Potatoes unless new (when they only require to be
well scrubbed with a coarse cloth) should be peeled
very thinly. Turnips, on the contrary, should be
thickly peeled, as their rind is hard and wooden.
Carrots, unless very old, merely require scraping ;
the same rule applies to salsify, whilst scorzanera, like
beetroot, should not be peeled till cooked. All root
vegetables peeled or scraped before cooking should be
thrown into cold water till wanted, and in the case of
white vegetables, such as artichokes, celery, cardoons,
salsify, etc., this cold water should be noticeably salted
VEGETABLES.
and acidulated with lemon juice or vinegar to preserve
the colour. Unless specially directed to the contrary,
put all vegetables on in salted boiling water ; boil root
vegetables in a covered pan, and green vegetables of
all kinds, whether foliage, stalks, seeds, or pods, in
an uncovered pan. Many cooks advise tlie addition
of a little soda to the boiling water, whilst others
actually put in a copper penny to ensure the vivid
colour of all green vegetables, but this is neither whole-
some, nor necessary. If young vegetables are chosen
(and even on economic grounds no other should be
used), and if an untinned, uncovered pan (from which
the steam can easily escape) be chosen, and plenty
of boiling water be allowed, there will be no difficulty
about the colour. To salt the water one or two full
tablespoonfuls or a ^oz. to loz. of salt to each gallon of
water, is the right allowance, to which may be added,
for green vegetables, one-third this amount of sugar,
to enhance the flavour. Peas especially are improved
l)v this addition. The more water used in boiling
V O
cabbages, greens, etc., the less offensive will be the odour
given out by them. A piece of bread tied up in a
muslin bag and boiled with the cabbage is said to be
a remedy against the smell, but this cannot be relied
on. After about fifteen minutes boiling this crust
should be removed and burnt at once. Unless the
water in which the cabbage was boiled is wanted
for vegetable stock (remember it forms a basis for two
or three French soups, notably sowpe aux choux au,
/romagre), it should be poured away at once, whilst still
hot. Many cooks advise its being poured off into
earth, as they declare if poured down the drain or
B 2
4
VEGETABLES.
sink pipe, no subsequent rinsing will remove the smell
this, however, is a mistake, as, if poured down the sink
directly it is strained off the cabbage, whilst still
boiling hot, it will cause no inconvenience ; though to
make doubly sure a jugful of hot water may be poureil
after it. All vegetables that may have a bitter flavour,
sucli as turnip-tops, greens, etc., should be either
blanched {i.e. put on in cold water which is brought
thoroughly to the boil, then poured off, the vegetables
being at once re-covered with absolutely boiling water),
or when half-boiled the water may be poured off and
replaced in the same way. This methed of cooking
applies most especially to such things as turnip-tops,
endive, dandelion, or cabbage, which are occasionally
most unpleasantly acrid.
Page 2
Presented as published in 1902. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Potatoes unless new (when they only require to be well scrubbed with a coarse cloth) should be peeled very thinly. Turnips, on the contrary, should be thickly peeled, as their rind is hard and wooden. Carrots, unless very old, merely require scraping ; the same rule applies to salsify, whilst scorzanera, like beetroot, should not be peeled till cooked. All root vegetables peeled or scraped before cooking should be thrown into cold water till wanted, and in the case of white vegetables, such as artichokes, celery, cardoons, salsify, etc., this cold water should be noticeably salted
and acidulated with lemon juice or vinegar to preserve the colour. Unless specially directed to the contrary, put all vegetables on in salted boiling water ; boil root vegetables in a covered pan, and green vegetables of all kinds, whether foliage, stalks, seeds, or pods, in an uncovered pan. Many cooks advise the addition of a little soda to the boiling water, whilst others actually put in a copper penny to ensure the vivid colour of all green vegetables, but this is neither wholesome, nor necessary. If young vegetables are chosen (and even on economic grounds no other should be used), and if an untinned, uncovered pan (from which the steam can easily escape) be chosen, and plenty of boiling water be allowed, there will be no difficulty about the colour. To salt the water one or two full tablespoonfuls or a ^oz. to loz. of salt to each gallon of water, is the right allowance, to which may be added, for green vegetables, one-third this amount of sugar, to enhance the flavour. Peas especially are improved by this addition. The more water used in boiling
V O
cabbages, greens, etc., the less offensive will be the odour given out by them. A piece of bread tied up in a muslin bag and boiled with the cabbage is said to be a remedy against the smell, but this cannot be relied on. After about fifteen minutes boiling this crust should be removed and burnt at once. Unless the water in which the cabbage was boiled is wanted for vegetable stock (remember it forms a basis for two or three French soups, notably soupe aux choux au fromage), it should be poured away at once, whilst still hot. Many cooks advise its being poured off into earth, as they declare if poured down the drain or
B 2
sink pipe, no subsequent rinsing will remove the smell this, however, is a mistake, as, if poured down the sink directly it is strained off the cabbage, whilst still boiling hot, it will cause no inconvenience ; though to make doubly sure a jugful of hot water may be poured after it. All vegetables that may have a bitter flavour, sucli as turnip-tops, greens, etc., should be either blanched {i.e. put on in cold water which is brought thoroughly to the boil, then poured off, the vegetables being at once re-covered with absolutely boiling water), or when half-boiled the water may be poured off and replaced in the same way. This method of cooking applies most especially to such things as turnip-tops, endive, dandelion, or cabbage, which are occasionally most unpleasantly acrid.