For The Artichoke
- 4 Globe Artichokes
- ½ Bunch Thyme
- 1x Lemon- Cut In Half
- 1 Peeled And Roughly Chopped Carrot
- 1 Stick Roughly Chopped Celery
- 2 Lightly Crushed Cloves Of Garlic
- Salt
To peel the artichokes take off the hard outer leaves. Using a bread knife cut along the top half of the head and discard any hard leaves below. You should now be holding just the cup and stem. Using a teaspoon press into the furry centre (the choke) and work out all the fur and discard. Immediately rub with lemon to stop discolouring. Now remove the stem, peel any outer skin working round the outside with bread or paring knife, and once this layer has been removed, again rub with lemon to stop discolouring.
Bring a small sauce pan of water to the boil, season with salt and add the remaining ingredients. Add the artichoke, and simmer for about 10 minutes or until tender and remove from water, and allow to cool.
For The Stuffing
- 400g Chestnut Mushrooms- Sliced
- 1 Banana Shallot- Finely Chopped
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Clove Garlic- Finely Sliced
- 4 Heaped Tbsp Dairy Free Cream Cheese
- 2 Tbsp Grated Dairy Free Cheese
- Salt And Pepper
- 50g Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
- 50g Toasted Sunflower Seeds
- 1tbsp Chopped Parsley
- 4 Tsp Gluten Free Bread Crumbs
Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium high heat, and then add the shallots. Cook until tender, add the garlic, and then continue to cook for a couple more minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and seasoning, and cook until all the moisture in the pan has evaporated. Allow to cool for a few minutes, and then place in a blender with the cream cheese, grated cheese, parsley and seeds. Pulse in a blender until the mix coarse, and then check the seasoning.
Pre heat your oven to 180 degrees centigrade. Split this mix into 4 and stuff the artichoke, forming a dome. Sprinkle on some bread crumbs, and drizzle with olive oil. Place on a baking tray and in the oven for 10-12 mins, or until the core is hot.
Vegetable Gravy
- 1 Large Carrot-Roughly Chopped
- 2 Sticks Of Celery- Roughly Chopped
- 1 Onion- Peeled And Roughly Chopped
- 1 Small Bulb Of Garlic
- 1 Tbsp Vegetable Bouillon Paste
- 20g Dried Porcini Mushrooms
- 2 Sprigs Of Rosemary
- ½ Bunch Of Thyme
- Water
- Oil
- Corn Flour
Place a medium size saucepan over a high heat, add a light coating of oil, and then add all of the chopped vegetables. Fry the vegetables until golden brown, and then just cover with water. Add the dried porcini, rosemary, thyme, vegetable bouillon paste and bring to the boil. Gently simmer for one hour, and then strain this mix through a sieve and check the seasoning. Mix a little corn flour with water and whisk this into the liquid and bring to the boil, check the consistency and add more corn flour if necessary.
