Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-30
SUMMER VEGETABLES
Preparation and Cooking Are
Both Important.
THE DIETETIC VALUE
DIRECTIONS GIVEN FOR THE
BEST KNOWN AND LIKED.
Salt Intensifies Green Color and Soda
Destroys It-Some
Suggestions.
Written for The Evening Star.

ana ripe fruit as q part of the daily MENU
and when properly prepared the dietetic
value of vegetables is indeed great French
and Italian housewives of the middle class
depend almost entirely upon them as sus-
tainers and appetizers, with the addition
perhaps of a little meat flavoring to lend
piquancy. 1t has been said that If the vege-
| tarians do nothing more than teach the
housewife to cook vegetables well and in
variety of ways their mission will not
have been in vain. But it is surprising
how few cooks understand how to prepare
and cook even the most common and cas-
lily obtained vegetables.
The early vegetables are expensive, and
it really seems that each summer the green
grocer prolongs the early" season I'M
necessarily, thereby keeping prices up until
the delicacies are about done. Vegetables
though, are SO wholesome and palatable
that lew providers can resist purchasing
them at even high prices, but to be handi-
capped by lazy or ignorant cook who
ruins them in the boiling or baking is in
deed a calamity. The pity of it all is that
there is not the slightest excuse for this
muddllng in cooking, as a small amount of
knowledge and a lot of "gumption" are
all that is required for successful fin
ish.
Some directions for the preparation and
cooking of a few of the best known vege-
tables may help in the culinary cause for
In summer vegetables should be literally
eaten, as the saline element contained in
them is beneficial to the system
Asparagus will be about a little longer
ana young carrots, peas, turnips, cauli-
mower spinach, beans, cabbage, cucumbers,
radlsheS, creSS and lettuce are all now at
the height of perfection. Globe artichokes
and mushrooms, both delicious additions to
the bill of fare. are often left out of the
dietary, either because the cook does not
know how to treat them or the mistress
is AFRAID they are not wholesome.
The Proper Cleaning.
In order to enjoy vegetables they should
be first made scrupulously clean and then
carefully cooked. In the case of all vege-
tables with edible roots, such as potatoes
and turnips, much attention must be paid
to the removal of earth or other possible
impurities. Then they have to be rinsed
in clear, cold water. 1t is absolutely nee
essary when preparing caulifower, cabbage
or other vegetables likely to harbor insects
to soak them head downward in strong salt
water to dislodge intruders The salt water
then should be thoroughly rinsed off After
the scrap1ng and peeling process has been
gone through they should be kept in cold
water until the time of cooking arrives
White vegetables will retain their color
better If little salt is added to the water
or few drops of lemon juice or vinegar
will answer the same purpose
Inc best utensil in which to cook vege-
tables is saucepan of enameled ware and
the cooking water should be boiling and
well sailed before the roots are put in
About an ounce of salt to gallon of water
is usually found sufficient The boiling
should be rapid. and the length of time for
cooking depends upon the age and fresh
ness of the vegetable. Old and wlted ones
take longer time, and even then are sell
dom satisfactory. If wilted and tough veg
etables must be used, the salt is added Just
before they are done. 1t is something to
remember that salt intensifes the green
color of a vegetable and soda DESTROYS it.
and it is upon this principle that salt is
put In the water in which peas are cooked,
and apropos of the delicious little dainties
sugar may be added when they are boiling.
Peas freshly gathered, shelled and boiled
in sailed water well favored with mint and
rapidly cooked from ten to twenty minutes
with the lid of the saucepan off ought to
tempt the most faded summer annette
And the lid off, holds in the culinary
world as important place as it does in the
political. The removal of the cover when
boiling vegetables-except potatoes. beets.
parsnips and few other "roots"-pre-
vents the color from changing and allows
the steam to escape so that the objection
able odor of cooking vegetables does not
pervade the house.
Time is Too Short
Asparagus on the shores of the Mediter-
ranean, which is its native home, sends up
delicate shoots twice a year, but in a
transplanted state it is more chary In APP
pearing, and the time vouchsafed to US in
which to enjoy this vegetable is all too
short.
There is a difference of opinion about the
length Of time required for cooking aspara-
gus. The Romans have a saying, do 1t
in no more time than is necessary to boil
asparagus from which one infers that the
process was an extremely quick one, but a
modern rule found very good in cooking
this vegetable is as follows:
Cut the stalks an even length and tie in
neat bundles Stand the bundles in fast
boiling water so that the heads are well
above water, and steam them for thirty
minutes. The stalks will then be quite ten
der and the heads will not be overlooked.
A few years ago asparagus was always
boiled, with the result that the stalks were
too hard to contain any juice, and the heads
were boiled off, not very sensible proceed
ing. Drain the asparagus well, place 1t
lengthwise on hot entree dish and serve
with white sauce. or oiled butter may
be handed with 1t. AS a garnish asparagus
tips stuck in rings cut from boiled carrots
are pretty to serve with boiled meats.
Easy to Cook.
Cauli1owers are particularly delicate and
good at this season of the year, and moth
Ing is easier to cook. All one has to do is
TO remove all except the freshest leaves
surrounding the Flower" and cut the stalk
neatly so that 1t will stand properly when
dished. 1t is cleaned as before described
and boiled head downward in sailed water
from fifteen to twenty minutes. When
cooked, drain and serve head uppermost
with a thick white sauce. This naturally
beautiful flower should never have its APP
pearance spoiled by a sauce being poured
over 1t. This messy practice Is a great
mistake. Sauce poured around it is much
more elegant way of serving caulifiower.
Young carrots, after washing and rub
blng we'll. must be parboiled for a few min
utes in fast boiling water and then in fresh
sailed water for twenty minutes. They are
then drained and served with white sauce,
or may be cut in dice form and stewed with
a little milk, ounce of butter and a
pinch of salt until they have absorbed all
the milk. New turnips cooked in the same
manner are often served with tomato sauce,
cheese sauce or bechamel
Kidney beans, if young, may be cooked
whole, and it is only necessary to break
off the top and draw the string with 1t.
They are boiled in sailed water to which
has been added little sugar for from ten
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