With spring as the peak season for harvesting these exciting bright green veggies, artichokes were the stars of my 3-weeks trip on three continents. We can make a large variety of dishes with artichokes, including the soup versions. They are good for your heart, and as suggested in a USDA study they have more antioxidants than any other vegetable. I guess this makes artichokes one of the world’s healthiest foods. And delicious too! So I am adding below a gorgeous “Stuffed Artichoke Hearts” recipe which suits the spring mood perfectly.
Stuffed Artichoke Hearts
The tricky part of cooking artichokes is to preserve their green color, as they can easily turn brown. To avoid this, once cleaned, place each artichoke in water-lemon juice-flour mix until you are ready to start filling them.
Ingredients
4 whole artichokes
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Filling
4 chopped young onions
½ cup chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves
½ cup rice
1 small carrot cut in tiny cubes
4-tablespoon olive oil
Salt
Preparation Method
First step is to prepare the filling by mixing all ingredients in a bowl. Then trim the artichokes by removing the exterior leaves, cutting them on top and cutting the stems. Finally clean the center of the heart and remove the fuzzy stuff with a spoon.
Stuff the artichokes with the filling. Place them in a cooking pot and pour water with lemon juice. Cook for 45 minutes or till artichokes soften on low heat. Serve cold or warm.

Stuffed Artichoke Hearts
This recipe is perfect for spring or summer time. It can be served as main dish.