LENTILS, BOILED.—­The lentils should be placed in soak overnight, and those that float should be thrown away.  Suppose we have half a pint of lentils, they should be boiled in about a pint and a half of water.  Boil them till they are tender, which will take about half an hour, then drain them off and put them back in the saucepan for a few minutes with a little piece of butter, squeeze over them the juice of half a lemon, and serve hot.  Some people make a little thickened sauce with yolks of eggs and a little butter and flour mixed with the water in which they are boiled.

LENTILS, CURRIED.—­Lentils are very nice curried.  Boil the lentils as directed above till they are tender.  When they are placed in a vegetable-dish make deep well in the centre and pour some thick curry sauce into it. (See CURRY SAUCE.)

LENTILS A LA PROVENCALE.—­Soak the lentils overnight and put them into a stew-pan with five or six spoonfuls of oil, a little butter, some slices of onion, some chopped parsley, and a teaspoonful of mixed savoury herbs.  Stew them in this till the lentils are tender, and then thicken the sauce with yolks of eggs, add a squeeze of lemon-juice, and serve.

N.B.—­Haricot beans can be cooked in a similar manner.

CHAPTER VIII.

VEGETABLES, FRESH.

ARTICHOKES, FRENCH, PLAIN BOILED.—­Put the artichokes to soak in some well salted water, upside down, as otherwise it is impossible to get rid of the insects that are sometimes hidden in the leaves.  Trim off the ends of the leaves and the stalk, and all the hard leaves round the bottom should be pulled off.  Put the artichokes into a saucepan of boiling water sufficiently deep to nearly cover them.  The tips of the leaves are best left out; add a little salt, pepper, and a spoonful of savoury herbs to the water in which they are boiled.  French cooks generally add a piece of butter.  Boil them till they are tender.  The time depends upon the size, but you can always tell when they are done by pulling out a single leaf.  If it comes out easily the artichokes are done.  Drain them off, and remember in draining them to turn them upside down.  Some kind of sauce is generally served with artichokes separately in a boat, such as butter sauce, sauce Allemande, or Dutch sauce.

ARTICHOKES, BROILED.—­Parboil the artichokes and take out the part known as the choke.  In the hollow place a little chopped parsley and light-coloured bread-raspings soaked in olive oil.  Place the bottoms of the artichokes on a gridiron with narrow bars over a clear fire, and serve them as soon a they are thoroughly hot through.

ARTICHOKES, FRIED.—­The bottoms of artichokes after being boiled can be dipped in batter and fried.

ARTICHOKES A LA PROVENCALE.—­Parboil the artichokes and remove the choke, and put them in the oven in a tin with a little oil, pepper and salt, and three or four heads of garlic, whole.  Let them bake till they are tender, turning them over in the oil occasionally; then take out the garlic and serve them with the oil poured over them, and add the juice of a lemon.