Part 18

Pare and slice cucumbers in not too thin slices. Pass lemon juice, salt and oil with them. Some prefer them with salt and oil only; others with lemon juice and salt.

If not thoroughly crisp, or if prepared some time before serving, lay in ice water without salt. Salt wilts and toughens them.

=Stewed Cucumbers=

Pare cucumbers, cut into halves lengthwise, crosswise also if long. If seeds are large, remove them, but younger fruit is better.

Lay the pieces cut side down in perfectly boiling unsalted water. When nearly tender 15-20 m., add a little salt to the water and finish cooking. They should be just tender, not soft when done. They will take about 20-25 m. cooking in all, never over 30 m. Drain thoroughly. Serve with sauce 75, 34, 28 or 29 or with 16 made of cocoanut or dairy milk. On toast, with egg cream sauce like asparagus, they are especially nice. Sprinkle chopped parsley in the sauce.

=Egg Plant=

Egg plant belongs to the family of the deadly night-shade, the same as the potato, tomato, peppers and tobacco, and contains an irritating principle which should be removed by thorough parboiling when used.

=Egg Plant in Batter=

Cut egg-plant into ½-¾ in. slices, put into a large quantity of cold water, heat to boiling and boil 5 m.; drain, repeat the process, add salt to the third water and boil until just tender; drain thoroughly.

Drop spoonfuls of the following batter on well oiled griddle or dripping pan, lay on slices of the egg plant and cover with the batter. Brown delicately on both sides on the griddle or bake in a quick oven to a delicate brown. Serve at once.

_Batter_--

2 tablespns. oil or melted butter 3 tablespns. flour 1½ cup boiling water 2 eggs ⅓ teaspn. salt 5 tablespns. stale graham bread crumbs, or enough to make a batter of the right consistency

Heat oil (without browning), add flour, stir smooth, add water, stirring; when smooth, remove from fire, add beaten eggs, salt and crumbs.

=Greens=

One of the many advantages that the country dweller has over those who live in the city is the great variety of “greens,” as we call the edible weeds, nearly all of which are superior in flavor to the much prized spinach.

There is _narrow or sour dock_, easily distinguished from the broad-leaved (which is not edible) by its long, slender leaf curled on the edges; the _dandelion_, which should be gathered before the buds appear or at least when they are just peeping out, as the greens are bitter when the buds are well developed; _milkweed_, of which we use only the tips unless the stalks are small and tender: _pigweed_, _red root_, _lamb’s quarters_, _purslane_ or “pusley,” with _poke shoots_, the garden _turnip tops_, _cabbage sprouts_, young _beet tops_ and _endive_.

Some are better in combinations, such as milkweed and narrow dock, narrow dock and pigweed, milkweed and purslane and purslane and beet tops.

Do not try to wash greens in a small quantity of water. Put them when first gathered into a large vessel, a wash boiler, a tub or a deep sink in which the water will be deep enough to “swash” them up and down with the hands. When they are thoroughly revived _lift_ them from the water (do not drain the water off), empty the vessel, rinse it well and take another quantity of water. Continue the washing, changing the water until no sand is found in the bottom of the vessel.

Dandelion and some other greens require trimming and looking over carefully after reviving before the final washing.

When ready to cook, throw greens into an abundance of boiling salted water and cook until tender.

The time required for cooking varies; narrow dock requires 20 m., purslane a little longer, pigweed 40 m., milkweed 2-3 hours, beet greens 2½-3 hours, and dandelions 3½-4 hours. It is a good plan to parboil dandelions.

When greens are perfectly tender, lift them carefully with a skimmer from the water into a colander and press with a plate until as dry as possible.

The water from all greens (except dandelion if at all bitter and too large a quantity of narrow dock) is invaluable for soup stock, so pour it off carefully from the sand that may be in the bottom of the kettle even after the most careful washing.

When the leaves are long and stringy it is well to cut across the mass of greens a few times before serving, but the flavor and character are much impaired by too fine chopping.

Pass oil, lemon juice or quarters of lemon, French or Improved Mayonnaise dressing, or Sauce Amèricaine with greens.

=Poke Shoots=--scoke--pigeon berry weed, and young, tender milkweed stalks may be prepared and served the same as asparagus. Do not use poke shoots after the leaves begin to unfold.

Canned greens make as valuable an addition to the winter supplies as canned corn or peas.

=Kale=--borecole, should not be used until after heavy frosts in the fall. Cook as other greens in boiling salted water 30-45 m. and serve the same. If desired, raw nut butter may be added to the water in which it is cooked; then lemon juice only will be required with it. It may also be cooked with tomato, the same as cabbage, by being chopped or cut fine before cooking. Onion and raw nut butter may be added to the tomato.

=Okra--Stewed Whole=

Use only young, tender pods, cut off the stems, wash well and cook in a small quantity of salted water (about 1 cup to each quart of okra) for 30 m. or until tender. Season with cream, dairy or almond, or with butter. Or, drain if any water remains, and pour over it a hot French dressing. Melted butter may be used in the dressing instead of oil.

Never cook okra in an iron vessel.

=Okra--Sliced, Stewed=

Slice pods of okra across and cook with 1 cup of salted water to each pint of okra until tender, 25-30 m. Drain or not, according to what is to be added. Stewed tomatoes, strained or unstrained, almond or dairy cream, sauce 16, 18, 19, or 34, or hot French dressing may be poured over it. When strained tomatoes are used, the okra and tomato should simmer together about 10 m. Add a little heavy cream, butter or oil and salt just before serving.

=Onions--Boiled=

Select onions of about equal size. Peel them, then at the root end cut into the onion about ⅓ of the way at right angles. This causes the onion to cook tender at the heart. Let stand in cold water 20 m. to 1 hour. Put into boiling salted water and cook until tender, ¾-1½ hour. The water may be changed after 15 m. boiling. Drain, add cream, cream sauce or butter, heat a moment (do not boil with cream), serve. Some prefer onions plain with a little of the liquid in which they were boiled.

Drain young onions slightly when about half done, pour on milk and simmer until tender.

=Onions--Stewed=

Cut peeled onions into halves, then into quarters, and slice across in thin slices. Put into just enough boiling salted water to cook tender; dry out well and serve plain or add a little oil or melted butter, hot cream or cream sauce. Serve sometimes over plain boiled or mashed potatoes. Raw or steamed nut butter may be cooked with the onions.

=Onions--Baked=

Select large, perfect onions; peel, and boil until about half done; drain, put into a baking pan, sprinkle with salt and crumbs, pour a little oil or melted butter over and bake, covered part of the time, until tender.

Onions may be dried after boiling, wrapped in oiled paper, baked and served with melted butter or cream sauce.

=Onions--Raw=

Slice onions and let them lie in cold water (no salt) for an hour or more, changing the water occasionally. Drain, dry and serve with salt, salt and oil or lemon juice or with French dressing. If in a hurry to use them, dip sliced onions quickly into boiling water, then into cold water and serve as before. Sprigs of parsley are sometimes passed after dishes containing onions to destroy the odor in the breath.

=Oyster Plant=

Oyster plant--vegetable oyster--salsify, is one of the most delightful vegetables. It should not be used until after heavy frosts and is at its best in the spring after being in the ground all winter. Whatever is dug more than is to be used each time, should be kept in sand in a cool place.

To prepare for cooking, soak in cold water 3 or 4 hours, or over night. Scrape on a vegetable board with a knife and drop each root into a large quantity of cold water as soon as scraped to keep it from turning dark.

When very fresh, oyster plant will cook in 10 m., but late in the season it often requires a half hour. Cook until tender only, not soft.

The flavor of the oyster plant is in the water, so there should always be some liquid left to form part of the sauce.

A little cream is required to develop the flavor of oyster plant.

Water and cream are better than milk.

Milk and a little butter may be used when cream is not obtainable. Raw or steamed nut butter may be used in place of either, and olive oil instead of butter gives an appropriate flavor.

If there should be dark spots through the oyster plant, be sure that every particle is removed, as one little piece with a dark spot in it will flavor the whole dish.

The carbohydrates of oyster plant do not include starch.

=Stewed or Creamed Oyster Plant=

Cut scraped roots into slices ¼-⅓ in. thick according to size, and drop into the water in which they are to be cooked, an equal quantity, usually. Boil without salt for 10-25 m. When nearly tender, add salt.

To the oyster plant liquor, add a little heavy cream, and when boiling, add flour blended with water to make of a creamy consistency; salt if necessary. Chopped parsley may sometimes be added, and a little celery salt occasionally, but oyster plant will not admit of the addition of many flavors. If to be served on toast or rice, or in a rice border, a little onion juice may be added.

