Baked Stuffed Artichokes

Serves 4 - 6 people

Ingredients

Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a medium bowl, stir together the Manchego cheese, panko, parsley, garlic, olive oil, and salt & pepper. Set aside.

Cut off the stems of the artichokes so they have a nice flat area to keep stable. Cut off about an inch from the top of each artichoke. Using kitchen scissors, cut off the tips of the outer leaves where there can be spikes. Squeeze the lemon juice over the cut parts of the artichokes to prevent browning. Use your finger to gently pull open the center leaves of the artichokes. Pull out the inner tender yellow artichoke leaves. Use a small metal spoon to scrape and scoop out all of the inner fuzzy choke. 

Place artichokes in a rimmed baking dish that will snugly hold them. Put some stuffing mix between each large leaf of the artichokes, as well as a generous amount in the center. Pour about ½-inch of hot water in the bottom of a baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil. Pierce the foil a few times with the tip of a sharp knife (to vent steam). 

Bake for 1 hour or until a knife easily penetrates the heart of the artichoke or you can easily remove one of the outer petals. (Depending on the size of the artichoke baking time can vary from 50 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes.)

Remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes to brown the stuffing. Transfer to serving dish and serve with melted butter or mayonnaise for dipping. Enjoy!