Rosie Makes Stuffed Artichokes.

Mr. Hawthorne and I found some very nice artichokes at Harris Teeter.

I sliced off about an inch from the top. And I cut straight across the pointy leaf tips, except I missed one on the right.

I sliced each artichoke in half and shot pictures of the pretty. What you want to do next is cut out that fuzzy choke and the purple. leaving the meaty heart and the outside leaves.

I halved it again, slipped my knife between the choke and the heart, twisted it up ...

... and nicely removed the inedible parts.

I covered the artichokes with water and squeezed in the juice of one lemon and threw in the lemon. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 45-55 minutes, until the leaves pull off easily. Now for my stuffing.

I pulled apart 1/2 loaf wheat bread into 1/2 inch cubes and toasted the pieces.

My ingredients: 
2 Roma tomatoes 
3 garlic cloves
 zested lemon
 juice of one lemon
 about 1 TB capers
 about 1/3 cup Italian parsley leaves 
about 1/4 cup basil leaves
about 1/4 cup mint leaves
 about 3 TB olive oil

Juice of one lemon, zest, and minced garlic.

I minced the parsley, basil, and mint.

Added the herbs to the lemon juice, zest, and garlic. And the capers.

I do not like skins on my tomatoes. So I dropped them into boiling water for about 10 seconds.

Let drain.

Then you can easily peel the skin right off.

Next, reach inside the gel pockets with your left hand, and squeeze seeds and gel out with right hand.

Chop the tomato pulp.

And add to the lemon juice/zest/garlic/caper/herb mixture.

Mix well.

Add in the olive oil.

I decided to put in some minced red onion. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Right before serving, toss in the toasted bread cubes ...

Arrange artichoke quarters on plate.

... and ladle stuffing over artichokes.

I never thought I'd like anything better than a butter-lemon sauce for artichokes, but this has superceded that. The flavors are all there. It's fresh. It's green. It's lemony. It's tomatoey. I love the crunch of the toast with the smoothness of the artichoke. It's all love here.