Clean the artichokes and remove the hard outside leaves. Boil them well and leave them to drain. Arrange them on a dish and pour a sauce ‘Tartara, No. 1’ (see Sauces, p. [126]) over them. Serve up quickly.
Artichokes ‘alla Lionese.’
Remove the stalk and the hard leaves, cut your artichoke into pieces, then wash and drain them. Butter the bottom of a sauce-pan well, put in the pieces of artichoke, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and cook them with a slow fire above and below until they take a golden colour. When quite cooked, arrange them on a dish, and pour some fried fresh butter over them, into which a pinch of sugar and three tablespoonfuls of sauce ‘Suprema’ (see Sauces, p. [125]) has been put. Serve up very hot.
Artichokes ‘alla Milanese.’
Put your boiled artichokes into an earthenware pot after greasing it well with fresh butter, then place a bit of butter in the centre of each artichoke and sprinkle them with some finely grated Parmesan cheese of the best quality. Cover the pot and cook over a slow fire, taking care that the artichokes should not boil for too long. Just before serving up, pour some more melted butter over them.
Artichokes ‘alla Spagnuola.’
Remove the stalks and the hard leaves, and wash three (or more) artichokes well and cut them into pieces. Boil, then drain, put them into a sauce-pan with some pepper, five tablespoonfuls of sauce ‘Suprema’ (see Sauces, p. [125]), five of Consommé, and then put them on the fire for half an hour. Boil again for half an hour with fire above and below, before serving them up hot.
Artichokes ‘al Vapore.’
Remove the hard outside leaves of the artichokes, but leave a little of the stalk. Then place them upright in a small sauce-pan with a little water which must not quite cover the artichokes. Open out the artichokes and pour into the centre of each a sauce made of pepper, salt, and fine olive oil. Then cover the sauce-pan and be careful to boil the water well, so as to steam the artichokes thoroughly.
N.B.—Artichokes are eaten when barely half-grown in Italy.