The book of plain cooking

and well cover them with cold water ; add salt, pepper, and the onion, together with the oil in which it has been browned. Boil steadily for three hours, and allow to grow quite cold. Giant haricot beans can be cooked in the same manner, but must be soaked in cold water for twelve hours before boiling. VEGETABLES 244. Potatoes Do not prepare the potatoes longer ere cooking than is necessary. It does them no good to stand in water, and if they are peeled and not put into water they become black. Potatoes may be either cooked in cold or boiling water, or in a steamer. The time depends entirely on the size of the potato. Ordinary - sized potatoes should take about twenty minutes. 245. New Potatoes Scrape the potatoes when wanted for cooking, and put a sprig of mint as well as the salt into the water. When fresh in season new potatoes cook very quickly. Directly they are done, strain them, and take away the mint, as it dis- colours the potatoes. Put them into a hot vegetable dish with a piece of butter. 246. Cauliflower Cut some of the green away, and trim the remainder level round the flower. Cut the stalk across lightly in four, and well soak in salt and water. Have the water quite boiling, with salt and a very small piece of washing soda, and boil until tender, with the lid off the saucepan. Do not overcook the cauliflower, or it will break. Take it up with a skewer, and let strain in the colander, and serve with white sauce over. In cooking cauliflower it is advisable to cook more than required, it comes in so nicely for cauliflower and cheese. 247. Cabbage Savoy cabbage and cabbage require the same amount of cooking. Use plenty of salt in cleansing them, so that there be no caterpillars or slugs left. Have plenty of water for boiling. Cut the vegetable in quarters, and throw into the boiling water, with salt and a small piece of soda, and boil very quickly without the lid being on the pan. When cooked strain into a colander, and squeeze all the water away with a plate or saucer. After the vegetable is in the dish cut across lightly into divisions. 248. French Beans These beans are very much like the scarlet runner beans, but not so large, and with less flavour. Trim them, and cut into slices, and place in boiling water with a little salt, and boil without the lid being on the saucepan for about fifteen minutes, Serve with a piece butter superadded. 249. Scarlet Runners Trim the beans so as to prevent any stringy matter remaining. Cut them into thin slices, and cook in boiling water and salt. Remove the fid of the saucepan and boil quickly. When young and fresh they do not require more than a quarter of an hour’s boiling. Place in a hot vegetable dish with a good-sized piece of butter on the top of them. 250. Broad Beans If the beans are old they should be skinned, but if young they do not require it. They should be put into boiling water with salt, but should they be at all old, put a little soda with them. They should not require more than about twenty minutes to boil, and should be served with parsley butter over them. To any dish that is accompanied by bacon this vegetable is a great acquisition. 251. Haricot Beans