pleasant at room temperature, which makes them easy to bring to a potluck. Leftovers can be reheated gently in a low oven so the crumbs stay crisp rather than going soft in a microwave. For a light meal, serve two halves alongside a plate of sliced tomatoes and cucumbers dressed with lemon. If you want something more filling, Herb Crusted Baked Cod Fillets pairs nicely, since the herbs and crust echo the parsley in the stuffing. A bowl of Baked Portobello Mushroom with Spinach Stuffing would also make a cozy companion on a cool evening.

Whatever you serve alongside, let the artichokes be the star. They are generous, a little rustic, and they ask for nothing fancy. A cold glass of sparkling water with lemon and a few sprigs of parsley is all you really need.