Fresh artichokes stuffed with fresh sautéed peas, herbs, spices and feta cheese

Now that artichokes and peas are back in season there are so many delicious recipes we could cook to enjoy these two tasty and nutritious vegetables! This is a really nice recipe which has become one of our favourites through the years although, I must admit, the procedure of preparing the artichokes is not something that I'm fond of:-) The artichokes are double-cooked but only enough so to keep their shape and flavour. The Feta cheese on top goes nicely with these vegetables but if you'd like a strictly vegetarian version then you just omit the cheese without risking losing too much of the taste 

Recipe of Kostas Tsigas,

"Cook Book" magazine of "ETHNOS" newspaper

Ingredients (for 4-6 people):
8 medium fresh artichokes (preferably more or less the same size)

700 gr. of fresh peas, cleaned

2 large yellow onions, roughly grated

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

2 tbsp of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

½ a cup of white dry wine

1 tsp of cumin seeds, roasted

1 tbsp of fennel seeds, roasted

2 tbsp of olive oil

1/2 tsp of all-purpose flour

2 lemons, the juice

2 tbsp of butter

1 tbsp of finely chopped fresh spearmint

100 gr. of Feta cheese, crumbled

salt
pepper

Method:

Clean the artichokes trying to keep their shape intact. Place them in a large bowl filled with water and the juice of the one lemon so they won't go black.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Brush with some oil a pyrex dish.

Warm the oil in a shallow pot in low heat and sauté the grated onion for about 5-6 minutes gently stirring with a wooden spatula. Add the roasted fennel and cumin seeds, the flour and stir thoroughly with the spatula.

Pour over with the wine and allow the alcohol to evaporate for 1 minute. Add the parsley, season with with salt and pepper, the juice of the second lemon and place the artichokes with their bottom facing down. Cover with the lid and cook for about 8-9 minutes in low heat.

In another pot blanch the peas in plenty of salted boiling water for 3 minutes. Immediately transfer the peas into a bowl filled with cold water and ice cubes so they won't lose their vibrant green colour. When the peas are cooled down, drain in a colander and keep aside.

In a frying pan melt the butter in medium heat and sauté the peas, seasoning with salt and pepper and sprinkling with the spearmint. Stir with the spatula for 1-2 minutes and take the pan off the heat.

Take the artichokes out of the pot and place them in the pyrex dish. Fill each one with the peas mixture. Pour over with the sauce from the pot the artichokes were cooked in and scatter on top with the Feta cheese.

Put in the oven and bake for 5-8 minutes.

Serve while the food is still warm.