The "Queen" cookery books: Vegetables

But, if the pun may be forgiven, boiled vegetables are best when not boiled at all, but simply steamed. It is easy enough to do this, especially if the very useful little “ Rapid ” steamer, procurable for a few pence at most good ironmongers, be amongst the kitchen utensils. For steaming, salt the water as usual, and add to it a good bouquet of herbs (parsley, green onions, bay leaf, etc.), then lay the vegetables carefully trimmed, washed and dried, on the little steamer, and steam them steadily till cooked, when they are lifted out, well drained, and served on a very hot vegetable dish. Treated in this way, the commonest “ greens ” will be a revelation to most people. A point to remember is that age and condition affect the time of cooking very much. A stale, half withered vegetable takes twdce as long to dress properly, even granting it can be brought back to decent condition. If you must use such things, however, mind, after well washing and rinsing them, to let them stand for some time in cold spring water to freshen them. If you are using canned vegetables of any kind, turn them, directly the tin is opened, into a sieve or colander and let the water from the tap run on to them for some time, to remove all trace of the "tin" flavour such vegetables almost always acquire. Root vegetables, such as carrots, parsnips, beetroots and potatoes, should be stored in layers of sand (having the latter thick enough to prevent their touching each other in any way) just as they are lifted from the ground. Onions for storing should be hung up in a cool, dry room. Old housewives used to plait the stalks together into ropes, and these were hung from a nail in the kitchen. Formerly in London the onion seller with his long, neatly plaited “ ropes ” of silvery onions, was a common and welcome sight to thrifty housewives. A point on which to be very particular in winter, is the danger of vegetables being frost bitten, for then they are difficult, and sometimes impossible, to use satisfactorily. If, however, the misfortune has occurred, try the following method : Prepare the vegetables for cooking — cleaning, peeling them, etc. — then lay them in enough cold salted water to cover them very completely (this is important), and leave them thus all night in a warm place. Of vegetable garnishes there are many, but these will be given later with the vegetables required, such recipes being, for convenience sake, given alphabetically. The two principal garnishes are the macedoine, either hot or cold, and the jardiniere. For the hot macedoine, take equal quantities of carrots and turnips cut into balls or olives with a scoop, French beans cut into lozenges, peas, fresh flageolets, and asparagus points or sprue cut to the size of peas ; cook these all separately in salted water, adding to this a little sugar in the case of carrots, turnips, and peas. When ready (mind they are not over done), drain well, mix them and serve ; or else toss them in a very little melted butter or appropriate sauce, according to what they are to accompany. Or, cut some carrots, potatoes and turnips to match some small pickling or silver onions (having equal parts of each), boil these separately, and, when cooked and drained, toss them all together in a saucepan with a good pat of butter, till glazed, and keep hot till Avanted.