Vegetables
Knowing how to prepare vegetables to retain their nutritive value and appetite appeal is a test of any good cook. To help you improve your skill with vegetables, here are some cooking tips—
• Boil vegetables in as little water as possible; losses in vitamins and minerals will be less, the less water you use. Serve the cooking liquids with your vegetables, or make them into sauces, gravies, or soups.
• Cook vegetables until just tender, and serve them immediately; they will taste better and retain more nutrients.
• Trim leafy vegetables like lettuce and cabbage sparingly. Use the dark outer leaves—they are especially rich in nutrients. Remove woody midribs from kale leaves—there is little nutritive loss and the kale cooks more uniformly.
Preparing for cooking
Wash vegetables thoroughly. Use plenty of water for leafy greens; wash several times, lifting vegetables from the water.
Remove bruised, wilted, or tough parts; trim sparingly.
Soak fresh brussels sprouts and broccoli in cold salt water (2 teaspoons salt for each quart of water) 30 to 60 minutes to remove any insects.
Cooking times
In using the Boiling Guide for Fresh Vegetables on the following page, remember that vegetables may require shorter or longer cooking time than given, the exact time depending on quality and variety of vegetable. The altitude at which you live will also affect cooking times; you can shorten the time by cutting, slicing, dicing, or coarsely shredding vegetables.
Bring salted water to a boil. One-half to 1 cup water usually is enough for 6 servings of young, tender vegetables. Older root vegetables that need longer cooking may require water to cover. Spinach and other greens need only the water clinging to their leaves from washing if cooked over low heat in a pan with a tight-fitting lid. Tomatoes can be cooked in their own juice.
Add vegetable. Cover, and quickly bring water back to a boil. Reduce heat and cook gently until vegetable is just tender. Start timing after water returns to boiling.
Frozen.—Cook frozen vegetables according to package directions. For uniform cooking, thaw leafy vegetables just enough to separate the leaves before you put them in boiling water. Partly thaw corn on the cob before cooking it. If necessary, separate pieces of frozen vegetables with a fork during cooking.
Canned.—Commercially canned vegetables need reheating only. If liquid is not served with the vegetable, save it for other uses. (See Ways to Use Leftovers, p.75.)
Unless you are absolutely sure home-canned vegetables have beenprocessed correctly, bring them to a rolling boil. Then cover and boil for at least 10 minutes. Boil spinach and corn 20 minutes. If food looks spoiled, foams, or has an off-odor during heating, destroy it.
Hot, seasoned.—Any vegetable or a combination of two or more.
Before cooking, add a pinch of an herb, such as marjoram or thyme. Or after cooking, season with butter, margarine, or drippings—or with salad oil and lemon juice, horseradish, or garlic. Or sprinkle cooked vegetables with herb vinegar or crumbled bacon.
Mashed.—Potatoes, sweetpotatoes, turnips, rutabagas, kohlrabi, carrots, winter squash.
Drain and mash cooked vegetable. Add hot milk or cream to moisten if needed. Season with salt, pepper, and butter or margarine. Beat until fluffy.
Creamed.—Peas, carrots, celery, cabbage, asparagus, broccoli, potatoes, snap beans, onions, lima beans, cauliflower, spinach.
For 6 servings, combine 3 cups drained cooked vegetable with 1½ cups medium white sauce (p.57); heat. You may prefer thin white sauce with potatoes or lima beans.
For quick creamed vegetables, pour 1 can (10½ ounces) undiluted condensed soup—Cheddar cheese or cream of celery or mushroom—over 3 cups drained cooked vegetable; heat.
BOILING GUIDE FOR FRESH VEGETABLES
Chilled, in salads.—Chill cooked vegetables and marinate them in sweet french or italian dressing. See recipes on page53.
With a sauce.—Suggestions for vegetable and sauce combinations follow. Sauce recipes begin on page57.
• Asparagus—mock hollandaise sauce, lemon-butter sauce, egg sauce.
• Green beans—quick mushroom or celery sauce.
• Broccoli—sour cream sauce, lemon-butter sauce, mock hollandaise sauce.
• Cauliflower—lemon-butter sauce, cheese sauce.
• Peas—onion sauce, quick mushroom or celery sauce.
• Potatoes—sour cream sauce, cheese sauce.
• Spinach—lemon-butter sauce, mock hollandaise sauce, egg sauce.
• Sweetpotatoes—honey-orange sauce.
Panning is a good way to cook cabbage, carrots, or corn.
