Cookery for every household

Take some cooked and well-drained artichokes, rub them through a sieve and measure 1 gill of the puree. If the remains of artichokes mixed with sauce are used, the milk, or some of the milk, must be omitted. Beat up the yolks of the eggs with the milk and strain them into the artichoke puree. Season with pepper, salt, and a little grated lemon rind. Whip up the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth and stir them in very lightly at the last. Pour the mixture into a well-greased souffle dish and bake in a moderate oven until well risen and firm to the touch. Serve at once, and in the same dish. This is very good and delicate in flavour. Note. — If preferred, the mixture may be cooked in several small moulds. Time to bake, 20 to 30 minutes. Sufficient for 4 persons. 402. Japanese Artichokes or Crosnes, To Bake (Crosnes Japonaises au Four) 1 lb. crosnes. I 1 table-sp. cream. 1 oz. butter. I Seasoning. Trim the ends of the crosnes, and wash and brush them well in cold water. Warm the butter in an earthenware saucepan, put in the crosnes, cover with the lid, and cook them in a moderate oven until tender, shaking the saucepan from time to time. The crosnes must not be overcooked, or the flavour will be spoilt. Add the cream and seasoning a few minutes before serving. Note. — A gill of good white sauce may be added at the last, or the crosnes may be served in small scallop shells with the sauce over and a little grated Parmesan on the top, then browned under the grill, or in the oven before serving. Time to bake, 20 to 30 minutes. Sufficient for 3 or 4 persons. 403. Japanese Crosnes, To Steam (Crosnes Japonaises au Beurre) 1 lb. crosnes. I 1 tea-sp. chopped parsley. 1 to 2 oz. butter. I 1 yolk of egg. Seasoning. Wash and prepare the crosnes as in the last recipe. Put them in a double cooker or steamer, and steam them until quite tender, but not overcooked. Then melt the butter in a saucepan, toss the crosnes in it and season them with pepper and salt. Sprinkle the parsley over and stir in the yolk of egg after removing the saucepan from the fire. Serve at once and very hot. Time to steam, 20 to 30 minutes. Sufficient for 3 or 4 persons. Asparagus (Asperges) Asparagus is a cultivated form of a wild seashore plant belonging to the lily family. It is a favourite vegetable on account of its delicious flavour, it is also wholesome and nutritious and possesses valuable diuretic properties. There are different kinds of asparagus on the market, the white, the violet, and the green. The white and the violet are sometimes forced to an enormous size and fetch a high price, but the green, which is more naturally grown, is cheaper and has often the most pronounced flavour. Care must be taken to choose the asparagus very fresh. If the heads droop and the cut ends of the stalks have a brown appearance, the vegetable is stale. If necessary it may be kept for a day or two by standing it with the stalks downwards in a jug of very cold water. The last shoots of the asparagus plant, which are very green and tender, are known under the name of sprue. They are cheaper than the more culti- Bunch of Asparagus rated asparagus, but have the same delicious flavour. 404. Asparagus, To Prepare and Cook (Asperges)