Recipe - Cardi Gratini

5 pound Cardoons
10 cup Water
One half cup Flour
2 Lemons
2 cup Basic besciamela sauce
1 cup Freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup Fresh bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Trim top leaves and stalks off cardoons until it resembles a celerysized
plant about 14 to 16 inches in length. Remove each stalk and peel off outer
fibrous ribs and hard green skin using a paring knife.
Fill a stock or pasta pot twothirds or threequarters full (about 10 cups)
with water and add flour and lemons, which have been halved and squeezed
into water. Cut each cardoon into 3 pieces approximately 5 to 6 inches in
length and continue until all cardoon is cleaned, trimmed and cut. Place on
medium high heat and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium and cook just
below boiling for 1 hour. Remove, drain, rinse and allow to cool. Lay
cardoon pieces in ovenproof casserole and cover with 2 cups besciamela
sauce. Sprinkle with grated cheese and bread crumbs and bake for 30 to 35
minutes until dark golden brown and very bubbly. Serve immediately as an
appetizer or light lunch with grilled bread and crushed red pepper flakes.
Yield: 4 servings
Recipe By : Molto Mario

Posted to MCRecipe Digest V1 #306

Date: Sat, 16 Nov 1996 19:18:13 0500 (EST)

From: "suechef@sover.net" suechef@sover.net