2013: The Year of the Artichoke

For those of you that have been following my blog for a while now, you know that I love a good food of the year (FOTY). I explained how this process began last year as part of my 2012 FOTY triumph. Basically, I pick a food every year that I want to like but currently don't and spend the year learning to love it. 

This year, I picked the artichoke. Unfortunately, unlike last year, it took me some time to work up to it. My hesitation was driven partially by fear, but mostly by my absentmindedness whilst at market. Unlike some of the more popular fruits and veggies, artichokes are relatively hidden at market, making it difficult for me to remember that I want to try one! I took a baby step in the direction of artichoke eating with this yummy dip back in March, but still cooking with the real thing eluded me. Finally, last week, I remembered to buy a full artichoke. Let the experimentation begin! 

Buying the artichoke was just half the battle. I then had to decide what I wanted to do with it....the options runneth over. After spending some time on my idea boards (also know as Pinterest) I came up with my first artichoke recipe:

Stuffed Artichoke with Orzo and Veggies

Ingredients

• 1 medium artichoke (roasted)
• 1/4 cup orzo 
• 1/3 cup red bell pepper, diced
• 1/3 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1/3 cup green bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
• 1/4 cup mushrooms, diced
• 2-3 garlic gloves, halved
• Feta cheese (for sprinkling on top)
• Lemon juice (2-3 Tbsps)
• Olive oil (for drizzling)
• Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425F

2. Wash and prep artichoke for roasting. I found this process to be super helpful for my first go-round at artichoke roasting. My spin on the process through photos:

Wash and prepare for cutting

Chop top of artichoke off

Gently spread out leaves and insert garlic halves

Place on a piece of foil and drizzle with olive oil and sea salt 

Wrap artichoke in two pieces of foil to avoid any leaks

Bake for 35 minutes or until tender

3. While artichoke is baking, cook orzo according to directions on package

4. Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet or wok, then stir fry peppers, mushrooms, and onion until tender and onions are lightly browned

5. Toss cooked orzo with veggies and season to taste

6. Remove garlic cloves from artichoke once finished baking. Remove artichoke heart and spread leaves apart to create a hole in the middle of the artichoke

7. Fill artichoke with orzo-veggie mixture and top with feta before serving

Pure deliciousness ensued

FOTY 2013 officially conquered!