For 6 servings, use 1½ quarts finely shredded cabbage or 1 quart cut corn or thinly sliced carrots.
Heat 1½ to 2 tablespoons butter, margarine, meat drippings, or oil in a heavy pan over moderate heat. Add vegetable and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Add 3 tablespoons water (6 tablespoons for corn) and cover pan tightly to hold in steam.
Cook over low heat until vegetable is tender; stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Cabbage will require 6 to 8 minutes, carrots about 10 minutes, and corn 15 to 18 minutes.
Variation
Add finely chopped onion or onion juice before cooking. Or add bits of crumbled crisp bacon or diced ham to cooked vegetable.
6 servings
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach1 tablespoon finely chopped onion¼ cup fat or oil⅓ cup flour1½ cups milk1½ teaspoons salt¼ teaspoon pepper4 eggs, separated½ teaspoon cream of tartar
Cook spinach as directed on package, but omit salt. Drain.
Lightly brown onion in fat in a heavy 1-quart saucepan. Blend in flour. Slowly stir in milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly. Add salt, pepper, and spinach.
Beat egg yolks slightly; stir in a little of hot mixture. Then stir egg yolks into remaining hot mixture and cook 1 minute more. Cool slightly.
Add cream of tartar to egg whites and beat until stiff but not dry. Fold in spinach mixture. Pour into a greased 2-quart casserole. Set casserole in a pan of hot water.
Bake at 350° F. (moderate oven) about 1¼ hours. Souffle is done when a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
6 servings
3 large or 6 small ripe tomatoesSalt and pepper, as desired2 teaspoons butter or margarine2 tablespoons fine dry breadcrumbs
Wash tomatoes; cut off stem ends. Cut large tomatoes in 1-inch slices; cut small tomatoes in half crosswise.
Place cut side up on broiler rack. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dot each slice with fat and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
Broil until tomatoes are soft and crumbs lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
6 servings
3 oranges1 can (1 pound) sweetpotatoes, undrained2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed½ teaspoon salt¼ cup flaked coconut6 miniature marshmallows
Squeeze oranges; save juice.
Remove membranes from orange shells.
Mash sweetpotatoes. Blend in 3 tablespoons orange juice, fat, brown sugar, and salt. Stir in coconut.
Spoon sweetpotato mixture into the orange shells. Place in a shallow baking pan.
Bake at 350° F. (moderate oven) for 20 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.
Top with marshmallows and bake about 5 minutes longer to melt and brown marshmallows.
6 servings
2 slices bacon2 quarts coarsely shredded cabbage (about 1 pound)¾ teaspoon saltPepper, as desired2 tablespoons vinegar2 tablespoons water
Fry bacon until crisp; remove from pan. Add remaining ingredients to fat in pan.
Cover tightly and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes. Cabbage should be tender but crisp.
Crumble bacon over top before serving.
6 servings
1 small onion, chopped2 tablespoons fat or oil1 package (10 ounces) frozen okra1 can (1 pound) tomatoes½ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon pepper
Cook onion in fat in saucepan over moderate heat until lightly browned.
Add remaining ingredients and cook until okra is tender and mixture thickens, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
6 servings
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen cauliflower1 can (10½ ounces) condensed Cheddar cheese soup2 tablespoons fine dry breadcrumbs1 teaspoon melted butter or margarine
Cook frozen cauliflower according to package directions.
Drain cauliflower and place in a greased 1-quart casserole. Pour undiluted soup over cauliflower. Mix crumbs with fat and sprinkle over top. Bake at 350° F. (moderate oven) 20 to 30 minutes, or until sauce bubbles and crumbs are brown.
Note: Two pounds of fresh cauliflower, separated into small flowerets and cooked until tender, can be used instead of frozen cauliflower.
Variation
Quick spinach au gratin.—Use 2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach. Crumble 6 slices crisp fried bacon over mixture before topping with crumb mixture.
6 servings
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen lima beans6 slices bacon¼ cup finely chopped onion2 tablespoons chopped green pepper½ teaspoon saltPepper, as desired2 cups cooked or canned tomatoes
Cook beans as directed on package; drain.
Fry bacon; drain on absorbent paper. In 2 tablespoons bacon drippings, brown onion and green pepper. Crumble bacon. Add browned onion and green pepper, bacon, seasonings, and tomatoes to beans. Cover and simmer gently 15 minutes.
Variations
Green bean creole.—Use 2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen cut green beans instead of lima beans.
