The mature, dry seeds only are considered under this head.
Legumes--peas, beans and lentils form an important part of the
vegetarian dietary, containing as they do a so much larger proportion
of the muscle-building material than flesh meats, and being at the same
time inexpensive.
Another advantage is that they are grown in considerable variety in
nearly all countries.
We have beans--white, large and small; colored, of all shades and
sizes; peas--dry, green and yellow, split and whole, chick peas and
other varieties; lentils--German or Austrian, red or Egyptian. The
ground nut or peanut is also a legume.
Chick peas are found in the Italian groceries or macaroni stores. They
have a rich flavor peculiar to themselves.
The Soy bean, most common in China and India, has almost no starch and
is richer in oil than any other legume.
The legumes require a prolonged, slow cooking to render them digestible
and to develop their rich flavors. The hulls of some are difficult
of digestion. It is for this reason that we suggest rubbing legumes
through a colander in so many recipes. Experiments have proven, also,
that a larger percentage of their nutritive value is assimilated when
the hulls are excluded.
Parboiling causes beans to be flat and tasteless; then the need is
felt of a piece of pork or at least a lump of butter; while if they
are put at once, without soaking, into the water in which they are to
be cooked, their own rich, characteristic flavor (which nothing can
replace) will be retained.
The large, dark flowering beans and a few other colored ones are
exceptions, and should be parboiled, as their flavor is so rich that it
may be denominated “strong.”
Nearly all legumes for stewing or baking should be put into boiling
salted water (most authorities to the contrary notwithstanding), to
keep them from cooking to pieces and to preserve their color and
flavor. In sections where the altitude is great, however, legumes must
be soaked for several hours and be put to cooking in cold, soft water;
even then a longer time will be required for cooking than nearer the
sea level.
The water may be rendered soft by boiling and settling, if necessary.
Soft or distilled water will cause legumes to be more digestible at any
altitude. Rain water is the very best. Most legumes about double in
bulk in cooking.
=★ Mashed Lentils=
“Rice is good, but lentils are my life.”--_Hindu proverb_.
Do not waste time by looking lentils over by handfuls, but put them
into a large, flat colander, give them a shake or two to remove the
fine dirt, slide them to one side of the colander, then with the
fingers draw a few at a time toward you, looking for particles of sand
or gravel. Pick these out but do not pay any attention to the wheat,
chaff or poor lentils. Those will come out in the washing in much less
time than it takes to pick them out and if a grain or two of wheat is
left it will do no harm.
When you are sure all the gravel is out, set the colander into a dish
pan and pour cold water over the lentils. Stir with the hand until all
but the waste matter has settled to the bottom; then carefully pour
the water off. Repeat the process until all objectionable substances
are removed. Rinse the colander up and down in water, drain the
lentils and put immediately into a large quantity of boiling water in
a broad-bottomed vessel. (The shape of the utensil has much to do with
the drying out without scorching.)
Let the lentils boil fast for a short time, then simmer without
stirring. If they are stirred after they begin to soften they will
scorch. Now keep the vessel over a slow, even fire until the lentils
are well dried out. The drying may be finished in the oven if the dish
is covered so the lentils will not become hard on the top. This drying
is imperative. It develops a rich flavor that we do not get without it.
When well dried, add a little water and rub the lentils, a few at a
time, through a fine colander with a potato masher. (Do not deceive
yourself by thinking that you can get along faster by putting a large
quantity into the colander at once.)
Throw the hulls into a dish of boiling water. At the last, stir the
hulls well and rub again in the colander, reserving what goes through
this time for soups and gravies.
When all the lentils are through the colander (of course care should be
taken to keep them hot during the process), add plenty of salt and beat
until smooth and creamy. Keep hot in a double boiler, covered, till
serving time. Beat again just before serving. Serve piled in rocky form
or in smooth mound on hot platter (or in a hot covered dish if to be
long on the table), with different garnishes: a wreath of celery tops,
sprays of parsley or chervil, spinach leaves or cooked vegetables.
Serve with sauce 16, 17, 53 or 54.
Do not be afraid of the simple dishes; they are the best.
=Mashed Lentils--Rice=
Make well in center of lentil mound and fill with sauce 8, 53 or 54.
Surround mound with hot boiled rice; garnish with green.
=★ Mashed Peas=
Prepare dried green peas the same as mashed lentils. Serve with sauce
16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 57 or 59.
Sauce 1, flavored or not, combines nicely with peas. Serve mashed peas
and rice with sauce 16 sometimes.
=Mashed Beans=
Sauce 16, 18, 19, 34, 57, 58 or 75, or Mayonnaise or French dressing
are all suitable for mashed beans. Some beans will all go through the
colander in mashing.
=★ Variegated Meat=
Put different colored mashed legumes, for instance, red and white
beans, or red and white beans and green peas, lentils and white
beans (sometimes red beans also), green peas and red beans, yellow
peas and red or black beans, or green and yellow peas, red and white
kidney beans and green peas, or red and black beans with green peas
into a mold or a brick-shaped tin dipped in cold water, in straight
or irregular layers. Press down close, cover and set in a cold place
until firm. Unmold and slice, or, send loaf to table whole on platter
garnished with lettuce or spinach leaves. Pass Improved Mayonnaise
(with chopped parsley) or French dressing, olive oil or Chili sauce.
