Stuffed Artichokes

Ingredients

• 4 Large artichokes (Choose artichokes that are heavy for their size.)
• 1 pound Boneless, skinless chicken breast (Ground or finely diced.)
• 1 cup Fresh bread crumbs (Made from day-old bread.)
• 0.5 cup Grated Parmesan cheese (Freshly grated.)
• 2 cloves Garlic (Minced.)
• 0.25 cup Fresh parsley (Chopped.)
• 1 Egg (Large.)
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Butter
• 2 tablespoons All-purpose flour
• 1.5 cups Milk
• 0.5 teaspoon Salt (To taste.)
• 0.25 teaspoon Black pepper (Freshly ground, to taste.)
• 1 Lemon (For preparing artichokes.)

Instructions

1. 1Cut off the stem of each artichoke so it can stand upright. Remove the tough outer leaves. Cut off the top third of the artichoke. Rub the cut surfaces with lemon to prevent browning. Use kitchen shears to trim the tips of the remaining leaves.
2. 2Place the artichokes in a large pot with enough salted water to cover them. Add the juice of the remaining lemon. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the artichoke leaves can be easily pulled out. Drain well and let cool slightly.
3. 3In a bowl, combine the ground chicken, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, chopped parsley, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix well until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
4. 4Gently open the leaves of the artichokes and remove the choke (the fuzzy part in the center). Fill the center of each artichoke with the chicken forcemeat, pushing it down between the leaves as well.
5. 5In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cook until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
6. 6Place the stuffed artichokes in a baking dish. Pour half of the thin white sauce over the artichokes. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 30 minutes, basting twice with the remaining white sauce during baking. Remove to a serving dish and pour the remaining thin white sauce around the artichokes.