small; so small, indeed, that one pound of parsnips affords hardly one
fifth of an ounce of nitrogenous or muscle-forming material. The time
required for its digestion, varies from two and one half to three and
one half hours.
PREPARATION AND COOKING.--Wash and trim off any rough portions:
scrape well with a knife to remove the skins, and drop at once into cold
water to prevent discoloration. If the parsnips are smooth-skinned,
fresh, and too small to need dividing, they need only be washed
thoroughly before cooking, as the skins can be easily removed by rubbing
with a clean towel. Reject those that are wilted, pithy, coarse, or
stringy. Large parsnips should be divided, for if cooked whole, the
outside is likely to become soft before the center is tender. They may
be either split lengthwise or sliced. Parsnips may be boiled, baked, or
steamed; but like all other vegetables containing a large percentage of
water, are preferable steamed or baked.
The time required for cooking young parsnips, is about forty-five
minutes; when old, they require from one to two hours.
_RECIPES._
BAKED PARSNIPS.--Wash, thoroughly, but do not scrape the roots;
bake the same as potatoes. When tender, remove the skins, slice, and
serve with cream or an egg sauce prepared as directed for Parsnips with
Egg Sauce. They are also very nice mashed and seasoned with cream. Baked
and steamed parsnips are far sweeter than boiled ones.
BAKED PARSNIPS NO. 2.--Wash, scrape, and divide; drop into boiling
water, a little more than sufficient to cook them, and boil gently till
thoroughly tender. There should remain about one half pint of the liquor
when the parsnips are done. Arrange on an earthen plate or shallow
pudding dish, not more than one layer deep; cover with the juice, and
bake, basting frequently until the juice is all absorbed, and the
parsnips delicately browned. Serve at once.
BOILED PARSNIPS.--Clean, scrape, drop into a small quantity of
boiling water, and cook until they can be easily pierced, with a fork.
Drain thoroughly, cut the parsnips in slices, and mash or serve with a
white sauce, to which a little lemon juice may be added if desired.
BROWNED PARSNIPS.--Slice cold parsnips into rather thick pieces,
and brown as directed for browned potatoes.
CREAMED PARSNIPS.--Bake or steam the parsnips until tender; slice,
add salt if desired, and a cup of thin sweet cream. Let them stew slowly
until nearly dry, or if preferred, just boil up once and serve.
MASHED PARSNIPS.--Wash and scrape, dropping at once into cold water
to prevent discoloration. Slice thinly and steam, or bake whole until
perfectly tender. When done, mash until free from lumps, removing all
hard or stringy portions; add salt to taste and a few spoonfuls of thick
sweet cream, and serve.
PARSNIPS WITH CREAM SAUCE.--Bake as previously directed. When
tender, slice, cut into cubes, and pour over them a cream sauce prepared
as for Turnips with Cream Sauce. Boil up together once, and serve.
PARSNIPS WITH EGG SAUCE.--Scrape, wash, and slice thinly, enough
parsnips to make three pints; steam, bake, or boil them until very
tender. If boiled, turn into a colander and drain well. Have ready an
egg sauce, for preparing which heat a pint of rich milk or very thin
cream to boiling, stir into it a level tablespoonful of flour rubbed
smooth with a little milk. Let this boil a few minutes, stirring
constantly until the flour is well cooked and the sauce thickened; then
add slowly the well-beaten yolk of one egg, stirring rapidly so that it
shall be well mingled with the whole; add salt to taste; let it boil up
once, pour over the parsnips, and serve. The sauce should be of the
consistency of thick cream.
PARSNIPS WITH POTATOES.--Wash, scrape, and slice enough parsnips
to make two and a half quarts. Pare and slice enough potatoes to make
one pint. Cook together in a small quantity of water. When tender, mash
smoothly, add salt, the yolks of two eggs well beaten, and a cup of rich
milk. Beat well together, put into an earthen or china dish, and brown
lightly in the oven.
STEWED PARSNIPS.--Prepare and boil for a half hour; drain, cover
with rich milk, add salt if desired, and stew gently till tender.
STEWED PARSNIPS WITH CELERY.--Prepare and steam or boil some nice
ones until about half done. If boiled, drain thoroughly; add salt if
desired, and a tablespoonful of minced celery. Turn rich boiling milk
over them, cover, and stew fifteen or twenty minutes, or till perfectly
tender.
CARROTS.
