Cardoon Soup

Prepare a capon or chicken stock. In the meantime, wash, drain and cut into pieces the chicken livers then brown them in butter. At the same time, prepare some rissoles by mixing eggs, grated cheese, salt, and nutmeg and fry these in butter. Select the most tender stalks of cardoons and do likewise for the sticks of celery taking care to remove the filaments, and then cut into short lengths. Wash, and boil the cardoons, celery and endive in lightly salted water, and allow to cool. Cut into pieces, put them in an oven-dish with a small piece of butter and cook over the heat for a few minutes, so that they take on flavor gently and dry out. Skim the fat off the stock, put back onto the heat and add the vegetables, rissoles and livers. Leave to gain flavor and serve piping hot. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese to taste.