1

ABOUT THE RECIPE:

I adore artichokes! I have loved ‘em since I was a little girl. These Cashew Stuffed Artichokes are festive and filling with cashews and sunflower seeds showcased in a flavorful stuffing. I like to serve this colorful dish as a first course, or they do double duty as a luncheon entrée.

Makes 8 first course servings, or 4 main dish servings

2

INGREDIENTS:

1 can (26 to 28 ounces) diced tomatoes, with juice
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 slices whole-grain bread, torn into chunks (use gluten-free if needed)
⅓ cup chopped raw or roasted cashews (see note)
¼ cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil, or 1 teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
¾ cup diced fresh tomatoes
4 medium trimmed artichokes, cut in half, cooked and cooled (or chilled) with choke removed (See instructions for cooking and preparing artichokes, below.)

3

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the canned tomatoes with juice over the bottom of a 9- x 12-inch (or similarly sized) casserole dish. Sprinkle the minced garlic evenly over the tomatoes

4

Put the bread, cashews, sunflower seeds, basil, Italian seasoning, and salt in a food processor or blender and process into coarse crumbs. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl. Add the olive oil and stir to combine. Add the fresh tomatoes and gently stir, until thoroughly combined.

Stuff each artichoke cavity with about one-eighth of the cashew/sunflower seed mixture. Arrange the stuffed artichoke halves on top of the tomatoes and garlic in the prepared casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 minutes, or until the top of the stuffing is golden brown.

5

To serve, put some of the tomato sauce from the bottom of the casserole dish on each individual serving plate and top it with 1 stuffed artichoke half (see note). Serve warm; or cover, refrigerate and serve chilled.

NOTE: If preferred, replace the 1/3 cup cashews with chopped pecans or walnuts. Alternately, you can use an additional 1/3 cup of the roasted sunflower seeds in place of the nuts.

NOTE: If you are serving the artichokes for a luncheon or supper entrée, serve 2 halves, per person

6

HOW TO COOK AND PREPARE THE ARTICHOKES FOR THIS RECIPE:

To trim and clean the artichokes, start by cutting off the top 1/2 to 1 inch of each artichoke to remove the spiky tips. Cut off any remaining spiky tips with kitchen shears. Trim away the tough edges of the stem. Rinse each artichoke under cold running water, spreading the leaves to rinse out any residual dirt or sand.

To cook the artichokes, fit a steamer basket into a deep, medium-sized saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Add 2- to 3-inches of cold water. Add the artichokes, making certain they are standing partially upright. Cover and bring to a boil. Steam the artichokes until crisp tender, for 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool 20 to 30 minutes, or cover tightly and refrigerate (up to 24 hours) until you are ready to stuff them.

Once the artichokes are cooked and cooled, cut the artichokes in half vertically. Scoop out the fuzzy center choke with a grapefruit spoon or teaspoon. If you are cooking the artichokes ahead of making this recipe, tightly cover wrap the artichokes and refrigerate for up to 1 day before preparing this recipe. Proceed with recipe as a directed.

Ingredients

Directions

1

ABOUT THE RECIPE:

I adore artichokes! I have loved ‘em since I was a little girl. These Cashew Stuffed Artichokes are festive and filling with cashews and sunflower seeds showcased in a flavorful stuffing. I like to serve this colorful dish as a first course, or they do double duty as a luncheon entrée.

Makes 8 first course servings, or 4 main dish servings

2

INGREDIENTS:

1 can (26 to 28 ounces) diced tomatoes, with juice
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 slices whole-grain bread, torn into chunks (use gluten-free if needed)
⅓ cup chopped raw or roasted cashews (see note)
¼ cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil, or 1 teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning blend
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
¾ cup diced fresh tomatoes
4 medium trimmed artichokes, cut in half, cooked and cooled (or chilled) with choke removed (See instructions for cooking and preparing artichokes, below.)

3

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the canned tomatoes with juice over the bottom of a 9- x 12-inch (or similarly sized) casserole dish. Sprinkle the minced garlic evenly over the tomatoes

4

Put the bread, cashews, sunflower seeds, basil, Italian seasoning, and salt in a food processor or blender and process into coarse crumbs. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl. Add the olive oil and stir to combine. Add the fresh tomatoes and gently stir, until thoroughly combined.

Stuff each artichoke cavity with about one-eighth of the cashew/sunflower seed mixture. Arrange the stuffed artichoke halves on top of the tomatoes and garlic in the prepared casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 minutes, or until the top of the stuffing is golden brown.

5

To serve, put some of the tomato sauce from the bottom of the casserole dish on each individual serving plate and top it with 1 stuffed artichoke half (see note). Serve warm; or cover, refrigerate and serve chilled.

NOTE: If preferred, replace the 1/3 cup cashews with chopped pecans or walnuts. Alternately, you can use an additional 1/3 cup of the roasted sunflower seeds in place of the nuts.

NOTE: If you are serving the artichokes for a luncheon or supper entrée, serve 2 halves, per person

6

HOW TO COOK AND PREPARE THE ARTICHOKES FOR THIS RECIPE:

To trim and clean the artichokes, start by cutting off the top 1/2 to 1 inch of each artichoke to remove the spiky tips. Cut off any remaining spiky tips with kitchen shears. Trim away the tough edges of the stem. Rinse each artichoke under cold running water, spreading the leaves to rinse out any residual dirt or sand.

To cook the artichokes, fit a steamer basket into a deep, medium-sized saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Add 2- to 3-inches of cold water. Add the artichokes, making certain they are standing partially upright. Cover and bring to a boil. Steam the artichokes until crisp tender, for 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool 20 to 30 minutes, or cover tightly and refrigerate (up to 24 hours) until you are ready to stuff them.

Once the artichokes are cooked and cooled, cut the artichokes in half vertically. Scoop out the fuzzy center choke with a grapefruit spoon or teaspoon. If you are cooking the artichokes ahead of making this recipe, tightly cover wrap the artichokes and refrigerate for up to 1 day before preparing this recipe. Proceed with recipe as a directed.

Cashew Stuffed Artichokes
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