=Oyster Plant with Drawn Butter Sauce=

Cook oyster plant in 2-in. lengths in a small quantity of water. Add sauce 40, heat, serve on toast or rice.

=Oyster Plant with Celery or Corn=

Use ⅓ or ½ cooked celery or corn in recipe for stewed oyster plant.

Any of these dishes may be served as a second course at dinner with beaten biscuit with or without ripe olives.

=Parsley=

When parsley is fresh, wash, shake and keep in a thick paper sack near the ice. When withered, put at once into ice water until refreshed.

To dry, pick off the leaves and stand in a warm place. It is better than not any when fresh is not obtainable.

=Parsnips=

The parsnip is another vegetable not good until after heavy frosts, and is much sweeter and richer in flavor when left in the ground until spring.

=Boiled Parsnips=

Scrape or pare parsnips, cut into halves or thirds in flat slices lengthwise; cook in boiling salted water until just tender, 20 m. to 1 hour according to age and size. Serve plain or with hot cream or butter poured over.

Parsnips may be steamed instead of boiled.

=Stewed Parsnips=

Cut parsnips into slices crosswise, ½-¾ in. thick, or if large, cut into quarters first, then slice. Cook in small quantity of water until just tender. Serve with cream, cream sauce, or egg cream or drawn butter sauce.

=Browned Parsnips=

Lay slices of boiled or steamed parsnips in baking pan, pour over a little cream, oil or melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Brown delicately in oven. Or, dip in oil or butter and flour and brown in quick oven.

=Mashed Parsnips=

Rub parsnips through the colander; season with salt only, or with salt and cream. Heat and serve.

=Fricassee of Parsnips=

Boil sliced parsnips in milk without salt. When tender add salt and thicken slightly with flour stirred smooth with milk. Serve on toast.

=Peas=

Green peas should be neither too old nor too young. When they are small and soft they have no character, but if too old they are hard and flavorless. To be at their best they should be cooked the day they are gathered.

=Green Peas--Stewed=

For fresh tender green peas, wash the pods, shell and put at once into boiling salted water. Washing after shelling takes away much of the sweetness. Cook until tender, 15-25 m. There should be very little water left when they are done. When nice and sweet they require no seasoning but salt. Serve plain, with just enough of the water in which they were cooked to moisten them. A little sweet cream, butter or cream sauce may be added.

Peas that have become withered should be shelled and allowed to stand in cold water for an hour before cooking.

When peas are a little old they require longer cooking, and should have a little sugar in the water in which they are cooked. A small sprig of mint improves the flavor of old peas, but the positive mint flavor should not be distinguishable.

Canned peas of an inferior quality drained and boiled in fresh water with sugar and mint are sometimes hardly distinguishable from fresh peas. A sprig of parsley may be stewed with peas instead of mint.

=Peas--Parisian Style=

Cook in boiling, salted water with parsley and onion; add sugar, and thicken the liquid a trifle.

=Peas--German Way=

Put a spoonful of butter in the saucepan, add peas, salt and a spoonful or two of water, cover close and cook until tender, about half an hour, perhaps.

=Peas With Corn=

Combine green peas and corn as beans and corn in succotash.

=Peas With New Potatoes=

Cook peas and small new potatoes together. Cover with cream or thin cream sauce.

=Melting Sugar Peas=

This is the name of one variety of the edible podded peas. They have a delightful flavor peculiar to themselves. Wash and drain the pods and cut like string beans. Cook in a small quantity of boiling salted water until tender, about 30 m. Add cream, cream sauce or a little butter. Heat and serve.

=Potatoes=

There is great diversity of opinion in regard to the value of the potato as a food. Some, because of its belonging to the family of the deadly night shade, the same family as tobacco, think it should be used sparingly if at all, while others consider it (when baked, at least) one of the most wholesome foods. Its use is often prohibited by physicians in some forms of indigestion and for those rheumatically inclined.

The solid part of the potato is almost entirely starch, so it serves as bulk in combination with nitrogenous foods.