DESCRIPTION.--The garden carrot is a cultivated variety of a plant
belonging to the _Umbettiferæ_, and grows wild in many portions of
Europe. The root has long been used for food. By the ancient Greeks and
Romans it was much esteemed as a salad. The carrot is said to have been
introduced into England by Flemish refugees during the reigns of
Elizabeth and James I. Its feathery leaves were used by the ladies as an
adornment for their headdresses, in place of plumes. Carrots contain
sugar enough for making a syrup from them; they also yield by
fermentation and distillation a spirituous liquor. In Germany they are
sometimes cut into small pieces, and roasted as a substitute for coffee.
Starch does not enter into the composition of carrots, but a small
portion of pectose is found instead. Carrots contain more water than
parsnips, and both much cellulose and little nutritive material. Carrots
when well cooked form a wholesome food, but one not adapted to weak
stomachs, as they are rather hard to digest and tend to flatulence.
PREPARATION AND COOKING.--The suggestions given for the preparation
of parsnips are also applicable to carrots; and they may be boiled,
steamed, or browned in the same manner. From one to two hours time will
be required, according to age, size, variety, and method of cooking.
_RECIPES._
BOILED CARROTS.--Clean, scrape, drop into boiling water, and cook
till tender; drain thoroughly, slice, and serve with a cream sauce.
Varieties with strong flavor are better parboiled for fifteen or twenty
minutes, and put into fresh boiling water to finish.
CARROTS WITH EGG SAUCE.--Wash and scrape well; slice and throw into
boiling water, or else steam. When tender, drain thoroughly, and pour
over them a sauce prepared the same as for parsnips (page 244), with the
addition of a tablespoonful of sugar. Let them boil up once, and serve.
STEWED CARROTS.--Prepare young and tender carrots, drop into
boiling water, and cook for fifteen or twenty minutes. Drain, slice, and
put into a stewpan with rich milk or cream nearly to cover; simmer
gently until tender; season with salt and a little chopped parsley.
BEETS.
DESCRIPTION.--The beet is a native of the coasts of the
Mediterranean, and is said to owe its botanical name, _beta_, to a
fancied resemblance to the Greek letter B. Two varieties are in common
use as food, the white and the red beet; while a sub-variety, the sugar
beet, is largely cultivated in France, in connection with the beet-sugar
industry in that country. The same industry has recently been introduced
into this country. It is grown extensively in Germany and Russia, for
the same pose, and is also used there in the manufacture of alcohol.
The beet root is characterized by its unusual amount of sugar. It is
considered more nutritive than any other esculent tuber except the
potato, but the time required for its digestion exceeds that of most
vegetables, being three and three fourths hours.
PREPARATION AND COOKING.--Beets, like other tubers, should be
fresh, unshriveled, and healthy. Wash carefully, scrubbing with a soft
brush to remove all particles of dirt; but avoid scraping, cutting, or
breaking, lest the sweet juices escape. In handling for storage, be
careful not to bruise or break the skins; and in purchasing from the
market, select only such as are perfect.
Beets may be boiled, baked, or steamed. In boiling, if the skin is cut
or broken, the juice will escape in the water, and the flavor will be
injured; for this reason, beets should not be punctured with a fork to
find if done. When tender, the thickest part will yield readily to
pressure of the fingers. Beets should be boiled in just as little water
as possible, and they will be much better if it has all evaporated by
the time they are cooked.
Young beets will boil in one hour, while old beets require from three to
five hours; if tough, wilted, and stringy, they cannot be boiled tender.
Baked beets require from three to six hours.
_RECIPES._
BAKED BEETS.--Beets are far better baked than boiled, though it
takes a longer time to cook properly. French cooks bake them slowly six
hours in a covered dish, the bottom of which is lined with
well-moistened rye straw; however, they may be baked on the oven grate,
like potatoes. Wipe dry after washing, and bake slowly. They are very
nice served with a sauce made of equal quantities of lemon juice and
whipped cream, with a little salt.
BAKED BEETS NO. 2.--Wash young and tender beets, and place in an
earthen baking dish with a very little water; as it evaporates, add
more, which must be of boiling temperature. Set into a moderate oven,
and according to size of the beets, bake slowly from two to three hours.
When tender, remove the skins and dress with lemon juice or cream sauce.
BEETS AND POTATOES.--Boil newly matured potatoes and young beets
separately till tender; then peel and slice. Put thorn in alternate
layers in a vegetable dish, with salt to taste, and enough sweet cream
nearly to cover. Brown in the oven, and serve at once.
