Marion Cunningham's Garlic Crumb Walnut Stuffed Artichokes

Preparation

1 Bring a large pot of water to a boil and then prepare your artichokes..

2 Use a small paring knife to peel the coarse fibers from the artichoke stems and to remove the tough bottom leaves. Use a chef''s knife to slice 1-inch off the top of each artichoke. With kitchen scissors, snip off the prickly tops of the remaining side leaves.

3 Drop the artichokes into the boiling water, and boil gently unitl the bottoms of the chokes are tender when pierced with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes, or alternately steam the artichokes on a rack above boiling water until tender, 20 to 30 minutes, depending on size.

4 Remove the artichokes from the water and turn them upside down on a large plate to drain.

5 While the artichokes are cooking, prepare the bread crumbs. Tear each slice of bread into 5 or 6 pieces.

6 Blend a few seconds in a blender or food processor until you have crumbs.

7 Spread the crumbs on a baking sheet and dry them in a 250 degree Fahrenheit oven until lightly golden, about 15 minutes.

8 While the artichokes are draining, prepare the stuffing. In a medium size bowl, toss together the crumbs, garlic, salt, olive oil and walnuts, and mix well with a spoon or fork.

9 Using your fingers, separate the artichoke leaves so they open up a little. Spoon a small amount (about 1 teaspoon) of stuffing between the leaves until all the stuffing is used. Serve warm or chilled.

Source: Marion Cunningham and California