Evening star., 1901-07-02
Table and Kitchen.
Some Practical Suggestions About
Cooking Summer Vegetables.

Vegetables are best In their own sea-
son, just nature develops them, not as
man forces them.
The good housekeeper will give as much
care and attention to the cooking and
dressing of vegetables as she devotes to
other foods; while Indifferent cooks enter
tain the mistaken lea that very little skill
is required. And To the negligent and mo-
notonous manner Of prepar rfag them is due
a very prevalent indifreu6ce and frequent
distaste for many of 6hT most valuable
green. summer vegetables. :
The Food Value of Vegetables.
On account of the large percentage of
water that enters Into the composition of
vegetables especially the green and fresh
grown. they do not rank high for their
| nutrient value. but are none the less valu-
able. dietetically, for the reason that they
furnish a large .luantity Sf organic fluids
which must accompany the food supply to
meet the requirements Of the vital econ
omy. The potato, which does not properly
belong to summer vegetables, is remark
able for the large amount of starch 1t con-
tains and for this reason must be cooked
with utmost care in order to render it d.
gestible. Some other vegetables contain
starch, but the chief constituents aside
from water, Of the vegetables which belong
more properly to the summer season are
sugar. mineral elements and matter that
supplies bulk to the foods
Selecting Vegetables
Unfortunately all housewives cannot OBJ
tain their green vegetables direct from the
garden. and while there are certain kinds,
such as corn and peas, which soon lose
the Sweetness if they stand long before
| cooking, most buyers can get vegetables
not over twenty-four hours old; and wnen
selecting such as We have mentioned it is
! wise to pay. If necessary, a little more for
| the freshest vegetable.
Select green vegetables that are criSD and
juicy and have not been from field or gar
| den over a day.
Roots and tubers should be plump with
| fresh, unshriyeled skins. While we are not
| discussing vegetables that have been kept
| through the winter it is well to warn all
| inexperienced housewives against the use
OF vegetables that have begun to germinate.
| especially potatoes. The Sprouts of these
| vegetables contain poison similar to bella
| donna, the plant belonging to the same
| family as the deadly nightshade.
| The Care of Fresh Vegetables.
| When vegetables cannot be cooked as
| soon as gathered they should be kept in a
| cool, dark place. The outer leaves or pods
| should not be removed until they are to be
cooked. Lettuce, cress and spinach may
| be washed quickly and carefully In cold
| water, put In a cold dark place covered
from the air and be kept crisp and nice for
some time. Asparagus, corn In husk and
celery may be kept fresh by cutting off a
little OF the stem end and the cut end only
| stood in cold water.
Medium-sized and not overgrown vege-
| tables are, rule. the best to select.
Most vegetables that do not contain starch
| are best II not quite mature, especially
those that contain considerable woody
fiber. These grow tough and hard.
To Prepare and Cook.
Nearly all vegetables' should be thor
| orghly washed before they are cooked;
roots and tubers should be scrubbed with
a small brush kept for taae purpose, before
they are pared; and al shoots, stems and
| leaves thoroughly washed. but not allowed
| to remain in water for any length of time
II they are fresh. The best plan is to place
| them in a colander or wire basket and let
| cold water run over them.
| Remember that to preserve the color,
frmness and juices of young green vege-
| tables they should be cooked in boiling,
salted water, as the solvent power of soft
| water will destroy their color and frmness
and draw out the nutrient juices and salts
into the water; and if = this is drained off
| and thrown away. we lose almost all the
| value as well as the flavor of the vege-
tables and they are insipid and fiat.
| AS rule young, green vegetables are
cooked too long They should be cooked
rapidly, without cover except spinach, and
only until they are tender. no longer, using
as little water as is possible. If they
| cooked after they become tender, they
| grow dark colored and unsightly, strong
| in flavor and therefore unpalatable. Grains
| and legumes peas, beans and lentils)
| qutre more water in cooking they lose
| most of their moisture in the ripening pro-
| cess. Wtlted vegetables also require more
| water, but II these cannot be freshened be-
for cooking they should not be used. Have
| the water freshly boiled for the vegetables;
| since water, it begins to boil,
parts with it's gases and becomes fiat and
| insip1d; 50 put In the vegetables soon
| as the boiling begins and keep It cooking
! continuously, but not too rapidly, for the
| temperature cannot be increased, after wa
| ter reaches the boiling point, by violent
| bubbling.
! ALI vegetables belonging to the tubers are
better steamed or baked and many others
are much finer, notably asparagus and
! young cabbage. "
| Onions and cabbage, on account of the
| strong odor of the volatile oil, should be
! cooked In plenty of water. the water
| changed several times according to the age
and variety. These vegetables more
delicate If allowed to soak in unsalted, cold
water for an hour before cooking. Never
| let vegetables remain in the water when
once done
! Unless you can have your vegetables
| fresh from the garden you will find peas,
| corn, beets, squash. turnips, pumpkin and
tomatoes are improved by adding just
enough sugar to restore their natural
sweetness; about teaspoonful to quart.
Tomatoes are usually improved by the ad
dition of little sugar to correct the acid
| ity, as they partake more OF the nature of
| fruit than vegetable, and are in some
| seasons quite tart.
| A very simple, yet effective way to de-
| stroy the odor from cooking onions or cab
| bage is to keep small quantity Of vinegar
| simmering on the stove near the vessel
| containing the vegetables. This does not
| spoil the flavor of the vegetables as some
| other remedies do. Add salt to peas and
beans when they are partly done.
Time for Cooking Vegetables.
| Much depends on the age and condition
| of the vegetables, and also the manner in
| which they are cooked, fresh young veg
| etabies requiring, Of course much less
| time. A table can give you only the ap-
proximate length OF time. Use judgment
| and common sense. and when the veg
| etables are tender do not cook them longer.
| Bake potatoes, thirty to forty-flve min
utes. -.
Steam potatoes twenty to forty minutes