BEET HASH.--Chop quite finely an equal quantity of cold boiled or
baked beets and boiled or baked potatoes. Put into a shallow saucepan,
add salt and sufficient hot cream to moisten. Toss frequently, and cook
until well heated throughout. Serve hot.
BEET GREENS.--Take young, tender beets, clean thoroughly without
separating the tops and roots. Examine the leaves carefully, and pick
off inferior ones. Put into boiling water, and cook for nearly an hour.
Drain, press out all water, and chop quite fine. Serve with a dressing
of lemon juice or cream, as preferred.
BEET SALAD, OR CHOPPED BEETS.--Cold boiled or baked beets, chopped
quite fine, but not minced, make a nice salad when served with a
dressing of lemon juice and whipped cream in the proportion of three
tablespoonfuls of lemon juice to one half cup of whipped cream, and salt
if desired.
BEET SALAD NO. 2.--Chop equal parts of boiled beets and fresh young
cabbage. Mix thoroughly, add salt to taste, a few tablespoonfuls of
sugar, and cover with diluted lemon juice. Equal quantities of cold
boiled beets and cold boiled potatoes, chopped fine, thoroughly mixed,
and served with a dressing of lemon juice and whipped cream, make a
palatable salad. Care should be taken in the preparation of these and
the preceding salad, not to chop the vegetables so fine as to admit of
their being eaten without mastication.
BOILED BEETS.--Wash carefully, drop into boiling water, and cook
until tender. When done, drop into cold water for a minute, when the
skins can be easily rubbed off with the hand. Slice, and serve hot with
lemon juice or with a cream sauce.
STEWED BEETS.--Bake beets according to recipe No. 2. Peel, cut in
slices, turn into a saucepan, nearly cover with thin cream, simmer for
ten or fifteen minutes, add salt if desired, and thicken the gravy with
a little corn starch or flour.
CABBAGE.
DESCRIPTION.--The common white garden cabbage is one of the oldest
of cultivated vegetables. A variety of the plant known as red cabbage
was the delight of ancient gourmands more than eighteen centuries ago.
The Egyptians adored it, erected altars to it, and made it the first
dish at their repasts. In this they were imitated by the Greeks and
Romans.
Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, considered the cabbage one of the
most valuable of remedies, and often prescribed a dish of boiled cabbage
to be eaten with salt for patients suffering with violent colic.
Erasistratus looked upon it as a sovereign remedy against paralysis,
while Cato in his writings affirmed it to be a panacea for all diseases,
and believed the use the Romans made of it to have been the means
whereby they were able, during six hundred years, to do without the
assistance of physicians, whom they had expelled from their territory.
The learned philosopher, Pythagoras, composed books in which he lauded
its wonderful virtues.
The Germans are so fond of cabbage that it enters into the composition
of a majority of their culinary products. The cabbage was first raised
in England about 1640, by Sir Anthony Ashley. That this epoch, important
to the English horticultural and culinary world, may never be forgotten,
a cabbage is represented upon Sir Anthony's monument.
The nutritive value of the cabbage is not high, nearly ninety per cent
being water; but it forms an agreeable variety in the list of vegetable
foods, and is said to possess marked antiscorbutic virtue. It is,
however, difficult of digestion, and therefore not suited to weak
stomachs. It would be impossible to sustain life for a lengthened period
upon cabbage, since to supply the body with sufficient food elements,
the quantity would exceed the rate of digestion and the capacity of the
stomach.
M. Chevreul, a French scientist, has ascertained that the peculiar odor
given off during the boiling of cabbage is due to the disengagement of
sulphureted hydrogen. Cabbage is said to be more easily digested raw
than cooked.
PREPARATION AND COOKING.--A good cabbage should have a
well-developed, firm head, with fresh, crisp leaves, free from
worm-holes and decayed portions. To prepare for cooking, stalk, shake
well to free from dirt, and if there are any signs of insects, lay in
cold salted water for an hour or so to drive them out. Rinse away the
salt water, and if to be boiled, drop into a small quantity of boiling
water. Cover closely and boil vigorously until tender. If cooked slowly,
it will be watery and stringy, while overdone cabbage is especially
insipid and flavorless. If too much water has been used, remove the
cover, that evaporation may go on more rapidly; if too little, replenish
with boiling water. Cabbage should be cooked in a porcelain-lined or
granite-ware sauce pan or a very clean iron kettle. Cabbage may also be
steamed, but care must be taken to have the process as rapid as
possible. Fresh young cabbage will cook in about one hour; old cabbage
requires from two to three hours.
