Valentine ‘Chokes
Introduction
This is Mama Miche, and today in my magic kitchen: Valentine'choke
No, I didn't just reveal my kinky side… or did I?
When it comes to food, there are a few that are considered aphrodisiacs. Oysters, strawberries, honey, and avocados are among them. One of my favorites, though, is the artichoke—and not just the heart. I'll eat the whole damn thing, steamed, dipped in melted butter with Twice Stolen Spice™.
They take a long time to cook unless you use one of the greatest kitchen inventions ever: the Instant Pot. It takes hours off cooking times for some foods. A small artichoke steams in 5 minutes. A large one stuffed with this incredibly decadent seafood stuffing takes 15 minutes! This brings me more joy than it should.
Seafood stuffed artichokes were one of the first dishes I cooked for the hubster when we had just started dating. I was playing at the music festival that he co-produced in Memphis, and it took place before his birthday. I wanted to make an impression so I had wardrobe changes with each course, and each course consisted of foods considered aphrodisiacs. That and my hot pants, now tepid, reeled the man of my dreams into my life. Twenty years later, we are still going strong. And they said it wouldn't last.
Let Mama Miche make your kitchen and your marriage magic!
Tools
Knife
Cutting mat
Food scissor
2 large bowls
Instant Pot (Note 1)
Broiler pan
Ingredients
Makes 10-12 servings
Directions
Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes
Prep
Cut the very top off of the artichoke. Trim tips off the leaves. Gently spread leaves out and wash thoroughly.
Combine the other ingredients in a bowl, but reserve 1/4 cup Parmesan to top artichokes after cooking in the Instapot.
Put an artichoke in the larger bowl and stuff the stuffing between all the leaves, catching it in the bowl so it can go back into the artichoke and not waste it on your counter or floor!
Cook
Fill water in Instant Pot up to the wire rack.
Put artichokes in and set to manual high for 15 minutes.
Once cooking is complete, perform a quick release.
Carefully remove artichokes from the Instant Pot and put them on a broiling pan. (Note 3)
Preheat oven to broil. Add the quarter cup of reserved Parmesan cheese to the top of the artichokes and broil for about one minute.
Herbed Butter
Melt butter ½ cup unsalted butter.
Add Twice Stolen Spice™ to taste.
Mix and dip stuffed leaves individually.
Notes:
If you don't have an Instant Pot, you can steam on the stovetop for about an hour. When a leaf tears off with ease, it’s done!
I used a mix of gluten-free Panko and homemade gluten-free breadcrumbs.
Broiling is optional
