Omaha daily bee., 1916-02-26
Right Ways of
Cooking
Vegetables

gin to ferment and lose their wholesome
flavors shortly after being gathered.
they should jump from the garden TO
the kettle on the fire. This is an en-
viable possibility for the housewife with
a home garden. Should the vegetable
to be cooked have lost its flrmness and
he wilted. soak 1t in cold water until
crisp and firm But do not pare such
vegetables as potatoes until after they
, have soaked.
4 While vegetables are commonly boiled
steaming is a method which should be
more generally adopted This is espe-
cially true o. those which belong to the
cabbage and squash families, Food
cooked by steam is generally more pal
atable and easier to digest. The per-
-nentage of evaporation or loss is less
IN the case of steRm-cooked food Only
one-third as much material is removed
as when they are boiled. The dry heat
Of steam cooking has different chem
ical action on food from the boiling The
succulence of the vegetable is retained
while the cellular fibers are thoroughly
separated, and the vegetable is rendered
very tender
Whenever vegetables are to the boiled,
he sure that the water Is boiling when
they are put in. and the water brought
again to the boiling point as quickly as
possible.
How to BIanCh.
Blanchng, as applied to cookery, Is n
process which is used in connection with
boiling. as 1t removes the strong taste
and improves the quality. To blanch,
drop the prepared vegetables into an
abundance Of rapidly boiling, sailed
Nd ~
minutes according to the vegetable. in
an uncovered dish. Erain off the water
and finish cooking. with butter. season.
ings and very little water or other mois-
ture.
In cookery, vegetables are divided into
two classes: those which have a strong
flavor, such as onions. cabbage. turnips;
and the sweet-juiced ones. such as corn,
beans, peas. spinach and young carrots.
IN the case of strong -juiced vegetables,
Nhe softening of the cellular structure
may be aided by the use of little soda
in the water II the water Is very hard.
In the case of sweet Juiced vegetables.
soda should not be used. as II destroys
the delicate flavorlng, whereas salt in
crcCses It, BIT only a small amount of
salt should be used Salt tends to draw
out the juices and toughens the fiber
Practical Points.
As the majority of vegetables contain
volatile oils in small or larger amounts,
al vegetables when boiled should be
cooked with the cover Of the receptacle
partly off. This method permits the
volatile oils. which are .-oerated by the
heat, to pass off in the steam. As sweet
favored vegetables owe their special in
dividual flavors largely to the presence
OF these oils. they should invariably be
boiled in this manner. Vegetables are
thus rendered more delicate of better
flavor. and more easily digested, as well
as more wholesome than when cooked
in tightly covered receptacles. f-t
Cabbage, for example. contains a rela-
lively large amount of sulfur. This.
when retained in the vegetable, renders it
indigestible and causes flatulepcef On
the contrary. IL cabbage is cooked in
plenty Of water which is kept constantly
boiling rapidly. with thorough venti-
lation. It will be delicate and digestible.
Cabbage is very useful, since 1t is pro-
durable when other green vegetables are
scarce.
Not Too Much water.
Sweet-juiced vegetables should be
cooked in as little water as possible.
h The water in which they are cooked
ASould be served with the peas and beans,
or i'm a separate dish, to be added by
those who care for the liquid. 1t contains
valuable mineral salts which are the
most important elements. Any surplus
liquid may be used for soups.
Cook strong-flavored vegetables rapidly;
simmer gently the sweet-juiced
Do not previously melt butter which is
10 be used as dressing for vegetables;
the heat Of the vegetable should be suf-
ficient.
We need to attach more Importance to
the proper pairing of vegetables, With
the exception OF turnips, which should
be pared inside the dark encircling line.
all vegetables should be pared as thinly
as possible to prevent unnecessary loss,
especially of valuable mineral salts. Vege-
tables which are cut before boiling lose
much of their valuable material.
Time. Needed for Cooking.
Cooking various vegetables depends
on such factors as whether the vege-
tables are young and tender old and
tough, fresh or wilted. In general, cab
bage will boil in twenty-five to sixty
minutesi large. firm heads OF caulifloweI
never require more than thirty min
utes. small heads twenty TO twenty-five
minutes. Csuliflower begins 10 lose its
delicate quality as soon as it is ever
Slightly overlooked. This condition car
be told by the development OF a darl
color and disagreeable flavor. over
cooking also makes cauliflower indi
gestible. Brussels sprouts need fifteen L
twenty minutes. depending on the si1,
of the heads; spinach fifteen 10 twent,
minutes; asparagus. from fifteen TO thirt.
minutes, depending upon its freshness Al
Well as tenderness.
Young, tender peas will cook IN twent!
TO thirty minutes. Green beans neeC
10 be bianched for twenty minutes. theI
drained and cooked in boiling salted anC
buttered water until tender, twenty L
forty minutes. When overlooked, tn,
green beans become yellow.
Older string beans often require from
one and one-half to two hours. II 4
always wise to start the boiling in plent!
Of time, as they are not injured by stand
luur lar hot L.