_RECIPES._
BAKED CABBAGE.--Prepare and chop a firm head of young white
cabbage, boil until tender, drain, and set aside until nearly cold. Then
add two well-beaten eggs, salt to taste, and a half cup of thin cream or
rich milk. Mix and bake in a pudding dish until lightly browned.
BOILED CABBAGE.--Carefully clean a nice head of cabbage, divide
into halves, and with a sharp knife slice very thin, cutting from the
center of the head outward. Put into boiling water, cover closely, and
cook rapidly until tender; then turn into a colander and drain, pressing
gently with the back of a plate. Return to the kettle, add salt to
taste, and sufficient sweet cream to moisten well, heat through if at
all cooled, dish, and serve at once. If preferred, the cream may be
omitted, and the cabbage served with tomato sauce or lemon juice as a
dressing.
CABBAGE AND TOMATOES.--Boil finely chopped cabbage in as little
water as possible. When tender, add half the quantity of hot stewed
tomatoes, boil together for a few minutes, being careful to avoid
burning, season with salt if desired, and serve. If preferred, a little
sweet cream may be added just before serving.
CABBAGE CELERY.--A firm, crisp head of cabbage cut in slices half
an inch or an inch thick, and then again into pieces four or five inches
long and two or three inches wide, makes a quite appetizing substitute
for celery.
CABBAGE HASH.--Chop fine, equal parts of cold boiled potatoes and
boiled cabbage, and season with salt. To each quart of the mixture add
one half or three fourths of a cup of thin cream; mix well and boil till
well heated.
CHOPPED CABBAGE OR CABBAGE SALAD.--Take one pint of finely chopped
cabbage; pour over it a dressing made of three tablespoonfuls of lemon
juice, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, and a half cup of whipped cream,
thoroughly beaten together in the order named; or serve with sugar and
diluted lemon juice.
MASHED CABBAGE.--Cut a fine head of cabbage into quarters, and cook
until tender. A half hour before it is done, drop in three good-sized
potatoes. When done, take all up in a colander together, press out the
water, and mash very fine. Season with cream, and salt if desired.
STEWED CABBAGE. Chop nice cabbage quite fine, and put it into
boiling water, letting it boil twenty minutes. Turn into a colander and
drain thoroughly; return to the kettle, cover with milk, and let it boil
till perfectly tender; season with salt and cream to taste. The beaten
yolk of an egg, stirred in with the cream, is considered an improvement
by some.
CAULIFLOWER AND BROCCOLI.
DESCRIPTION.--These vegetables are botanically allied to the
cabbage, and are similar in composition. They are entirely the product
of cultivation, and constitute the inflorescence of the plant, which
horticultural art has made to grow into a compact head of white color in
the cauliflower, and of varying shades of buff, green, and purple in the
broccoli. There is very little difference between the two aside from the
color, and they are treated alike for culinary purposes. They were known
to the Greeks and Romans, and highly appreciated by connoisseurs. They
are not as nutritious as the cabbage, but have a more delicate and
agreeable flavor.
PREPARATION AND COOKING.--The leaves should be green and fresh, and
the heads of cauliflower creamy white; when there are dark spots, it is
wilted. The color of broccoli will depend upon the variety, but the head
should be firm, with no discolorations. To prepare, pick off the outside
leaves, cut the stalk squarely across, about two inches below the
flower, and if very thick, split and wash thoroughly in several waters;
or better still, hold it under the faucet, flower downward, and allow a
constant stream of water to fall over it for several minutes; then place
top downward in a pan of lukewarm salted water, to drive out any insects
which may be hidden in it; examine carefully for worms just the color of
the stalk; tie in a net (mosquito netting, say) to prevent breaking, or
place the cauliflower on a plate in a steamer, and boil, or steam, as is
most convenient. The time required for cooking will vary from twenty to
forty minutes.
_RECIPES._
(The recipes given are applicable to both broccoli and cauliflower.)
BOILED CAULIFLOWER.--Prepare, divide into neat branches, and tie
securely in a net. Put into boiling milk and water, equal quantities,
and cook until the main stalks are tender. Boil rapidly the first five
minutes, afterward more moderately, to prevent the flower from becoming
done before the stalks. Serve on a hot dish with cream sauce or diluted
lemon juice.
