Artichokes with Garlic and Parsley Sauce

          

My mum used to make this recipe very often.  We just loved it, because it was quite easy to make and because it was like eating "pipas" (sunflower seeds).
Now, I would like to ask a question. Are the sunflower seeds an important snack in your countries? Well it is in Spain. If you're watching a football game , if you're watching a film at home, if you're hanging out with friends, seating  in the park and you're spanish, for sure you will be eating "pipas". I think it's a quite dirty custom, 'cause the people that eat them, usually throw the husk to the floor and don't  sweep afterwards...but that's another story...

Now my artichokes. I added mushrooms, because I love mushrooms, but you can  make the recipe without them .

I use 2 artichokes per person. But it really depends on how big they are. Here,in Spain, they are quite small, but I've seen them in England, in the USA and in France, and they are amazingly huge! I was wondering, do they taste good?

Recipe:

4 artichokes and  their little trunk
1 or 2 garlic cloves
200gr of mushrooms
1/2 cup parsley
1 liter of boiling water
150gr of breadcrumb
2 dry consomme cubes
3 tablespoons of olive oil

In a deep saucepan, add the olive oil, and just before it starts boiling add the garlic and parsley minced.
After 2 min add the mushrooms and sauté. Add the breadcrumb and stir well so that it doesn't stick to the bottom, and add the water. Slow to medium heat. Add the dry consomme cubes (or salt if you prefer)

Now is the moment of adding the artichokes, but before, open them a bit from the center (so that the sauce will get to the heart). Close the saucepan and cook for 3o or 40min. It usually gets sticked to the bottom, so stir from time to time.
You can have them with rice or with my favourite, cous cous.

* To eat this, you must tear the leaves, one by one, and with the front teeth drag the part of the leaf that's nearer the heart. I think this sounds a little complicated...But it's the way of eating this because the leaves will be to hard to eat them completely. So that's why I  compared them to "pipas" you eat them one by one, till you get to the heart and you eat the whole of it.   Ok, if you don't understand this (and that woudn't be strange) email me, and I'll try to send you a photo of my teeth doing a simulation...wow! It sounds like you have to do a Master's degree to eat this, ijijiji ;))

C 'est Tout! Bon Appétite!

Comments

[Rufus]

Horseradish Sauce Recipe:
Ingredients: sour cream, grated onion, prepared horseradish, salt... view the recipe
http://www.horseradish-sauce-recipe.w8w.pl

[Raquel]

I have eaten canned artichokes but never fresh. Mostly because I wasn't for sure what to do with them. I am glad that you described how to eat them because I probably would have tried to eat the whole leaf! Ha! I can't wait to try this recipe to experience this.
For sunflower seeds, I find them to be popular, but not as much as peanuts and cashews are. To me it sounds like it would be the equivalent to popcorn here in the US. The only time I have used sunflower seeds is when I add them to a salad and, like Paz, we buy them already shelled.

[tattum]

Hi Alanna! First of all, I love your name!! And second, thanks for stopping by! It's funny, here in Spain, we only have this type of artichokes. I always remember those big ones I saw in USA.

Thanks, Escargot gourmand, for the info! I was really curious!

Hi Fran! Nice to read from your again! So you're also regular consumers of sunflower seeds, that's interesting!! And you're from Arizona??Wow! to me that's a really exotic place! ;))

Hi Paz! It's better to have this meal with no guests, you end up licking your fingers!! jijiji
;))

Besos to all!!

[Alanna]

Artichokes may be the one vegetable I've never cottoned to ... but this treatment is bookmarked for next spring, once the little artichokes are back in the market again. Thanks!!

[escargot gourmand]

Hello!
I wanted to answer some of your questions: in France, sunflower seeds are not commonly eaten. You can buy them only in bio-markets... We do rather eat chips, nuts (cashews, peanuts...) etc. The artichokes are really big around here, so that I do not think that I could do your recipe in France as the leaves are also harder than those of your smaller artichokes... Life is hard...

[Fran]

The artichokes look delicious! Will definitely try this. To answer the sunflower seed question--we love them in the U.S.,at least where I live-Arizona. I agree about the shells. Many of us like to buy them shelled and those are quite popular and a lot less messy.

[Paz]

this looks like another good meal! Another meal that I'd like!

Paz