I saw a woman at the vegetable stand buying two large, purple, globe artichokes. Because I had never cooked a purple globe artichoke, I asked her how she planned to prepare it. She replied, “You have to cook them.” Sotto voce: “Dumb bunny American!” I replied, “Thank you.” Sotto voce: “Ignorant French cow!” We smiled at each other artificially as we parted.
I bought two also because I like artichokes and though not the same color as our California artichokes, I thought they looked interesting. I don’t really care for stuffing the artichokes with bread crumbs; it’s okay but I think it’s some how too bulky. I found this great recipe at Food Republic that I changed very little. When you fill and broil the artichokes, you end up with a golden crust that you break open to access the rich bubbling sauce in which you dip the leaves. This very same sauce trickles down and through the whole artichoke. By the time you arrive at the heart, you feel a swoon coming on 🙂
I do recommend that you remove the choke before steaming the artichokes. You don’t want it in the way when you are savoring the artichoke heart with this totally decadent sauce. Although the artichoke preparation is a little fiddly, this is an easy recipe and well worth the trouble.
Artichoke with Brie de Meaux Sauce
2 large globe artichokes
1 large pan of cold water
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 lemon slice
1 bay leaf
1 large garlic clove, smashed
4 ounces brie de Meaux
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 egg yolk, beaten
1/2 cup parmesan, grated
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
2 tbsp crushed almonds
Almond flakes
Cut off the tips of the outside leaves in an attractive manner. Cut off the stem so that the artichokes can sit level in the baking pan. Remove the soft leaves at the center of the artichoke until you can reach and scrape out the choke. Place the artichokes in the cold water with the lemon juice.
Bring to boil about 2 inches of water with the lemon slice, garlic clove and bay leaf. Place the artichokes in a steamer basket, cover and steam for 30 minutes. Remove and drain, top side down in a colander.
Over a low flame, melt the brie in the cream. When smooth, turn off the flame and add the egg yolk, 1/4 cup of the parmesan, thyme and almonds. Stir until well blended.
Place the artichokes in an oiled baking pan, fill the artichokes to over flowing with the sauce, sprinkle with the rest of the parmesan and a few almond flakes, then broil until golden brown.
Cooking in Sens 
absolutely beautiful!!
Thank you dish 🙂
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Thank you Alex.
Beautiful Food Photo
Thank you Manny.
Your Welcome!
Gorgeous. This is something I’d rather eat at your table than make in my own. I literally have no clue how to eat an artichoke whole like this, which is ridiculous, I know.
Hi Amanda. I grew up in California eating artichokes. They are easy; you just steam or boil, then remove each leaf with your hands and pull the soft flesh from the leaf with your teeth. Good.
I’m swooning already – those are to die for 😉
Thank you Dog. You have to try this!
Can’t wait to try this!!
Thank you Michaelene.
And good luck!
Reblogged this on Recipes For You 2013 and commented:
Delicious way to serve artichoke…looks wonderful…
Wonderful recipe….great way to serve and cook artichokes…Thank you
Thank you lady. I really enjoyed making them.
Oh this looks like food heaven! I love artichokes, but like you, not crazy about the breadcrumb stuffing. These look divine and I shall absolutely try this recipe. Thanks for sharing Rosemary!
Thank you Karista. The sauce was marvelous.
I don’t usually eat artichoke, but this recipe looks wonderful (not to mention those are some gorgeous-looking artichokes!).
Thank you gwynnem. When I saw the lady with them, I coveted 🙂
Always wanted to “stuff” an artichoke for that very reason you mention…sauce trickles down and through the whole artichoke…YUM! I had to chuckle about your exchange with the woman at the vegetable stand! 🙂
The French amuse me to no end 😀
I do adore artichokes, but have never stuffed one… I alway steam them and then take apart and enjoy the leaves with a dipping sauce. But this looks divine and worth all the fiddling to get the choke out in advance! 🙂
Thank you bits. An artichoke doesn’t need much. I’ve eaten them with just salt and pepper.
