Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   4                    artichoke -- bottoms
   1      medium        lemon -- quartered
   4                    garlic -- cloves, minced
   3      tablespoons   butter
   1      medium        carrot -- chopped
   2      medium        shallots -- minced
   2      medium        tomatoes -- peeled, seeded
                        chopped
     1/2  cup           sauce espagnole **
  24                    snails
   1                    bay leaf
     1/2  teaspoon      thyme
     1/2  cup           wine -- red
   2      tablespoons   brandy
   1      tablespoon    parsley -- minced
     1/4  cup           fennel -- chopped
                        salt -- (to taste)
                        pepper -- (to taste)

Preparation:

** See recipe for Sauce Espagnole. Cook the artichokes with lemon in boiling water for 10 minutes or until still firm but cooked through. Set aside. Melt half of the butter in a pan and add garlic, carrots, shallots, and onions. In another pan, put the tomatoes and the sauce. Let simmer. To the vegetables, add bay, thyme and half of the red wine. Simmer for 10 minutes and pour into the simmering tomato sauce. Put the remaining butter in a skillet and, when hot, add the drained snails. Add the remaining red wine and reduce by one-third. Add brandy to the snails and burn off the alcohol carefully. Combine the snails and sauce and add fennel. Simmer for 5 minutes, taste and correct seasoning with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into the drained artichoke bottoms and garnish with parsley.