Sausage-Stuffed Artichokes

My grandmother’s stuffed artichoke recipe gets an infusion of spicy Italian sausage, making it a terrific starter, side dish, or lunch entree. The artichokes are cut in half and stuffed, rather than left whole. Serve them with grilled seafood, chicken, or beef.

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup water
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 lemons, quartered
• 3 medium artichokes
• ¾ pound bulk Italian sausage
• ½ cup finely chopped red onion
• ½ cup finely chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 cups fresh bread crumbs
• ½ cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Pour the water into the pressure cooker and add the garlic, thyme, and bay leaf. Squeeze the lemons into the water and drop them in. Using a chef’s knife, cut off the top inch of each artichoke and remove the stem. Cut the artichokes in half lengthwise and discard the fuzzy choke in the center. Dip the cut sides of the artichoke into the lemon water. Arrange the trivet and steamer basket in the bottom of the pressure cooker.
2. In a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, sauté the sausage, stirring and breaking it up until it is no longer pink. Remove all but 1 teaspoon of the fat from the pan. Add the onion and sun-dried tomatoes and sauté until the onion begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.
3. Add the parsley, bread crumbs, and cheese to the sausage mixture and toss to combine. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the oil over the mixture and stir. Stuff each artichoke half with one-sixth of the mixture and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Stack the artichokes in the steamer basket, placing squares of aluminum foil between them to prevent them from sticking together.
4. Lock the lid in place and cook at high pressure for 13 minutes.
5. Quick release the pressure and remove the lid, tilting the pot away from you to avoid the escaping steam. Allow the artichokes to rest for 5 minutes before removing the basket. Separate the artichokes, remove the foil, and replace any stuffing that may have stuck to the foil. Transfer to a serving platter and serve warm or at room temperature.