Artichoke Bottoms

Trim some small round artichoke bottoms two inches in diameter; rub over with lemon and blanch in plenty of water; cook them in a white stock (No. 182) seasoned with salt and lemon juice, putting in also half a pound of chopped beef marrow; cover with buttered paper and boil slowly. When the bottoms are well done remove from the tire, place them into a stone bowl, cover with buttered paper and leave to cool in their liquid; wash them off in boiling water, marinate and drain. Lay each bottom on a turnip cut out to imitate the base of a vase, and fill with either macedoine salad ( No. 2650) or a separate vegetable: carrots, turnips, green peas, cauliflower, string beans, asparagus tops, crawfish tails, or else a salpieon of tongue, truffles and mushrooms mixed in even parts and mingled with mayonnaise sauce (No. 606).

(2501). Garnishing Of Artichoke Bottoms, Imperial (Garniture De Fonds D'Artichauts A L'Imperiale)

Prepare and cook some artichoke bottoms as in No. 2500; they must be thick and not too broad; wipe dry and lay them on a small baking sheet; keep on ice. Prepare a cooked truffle salad, they to be cut in quarter-inch dice, small green asparagus tops and celery roots cut up the same as the truffles; season this salad with salt, oil, vinegar and mustard. Drain off this seasoning one hour later and thicken it with jellied mayonnaise (No. 613). With this preparation fill the hollow parts of the artichoke bottoms, arranging each one in a, pyramid; smooth the surface and cover lightly with jellied mayonnaise, decorate with fanciful cuts of gherkins and replace on the ice for ten minutes before serving.