Artichoke Mold (Tuscany)

Vegeterian

Ingredients

Artichokes- 2 pounds

Lemon - 1

Olive oil - 2 1/2 tbsps

Butter - 6 tbsps

Salt and pepper

Calf's sweetbreads - 1/4 pound

Veal bone marrow - 1/4 pound

Fine dry breadcrumbs - 2-3 tbsps

Bechamel Sauce:

Butter - 1/4 cup

All purpose flour - 1/2 cup

Salt

Hot milk - 2 1/2 cups

Egg yolks  -2

Pepper

Grated parmesan cheese - 2 1/2 tbsps

Remove the outer leaves, cut the artichokes in half and cut out their chokes or fibrous breads. Drop them into water acidulated with the juice of 1 lemon for 15 minutes and drain well.

Heat the oil in 2 tbsps butter in a pan, add the artichokes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook gently for 1/2 hour, or until the artichokes are golden. Put aside.

Bechamel Sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy pan and stir in the flour and a pinch of salt off the heat. Return the pan to the heat and cook the roux for a few minutes, stirring all the while. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Continue stirring and cooking over a moderate heat until the sauce is thick and smooth. Take the pan from the heat and heat the egg yolks, a sprinkling of pepper and the cheese. Put aside.

Drop the sweetbreads into cold water, bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes. Take them from the pan and drop at once into cold water. When they are cold, trim off all the fat and membrane. Chop finely.

Chop the bone marrow into small pieces and put it into a pan with 3 tbsps butter. Sprinkle lightly with salt and cook over a low heat for a few minutes to bring out flavors.

Mix the cooked artichokes, sweetbreads and bone marrow with the sauce. Grease a deep baking dish with the remaining butter and coat it with breadcrumbs. Fill it with the bechamel mixture, sprinkle the top lightly with breadcrumbs and place in a baking pan half-full of warm water. Bake in a moderately hot oven (400F) for about 20 minutes or until top is golden. 

Turn out and serve immediately.

Serves 6