Artichoke hearts are one of my favourite vegetables and I love them in this quick and delicious dish. They are full of antioxidants and people tend to mostly eat them marinated, not knowing what else to do with them. The marinated option has the least nutrients, fresh is best but a frozen artichoke still retains much of its goodness. Try this Lebanese dish that I grew up with. I will be sharing a couple of more ways to cook this fantastic vegetable that is packed with vitamins.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

two packets frozen artichoke hearts, 400 g each
two fillets of lamb, diced, or 200 grams of tender cut of lamb.
2 table-spoons white flour
Juice of 1 lemon
4 cloves of garlic, chopped.
2 tablespoons butter.
1/2 tea-spoon of black pepper
Sea salt to taste.
1.5 cups hot water.

Defrost artichokes and chop each to four or six slices depending on size. Chop meat. Place butter in pot and heat it then add garlic and meat. Pan fry for a few minutes until seared then add pepper salt and artichoke hearts. Stir for a few minutes, then add flour and stir for a minute. add water and bring to boil. Let it simmer for about twenty to thirty minutes until vegetables are tender, add extra water if necessary. Add lemon and turn off the heat. Serve extra lemon wedges to be added to taste. Serve with rice and vermicelli.

Lebanese rice with Vermicelli egg noodles:

2 cups of basmati rice.
¼ cup of crushed Vermicelli egg noodles.(Or one whole piece)
2 table spoons of butter.
1 tea-spoon sea salt.
2 cups of hot water.

To make the rice:

Clean rice and drain. Place the butter in the pot and add the egg noodles by breaking and crushing the ball with your hand. Fry until golden then add rice and toss a bit before adding the water and sea salt. Bring to boil and then simmer for about ten minutes or until cooked. Check that the rice is cooked by crushing a single grain between two fingers and making sure it is soft. Turn the heat off and place a dry tea towel on top of pot then put lid on top and fold excess material on top of lid. This will absorb any additional steam.

Note: if you wish to use ordinary long or short grain rice, not Basmati, please refer to ‘cooking rice absorption method’ in my Tips and Tricks page found on this link: https://poemanddish.com/tips-and-tricks/