3fresh artichokestrim outer leaves around bottom and a trim off the stem
1inlemonrolled, cut in half and squeezed – both the juice and the lemon go into the boiling water with the artichokes
5large Italian sausage links
3cupsStove Top Herb Stuffing plus 1/2 herb mix from stuffing box
1/4cupParmesan cheese
1/8cupfresh chopped parsleyno stems
1/2cupmozzarella shredded
2/3cupchopped fine onionsaute them till translucent and let cool
Splashwhite wine
2teaspoonslemon pepper
Instructions
Place artichokes in boiling water with lemon juice and the 2 halves of the lemons
Cook about 12-15 minutes till fork tender. Shock in cold water. Cut in half from the top right through the stem.
Rub a little olive oil on the inside of the artichoke and grill – just enough to mark them.
Spoon out the part near the stem that looks like small hairs and make a cavity with the spoon in the same area about 2/1/2 inches in diameter.
Brown the Italian sausage and let cool. Chop the sausage up fine.*
In a separate bowl add the stuffing mix and 1/4 of herb season from box of stuffing, 1/2 cup of water, chopped parsley, sautéd chopped onions, Parmesan cheese, splash of white wine, lemon pepper seasoning, and ground cooked sausage.
Mix all ingredients of stuffing so when if squeezed it holds its form. It shouldn’t be too dry – a little moist is good – a few drizzles of oil might help.
Put the stuffing into the cavity of the grilled artichoke, drizzle some olive oil on top and bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.
Halfway through the baking process cover the stuffing with shredded mozzarella cheese
Once the cheese is melted, remove from the oven its ready to serve. Garnish with some halve lemon slices
Seasoned Mayo Sauce
This step is optional. For a tangy sauce to serve on the side, mix a about two cups of mayonnaise with a few teaspoons of the seasoning from the stuffing mix.
Recipe Notes
For appetizer purposes, serve on a large platter. Garnish with some chopped green onion on top of a small bowl of the seasoned mayo.