Cookery for every household

The artichokes must be prepared with care, as they turn black very easily. First wash and brush them, then put them in a basin with clean cold water and peel them carefully, throwing them as they are ready into another basin of clean cold water, to which has been added a little vinegar or lemon juice, in order to preserve the colour. Melt the butter in a lined or enamelled saucepan, add the artichokes, drained and cut in thin slices, also the celery cut in shreds and the ham. Put the lid on the pan and cook over the fire about ten minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to prevent the contents burning. Then add the stock and seasoning and let all simmer gently from 1 to 1| hours until the artichokes are quite soft. Rub the soup through a fine wire sieve into a basin, pressing through as much as possible, then rinse out the saucepan and return the soup to it to reheat. Put the flour into a basin, and add the milk gradually to it, mixing until quite smooth. Add this to the soup and stir over the fire until boiling. Continue boiling for a few minutes, and add more seasoning if necessary. Serve with fried or toasted croutons of bread (see Recipe 1301). Note. — A better soup may be made by rubbing the ingredients through a hair instead of a wire sieve and adding 1 gill of cream and 1 or 2 yolks of eggs instead of the flour and milk. Time to cook, 1£ hours. Probable cost, 8 d. Quantity, If pints. 30. Artichoke and Potato Soup Prepare in the same way as above, using equal quantities of artichokes and potatoes. This makes a very good combination. Artichokes and Spanish onions can be used in the same way. 31. Beetroot Soup (Soupe aux Betteraves) 2 cooked beetroots. 1 qt. meat boilings. 2 onions. 1 or 2 sticks of celery. 1| oz. good dripping. 1 table-sp. flour. 4 pt. milk. Seasoning. Take two medium-sized cooked beetroots, peel them and cut them in thin slices. Wash the celery and cut it in shreds, and peel and slice the onion. Melt the dripping in a saucepan, put in the sliced vegetables and cook them a few minutes over the fire without allowing them to brown. Then add the meat boilings (or any light stock will do), mix well, and allow all to simmer slowly at least 1 hour. When the vegetables are soft, rub as much as possible through a wire sieve into a basin, rinse out the saucepan and return the soup to it to reheat. Mix the flour smoothly with the milk, add them to the soup and stir constantly until boiling. Season to taste and serve with fried crofltons of bread. Note. — This soup may be made richer by adding 1 or 2 table-spoonfuls of cream just before serving. A little finely shred lettuce or some chopped parsley may be used as a garnish. If the liquid reduces when cooking, more must be added. Time to cook, 1 £ hours. Probable cost, 6 d. to 8 d. Quantity, 2| pints. 32. Broccoli Soup 1 large broccoli. 2 onions. 1 large carrot. 2 oz. dripping or bacon fat. 1 tea-cupful rice. 4 pts. warm water or meat boilings. Use the flower and the best part of the stalk of the broccoli for making this soup. Wash and trim them carefully, then cut the stalk in thin slices and