Artichokes-Whole-a la Barigoule

Pare eight medium-sized artichokes; suppress the hardest leaves from the bottom (Fig. 544) and cut the upper ones off straight on the pointed end; empty out the inside, or more properly speaking the chokes (Fig. 543), wash thoroughly and drain well, turning them upside down so as to have no water left in the inside. Pour some oil in a pan; when very hot fry the tips of the artichoke leaves in it. Should the bottoms be thin, then lay another one inside, thus having two bottoms to one artichoke. To make the dressing, chop up half a pound of fresh fat pork with half a pound of butter; add three finely chopped small shallots, a spoonful and a half of chopped parsley, salt, pepper, nutmeg, a pound of finely minced or chopped mushrooms, and a gill of Madeira wine. Have all these ingredients properly mingled, divide in eight parts, and fill the inside of the artichokes with them; cover with bards of fat pork, tie with two rows of string and lay them in a saucepan with slices of fat pork; on the bottom place carrots, onions, a bunch of parsley with thyme and bay leaf, moisten with half stock (No. 194a) and white wine; boil, skim and then cook in a moderate oven for one hour or longer, until the leaves detach easily; drain the stock, skim and reduce it with espagnole sauce (No. 414) to half-glaze, adding lemon juice. Untie the artichokes, suppress the fat pork and dress; cover lightly with a part of the sauce, serving the remainder separately.