VEGETABLES cover a class of foods some of which are fruits,
some roots, leaves, stalks, seeds, bulbs, and tubers. A classi-
fication of vegetables is given below. Like the fruits, the vege-
tables vary greatly in their general composition. Some, like
the legumes, are characterized by high protein content ; others,
including the roots and tubers, by high carbohydrate content;
still others, including most of the leaves, stalks, and bulbs, by
high cellulose and water content. All vegetables, however, are
rich in one or more of the ash constituents such as iron, calcium,
and phosphorus, which are now known to play an important
part in nutrition. (See Sherman's Food Products, pages 324-
329, for percentage composition, and pages 347-349 for
percentage of ash in the edible portion.)
Classification :
a. According to the part of the plant used for food.
b. Character of juice - - sweet, strong.
c. Character of plant - - starchy, watery.
d. Fresh, dried, canned.
a. Part of the plant :
Leaves - - lettuce, water cress, spinach, cabbage, dandelion, kale,
Swiss chard, beet tops, turnip tops.
Stalks - - asparagus, celery, rhubarb.
Bulbs -- onion, -- Bermuda, Spanish, Egyptian; garlic, leek,
shallot, chives.
Seaweeds — Irish moss, agar or Ceylon moss.
58
VEGETABLES AND VEGETABLE SOUPS 59
Tubers — potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, dasheen corms.
Tuberous roots — sweet potatoes, yams, cassava, arrowroot.
Succulent roots — turnips, beets, kohl-rabi, radishes, carrots,
parsnips, oyster plant.
Flowers — cauliflower, French artichoke.
Fruits — • tomatoes, cucumber, squash, pumpkins, okra, corn,
peppers, eggplant.
Seeds — peas, beans, lentils.
b. Character of juice :
sweet strong
celery onions
carrots cabbage
beets turnips
c. Character of plant :
starchy watery
potatoes cabbage
parsnips tomatoes
cucumbers
Points to emphasize. Select medium-sized vegetables and wash
carefully. Soak cauliflower in salt water before cooking. Soak
wilted vegetables in cold water. Cook summer vegetables as soon
after gathering as possible. If necessary to keep, place in refrigera-
tor or in a cool cellar. Keep winter vegetables in barrels or bins in
a dry, cold place. Empty canned vegetables as soon as opened, and
let stand exposed to the air a few minutes to become aerated. Vege-
tables lack fat in any quantity, therefore it is well to combine them
with butter, oil, or cream. It saves time to cook a double portion
of a vegetable and reheat the next day in another form.
Reasons for cooking vegetables :
To sterilize any from doubtful sources.
To soften cellulose.
To make starch more easily digestible.
To develop or modify flavors.
To give a variety of attractive ways of serving.
60 LABORATORY MANUAL OF FOODS AND COOKERY
Ways of serving vegetables :
Boiled with butter Mashed
Creamed Puddings (Irish moss)
Croquettes Salads
Scalloped with cheese Souffles
Fritters Soups
Page 28
Presented as published in 1916. 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
VEGETABLES cover a class of foods some of which are fruits, some roots, leaves, stalks, seeds, bulbs, and tubers. A classification of vegetables is given below. Like the fruits, the vegetables vary greatly in their general composition. Some, like the legumes, are characterized by high protein content ; others, including the roots and tubers, by high carbohydrate content; still others, including most of the leaves, stalks, and bulbs, by high cellulose and water content. All vegetables, however, are rich in one or more of the ash constituents such as iron, calcium, and phosphorus, which are now known to play an important part in nutrition. (See Sherman's Food Products, pages 324- 329, for percentage composition, and pages 347-349 for percentage of ash in the edible portion.)
Classification :
a. According to the part of the plant used for food.
b. Character of juice - - sweet, strong.
c. Character of plant - - starchy, watery.
d. Fresh, dried, canned.
a. Part of the plant :
Leaves - - lettuce, water cress, spinach, cabbage, dandelion, kale, Swiss chard, beet tops, turnip tops.
Stalks - - asparagus, celery, rhubarb.
Bulbs -- onion, -- Bermuda, Spanish, Egyptian; garlic, leek, shallot, chives.
Seaweeds — Irish moss, agar or Ceylon moss.
Tubers — potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, dasheen corms.
Tuberous roots — sweet potatoes, yams, cassava, arrowroot.
Succulent roots — turnips, beets, kohl-rabi, radishes, carrots, parsnips, oyster plant.
Flowers — cauliflower, French artichoke.
Fruits — • tomatoes, cucumber, squash, pumpkins, okra, corn, peppers, eggplant.
Seeds — peas, beans, lentils.
b. Character of juice :
sweet strong
celery onions
carrots cabbage
beets turnips
c. Character of plant :
starchy watery
potatoes cabbage
parsnips tomatoes
cucumbers
Points to emphasize. Select medium-sized vegetables and wash carefully. Soak cauliflower in salt water before cooking. Soak wilted vegetables in cold water. Cook summer vegetables as soon after gathering as possible. If necessary to keep, place in refrigerator or in a cool cellar. Keep winter vegetables in barrels or bins in a dry, cold place. Empty canned vegetables as soon as opened, and let stand exposed to the air a few minutes to become aerated. Vegetables lack fat in any quantity, therefore it is well to combine them with butter, oil, or cream. It saves time to cook a double portion of a vegetable and reheat the next day in another form.
Reasons for cooking vegetables :
To sterilize any from doubtful sources.
To soften cellulose.
To make starch more easily digestible.
To develop or modify flavors.
To give a variety of attractive ways of serving.
Ways of serving vegetables :
Boiled with butter Mashed
Creamed Puddings (Irish moss)
Croquettes Salads
Scalloped with cheese Souffles
Fritters Soups