Southern Italian Baby Artichokes.

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 5
• 12 baby artichokes
• 2 lemons
• 4 mashed garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• salt
• black pepper
• extra virgin olive oil (lots)

Recipe

• 1 juice 1 lemon into large bowl filled with cold water. add remnant lemon also.
• 2 set bowl of water next to prep area.
• 3 juice 1 more lemon set juice aside.
• 4 take each artichoke and remove top few layers of dark green leaves exsposing slightly lighter more tender leaves underneath.
• 5 snap off artichoke long stems.
• 6 with kitchen shears cut up 1/2 inch of the top of artichoke. add to lemon water, otherwise they will darken.
• 7 boil enough water to cover artichokes with second lemon juice.
• 8 once boiling add artichokes for 10 minutes.
• 9 preheat oven to 400°f.
• 10 strain and pat dry.
• 11 in metal pot, large enough to hold artichokes snuggly heat 1 tblsp oil and 4 cloves of mashed garlic over low to medium heat, allow to become tender.
• 12 set artichokes stem side down into pot, make sure they are snug.
• 13 add enough olive oil to reach halfway up artichokes.
• 14 bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes. ( leaves should pull away fairly easily when done).
• 15 once cooked discard most of oil, leave enough to toss to coat and season generously with pepper and salt add 1 handful 1/2 cup of italian bread crumbs.