The Hard Hearted Chef: Decadent Stuffed Artichokes

 Behold the artichoke.

An intimidating morsel that most are afraid to tackle.

You're about to be amazed at how easy an elegant side dish is to create.

Gather the following and get ready to wow your crew!

• 6 whole artichokes
• 3 cups Italian bread crumbs
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/8 cup chopped fresh parsley

• 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• salt and pepper to taste

 Snip off the points of the leaves and cut off the very top of the choke.

 Cut off the stems, leaving a flat bottom.

 This is what you should have.

 Now, take those tight little veggies...

 ...grasp it firmly by the base and give it a firm rap on the cutting board.

 You want it open and the leaves loose.

 Smack it again if necessary.

Take out a little aggression.

 This is what you're looking for.

Mix the remaining ingredients into a paste, drizzling in more oil if needed.

 Stuff the mixture into each artichoke as shown.

Place them in a dutch oven, filling any empty space with crumpled foil

to keep them upright.

Add water and 2 tablespoons of oil up to the top of the lower leaves.

Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cover.

This will take about an hour.

When the leaves are tender and pull out easily, you're ready to serve them

with a little melted butter for dipping.

You just elevated Tuesday past hotdog night.

It's not a tough recipe, it's good for you, and you can tell the kids it's from another planet.

They'll scarf it up.