The Colorado statesman., 1923-05-12
Different WAYS TO
PREPARE VEGETABLES
Special Care Should Be Taken
to Preserve Peculiar Char
acteriStic of Each Dish.

OF Asriculture)
Boiling vegetables, although so COM
mon and usual a method, is only one
of a variety of ways in which they
may be prepared for the table. Each
vegetable has certain characteristics
for which It Is liked, and the endeavor
in serving should be to emphasize the
best qualities. II 1t Is served because
Of Its crisp texture, or its attractive
color, or its distinctive favor, OF be-
cause II contains some particularly
nutritious substance, special care
should be taken to preserve that char
acteristic.
The method Of cooking selected de-
pends somewhat on the place of the
vegetable in the menu. A fried vege-
table, or one baked In combination
with a protein-rich material may be
In texture and flavor an excellent sub
stitute for meat.
Young green peas have q delicacy OF
flavor and freshness of color that
should be preserved by gentle. rather
than violent cooking. Many persons
eat raw celery for its crispness; there
fore, after It is washed II should be
put In a cold place so that it will have
that texture. Since spinach Is often
recommended for children because Of
its vtamins and it's high proportion
of iron, every effort should be made
to preserve these. Moreover, the
method that brings out the good points
of a vegetable generally conserves the
food value.
In general, vegetables should be
cooked in small quantities of water to
which salt has been added in the
proportion of about one teaspoonful to
quart Of water. Cabbage, onions,
and other strong-fiavored kinds, are
sometimes exceptions to this rule and
are cooked either in large quantities
of water or even in two or three
waters so that the flavor will be mild
er. If the cooking water is saved to
flavor soups or sauces, there is no loss
of minerals.
Spinach, lettuce. and other tender
leaf vegetables can be cooked without
the addition of any water. They are
succulent enough themselves and have
enough water clinging to them after
being washed so that they will not
stick to the kettle II stirred carefully
and not placed over too hot a fire at
first
Some Of the delicately favored veg
etables may be cooked by what has
been called the conservation" meth
cd. They are cooked slowly and gently
in Just enough water to prevent them
from burning, and all this water Is
absorbed during the process. This
often is recommended for green peas
string beans, and young carrots.
Whenever possible vegetables should
be cooked whole and without peeling.
This applies particularly to the root
and tuber kinds. If they must be cut,
they lose less of their nutritious sub
than crosswise.
The water for cooking vegetables
should be boiling when they are put
into it. This helps to set the color Of
some kinds and shortens the time of
cooking so that smaller proportion
of the minerals is extracted than when
cold water is used.
Starchy vegetables should be boiled
gently in a covered kettle; green veg
etables hold their attractive color
better If cooked in an open vessel.
All boiled vegetables should be
drained as soon as they are tender.
Overlooking is one of the most COM
mon mistakes in preparing vegetables
for the table.
The time of cooking varies greatly
with the quantity of water used and
the kind, size, and age of the veg
etables The following timetable is
recommended by the experimental
kitchen Of the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture to be used as a
general guide: