Suggestions For Cooking Vegetables

The common and simple processes of cooking vegetables are supposed to be known; but as the success of all vegetable entrees depends, in great measure, upon the manner in which the initial cooking is carried out, it were well, before beginning a dish, to consult some modern and reliable cook-book on the minor details of cooking the special vegetable under consideration.

A description of the process of blanching vegetables may be found un Chapter II. All vegetables, after blanching, are set to cook in boiling water or other liquid. Also all vegetables that are not blanched, save dried legumes, are set to cook in boiling water.

Salted water is employed for the cooking of all vegetables in which but little or no woody fiber is found. Salt is used in the cooking of all green vegetables, to intensify the color. After vegetables cooked in liquid are done, they should be removed at once from the liquid, and served as soon as possible.

Curried Rice, With Green Peas

Pour a little boiling water over a pint of shelled peas (do not shell the peas until time to cook them); add a teaspoonful of salt and let simmer until tender. Season with one or two tablespoonfuls of butter and a little black pepper. Before setting the peas to cook, saute an onion, peeled and cut in halves, in three tablespoonfuls of melted butter, then add a cup of blanched rice, one or two tablespoonfuls of curry powder and stir these in the butter until it has been absorbed; add three and one-half cups of broth or boiling water, a teaspoonful, each, of sugar and salt and a tablespoonful of lemon juice, and let cook until the rice is tender. Dispose the rice in wreath shape on a serving dish and turn the peas into the center.

Creamed Salsify

Cut the salsify into quarter-inch slices, then prepare and cook as above. Drain and stir into a rich cream or Bechamel sauce. Use thin cream or half milk and half cream for the cream sauce.

Creamed Carrots

Scrape and wash the carrots, cut in cubes, julienne pieces or in slices. Add a tablespoonful of sugar and cook until tender in boiling water. Put a table-spoonful of butter in a saucepan, add a teaspoonful of grated onion and stir until hot, then add the carrots (a scant pint), carefully drained, and one cup of white sauce. Serve very hot. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and chives or with either alone. Peas may be served with the carrots.

Glazed Carrots

Glazed carrots may be served alone, but are most commonly used as a garnish on any dish of meat. Small, new carrots are preferable; select those of uniform size, scrape and wash, then simmer until nearly done. For a pint of carrots, melt three table-spoonfuls of butter in a frying pan, put in the carrots, sprinkle with a tablespoonful of sugar and stir over a hot fire until they begin to brown. Add two or three tablespoonfuls of broth or the water in which they were cooked, and stir, adding more stock as needed, until they are well glazed.