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Artichoke with pesto bread crumbs

March 24, 2015 By Jessica

Spring is here. I wish I can say the same for everyone, but according to my Mom who lives in Queens, NY it doesn’t feel like spring yet with the remainder of a blizzard that hit on the official day.
Though it may not feel like spring outside for some, this artichoke with pesto bread crumbs will give you the impression of warm sunshine. At least, I hope it does. Sweet artichoke with heaping spoons of bright, fragrant spring herbs and citrus fruit (lemon is the shining fruit in here) is something we need to welcome some spring in.

And bread crumbs, we need bread crumbs to add a textural component. I happen to find a hamburger bun in the freezer that needed some love, toasted it well and voila! breadcrumbs.

I served this with a tabouleh-ish side dish that I made with quinoa, cucumbers, onions, mint, and watercress to keep the spring flavors strong, but just had to let these artichokes take center stage. You will understand why should you decide to make it. I add lots of citrus to my pesto; it really highlights the fresh basil and parsley. And horseradish, for a little vinegar zing; something you won’t notice but when left out, it’s kind of meh. 

The most work with this recipe is trimming the artichokes and washing the herbs, the rest is super easy to do and yields a beautiful result. If you are looking for some Passover or Easter food inspiration try this recipe. For Passover, use gluten free/dairy free matzoh farfel since GF bread has leavening and is considered chametz, or leave it out. But don’t leave out the pesto, that is a necessary piece of spring in here.

I made this for dinner last night and eating with our fingers was allowed and encouraged to get every last bit of meat out of the artichoke.

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Gosh, it was good.

Oh, and be careful not to eat the choke that sit directly above the artichoke heart (the tender meat on the bottom). They look like spiny things that form a tight circle, revealed when all the leaves have been removed, avoid those. Other than that, go ahead and savor every messy bite making sure to lick your fingers. This is one messy you’re gonna love.

Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone. Enjoy!

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Makes 4

Ingredients:

For the artichokes:

4 whole globe artichokes, trimmed
1 lemon, cut into wedges
water for boiling

For the pesto:

1 gluten/dairy free hamburger bun or 2 pieces bread, toasted (I used a frozen Canyon Bakehouse Hamburger Bun), or a vegan bread (Food for Life) to make this vegan
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
3 teaspoons salt, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed black pepper, divided
1 teaspoon ground garlic powder
1/4 cup pine nuts
6-8 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon horseradish relish (I use Bubbe’s gluten free, dairy free)
zest of 2 lemons, save some for garnish
juice from the lemons
3 big handfuls basil, stems removed
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 bunch fresh parsley, stems trimmed, save a few leaves for garnish
1 teaspoon crushed black pepper

Preparation for the artichoke:

artichoke-pesto-breadcrumbs-gluten-free-dairy-free

Prepare a pot with about 4 quarts of water, and set on high heat to boil.

Meanwhile, wash and trim stems and sharp needle ends from the outer leaves. Squeeze a lemon wedge over the artichoke as you cut each to prevent browning.

artichoke-pesto-breadcrumbs-gluten-free-dairy-free-prep2

Place all into the boiling water (carefully!). Squeeze about a teaspoon of lemon into the water and add 2 teaspoons kosher salt (the remaining salt is for the pesto). Add lemon wedges, including the squeezed ones. Boil on medium high for 15-20 minutes with a small heatproof place pressed directly on the artichokes.

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Meanwhile, onto the pesto.

Note: The place will help the artichokes remain upright since they do tend to topple over sideways when boiling, if left uncovered. I do the same when I make stuffed cabbage or collard greens so they don’t unravel.

Drain and turn over each artichoke to remove any excess water. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees (170 C)

Preparation for the pesto:

Add torn up pieces of bread into a food processor (I used a mini food processor), then fennel seeds, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and garlic powder. Grind into coarse breadcrumbs. Remove 3/4 of the bread crumbs, set aside.

Ignore the parsley on the edge of the processor, it goes in later. I finely minced some for a quinoa based tabouleh-ish side to go with this for dinner.

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Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and the remaining ingredients, mix until it reaches a pesto consistency. Taste to see if it needs extra lemon juice, salt or pepper to your taste.

I don’t remove the whole stem on the parsley but do so for the basil.

Basil did go in I forgot to take the photo, but you get the idea …

artichoke-pesto-breadcrumbs-gluten-free-dairy-free-pesto-prep

artichoke-pesto-breadcrumbs-gluten-free-dairy-free-pesto-mix

Note: If it’s too thick to drip off a spoon, add 1 extra tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. It shouldn’t be pourable like a dressing, rather more like a relish type consistency.

Place the artichokes upright into an oven safe baking dish, spread the leaves as much as you can without ripping. Spoon in the pesto breadcrumb mixture over the artichokes and in between leaves. Then add large pinches of seasoned breadcrumbs over the pesto.

