A Light, Delicious, Healthy Mediterranean Recipe: Stuffed Artichokes in Olive Oil

Ingredients

• (serves 4)
• 4 artichoke heads
• 1 carrot
• 1 cup peas
• ½ tea glass pine nuts
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons (tbsp) olive oil
• 1 tea glass water
• ½ teaspoon (tsp) sugar
• ½ tsp salt, black pepper,
• Dill to garnish

Preparation

First, cut carrot and potato into medium dice, cover with water and bring to a boil. After about 5 minutes, add the finely diced potato and boil until slightly softened, not fully cooked. In a pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil, sauté the boiled vegetables, peas, garlic, pine nuts and sugar for 1-2 minutes. Arrange artichokes in a pot, fill with the vegetables and drizzle remaining oil, salt and pepper over them. Add water, cover and cook until tender, adding more water if absorbed before they soften. Cool, squeeze lemon over and serve with dill. Enjoy

Artichoke

Artichoke (Cynara scolymus) is a perennial herbaceous daisy-family plant, 50–150 cm tall, with blue-purple flowers. Grown around Southern Europe and the Mediterranean, it is harvested in March. Stems are erect, strong, hard and longitudinally grooved. Large, elongated oval, divided leaves are stalkless. Flowers form large heads at the ends of long stalks arising from upper leaf axils. The fleshy flower base bears tubular flowers and intervening hairs.

Artichoke is among the oldest plants known to be cultivated for food. First grown in Ethiopia, it reached Europe through Egypt and became widely cultivated.

Ancient Greeks and Romans ate its leaves to aid digestion. In 16th-century Europe, it was considered a noble plant and eaten by royalty and the wealthy.

Choosing Artichokes

• When held by the stalk and gently shaken, the head should move
• Leaves should look green and fresh
• The stalk should be moist, not dried
• Begin cleaning by cutting head leaves without touching the fleshy portion. Then peel the stalk and adjacent head area like an apple. If not using the stalk, cut it off.
• Removing the head leaves reveals the hairy interior.
• Scoop it out with a corer or spoon.
• Rub with lemon to prevent browning.
• For stuffed-artichoke recipes, keep cuts away from the fleshy part when trimming leaves.
• If not cooking immediately, soak in lemon water to keep fresh, firm and unbrowned.

Artichoke Nutritional Value

• 100 gr. raw artichoke provides 53 kcal and is rich in fiber, vitamin A (13 IU), vitamin C (11.7 mg), potassium (370 mg), sodium (94 mg), magnesium (60mg) and calcium (44mg).
• Per 100 grams: total fat 0.2 gr, carbohydrate 11 gr, protein 3.3 gr, zero cholesterol and only 1 gr sugar.
• 100 grams of artichoke provide %22 of dietary fiber needs.
• Fiber-rich leaves promote bowel movements, ease defecation and prevent constipation.
• Rich in iron, artichoke is recommended for iron-deficiency anemia . 1 medium raw artichoke (about 128 gr, whole with leaves) supplies %9 of daily iron needs (1.6 mg). Extracts are therefore used in natural iron supplements recommended to support anemia treatment.
• “Splastic colon” is a common functional disorder causing indigestion, pain, bloating and difficulty passing stool. There is no definitive cure; symptoms closely relate to diet. Artichoke, alongside brown rice, whole grains, potatoes, fish, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and flaxseed, is recommended for symptom control.
• Leaves suppress production of HMG CoA-reductase, the main enzyme determining blood cholesterol. Studies suggest increased good cholesterol (HDL).
• Artichoke leaf has a diuretic effect.
• It may reduce reflux symptoms causing painful chest burning.

Mediterranean Cuisine includes artichoke as a valuable ingredient. Despite its benefits, remember it is only food, never a drug or medical treatment. This article presents scientific data on different Mediterranean Diet ingredients’ benefits, aiming to combine taste, enjoyment and a scientific view of what we eat and drink.