Baked artichokes with béchamel sauce

How to prepare baked artichokes .

We love artichoke recipes, baked, battered, grilled, there are endless recipes for licking your fingers and this is one more that you could not miss.

To prepare this recipe we only need to make a béchamel sauce to which we will add the bits that we want, from a little ham to a few pieces of fish or seafood.

Artichokes are believed to be native to Egypt or North Africa, hence their cultivation occurs mainly in the Mediterranean area, with Spain being one of the largest producers.

The word artichoke derives from an Arabic term that means ” tongues of the earth “, referring to the peculiarity of its leaves, and to them the expansion of its cultivation throughout Europe is due.

Later, the Greeks and Romans spread its fame as an aphrodisiac food, which favored and increased its culinary use.

In this recipe I have combined them with a rich béchamel flavored with Iberian ham that gives it a mild flavor, I assure you that it will be perfect with the steps I present. Recipe full of color and super tasty, always delicious!

Preparation of stuffed artichokes

1. We will start the recipe with the most laborious part; cleaning artichokes.
2. First we will remove the outer leaves until we reach a layer in which they have a lighter green color and are more tender. Next we cut the trunk and the tip.
3. With the help of a teaspoon we remove the central part, making a hole that we will later fill. It is important to remove the fluff from the base as it can give a bitter taste.
4. As we clean them, place them in a bowl containing water and the juice of the ½ lemon to prevent them from taking on a brownish color. This is produced when the phenols that the artichoke possesses come into contact with oxygen.
5. We put water in a pot, add a pinch of salt and heat until it boils.
6. At that time we add the artichokes and leave for 15-20 minutes, depending on how tender they are.

Preparation of artichokes and béchamel

1. While they are cooking we put oil in a frying pan and add the well-chopped chives. We fry.
2. When the spring onion begins to take color, add the ham cubes and let them brown. We reserve.
3. Now we go with the preparation of the bechamel. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Once liquid, add the flour and stir continuously with a rod until the flour takes color.
4. Add the boiling milk and continue stirring. We add salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
5. Let simmer for about 8-10 minutes, without stirring.
6. Once ready we add the well-drained ham sofrito so that the bechamel does not lose its consistency. We mix everything well and reserve.

Baking and final presentation of artichokes

1. We heat the oven to 200º C. Once the artichokes are cooked, we take them out of the water and drain them.
2. We place them on a baking tray with the base down and with the help of a spoon we introduce the bechamel mixture.
3. If we want, we can add a little cheese to gratin on the surface.
4. We introduce in the oven and gratinate for 8 minutes, until the surface is golden. We serve hot.
5. We can eat them as a first course or as an accompaniment to a main course.
6. The most important thing is that they are very fresh and from the earth, healthy and delicious.

A simple recipe, full of flavor and color that undoubtedly allows us to enjoy the artichokes that are now at their best, price and quality. Surely you will add them to your private recipe book. Take advantage!

You can see all the photos of the step by step in the next album. Do not miss these photos and you will get perfect artichokes.