The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-09-03
OAra and Green Peppers.

Okra and Green Peppers.
This native plant of the West Indies
| is cultivated and highly priced in the
public esteem there as does asparagus
| the spring time native vegetable favor
| lite of the north
| The green seed pods of the okra are
| served in much the same manner as
asparagus. The plant belongs to the
mallow family and possesses the same
mucilaginous properties which distin-
| guish all members of this class.
The dried pods are used chiefly in
winter in soups, to thicken them, and
in making the famous southern gum
! DO dishes which are most savory deli
| cacies and both wholesome and nutri-
| tious.
| When okra is compounded with to-
| matoes, rice and chicken, as in that ex-
cellent and palatable combination
known as Brunswick stew, it is a de-
| Hghtful surprise to those who thus ac-
| Quire their first knowledge of okra.
Okra may be preserved for winter use
by the simple process Of drying the
| pods after cutting them into rings, and
| them in the storeroom until dry enough
to tie up in clean paper bags, which
| may be hung on a nail in the pantry.
convenient for use. Or the okra may be
| canned like other green vegetables. In
this form they may be Obtained of any
| first-class city grocer when the fresh
| pods are not in the market.
ANOTHER EDIBLE POD.
The pods of the capsicum are used in
many ways in cooking. While these
| possess the hot, 'pungent flavor similar,
but much stronger than the true pep
per. which belongs to the order piper
berry, it is in no way related to this
commodity, but belongs to the night
shade family. While the dried pods Of
several varieties are used either ground
to a fine powder and commonly known
as cayenne pepper, or whole, to give the
peppery flavor to many dishes, the
green pod of the sweet pepper is classed
among vegetables, and served in numer-
Gus forms, principally as vegetable
entree or accompaniment to meats.
CapSicum Is regarded an agree
able and valuable stimulant, producing
the medical effect of alcohol without
disastrous results following it's moder-
| ate use
While many like its characteristic fla
vor in mild form they find it's whole
strength too pungent to their taste and
comfort. cooking will dispel the fiery"
!. quality to a very great extent, and when
the green pods of the sweet variety have
are then parboiled or sca1ded for few
minutes they are exceedingly mild in
: flavor. When these pods are stuffed
and baked they do not require any
previous cooking, as the process of bak-
| ine or braising them will extract much
Of the peppery quality.
} BOILED OKRA.
| Always cook okra in porcelain-lined
! vessels, as tin or unglazed kettles or
saucepans are apt to discolor and spoil
| | the flavor. Select the tender young
pods; cut them in rings and boil them
uncovered, in sailed water about twen-
, ty minutes. or until they are tender;
then drain them nearly dry; season
, | with salt and pepper; add butter and a
!, | little good cream. Let heat up again
t and turn into heated dish and serve
whole, put them in a cheesecloth bag OF
. bags, as this will keep them from
? breaking.
OKRA STEW.
J Select fresh young pods, trim them
and put into a saucepan with stock and
tomato catsup sufficient to cover then
4 and in equal quantities. Add a slice
of ham cut in strips and salt and pep
per to taste and stew gently for hall
an hour, covered. Then put into 9
heated dish, pour the sauce over it an6
sprinkle with minced parsley and serve
OKRA WITH RICE.
Wash a quart of fresh young okrs
; pods and slice them thin. Peel tw,
solid, ripe tomatoes and cut into dice
. | remove the seeds from a red peppe
| pod and cut pod into fine strips: pee
and slice an onion. then chop it coarse
ly. Put all together into a porcelain
lined saucepan with half a cup of but
ter or quarter pound of salt. fat pork
cover and let cook gently for half al
: hour. Wash a half pound of rice an,
boil in plenty of sailed water. Whel
okra and rice are done and seasoned t
, | taste put okra in center of a hot disl
! | with q border of rice around it an.
serve very hot
TOMATOES STUFFED WITH OKRAs
AND BAKED.
Select round, firm ripe tomatoes Gu
a slice from the stem end and scool
out the Seeds Fill nearly full wit
olra. boiled. seasoned with salt. pep
per and butter and chopped fine an
put spoonful of cream sauce ON to-
of each. Sprinkle with bread crumb
and bake in a moderate oven unit
tomatoes are tender. but not broken
Serve with plain boiled rice.
OKRA GUMBO.
Cut a large knuckle of veal and
large slice of lean ham into small pieces
Put into pan with some hot dripping
add a sliced onion. two or three gree
pepper rods minced fine and three dog
en- okra pods. Fry a light brown
Sprinkle in two tablespoonfuls of flour
stir until blended in other ingredients
add two quarts of boiling water an
simmer gently for two hours. Chicke
/ | instead of veal may be used.
SCALLOPED OKRA.
Wash quart of fresh young okrs
trim and boil tender. Drain and put
!, layer in a well buttered baking disf
! season with salt and pepper, cover wit
: bits of butter and coarse bread crumbs
moisten these little with cream An
t more ol<ra and then seasoning. crumb:
4 etc. having the top covered wit
! crumbs. Moisten with cream and dc
with bits of butter and bake in moder
. ately hot oven until Drowned nicely.
STUFFED PEPPERS
Cut OF the stem end and SCOOP on
> seeds and coarse veins of SIX awee
| green peppers Prepare an extra De.
/, per in same way. then chop it fine an
: | mix with a small minced onion, q cupft
of peeled and chopped tomato. two ia
! blespoonfuls OF salad Oil or melted but
, | ter, a teaspoonful of salt and an auus
I quantity of fine bread crumbs Put thl
mixture in the peppers and replace TIL