Stuffed Artichokes With Red Quinoa and Brillat-Savarin Cheese
By: Socal Sustenance
Published: Wednesday, December 23, 2009 - 9:25am

Ingredients




2 mediums artichokes
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, finely chopped
8 ounces red quinoa
16 ounces chicken stock
2 scallions, chopped
3 ounces Brillat-Savarin Cheese (or similar rich creamy cheese; b
1/2 large red onion, diced
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan Romano cheese

Preparation

1 Soak quinoa in warm water for 15 minutes. 2 Rinse artichokes in running water for 1 minute each. Remove base petals that are small or discolored. Slice off stem close to the base. 3 Boil 4 inches of water in a deep saucepan. 4 Reduce heat to a simmer and add artichokes, salt, pepper, lemon juice, tarragon and 2 diced garlic cloves. 5 Cover and let simmer for 25-30 minutes, until petals near the middle can be easily pulled out. 6 Transfer artichokes from pan to a baking rack, turning upside down to drain and cool. 7 Rinse quinoa and pour chicken stock in small saucepan. Simmer on medium high heat and add rinsed quinoa. Cover and let simmer 25-30 minutes on medium heat. Add additional chicken stock if liquid boils off before its cooked. 8 Add diced red onion, scallions, cheese, and 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan to cooked quinoa and thoroughly integrate. 9 Separate layers of artichoke petals and place quinoa between them. 10 Sprinkle artichoke with remaining Parmesan and bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown.

About


My curiosity got the best of me again on my latest trip to the market. Wandering through the produce department consistently piques my interest more than any other part of the store. Placed at the end of one aisle was a display of vibrant California artichokes. Their magnetic pull drew me in like a woman walking by a shoestore... some forces are just too strong to fight. The artichoke's unique texture, boundless preparation options and appealing look makes these members of the thistle family an attractive produce prospect. I've done my fair share of consuming artichokes, but have never had the pleasure of preparing them.
Perhaps my naive enthusiasm got the best of me when I spotted these verdant veggies, because I had no idea how to choose a good artichoke. For the record, you should be able to cleanly snap off a petal when selecting an artichoke; flimsy petals that bend when pressed are old and lack moisture. They should be a bright, unblemished green without scratches, scrapes or punctures. Two lucky victims were chosen, and the wheels of artichoke preparation were put in motion. For those like myself uninitiated to the artichoke world, more useful information can be found here.
Stuffed peppers are a favorite dish of mine, so I thought I would take a stab at stuffed artichokes. Quinoa stuffed roasted peppers with boursin cheese, raisins and almonds are a creation that I have come to love, so I thought a variation on this would be tasty.