Eggplant creole.—Use 1 medium-size eggplant, pared and cubed, instead of beans. Do not cook eggplant before combining with other ingredients. Increase salt to 1 teaspoon. Cook 15 to 20 minutes, until eggplant is tender.
6 servings
6 cups thinly sliced zucchini squash1 cup boiling water¾ cup medium white sauce (p.57)2 eggs, beaten1 teaspoon salt½ teaspoon worcestershire sauce1 teaspoon finely chopped onion¼ cup fine dry breadcrumbs1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
Cook squash in boiling water until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain.
Make white sauce.
Stir a little hot white sauce into beaten eggs; then gradually stir eggs into remaining sauce. Stir in salt, worcestershire sauce, onion, and cooked squash.
Put in a greased 1-quart casserole. Mix breadcrumbs with fat; sprinkle over squash mixture. Bake at 325° F. (slow oven) about 35 minutes.
6 servings
1½ pounds green beans, broken into short pieces2 small onions, quartered½ stalk celery, slicedAbout 2 ounces cooked ham, cut into bite-sized pieces2 teaspoons saltPepper, as desired½ cup water1 tablespoon butter or margarine
Place beans in a 2-quart saucepan. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer until beans are tender, 12 to 20 minutes.
Note: Instead of fresh green beans, use 2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen cut green beans.
6 servings
3 tablespoons cornstarch⅓ cup sugar¾ teaspoon salt1½ cups beet liquid (or beet liquid plus water)2 tablespoons vinegar1½ tablespoons butter or margarine3 cups sliced cooked or canned beets
Mix cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Blend in beet liquid, vinegar, and fat. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until thickened.
Add beets to sauce. Let stand 10 minutes, if desired, to blend flavors. Heat to serving temperature.
6 servings
2 cups pared, cubed eggplant2 tablespoons finely chopped onion¼ cup water2 eggs, slightly beaten2 slices soft bread, torn in very small pieces½ cup milk1 teaspoon saltPepper, as desired1¼ cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
Cook eggplant and onion in unsalted water until eggplant is tender, about 7 minutes; drain. Combine all ingredients except ¼ cup cheese; mix well. Pour into a greased 1-quart casserole. Bake uncovered at 350° F. (moderate oven) 25 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake 5 minutes longer.
6 servings
2 tablespoons butter or margarine¼ cup brown sugar, packed1 tablespoon water3 cups cooked carrots, cut in strips
Blend fat, sugar, and water in a heavy fry pan over low heat. Add carrots. Cook over low heat 5 to 10 minutes, turning carrots to coat all sides with sirup. Keep heat low to prevent scorching.
6 patties
2 cups seasoned mashed potatoes1 egg or 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten1 tablespoon finely chopped onion1 tablespoon chopped green pepper2 tablespoons fat or oil
Combine all ingredients except fat; mix well. Shape into six patties. Brown well in hot fat, about 4 minutes on each side.
Note: Leftover mashed potatoes or instant mashed potatoes, prepared according to package directions, may be used in this recipe.
6 servings
6 medium-size baking potatoes1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature⅓ cup milk1 teaspoon salt⅓ cup butter or margarinePaprika
Rub potatoes with a little fat if soft skins are desired. Bake at 425° F. (hot oven) 50 to 60 minutes, or until potato is soft when pressed. Slash tops lengthwise and crosswise. Fold back flaps, scoop out inside, and mash thoroughly.
Soften cream cheese and blend in milk, salt, and fat until smooth and creamy. Add cream cheese mixture gradually to hot potato, blending thoroughly.
Stuff skins with potato mixture. Sprinkle with paprika. Return to oven a few minutes to brown tops.
6 servings
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen cut green beans¼ cup finely chopped onion¼ cup water1 teaspoon salt1 can (10½ ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup1 can (4 ounces) mushroom stems and pieces, drained, chopped½ cup canned french-fried onion rings
Cook beans and chopped onion in water with salt until beans are tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain.
Stir in undiluted soup and mushrooms. Pour into greased 1½-quart casserole. Top with onion rings. Cover and bake at 350° F. (moderate oven) 30 minutes, or until mixture is heated through and top is brown.
6 servings
1½ pounds small yellow onions1 cup water1 teaspoon salt1 can (10½ ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soupParsley
Peel and quarter onions. Leave very small onions whole. Simmer onions in salted water 15 to 20 minutes, or until just tender. Drain.
Add undiluted soup and simmer 10 to 15 minutes longer. Garnish with parsley before serving.