I’m growing Purple artichokes this year on the allotment – I want to see how they fair in comparison to their green cousins. I wonder if they taste different, or should I not worry and just focus on the brie……
They do taste different from the California artichokes but not in a bad way 🙂
What a funny exchange you had over artichokes! Can’t say I’m very patient with people who don’t share recipes. Anyway, the artichokes around here (California) come from Salinas. No purple ones–as far as I know. Love the rich color of purple. Would like to try those.
I was just talking about the color with my son. The better thing about the green ones is that after they are cooked, they still retain some of the green color. I like that.
This is beautiful! I love this for company.
I thought the same thing! And might make some for this Sunday’s lunch.
Looks truly fantastic, Rosemary – wonderful! A beautiful ingredient!
Thank you Frugal. I also want to try some of the small ones again.
i LOVE artichokes! i usually simmer mine in lemon pepper water and serve them with drawn butter. they are also fabulous when roasted in a wood fire.
Roasted sounds great! Thanks for the idea.
Looks really delish!
Thank you Adelaide.
This sounds AMAZING! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you Jess
Damn. I think I feel a swoon coming on now!
😀
Stunning pics and delicious sounding dish! I have food envy!
Thank you Trix 🙂
Lol. Did you ever read Bill Bryson’s book about retreading his youthful travels round Europe? There’s a great exchange in it in a French bread shop where he’s doing his best to speak French to Madame to little avail (in front of an audience of queueing women) which ends with “and then they all looked at me as though I’d farted in their handbags”. The artichokes look fabulous and I love the idea of the sauce trickling through. Yum.
Love the quote 😀 Exactly right! Thank you. The trickling sauce nearly did me in 🙂
This may be the best artichoke recipe I’ve seen.
That’s exactly what I thought!
Wow! Visually stunning and what a great use of the artichokes.
http://www.khoasinclair.co
Thank you Khoa.
Very tasty looking indeed.
Thank you Conor. This is now a favorite!
looks delicious! I couldn’t help chortling a little at the instruction to ‘cut off the tips of the outside leaves in an attractive manner’. Posing like a supermodel perhaps? With pinky fingers extended? Please excuse my undisciplined sense of humor!
We have to laugh Trish. I enjoyed writing that 😀
Rosemary, you’re killing me. I just finished dinner an am having a nice glass of aged rum when I stumble decide to check out your blog. I really need to do this in the morning when I can still go shopping. My panko crusted halibut with citrus butter and green beans seems flat compared to your recipe. Baby Lady is going to love this recipe and I actually have 3 beautiful artichokes in the fridge waiting to be cooked, She loves brie AND artichokes so this will definitely be tomorrow’s dinner. It’s a match made in heaven (kinda like Baby Lady and me 🙂 ). Thanks for sharing this post. It really will be dinner tomorrow.
Bon appetit Richard! Baby Lady while love this!
“will”
OK, we made this for dinner tonight. Baby Lady’s comments were “I would fix this for company any time. Wouldn’t you?” “This is so good.” “I really like this.” Let’s save the leftover sauce for breakfast tomorrow.” Needless to say, it was an exceptional success. I would love to post on it but food posting is on hold for a while until life calms down a bit. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful dish. 🙂
These looks so fabulous!! I can’ wait to try these!!
Thank you Cecile.
Wow, these look awesome. And I needed a new way to make artichokes. Not that I tire of my standards since artichoke season is so short, but I do like the idea of adding to the arsenal.
Thank you Greg. I’m looking forward to doing something with the small ones.
What a fantastic recipe, Rosemary! I’ve been checking my artichoke plants every few days already, and now I am getting even more impatient. May have to resort to buying some in the market to try this out 🙂
It was good Midi! Maybe you should get one or two from the market while waiting 🙂
I think I’m going to have to – the plants show now signs of putting up flower shoots, and I can’t wait that long :-)!!
Ready to swoon and am chuckling at the conversation you had! These wonderful, crazy Andalucians won’t eat artichokes that big – they pick them small and only eat the hearts. Every so often I manage to track some down like this and the next time I do I’ll be making this. Of course…I’ll make sure to “cook” it first 😉
It’s that very French attitude; “American? Only knows about hamburgers.” 😀
Reblogged this on yogabodyandmindblog.
That sounds and looks wonderful! I love the idea of the bubbling hot sauce directly in the middle of the artichoke! Genius!
And when you get to the heart of the artichoke, it’s heaven!
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