[Modern cookery, in all its branches

After they have been soaked and well washed, cut off the stems quite close, trim away a few of the lower leaves, and clip the points of all ; throw the artichokes into plenty of fast-boiling water, ready salted and skimmed, with the addition of the proportion of soda directed in page 309, as this will greatly improve the colour of the vegetable. When extremely young, the artichokes will be tender in from half to three quarters of an hour, but they will require more than double that time when at their full growth : when the leaves can be drawn out easily they are done. Send good melted butter to table with them. They should be boiled always with the stalk-ends uppermost. Very young, f to f hour ; full-grown, If to 2 hours. Obs. — French cooks lift the tops from the artichokes before they are served, and replace them after having taken out the chokes : this is an excellent plan, but it must be expeditiously done to prevent the vegetable from cooling, FOR ARTICHOKES EN SALADE (See Chapter VI.) VEGETABLE MARROW. It is customary to gather this when not larger than a turkey’s egg. but we should say that the vegetable is not then in its perfection. The flesh is whiter and of better flavour when the gourd is about six inches long ; at least we have found it so with the kinds which have fallen under our observation. It may either be boiled in the skin, then pared, halved, and served upon a toast ; or quartered, freed from the seed, and left until cold, then dipped into egg and fine crumbs of bread, and fried ; or it may be cut into dice, and re-heated in a little good white sauce ; or stewed tender in butter, and served in wellthickened veal gravy, flavoured with a little lemon-juice. It may likewise be mashed by the receipt which we have given for turnips, and in that form will be found excellent. The French make a fanciful dish of the marrows thus : they boil them tender in water, and halve them lengthwise as is usual, they then slice a small bit off each to make them stand evenly in the dish, and after having hollowed the insides, so as to leave a mere shell, about half an inch thick, they fill them with a thick rich mince of white meat, and pour white sauce round them ; or they heap fried bread-crumbs over the tops, place the dish in the oven for a few minutes, and serve them without sauce. Size of turkey’s egg, 10 to 15 minutes ; moderate-sized, 20 to 30 ; large, | to 1 hour. ROAST TOMATAS. (To serve with roast leg , loin , or shoulder of mutton.') Select them nearly of the same size, take off the stalks, and roast them gently in a Dutch oven, or if more convenient, place them at the edge of the dripping-pan, taking care that nc fat from the joint shall fall upon them, and keeping them turned that they may be equally done. From ten to fourteen minutes will roast them. STEWED TOMATAS, Arrange them in a single layer, and pour to them as much gravy as will reach to half their height ; stew them very softly until the under sides are done, then turn, and finish stewing them. Thicken the gravy with a little arrow-root and cream, or with flour and butter, and serve it round them. FORCED TOMATAS. (English Receipt.) Cut the stems quite close, slice off the tops of eight fine tomatas, and scoop out the insides ; press the pulp through a sieve, and mix [CHAf. xvit.