By Request

BETTY SHIMABUKURO

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Stuffed artichoke is rich
but oh, so delectable

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Janine Robison is seeking a favor for a friend that's hard to deny. "What she is looking for, or I should say craving, is the recipe for the Stuffed Artichoke that she had at Jameson's Bar & Grill in Kapalua, Maui. While she was going through chemotherapy the only thing she could think of eating was this stuffed artichoke."

Robison's friend had the artichoke during a visit to Hawaii four years ago, but the dish is still stuck in her mind. She has tried different stuffed artichoke recipes, but they didn't even come close, Robison said.

The artichoke appetizer is a favorite at Jameson's, created nearly 10 years ago by floor manager J.J. McGibboney. He knows it so well he was able to recreate this recipe over the telephone.

The dish gets an herbal flavor and slight tang from a vinaigrette that is poured over the artichoke before baking. Then it gets a whole lot of richness from butter-laden croutons that are poured on top.

If you were to eat the entire thing yourself, you'd consume a whopping 1,400 calories and 128 grams of fat, but of course this is meant for sharing. You can also lighten up the dish by leaving out the croutons altogether. When I tried this at home, I found the artichoke had a clean, fresh taste with just the vinaigrette and Parmesan cheese. Of course, if you want the full effect, go for the butter (although I do think you could make do using half as much).

The recipe begins with a trimmed and cooked artichoke. McGibboney said Jameson's makes several at a time, boiling them. You can also steam artichokes (about 15 minutes) or microwave them in an inch of water (about 8 minutes on high).

Before cooking, trim the stem so the artichoke stands on its own, remove the toughest lower leaves and cut off the thorny tips. Leave the prickly choke intact. McGibboney said that helps support the weight of all the filling.

To eat, remove leaves from the outside and scoop up the filling. Eventually you'll need to scoop out the choke to get to the artichoke heart.

JJ's Famous Baked Artichoke

1 large fresh artichoke, trimmed, cooked and cooled
1/2 cup Dijon Vinaigrette, recipe follows
1 tablespoon chopped green onion
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
>> Croutons with garlic and butter:
1 block butter, softened
1 tablespoon heavy cream
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon Dijon Vinaigrette
1 cup croutons

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place artichoke in a baking dish and spread leaves apart. Do not remove the choke. Pour 1/4 cup vinaigrette into artichoke, then top with green onion and Parmesan. Pour remaining 1/4 cup vinaigrette over all.

To prepare croutons: Whip butter and cream, then stir in garlic and parsley. Toss with croutons. Place croutons around artichoke in baking dish. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Place artichoke on serving plate. Scoop croutons over artichoke.

Approximate nutritional analysis: 1,400 calories, 128 g total fat, 53 g saturated fat, 310 mg cholesterol, greater than 2,000 mg sodium, 43 g carbohydrate, 31 g protein.*

Dijon Vinaigrette

1 cup white wine vinegar
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried basil
3 cups olive oil

Whisk ingredients together, adding oil slowly until mixture is emulsified.

Approximate nutritional analysis, per 2 tablespoons: 170 calories, 19 g total fat, 3 g saturated fat, no cholesterol, less than 10 mg sodium, no carbohydrate or protein.*

Food Stuffs: Morsels

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"By Request," Honolulu Star-Bulletin,
500 Ala Moana, No. 7-210, Honolulu 96813.
Or send e-mail to bshimabukuro@starbulletin.com

Asterisk (*) after nutritional analyses in the Body & Soul section indicates calculations by Joannie Dobbs of Exploring New Concepts, a nutritional consulting firm.