Ricotta and parsley stuffed artichokes

"After all the trouble you go to, you get about as much actual "food" out of eating an artichoke as you would from licking 30 or 40 postage stamps." - Miss Piggy

True enough. But the small amount of edible artichoke heart you find in each artichoke is delicious. And, globe artichokes are beautiful to look at. As a result, when I passed them recently at our local market, they soon found their way to the centre of the dining table.

 

Artichokes are actually a thistle. Globe artichokes are picked before they flower, but the flower buds are inside the artichoke. Referred to as the choke, this part is inedible and needs to be removed. For advice on preparing artichokes, including a demonstration on how to remove the choke and the inedible outer leaves, see You Tube.

Once the artichokes are prepared, there is very little work in this dish. It’s fresh and simple. It would make the perfect lunch, side dish, or entree, at a dinner party.  

Recipe

(serves two)

4 globe artichokes

4 tablespoons fresh ricotta

Juice of once lemon

Handful of chopped parsley

Ground black pepper

Olive oil

2 cloves garlic (I used smoked garlic, but you can also use unsmoked)  

Step 1. Prepare the artichokes, removing the outside leaves and the choke. Rub with lemon juice once they are prepared, to prevent from browning. Cut the artichokes in half and lay on a roasting tray. Drizzle with olive oil generously. Roast at 180C for 10mins, with the grill on if possible.

Step 2. While the artichokes are roasting, mix the ricotta, finely chopped parsley, lemon juice, and chopped garlic in a bowl.   

Step 3. Remove the artichokes from the oven. The artichokes will hve begun to chargrill, with the thin leaves darkening. 

Step 4: Spoon the ricotta mixture into each artichoke half, dividing evenly among the segments. Add another generous drizzle of olive oil. Place back under the grill for 10 minutes. 

Healthy and delicious broccoli and feta salad

I heart broccoli. It’s true. It’s green, good for me, and I often crave it. Broccoli is apparently one of the healthiest foods around, a “nutritional powerhouse.” Eating it makes me feel quite virtuous. I prefer broccoli steamed, to retain the powerhouse of nutrients, and because to me it tastes better. 

This salad is super simple, extremely tasty and takes less than ten minutes to make. I often have it for lunch on a weekday, but it’s also attractive enough to serve as a warm side dish at a dinner party. This salad also chills well and makes an excellent, colourful and nutritious addition to any BBQ. At this time of year though, I prefer my broccoli warm and straight from the steamer.

When buying broccoli make sure it’s crisp and bright. Avoid any broccoli that is a little saggy, or has lost its vibrant colour. And if you can, buy organic. Here’s the recipe.

Recipe

(Serves one hungry person, or two as a side dish)

One large head of broccoli

25grams Greek feta cheese

One small red pepper

15 black Greek olives

Juice of one lemon

Glug of olive oil

Ground black pepper 

Step 1 – Bring a medium size saucepan to the boil, and cover with a steamer. Chop the broccoli into florets and drop into the steamer. Using a pair of tongs, move the broccoli around every minute or so to ensure all of the florets are steamed. You’ll see the broccoli change colour from a dark green to a vibrant green. After five or so minutes taste a floret. When the broccoli is ready, it will taste crisp, but not raw. 

Step 2 – While the broccoli is steaming, chop the feta and slice the peppers. Mix the lemon juice with a glug of olive oil.

Step 3 – Transfer the steamed broccoli to a bowl. Stir in the peppers, feta and olives. Pour over the olive oil and lemon juice mixture and add ground black pepper to taste. Enjoy!