Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1912-02-02
TO COOK VEGETABLES
SUGGESTIONS THAT MAY BE
HELPFUL TO HOUSEWIFE.
Properly Cooked and Dished Up Vege-
tables Should Take More Promi-
nent Place on TabIe-Few
Do the Work Right.

One of the greatest drawbacks tc
the success of vegetarianism is that
so few people know how to cook vege-
tables. Sodden boiling is not in any
sense of the word right cooking even
if the vegetables are half-strained
afterwards and sent to table with
streaks of well-watered butter through
them, masquerading as sauce. When
vegetables are boiled the water should
be saved for stock, for it has nourish-
ing qualities that have been given out
in the process of cooking; to prevent
this cooking by steam is the best
method that can be recommended
Properly cooked and dished up vege-
tables might be promoted to much
more important position at our tables;
on occasion they might very well take
the place of meat even among those
who do not profess vegetarian prin-
ciples.
When steaming is resorted to, the
steam should be brought directly into
contact with the green food that is
being cooked, if possible. A home
made steamer may, Of course, be con-
trived, and a milk can may be made
to serve this pun pose if muslin cloth
is tied across the top. Carrots, peas,
sprouts, caulifower or spinach may be
set in this inner can and steamed
while potatoes are boiling in the wa
ter outside. Place a little butter in
the improvised balm marie if cabbage,
spinach, sprouts, French beans or
caulidower should be the vegetable
course, and add a little water Cor in
some cases milk, then allow the veg
etables to steam slowly, the water in
the outside vessel being kept boiling,
but not too fast.
While boiling the pan should be
well filled with water, which should
always be kept boiling, and the lid
Of the pan should not be quite closed. |
Here it may be said that the method
Of pouring off the water preparatory
to adding little butter is g barbarous
one; the vegetables should be thor
oughly drained and then returned into
pan in which the butter is already
melted.
Potatoes are best cooked by steam
and new potatoes are particularly
nice when prepared in this fashion,
quite dry with a little butter added
before they are sent to table.
1t is because vegetables that have
been cooked by steam have not SO
good a color as when boiled that OBJ
lection is sometimes taken to this
method and the perforated steamer
preferred. When, however, boiling is
the method chosen the vegetables
should be carefully prepared and out
side green leaves should all be re-
moved while sleeping in salt gives
firmness and will destroy and remove
any, lurking insects. If the vegetable
Is then put for five minutes into boil
ing water and afterwards again int,
cold the color will be improved and
little sugar in the cooking water also
helps the color.
Caulifiower is a vegetable which ap-
peals to all tastes, and it is also one
of the most nourishing of our vege-
tables, and in price practically within
the reach Of all. Like all vegetables
for boiling, it requires care in cook
ing. First soak the caulifiower in
ealted water for an hour, drain and
leave it whole or break it into sprigs
If preferred, removing the outer
leaves. Then put it into large pan
full of boiling sailed water and boil
till the green parts are soft.
Root vegetables, among which are
included sea kale, celery, artichokes,
turnips and carrots, are best boiled
IN unsalted water and the heat must
not be too fast and furious, or the veg
etable will become tough. Parsnip
is one Of the many vegetables which
are unappreciated, because it is rare
ly cooked in a fashion which makes
the most of its flavor. 1t should not
be watery when served, but sent to
table thoroughly dry with butter
sauce.