The Colorado statesman., 1921-07-02

prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agricultural
Even though they do not spoil, many
dried vegetables which were delicious
and attractive in every way during
the first few weeks or months of stor-
age, do not keep their color, flavor
and cooking qualities indefinitely, but
deteriorate gradually after a long pc
riod of storage. Even vegetables
which are blanched before drying will
deteriorate in much the same way,
though more slowly. and blanching in
salted water az per cent solution)
before drying constitutes slight i'm
provement over the common custom
of drying without such treatment.
Household stocks of dried vegeta-
bles should not be held over from one
year to the next for the reason they
lose in quality. Indeed, 1t is the part
of wisdom to use them early in the
winter season, reserving canned goods
for the late winter or early spring.
The experimental kitchen in the Uni
ted States Department of Agriculture
has carried on number of expert
ments with dried vegetables, and the
work is being continued. A progress
report is in order and some of the
results arrived at to date follow:
Dried corn is one of the vegetables
which keeps in good condition for
long time, If good at the beginning.
The peculiar flavor developed in dried
green string beans is popular in many
parts of the country. Dried soup mix
lures deserve wide use, for the COM
bination of such strong-juiced vege-
tables as onions. carrots, cabbage and
turnips will retain considerable flavor
for long time, even though the in
diyiduaI vegetables which compose 1t
may have deteriorated somewhat In
flavor when compared with the freshly
dried vegetable.
Preparing Dried Vegetable.
Dried vegetables may be soaked
from one to three hours in warm or
cold water, and then cooked from lo
TO 80 minutes Cor longer, If necessary.
Or they may be put at once, without
any soaking. into boiling water, and
then cooked slowly over the simmer
ing flame for 90 to 40 minutes, or long
or. II necessary. The length of time
for which they must be cooked de-
pends largely upon the condition of
the fresh vegetable before it was
dried. Large carrots. or white cab
bage, even though cut into small pieces
before drying, must be cooked longer
than small carrots or green cabbage.
The water added for soaking or
cooking should be little more than
what the vegetables will take up. 10
soak them in a large amount or wa
fer which is thrown away, then COOK
them in a fresh supply of water whlch
also is thrown away, Is to take the
most thorough method which could be
devised for extracting and discarding
most of their nutritive constituents as
well as most of their flavor.
Three cupfuls of water to one cuptui
of vegetable is as good general RUE
as can be given. but spinach and
greens take half of that, being nghl
Sor tbeIr volume. Long cooking de-
,,onds n larger amount of water, be-
cause II hollis away; but vegetables
should not be cooked longer than is
absolutely necessary, except IN the
making of puree.
Particularly when the dried vege-
tables are put into boiling water with
out soaking, 1t is best to salt them
toward the end of the cooking proc
ess rather than at the beginning
One cupful (measured dry) or most
kinds of dried vegetables Will serve
two persons heartily, or three per
sons with moderate portions.
Dried vegetables may De useu ~
the same way as fresh ones while
tbey are still in prime condition. "nen
they begin to fall off in flavor they
should be judlciously compineu VIII
other materials and have fiavorine
materials added to them. DRIED s"ee'
notatoes or carrots which have become
rather fiat when served with Dutter
and salt only are more appetizlng
when glazed. To do this, bake tneih
fafter cooking tender by boiling) win
N sauce of sugar or molasses or sirup,
and fat. Dried spinach which mas
become a little fiat will be likea IL y
is served with an egg ana VihesHf