The Queen Cook Book: A Careful Compilation of Recipes and Practical ...

All vegetables in summer should be freshly gathered the day they are to be cooked. Peas, beans, and asparagus, if laid over for one day lose their own peculiar sweetness and relish. Soft water is better for all vegetables except potatoes, turnips and cabbage, these three should be put in just as the water comes to a boil. Some one says that a teaspoon of common salt put in a gallon of soft water hardens it at once, and a half teaspoon of bi-carbonate of soda to a gallon of hard water renders it soft. Rainwater, if fresh and pure; gives a relish to sweet corn and peas that hard water does not, and I put the salt in when it is first put over. When any vegetables are wilted they should soak for an hour or two, in very cold water. Peas, beans and lentils are the most nutritious of all vegetables (lentils are raised more in the old country), and are said to contain as much carbon (that is heatgiving) as wheat and nearly twice the quantity of nitrogen (for muscle). Plain Boiled Potatoes. Never boil potatoes with their skins on. They contain three-fourths water and nearly one-fourth starch, with a small proportion of other elements, thus supplying what is lacking in lean meat and other nitrogenous food. When the sprouts begin to appear in ^he Queen Cook Book 109 « the spring they must be rubbed off at once, as they exhaust the most nourishing part of the potatoes. Rub them off three times and they will cease to grow. Keep them in cool place. I presume there are more potatoes consumed than all other vegetables put together (excepting grains). Select potatoes of medium size, without blemishes and of a yellowish white color. Those that grow on a rich heavy soil are most nutritious. To boil potatoes wash them clean, then pare them thin, and lay them in cold water till ready to boil, then put in boiling hot water just enough to cover them, boil fifteen minutes, then add salt. Boil slowly until nearly done, then put in half a cup of cold water, to render the potatoes more mealy. As soon as tender enough to admit a fork easily, pour off the water; take the cover off and shake the potatoes in a current of cold air, at either the door or window, place the kettle on back part of the stove, and cover with a clean, coarse towel until serving time. The sooner the potatoes are served the better. This is for whole potatoes. Or cut them in quarters after shaking them and put on a half cup of cream, a little butter, salt, and let come to a scald, then dish and sprinkle with pepper. You only need half as much cream for mashed potatoes; mash and stir with a fork a few times. Season as the others, and do not pack them in the dish too solid. Creamed Potatoes. Take cold boiled potatoes, slice one-fourth of an inch thick; put in your spider with salt and half cup of cream, and boil it fifteen minutes, chopping it a little with spoon and stirring; boil slowly or it will burn. If one has no cream, take twice as much milk and boil i lo The Queen Cook Book it slowly with the potatoes; till it creams. It will need a little more butter. Dish and sprinkle with pepper, serve hot. Baked Potatoes. Select medium sized potatoes wash and rinse and clean and place in very hot oven for forty or more minutes; when done crack each one in your hand, with a towel over it. If baked crisp they will snap and be mealy as this process lets of! the steam. Plain Fried Potatoes. Slice cold boiled potatoes one-fourth of an inch thick, put in spider a bit of butter and lard; salt them, lay them in the hot spider brown lightly and slowly on both sides. Pepper. Mashed Potatoes.