Artichoke bottoms (fonds d'artichauts entiers) are trimmed in this way :- Cut the tops of the leaves horizontally, parallel with, and close down to the top of the "fond." Trim all leaves that may adhere to the fond quite closely all round, and pare off the stalk smoothly. Now, plunge the artichoke bottoms into boiling salt and water, and blanch them to facilitate the scooping out of the "choke," which should be done with a silver spoon. With artichokes thus prepared you can turn out:-

Fonds d'artichauts a la barigoule

Having scooped out the chokes, and drained six artichoke bottoms of a fair size, give them a dust of salt and pepper, put them on a clean dish, and prepare this 'farce':- four ounces of finely minced bacon, a quarter ounce of butter and the same weight of flour, a coffee-cupful of broth, and one table-spoonful of very finely minced parsley, one table-spoonful of finely minced mushrooms, and one dessert-spoonful of finely chopped white onion. Stir the mixture over the fire for five minutes, and then fill the hollows of the artichoke bottoms with it. Tie a very thin slice of bacon over each fond, and put them in a stew-pan with a breakfastcupful of good gravy. Put the stew-pan into the oven, and bake for twenty minutes, ascertain if tender, then dish up and serve. [Gouffe.]

Audot recommends that the fonds be placed upon lean slices of veal or pork, which should be laid at the bottom of a braising-pan; that the gravy should be poured in, and that the process should be that of braising.

For fonds d'artichauts a la Provencale, prepare the artichokes as above without the 'farce,' place them in a pie-dish with enough salad oil to keep them moist and safe from burning, and with six cloves of garlic, pepper, and salt. Put the dish into the oven, and bake : when the fonds are tender, remove the garlic, give them a dust of pepper and the squeeze of a lime, dish up, and serve. People who dislike oil, and a 'far-off' suspicion of garlic can, of course, use molted butter, and slices of shallot.

Fonds d'artichauts a la bechamel, or a la creme, make a very excellent entremets. Trim as already described, simmer them in blanc, and serve either with bechamel sauce, or boiling cream.

I have been successful with fonds d'artichauts a la moelle. Cook the fonds till tender in blanc. Prepare some beef marrow - i.e., cut the marrow into pieces, and blanch them in scalding water. Take as many coquilles as you have fonds, put a little of the marrow into each shell, over that place a fond, fill the cavity of the fond with marrow, heat the coquilles hot, and just before you serve, pour over each a little Espagnole sauce. If you have no coquilles, pastry cases answer very well : make them in round patty pans.

Cold boiled artichoke bottoms can be mashed up with cream, and a little butter, seasoned with pepper and salt, top-dressed with crumbs, and baked in a little pie-dish, or in silver coquille shells.

Or, the mixture can be placed inside little pastry patties like oyster patties and served on a napkin (Bouchees d'arti-chauts). This latter method is equally practicable with Jerusalem artichoke puree, and if your cook can make light pastry, these little patties, will be found very nice indeed.

Remember when writing your menu, with regard to these two vegetables, that the 'artichaut' is the globe or leafy kind. The Jerusalem artichoke should be called 'topinambour.'