“Potatoes which have grown on the surface of the ground or which have been exposed to the light frequently turn green, and such tubers contain abnormal amounts of solanin, as do old and shriveled potatoes which have sprouted. It is best not to use such old potatoes, but if they are eaten the flesh around the sprouts should be cut away, as this portion is particularly liable to contain solanin.”--_C. F. Langworthy, Ph. D. Farmers’ Bulletin, 295. U. S. Dept. of Agriculture._

Solinine is a vegetable alkaloid which may produce serious results as it is of about the same nature as belladonna and other poisons of that class.

Soak new potatoes for a short time only in cold water before cooking, but old ones for at least 2-3 hours.

In paring potatoes, put them into cold water so that the dirt will not adhere to the flesh. Pare not too thick and throw at once into clear cold water.

When salt is sprinkled over potatoes after cooking it absorbs the moisture and renders them more mealy.

=Baked Potatoes=

No other way of preparing the potato renders it so mealy and digestible as proper baking. Wash and scrub the potatoes thoroughly without breaking the skins, lay them on the grate of a moderately hot oven without touching each other, so that there will be a free circulation of heat around each potato. When the oven is too hot, potatoes will be soggy and indigestible. Bake until just done; do not try with a fork but by pressing with the thumb and finger. When done, serve _at once_ in an uncovered dish, or lay a napkin in a deep dish and fold over the potatoes.

The most perfect way to serve a baked potato is to work it between the folds of a towel in the hand without breaking the skin until soft and mealy all through. Lay each potato on the grate again until all are done. Potatoes may be broken apart in the center and a sprig of parsley laid in when serving on an invalid’s tray or to individuals, but all must be done quickly, as a few moments’ delay after the potato is done will spoil its lightness.

If for any reason baked potatoes must be kept waiting, wrap them in a thick towel and lay in a warm place.

When in a hurry for baked potatoes, pour boiling water over them just before laying them in the oven.

Some think potatoes are whiter and more mealy if boiled until nearly done and then finished in the oven.

Perhaps the most perfect way of baking potatoes is to lay them on a wire stand in a close covered kettle without any water, over a moderate fire.

=Boiled Early Potatoes=

Put pared potatoes into rapidly boiling, salted water. Do not allow water to stop boiling. When nearly done add ½-1 cup cold water. Drain as soon as done. Shake and dry uncovered, over fire. Serve in napkin. When obliged to stand for a few minutes, throw a clean towel over the uncovered kettle to absorb the steam.

=Boiled Late or Winter Potatoes=

Put potatoes into cold, slightly salted water. Bring to the boiling point as quickly as possible. When half done, drain, add cold water and boil again. Drain as soon as done, sprinkle with salt, shake over fire until dry. Serve in napkin or uncovered dish.

=The Irish Way=

Put potatoes in slightly salted cold water; when the water boils add a small quantity of cold water; repeat this process 2 or 3 times; when done, drain, shake until dry and send a few at a time to the table.

=Potatoes in Jackets=

Wash thoroughly, peel off a narrow strip around the potatoes the long way. When tender, drain, sprinkle with salt, shake, peel and serve, or serve without peeling. Taking off the strip around the potatoes causes them to burst and become mealy, and makes them easier to peel while still giving the flavor so much liked by many.

=Steamed Potatoes=

Cook, without paring or with a narrow strip only taken off, in steamer over hot water with a few sprigs of fresh mint. Dry in the oven.

Allow at least 10 m. more for steaming potatoes, either with or without their “coats,” than for boiling.

=Small New Potatoes=

Wash small new potatoes, boil or steam, sprinkle with salt, shake over fire until skins begin to crack, serve in napkin.

Or, rub the skins off with a coarse towel (coarse salt in the towel helps) or scrape the potatoes. After cooking and draining, crack each by pressing lightly with the back of a spoon. Lay in dish, pour hot cream or milk and butter over and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

=Creamed Stewed Potatoes=

Cut potatoes into small pieces or slice not too thin; cook until almost tender; drain, put into cream sauce in double boiler and cook ½ hour longer. Whole small potatoes or large ones in quarters cooked until tender may be served in cream sauce the same.

=Creamed Warmed-Over Potatoes=

Cold baked potatoes are much the best for warming over. Slice baked or boiled potatoes or cut into small pieces and put into cream sauce, with or without celery salt or stalk or a little chopped onion, and simmer slowly 15 m. Sprinkle with parsley in serving.

