General Directions For Preparing

Scrub root vegetables thoroughly with a stiff brush.

Thin skins may be scraped off, thick skins must be pared off. Most thick skins are more easily removed after cooking.

Any kind of greens should be rinsed in several waters to remove all grit. If the vegetables are wilted they may be freshened by soaking in cold water for a few hours before using.

Head vegetables should be placed head down, in a pan of cold water containing a little salt or vinegar. This will remove any small insects that may be lodged in them.

The strings from string beans should be pulled or cut off with great care.

Remove and throw away the inner pulp and seeds of old squashes and pumpkins.

The whole of summer squash is edible.

Scald tomatoes, pour cold water over them. This makes them easier to peel.

The outer covering must be removed from sweet corn, green peas, or shell beans.

Economical Points In Preparing

1. Peel thinly or not at all until after they are cooked. You will save from 15 to 20% of the nutritive value of the whole vegetable.

2. Do not discard leaves of lettuce, celery, beets or roots, dandelion nubbins and roots - they contain much mineral matter.

Cook them until tender, rub through a sieve and use in stock for vegetable soup.

3. Do not throw away water in which vegetables have been cooked - it contains nourishing starch and mineral matter. Use it in the soup pot or as a basis for cream soups or sauces.

4. Do not remove the pink skins from rhubarb. It takes away from the flavor. Cut through it with a sharp knife.

5. Do not discard the cores and skins of apples when making apple sauce. Save and make into jelly.

General Directions For Cooking Vegetables

Vegetables may be baked, steamed, stewed or boiled.

In Baking, no nutritive material is lost. You may bake potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, pumpkins, beets, young onions, peas, dried beans and lentils.

In Steaming there is no loss of nutritive material, but there is more loss in the flavor of the vegetable than in baking. All fresh young vegetables may be cooked in this way.

In Stewing, if properly done there is but little loss of nutritive substances. The vegetables should be placed in just enough boiling water to prevent them from burning while cooking, so that the liquid left at the end of the cooking process can be served with the vegetable.

In Boiling, there is a great waste of nutritive matter. This method should only be used in the cooking of very old beets, turnips or potatoes, or potatoes with their skins on. It may also be used for strong onions or cabbage, as it insures a mild flavor.

In Stewing Or Boiling, Always Add Vegetables To Boiling Water.

Salt (1 teaspoon to each quart of water) may be added to the water in which all green vegetables, potatoes or onions, are cooked. Do not add salt to parsnips, salsify, carrots or turnips, or other underground vegetables until after cooking. Do not allow vegetables to boil too rapidly - it dissipates the flavor and spoils the color. Cook in a vessel without a cover.