After I put some in the bowl (below) I realized it wouldn’t all fit side by side with the breadcrumbs so I spooned it straight out of my mini food processor. Duh.

artichoke-pesto-breadcrumbs-gluten-free-dairy-free-pesto-mix4

Bake for 15 minutes. Garnish with lemon zest and parsley sprigs. Serve hot or warm.

artichoke-pesto-breadcrumbs-gluten-free-dairy-free-pesto-final-finish

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gluten free dairy free recipes
recipe image
Recipes
Artichoke with pesto breadcrumbs
Published On
2015-03-24
Preparation Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Total Time
30 minutes
Average Rating
51star1star1star1star1star Based on 3 Review(s)

Filed Under: main dishes, side dishes Tagged With: dairy-free, gluten-free, main dishes, side dishes, soy-free, vegan-optional

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Comments

  1. Mackenzie Stauskas says

    March 25, 2015 at 9:25 am

    Stellar!! And LOVING the new updates on the site!
    Reply
  2. Cyndi says

    March 25, 2015 at 10:19 am

    This looks like a mess I would love to make. YUM!
    Reply
  3. Karen says

    March 25, 2015 at 10:26 am

    My family loves artichoke and I think this would be a great Passover side dish to go with brisket. Would you happen to know where to find gluten-free farfel? Thought I would ask as I am still new to gluten-free :) Thank you.
    Reply
    • Jessica says

      March 26, 2015 at 9:22 pm

      Karen, brisket with this sounds yummy. If you have a Whole Foods Market near you give them a try. They usually have a good selection or call your local supermarket, many are starting to carry more gluten free products. If not, you can probably find it online on Amazon and have it shipped in time for the holiday.
      Reply
  4. Jerry says

    March 25, 2015 at 10:54 am

    I like the addition of breadcrumbs in the pesto and the bright color something we desperately need in Minnesota. Can't wait to try your recipe it looks wonderful!
    Reply
    • Jessica says

      March 26, 2015 at 9:20 pm

      Jerry, glad it can brighten your day. I hope spring comes soon, until then enjoy!
      Reply
  5. Barbara says

    March 25, 2015 at 10:54 am

    I love artichokes and I love pesto. Never thought of combining the two. Can't wait. BTW, love the pictures.
    Reply
    • Jessica says

      March 26, 2015 at 9:18 pm

      Thank you Barbara! Pesto brightens up the mild flavor of artichoke... enjoy!
      Reply
  6. Zoe says

    March 25, 2015 at 10:56 am

    This has my name written ALL over it- I love artichoke and basil anything. Can't wait to dig into this using my vegan bread!
    Reply
    • Jessica says

      March 26, 2015 at 9:16 pm

      Enjoy Zoe, you will love it!
      Reply
  7. Beth says

    March 25, 2015 at 10:57 am

    We have a pine nut allergy in our house, any other nut you suggest? I would love to try this :)
    Reply
    • Jessica says

      March 26, 2015 at 9:15 pm

      Beth, almonds (marcona almonds from spain are great in pesto)is a lighter, somewhat sweeter nut as well as cashew. Both don't have that strong nutty taste that can overpower the herb flavors. Hope that helps!
      Reply
  8. Emily says

    March 25, 2015 at 5:53 pm

    Ooh this looks so yummy and a finger food I am so into. The pesto recipe sounds good for pasta and chicken too! Definitely making this :)
    Reply
    • Jessica says

      March 26, 2015 at 9:10 pm

      Emily, yes, pesto is perfect with chicken and pasta. I love it with fried eggs too :)
      Reply
  9. Tracy says

    April 17, 2015 at 10:20 pm

    To die for! It felt light eating it even with the generous amounts of pesto and breadcrumbs on it and my boyfriend and me couldn't stop licking our fingers. I saved the other two for lunch tomorrow. The pesto by the way tasted like it had cheese, so creamy maybe from the amount of pine nuts in the recipe? It is now my go to pesto recipe! :)
    Reply
    • Jessica says

      April 17, 2015 at 11:00 pm

      Enjoy! Licking fingers is the only way to do it in my book. I add extra pine nuts for exactly that reason, you got it Tracy. I first tried toasting the pine nuts but found it imparted the nut taste in the pesto then when I put them in raw in a larger amount (than other recipes)it tasted a bit like cheese. So I stuck with it.
      Reply
  10. Diane says

    June 10, 2015 at 6:33 pm

    I wish this was dinner tonight. Pinned!
    Reply

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Welcome!

Hi! I'm Jessica, welcome to my blog! I'm a wife and mother of four (all boys, including twins. Did not see that coming!) who loves to eat. Discovering food intolerances in my family and myself had me think about cooking differently with an emphasis on nutrition, but not any less deliciously. No, won't settle for that, neither will my kids! Here you will find simple, healthy, seasonal recipes we love that are gluten, dairy, and soy free. Many are also egg free, nut free, plant-based and/or grain free, given our evolving dietary lifestyle. Even though we live a life of dietary restrictions, my passion for food keeps me on a constant quest to create tasty recipes or adapt our favorite recipes from my stack of cookbooks to bring back the joy of eating again, without sacrificing flavor. Hope you find some inspiration and recipes to enjoy ... thanks for stopping by!

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