Turkish Artichoke Bottoms

This artichoke came miles away from my city. Mom II sent a package to us full of natural products a few days ago. We don’t have much chance of finding products grown by farmers here, so she sent us veggies and several herbs produced by farmers as her city has local farmer’s market open everyday. These products are obviously more tasty and fresher than the ones we buy from supermarkets here.

I generally buy artichoke bottoms from market, but these were whole artichokes. I didn’t know how to reach its core without damaging, so I got help from mom II. I followed the instructions she gave me on the phone and I think I was able to succeed although it was my first try.

The most common way to cook artichoke bottoms is to stuff them with peas, cubed potatoes and carrots. This is generally served cold as a side dish or mezze. Extra virgin olive oil is the preferable oil for this dish, so you can find it under the category of olive oil dishes on restaurant menus in Turkey. Another flavor to include in it is lemon, you can even serve a lemon wedge with it.

Artichoke is said to be one of the best vegetables against many cancer types. Mom II says it is such a healthy vegetable that it has positive effects on you even when you pass near an artichoke field as you inhale the same air, and we are lucky enough to get it directly from its field thanks to her.

Turkish Artichoke Bottoms

Artichoke bottoms are stuffed with potatoes, carrots and peas. Served cold with a generous amount of lemon and olive oil.

• Author: Yusuf
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x
• Category: Side Dish
• Method: Cooking
• Cuisine: Turkish
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 4 artichoke bottoms
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, cubed
• 1 potato, cubed
• ¼ cup green pea
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ½ lemon
• salt to taste
• ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
• ¼ cup water

Instructions

1. Fill a large bowl with water and squeeze a few drops of lemon in it.
2. Wait cleaned artichokes in this water until you prepare other veggies.
3. Heat 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a pan and saute onion.
4. Put green peas, potatoes and carrot cubes in it. Move them on one side of the pan to get some room for artichokes.
5. And place artichokes there. It is always better to cook them in the same pan so that all flavors combine well.
6. Add a pinch of salt, pour ¼ cup water and put its lid on the pan.
7. Cook it at low heat until all of them get tender and absorb water. You will have little water at the end.
8. Take the stuffing ingredients into a bowl and leave artichokes in pan.
9. Mix 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and fresh dill.
10. Combine potato, carrot and pea with this sauce and stuff artichokes with them.
11. Cook them in the same pan for 3 minutes and let it cool.
12. Serve cold.

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