Zeytinyagli Enginar Dolmasi - Stuffed Artichokes

Preparing the Stuffing

1. Peel and dice the carrots to a size of 1 cm or ½ inch, place them in a saucepan filled with cold water, and bring them to a boil over medium heat.
2. Let the carrots cook for 10 minutes while preparing the potatoes. 
3. Peel and dice the potatoes to the same size as the carrots, and then add them to the pan with the partially cooked carrots.
4. Continue cooking the potatoes and carrots together for an additional 10 minutes before adding the frozen peas. Cook them together for a few more minutes.
5. If using fresh peas, add them at the same time as the potatoes. You can check the doneness of the vegetables with a small knife.
6. Drain the vegetables, place them in a colander, and let them cool down while preparing the artichokes.

Preparing the Artichokes

1. Fill a large bowl with water, flour, and lemon juice and set the bowl aside. Keep the lemons after juicing them as we will need them to rub on the artichokes.
2. Using a sharp knife, trim about 4-5 cm (2 inches) off the top of the artichoke.
3. Next, remove the stem from the base of the artichoke under the leaves. To prevent browning, rub the cut areas with the leftover lemon.
4. Remove any tough outer leaves and discard them.
5. Gently pull the leaves away from the center of the artichoke, being careful not to damage them, until only the inner yellow leaves remain and you can see the choke.
6. Using a spoon, gently scrape away the fuzzy choke from the center of the artichoke until you reveal the clean, heart-shaped base. Discard the fuzzy choke and any other tough or inedible parts.
7. After cleaning the artichokes, transfer them to a bowl with lemon juice right away to prevent them from oxidizing and turning dark as you continue working.

Stuffing and Cooking the Artichokes

1. To finish the stuffing, add the chopped dill and spring onions to the cooled vegetables. Give them a stir.
2. To prepare the cooking liquid, mix together the juice of one freshly squeezed lemon, olive oil, ½ cup water, salt, and sugar in a bowl.
3. Remove the artichokes from the water and stuff the centers generously with the filling.
4. Place the artichokes in a saucepan and add the water, lemon, and olive oil mixture.
5. Bring the pan to a boil over medium heat, lower the heat, and then gently simmer for 30-35 minutes or until they become tender.
6. After cooking, transfer the artichokes to a plate and let them cool completely. Drizzle the artichokes with olive oil and garnish with fresh dill.