BROWNED CAULIFLOWER.--Beat together two eggs, a little salt, four
tablespoonfuls of sweet cream, and a small quantity of grated bread
crumbs well moistened with a little milk, till of the consistency of
batter. Steam the cauliflower until tender, separate it into small
bunches, dip each top in the mixture, and place in nice order in a
pudding dish; put in the oven and brown.
CAULIFLOWER WITH EGG SAUCE.--Steam the cauliflower until tender,
separate into small portions, dish, and serve with an egg sauce prepared
as directed for parsnips on page 244.
CAULIFLOWER WITH TOMATO SAUCE.--Boil or steam the cauliflower until
tender. In another dish prepare a sauce with a pint of strained stewed
smooth in a little water, and salted to taste. When the cauliflower is
tender, dish, and pour over it the hot tomato sauce. If preferred, a
tablespoonful of thick sweet cream may be added to the sauce before
using.
STEWED CAULIFLOWER.--Boil in as little water as possible, or steam
until tender; separate into small portions, add milk, cream and salt to
taste; stew together for a few minutes, and serve.
SCOLLOPED CAULIFLOWER.--Prepare the cauliflower, and steam or boil
until tender. If boiled, use equal quantities of milk and water.
Separate into bunches of equal size, place in a pudding dish, cover with
a white or cream sauce, sprinkle with grated bread crumbs, and brown in
the oven.
SPINACH.
DESCRIPTION.--This plant is supposed to be a native of western
Arabia. There are several varieties which are prepared and served as
"greens." Spinach is largely composed of water. It is considered a
wholesome vegetable, with slightly laxative properties.
PREPARATION AND COOKING.--Use only tender plants or the tender
leaves of the older stalks, and be sure to have enough, as spinach
shrinks greatly. A peck is not too much for a family of four or five.
Pick it over very carefully, trim off the roots and decayed leaves, and
all tough, stringy stalks, and the coarse fibers of the leaves, as those
will not cook tender until the leaves are overdone. Wash in several
waters, lifting grit. Shake each bunch well. Spinach is best cooked in
its own juices; this may be best accomplished by cooking it in a double
boiler, or if placed in a pot and slowly heated, it will however, be
stirred frequently at first, to prevent burning; cover closely and cook
until tender. The time required will vary from twenty minutes to half an
hour or more. If water is used in the cooking, have a half kettleful
boiling when the spinach is put in, and continue to boil rapidly until
the leaves are perfectly tender; then drain in a colander, press with
the back of a plate to extract all water, chop very fine, and either
serve with lemon juice as a dressing, or add a half cup of sweet cream
with or without a teaspoonful of sugar. Boil up once, stirring
constantly, and serve very hot. A garnish of sliced boiled eggs is often
employed with this vegetable.
CELERY.
DESCRIPTION.--The common celery is a native of Great Britain. In
its wild state it has a strong, disagreeable taste and smell, and is
known as _smallage_. By cultivation it becomes more mild and sweet. It
is usually eaten uncooked as a salad herb, or introduced into soups as a
flavouring. In its raw state, it is difficult of digestion.
Celery from the market may be kept fresh for some time by wrapping the
bunches in brown paper, sprinkling them with water, then wrapping in a
damp cloth and putting in some cool, dark place.
_RECIPES_
CELERY SALAD.--Break the stems apart, cut off all green portions,
and after washing well put in cold water for an hour or so before
serving.
STEWED CELERY.--Cut the tender inner parts of celery heads into
pieces about a finger long. The outer and more fibrous stalks may be
saved to season soups. Put in a stewpan, and add sufficient water to
cover; then cover the pan closely, and set it where it will just simmer
for an hour, or until the celery is perfectly tender. When cooked, add a
pint of rich milk, part cream if you have it, salt to taste, and when
boiling, stir in a tablespoon of flour rubbed smooth in a little milk.
Boil up once and serve.
STEWED CELERY NO. 2.--Cut the white part of fine heads of celery
into small pieces, blanch in boiling water, turn into a colander, and
drain. Heat a cup and a half of milk to boiling in a stewpan; add the
celery, and stew gently until tender. Remove the celery with a skimmer,
and stir into the milk the beaten yolks of two eggs and one half cup of
cream. Cook until thickened; pour over the celery, and serve.
CELERY WITH TOMATO SAUCE.--Prepare the celery as in the preceding
recipe, and cook until tender in a small quantity of boiling water.
Drain in a colander, and for three cups of stewed celery prepare a sauce
with a pint of strained stewed tomato, heated to boiling and thickened
with a tablespoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold water. If
desired, add a half cup of thin cream. Turn over the celery, and serve
hot.