Harper's cook book encyclopædia

Wash and trim three young, freshly cut artichokes. Cut them into thin slices, and as they are cut throw them into water with a cupful of vinegar in it ; this is to preserve the color. Drain them, and season them with a pinch of salt and the same of pepper. Make a batter with three eggs, two table-spoonfuls of oil, and two of Artichokes Asparagus Tips flour. When all are well mixed, put the slices of artichokes into it, and stir it gently for three or four minutes, until every piece of artichoke is well covered. Fry gently in hot fat, being careful that the vegetable is cooked throughout as well as browned. Drain off the fat, pile the slices on a napkin, and garnish with a little fried parsley. Time to fry, a quarter of an hour Artichokes a la Italienne. — Well wash, trim, and quarter the artichokes, and boil them in salt and water until tender. Remove the chokes, drain thoroughly, and arrange them on a dish with the leaves outward, and intersperse them with watercresses. Pour good white sauce, flavored with stewed mushrooms, over them. Time to bcil the artichokes, half an hour. Artichokes, Jerusalem, Boiled. — Peel the artichokes, and throw each root into cold water and vinegar immediately, to preserve the color. Put them into boiling water, with a little salt, until sufficiently tender for a fork to pass through them easily, then pile them on a dish, and serve as hot as possible with melted butter or white sauce poured over. Time to boil, about twenty minutes. They should be tried with a fork frequently after a quarter of an hour, as they will become black and tasteless if allowed to remain on the fire longer than necessary. Artichokes a la Poivrade. — Take four or five young artichokes, trim them, remove the chokes, cut off the lower leaves, divide them into four, and throw them into vinegar and cold water to preserve the color. When wanted, drain them from the vinegar and water, put them into a dish, and serve like radishes. Pepper, salt, oil, and vinegar should be sent to table with them. Asparagus, Boiled. — Scrape off the white skin from the lower end of a bunch of asparagus and cut the stalks of equal length. Let them lie in cold water until it is time to cook them. Put a handful of salt into a gallon of water ; let it boil. Tie the asparagus in bundles and put them into it. Toast a slice of bread brown on each side, dip it in the water, and lay it on a dish. When the asparagus is sufficiently cooked, dish it on the toast, leaving the white ends outwards each way. Send melted butter, or white sauce, to table with it. Time to cook, about twenty minutes. If inclined to be slightly bitter add a lump of loaf sugar to the water. Asparagus, French Method of Cooking.— Wash and boil the asparagus about twenty minutes ; then drain them, and cut off the heads and about two inches of the tender part of the stalks ; mince them small, and mix with them an onion, also chopped small. Add the well-beaten yolk of an egg, salt, and pepper. Heat it, put a slice of toast upon it, and pour a good sauce over all, or sippets of toasted bread may be placed under it.