The victory cookery book

all vegetables should be cut into small portions and placed in a clean saucepan. Water may be added, but not more than will evaporate during the process of cooking, and a little fat of some kind is added—say half an ounce for every pound of vegetables. A lid is placed on the pot, which should be closed as tightly as possible to prevent undue evaporation, and a very small flame placed under the pan to allow for simmering only. | Twenty minutes is generally sufficient for cooking. Vegetables which shrink during cooking, like cabbage, require very little water. Carrot, cauliflower and the like should be covered with water, cooked till nearly tender, and then cooked quickly to evaporate excess moisture, so that when done no more moisture is left than that which is required as gravy. No sauces are necessary, and thus a saving of time and material is effected. | Vegetables can be blended with rice or other cereal by adding this to the vegetable, with as much liquid as the cereal will absorb. In this way many appetising dishes can be prepared in one saucepan; meat or fish may be added if required. When preparing vegetable stock, the vegetables are cut small and “ stoved”’ (see p. 88) in the pot with fat until the salts are dissolved, the water evaporated, and a sediment is formed at the bottom, which is not unlike the gravy from roasted meat. The water is then added, and the whole boiled for 10 to 20 minutes (the vegetables are already cooked during the stoving). Salt is added to taste, and the stock is then strained. The fat added rises on the top of the stock, and should be skimmed and used again for a similar or other purpose. The stock is very similar to meat stock in appearance and not unlike in flavour, except in sweetness, which, if disliked, may be counteracted by adding a small amount of lemon juice or vinegar. The vegetables have a better flavour | after the stock has been extracted than © when boiled in water in the usual method, and should be utilised in pies, cutlets and — various other preparations. The stock will be excellent for sauces or gravy to be served with meatless dishes, for making savoury rice, and various other preparations for which stock is needed. Thus we have here, not a new, but a little known and useful economic method of preparing vegetables, easy to carry out, economical of fuel, and requiring no greater attention than other and less conservative ways of cooking. Note.—All these vegetables may be cooked and served en casserole to save washing-up. Baked Stuffed Marrow Materials.—1 marrow, 1 or 2 onions, 1 or more tomatoes, a little chopped parsley, garlic, breadcrumbs and sauce, salt and pepper, a little dripping. Method.—Peel and cut the marrow in oblong pieces, size as desired ; fry both sides in a little fat. Drain. Chop all the re-— mainder of the marrow, including the seed, also the onions, and fry in the fat in which the marrow was fried. When all is melted down, add the chopped tomatoes, a little garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix all thoroughly with breadcrumbs, cooked rice or maize, and moisten with sauce. Fill the pieces of marrow with this mixture, smooth the surface, sprinkle with crumbs, and bake until brown. Serve with brown or tomato sauce (see p. 43). Vegetable Marrow Materials—1 marrow, 34 oz. fat per lb. of marrow, a little salt and chopped parsley. Method.—When peeled and the pips removed, cut into slices. Place in a saucepan with a little water and the fat. Add salt, cover with a lid and cook till tender, but do not overcook. Toss from time to time until half cooked, then simmer without stirring, otherwise the marrow will become a mash. Serve with chopped parsley. Marrow au Gratin Materials —1 marrow, a little grated cheese, a little fat.