This makes a good summer Sabbath dinner dish.
The Salad Entrée dressing is delightful with mashed legumes.
=★ Peas Pie--Corn Crust=
_Crust_--
2 cans (1 qt., 16 ears) of corn not very moist
2 or 3 eggs
1 cup milk
salt
Beat eggs, add corn, milk and salt.
Put mashed green peas in oiled baking dish, cover with crust, bake only
till the eggs in the crust are set; serve at once. No sauce.
=Lentil Pie--Potato Crust=
Cover mashed lentils in baking dish with nicely seasoned mashed potato,
brown in oven; serve with sauce 6, 16, 49, 51, 53 or 54.
=Lentil Pie--Universal Crust=
Mashed lentils, not too dry, flavored with browned flour and chopped
onion, a little sage also if desired, with universal crust. Serve with
sauce 1, 16, 43 or 53. A rich pastry crust may be used.
=Mashed Peas--Macaroni or Vermicelli=
Cook macaroni or vermicelli with garlic, or onion and garlic. Put into
thick cream sauce and serve around rocky mound of mashed peas.
=Creamed Beans=
1 pint white beans
1 tablespn. butter
1 tablespn. flour
1 large cup milk
1 teaspn. salt
2 eggs
crumbs
Cook and mash beans according to directions for mashed lentils; add
salt, and cream sauce made with butter, flour and milk; then eggs
beaten. Turn into oiled baking dish, sprinkle with crumbs, bake a
delicate brown, serve at once. The eggs may be omitted but the beans
are delightfully light with them.
Colored beans, peas and lentils may be prepared in the same way.
=Lentils--Poached Eggs=
Spread a half-inch layer of mashed lentils on slightly moistened rounds
of toast and place a nicely poached egg on each. Garnish.
=Bean Croquettes=
Shape dry mashed beans into thick croquettes (oiling the hands or
dipping them in hot water occasionally), coat delicately with oil
or melted butter, heat in oven till beginning to crack a little, no
more. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, serve with Sauce Amèricaine,
Sauce Imperial, or Mayonnaise or French dressing, or with a garnish of
lemon rings with parsley butter, p. 163. Any seasoning but salt in the
croquettes spoils them.
=Lentil Croquettes=
Prepare the same as bean croquettes, serve with any sauce given for
mashed lentils, or with small boiled onions sometimes. A little browned
flour and chopped onion may be used in the croquettes. Rice and lentil
croquettes may be served with Boundary Castle sauce.
=Peas Croquettes=
Shape the same as bean croquettes, adding a little finely-sliced
tender celery if desired. Serve with sauces given for mashed peas. The
croquettes are very pretty rolled in parsley before baking. Chop the
parsley, not too fine, and spread it out thin with spaces between the
particles on a vegetable board. Roll the croquettes over it once.
=Legume Patties=
Shape mashed peas, beans or lentils into thick flat cakes instead of
into croquettes, and serve with suitable sauces.
=Peas Timbales=
1 cup mashed peas
2 eggs
a few drops of onion juice
½ tablespn. melted butter or 1 of cream
⅔ teaspn. salt
Mix all with beaten eggs, bake in a single or in individual molds well
oiled, in pan of hot water until firm.
(Very finely sliced celery may be used instead of onion juice. Peas
and eggs only may be used for plain timbales). Serve with cream sauce.
Finely sliced celery, a few whole green peas, a little stewed corn or a
few pieces of tomato pulp may be added to the sauce.
The individual timbales may be used as a garnish for some vegetable
dish, giving meat value to it. Decorate timbales with egg daisies,
carrots, or anything desired.
=Rice and Lentil Timbales=
Line a well oiled mold with a ¾ in. layer of boiled rice. Nearly fill
the center with mashed lentils, cover with rice, steam or bake 20 m. to
½ hr. Unmold carefully, garnish, serve with cream, brown, mushroom or
any suitable sauce.
Mashed peas may take the place of lentils, with sauce of celery, onion
or tomato cream.
=Lentil Roast=
1 pt. lentils
½ cup raw nut butter
a few bread crumbs, or
¼ cup browned flour No. 1
1 small onion chopped
salt
sage
1 egg
⅝-¾ cup water
Cook and mash lentils, add nut butter and onion which have been cooked
with salt ½ hour in the water, then the browned flour or the crumbs,
sage and beaten egg; more salt and water or crumbs if necessary for
right consistency. Press into well oiled mold or brick-shaped tin,
bake, covered, in pan of water about 1 hour or until firm. Dry in oven
10 m., out of water if necessary. Let stand in warm place 5 m. Unmold
on to platter, garnish. Serve with sauce 6, 16, 18, 54 or 57.
Flavorings of roast may be varied or omitted.