Cardoons with half-Glaze

Remove the large strings from a head of cardoon; cut the tenderest parts into four-inch lengths and throw them at once into cold acidulated water, then plunge them into boiling water, also acidulated with citric acid or vinegar; blanch until the downy skin detaches, rubbing with a cloth and drain to plunge at once into an abundance of cold water. Pare the cardoon, suppressing the superficial threads, and range them in a saucepan lined with fat pork; cover with more pork and moisten with unskimmed broth (No. 194a) mixed with a little white wine; add the cut-up pulp of a lemon, salt and aromatics, cover the saucepan and finish cooking very slowly. At the last moment drain them on a tammy, then on a cloth and cut them up into even lengths to dress in a pyramid on a dish, covering over with a half-glaze sauce (No. 413) reduced with Madeira wine.

Cardoons may be covered with a veloute sauce (No. 415) or else a brown sauce (No. 414), having some poached marrow cut into large dice added.