Part 2

The Globe Artichoke does not always come true to seed, so that it is better to renew or start a plantation by means of rooted suckers, which the plant freely throws off. If seed be selected it should be sown in a mild hotbed in March and planted in its permanent bed in May.

A light, rich loam is preferred, heavy soils holding too much damp for this somewhat delicate plant, which requires perfect drainage yet plenty of water during the growing season. A sunny position should be chosen for the bed, the ground should be trenched and well manured, and the plants be put out in April about three feet apart according to the variety.

Keep the soil stirred with the hoe, and give plenty of water during drought, with occasional doses of weak liquid manure. In giving manure water to this, as to all other subjects, it should be extremely dilute, and should be applied during showery weather, or, if in dry weather, should be preceded and followed by copious watering with plain water.

In the autumn the plants must be trimmed up, and winter protection given in the shape of straw or fern covering.

The crop comes in over a longish period, beginning in late June with the older plants and going on into the Autumn with the plants put out in the spring. The flowering heads should be gathered when they are about three-parts grown, and well before they open.

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE (Helianthus tuberosus. Compositæ).

This perennial sunflower gives, perhaps, the heaviest yield per square yard of any garden crop. It is of the easiest culture, and may be grown in the same plot of ground year after year, an advantage in its case, as once in the ground it is very difficult to get rid of it. The ground should be prepared in late winter by trenching in a moderate quantity of manure. The tubers may be planted any open day in February or March in rows three feet apart, the sets eighteen inches in the rows. The rest of the culture simply consists in hoeing up weeds; the crop may be left in the ground and dug as required from September onwards, but it should be all cleared up before the tubers start to grow in March.

CHINESE ARTICHOKE (Stachys tuberifera).

These require exactly similar treatment to Jerusalem Artichokes, except that the plants need be only a foot to fifteen inches apart. They withstand frost well, and may stay in the ground and be dug as wanted.

DISHES.

=Boiled Artichoke (Jerusalem).=--Wash well, as many artichokes as will be required, then put them in plenty of fresh clean water to cover and peel them rapidly, keeping them under water during the process, and then plunging them in a bowl of cold water till all are finished.

This is very important, as artichokes turn black if exposed to the air without their skins, even after they are cooked. Every one knows the disgusting appearance a dish of black artichokes floating in their milk and water presents. This can be avoided by carefully following these directions.

Put them in a saucepan of cold water, sufficient to cover them well, add one tablespoonful of salt, allow twenty minutes to half an hour after they reach boiling point. Drain, and arrange on a drainer in a very hot vegetable dish, pour over a good white sauce (see White Sauce) immediately, being careful to mask each artichoke with the sauce, thus protecting it from the air. If properly cooked the sauce will cling to the vegetable and not drop to the bottom of the dish. If the artichokes have to wait, draw the saucepan to one side and keep them in the water till wanted.

=Purée of Jerusalem Artichokes.=--Melt a heaped tablespoonful of butter, add a sliced onion, one bay leaf, three pounds of Jerusalem artichokes washed, pared, and cut into slices. Cook slowly for ten minutes, add gradually one cupful of milk. When the vegetables are thoroughly cooked, add another cupful of milk, salt and pepper to season. Serve on toast or boil until tender in milk to cover, drain and press through a colander, and reheat, seasoning with salt and pepper.

=Baked Artichokes.=--Peel and trim one dozen artichokes, and season with salt and pepper. Put into a buttered baking dish and bake for half an hour. Baste frequently with butter, and serve in the same dish.

Another Method.--Wash and pare the artichokes, put into cold water, with one tablespoonful of salt, boil till tender, cut into slices and put into a baking dish. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Cover with white or cream sauce, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake until the crumbs are brown.

=Braised Artichokes.=--Peel, wash, and parboil the artichokes. Drain and put into a baking dish with enough water to moisten, add a small bunch of parsley, a few slices of carrot, and a small onion. Cover and bake slowly for an hour, add a little more liquid if required, remove the carrot, onion, and parsley, and serve in a vegetable dish with the strained liquid thickened, seasoned, and poured over.

=Mashed Artichokes.=--Wash and peel fifteen artichokes, cover with cold, salted water, bring to the boil, and cook until tender, drain, rub through a sieve, season with salt and pepper, add a piece of butter, and serve very hot. Brown sauce may be added if liked.

=Brown Sauce.=--Two onions, one tablespoonful of flour, three-quarters of a pint of salted water; seasoning, one ounce of butter or a tablespoonful of oil; chop the onion, fry brown in the butter, add the flour, which must be browned, pour in the water and stir until the mixture thickens, then season it to taste. Any kind of vegetable stock is preferable to water.

Another Method.--One onion, half a carrot, half a turnip, parsley, herbs, one bay leaf, one ounce of butter, one pint of water, one dessertspoonful of vinegar, one lump of sugar, spice, one tablespoonful of ketchup or other condiment sauce. Fry the chopped vegetables in the butter until they are a good brown, add the flour, stir well, and add the water and stir until the mixture boils, then put in the parsley, herbs, vinegar, sugar, spice, and seasoning to taste, simmer by the side of the fire for about one hour, strain, and add the ketchup.

=Jerusalem Artichokes with Brown Sauce.=--Peel the artichokes, cut into dice, cook them till tender in salted water. Drain and reheat in brown sauce.

=Artichokes à la Crême.=--Prepare according to directions given for above recipe. Sprinkle with crumbs and grated cheese. Dot with butter, and brown in the oven, using the dish in which it is to be served.

=Jerusalem Artichoke Balls.=--Take eight boiled artichokes, rub through a sieve, and put into a saucepan with a little milk, one ounce butter, and one ounce Parmesan cheese. Stir over the fire until smooth, then add pepper and salt to taste, and the yolks of two eggs. Mix well and let it cool. Make balls of equal size, brush over with the white of egg, dip in bread-crumbs, and fry in hot nuttage or butter. Serve in pyramids with fried parsley scattered over.

=Jerusalem Artichokes with Hollandaise Sauce.=--Take twelve artichokes, trim them to the shape of pears, boil in water till tender, then drain well, and arrange them in the shape of a pyramid, pour over them some sauce Hollandaise, and serve.

=Jerusalem Artichokes with White Sauce and Parmesan Cheese.=--They must have been previously cooked and cut up in small pieces.

=Fried Chinese Artichokes.=--Boil the artichokes until tender, drain them, egg and bread-crumb them, fry until crisp, and serve with parsley sauce and slices of lemons.

=Artichokes à la Provençale.=--Clean and cut two dozen Jerusalem artichokes in pieces about half an inch in length. Wash and put them into a stewpan with half an ounce of fresh butter and half an ounce of white castor sugar. Put them on a slow fire for a few minutes, add four tablespoonfuls of white sauce, eight tablespoonfuls of milk, and simmer until the artichokes are soft, then skim. Mix the yolk of an egg with two tablespoonfuls of milk, pour it into the stewpan and stir quickly, and serve hot. Jerusalem artichokes must be well cooked, but not reduced to a pulp.

=Artichoke Purée.=--Wash well and peel twelve artichokes, boil them in three pints of water and one tablespoonful of salt; when soft take them up, probably in twenty minutes. Meanwhile cook slowly in a stewpan one sliced onion, a little celery, one turnip, two ounces of butter, one bay leaf, and a little grated nutmeg. Stir and add one tablespoonful of flour and one pint or less of milk to form a proper thickness. Put in the artichokes. When boiled pass through a fine hair sieve and serve hot. Put two tablespoonfuls of cream or two yolks of eggs in the tureen and stir while adding the purée.