Instructions: To make preserved lemon: Mix sugar and salt. Macerate rind in sugar/salt mix for 24 hours. Make simple syrup by combining water and sugar in saucepan. Cook over low heat until sugar dissolves, then bring to a boil and boil for about a minute. Rinse rind and poach in simple syrup till tender. Remove to a plate and let cool. Reserve for later use.

To prepare artichokes: Clean artichokes by holding them with stems facing you and leaves pointed outward. Begin removing outer leaves by pulling them back toward you while pressing down with your thumb on the very base of the leaf.

They should snap off, leaving the meaty end intact. Continue to do this until you reach the very pale and tender interior. Cut remaining tops off to about 1/2 inch from base. With metal spoon, scoop out hair and prickly purple leaves until top of heart is visible and clean. Trim off any dark green, tough fibers around outside of artichoke. Trim stems of outer tough layer but leave as much of stem intact as possible. Cut in half. Place artichokes in water with wine, olive oil and lemon halves. (Let artichokes soak in mixture for a few minutes or at most overnight.)

Make an herb sachet with the thyme, bay leaves, garlic and peppercorns wrapped in cheesecloth. In a 2-quart Dutch oven, sweat onions, carrot and sachet in olive oil for about 3 minutes. Add artichokes and saute about 3 more minutes.

Discard lemons from artichoke soaking water and add liquid to pan to cover artichokes completely. (Add more water to cover if necessary.) Cover top of liquid with a circle of parchment paper, and on medium heat simmer till tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

To prepare ricotta torte: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine all ricotta torte ingredients, mixing until well blended. Divide mixture among 4 disposable,

(4-ounce) foil cups and cook in oven in a water bath for 25 minutes.

To serve: Divide artichoke halves among 4 rimmed soup bowls. Put some of the warm cooking liquid and all of the carrots and onion in a smaller pan and add tomato, basil and preserved lemon to warm to same temperature. Divide mixture among the 4 bowls, spooning it around artichoke halves. Turn ricotta tortes out of foil cups and place on the top of or to the side of artichoke halves

(whichever you prefer). Serve warm.

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