Or, pour milk over potatoes, cover and heat slowly 15-20 m. If raw nut milk is used heat a half hour. A little onion may be added if desired.

=Water Creamed Potatoes=

Thicken boiling water slightly with flour, add salt, onion or celery if desired, and sliced potatoes. Simmer 15-20 m.

Or, put a little oil or butter into the saucepan, add flour, then boiling water and potatoes.

=Hashed Creamed Potatoes=

Chop cold potatoes, mix with cream sauce, put into baking dish, sprinkle with crumbs and brown in oven.

=Hashed Browned Potatoes=

Mix cream, oil or melted butter and salt with chopped potatoes. Spread evenly in well oiled frying pan, pour a very little water over if oil or butter are used, cover and heat slowly without stirring. When delicately browned on the bottom, fold or roll like an omelet and serve on a hot platter with celery tops or a sprig of parsley.

Or, pour brown sauce over potatoes in baking dish, sprinkle with oil and heat in oven. A little milk or consommé may be added.

=Improved Parisian Potatoes=

Cut balls out of large pared potatoes with vegetable scoop. Cook in boiling salted water until just or hardly tender. Drain, roll and shake in thin drawn butter or cream sauce, sprinkle with parsley, serve as border of timbales or as garnish for other meat dishes.

=Mashed Potatoes=

Very large, or irregularly shaped potatoes may be used for mashing. Have kettle, fine colander and masher hot, with hot milk or cream in the bottom of the kettle. Rub nicely boiled potatoes, a few at a time, through the colander into the kettle _as soon as done_. Beat very thoroughly until smooth and creamy. Add more hot milk if necessary but do not make too soft or the flavor of the potato will be lost. Mashed potatoes should be served at once, but if obliged to stand, make them a little softer, keep hot in double boiler and beat occasionally to restore the smoothness.

=Potato Cakes=

Shape cold mashed potato into cakes, brown on both sides on oiled griddle, or brush with cream, oil or melted butter and brown in oven. Serve as soon as done. When egg is added to potato cakes, they fall soon after removing from the fire and become solid and soggy; also the characteristic flavor of the potato is to some extent destroyed.

=Browned Mashed Potato Slices=

Cut mashed potato (which has been molded in a brick shaped or small round tin dipped in cold water) into rather thick slices. Dip in beaten egg, then in crumbs, and brown in quick oven. Serve with or without sauce. Slices may be served with a poached egg on each.

=Potato Purée=

Add rich milk to mashed potatoes to make like thick porridge, spread on hot platter as a foundation for cutlets, croquettes, slices of broiled nut meat or nicely poached eggs. Garnish with parsley or other green.

=Baked Sweet Potatoes=

Wash large sweet potatoes without breaking the skins, bake in a moderate oven until they will yield to pressure between the thumb and finger.

Or, boil until nearly tender and finish in the oven. Serve at once. Sweet potatoes will bake in a shorter time than Irish potatoes.

=Boiled Sweet Potatoes=

The most delightful boiled sweet potatoes I ever ate were prepared in the following manner; Cook pared potatoes in a small quantity of water until nearly tender, drain if necessary (but it ought not to be necessary), cover with a towel and let stand on the back of the stove for an hour or longer, shaking occasionally. Potatoes may be boiled until tender and laid on a tin in the oven a few moments to dry.

=Mashed Sweet Potatoes=

Prepare and season the same as mashed Irish potatoes. Serve with tomato cream sauce.

Or, put into oiled baking dish, sprinkle with crumbs and heat in oven.

=Mashed Pumpkin=

Select a nice, rich, fine grained pumpkin, saw into halves, remove the seeds and fibre with a spoon and cut into small pieces without paring. Steam, or stew in a small quantity of water. Drain if watery in cheese cloth. When dry, mash and season with cream or butter and salt. Heat in double boiler or oven, stirring. Serve in mound on hot dish, or put into baking dish, sprinkle with crumbs and brown in oven.

=Baked Pumpkin=

Place halves of pumpkin from which the seeds have been removed, cut side down upon a tin. Bake until tender and dry. Scrape from the shell, mash, season and serve.

=Baked Pumpkin--Individual=

Cut pumpkin into not too small pieces and lay cut side down on waxed paper in baking tin. Serve as baked potatoes.

=Radishes=

Wash radishes well with brush, trim off all but the small green leaves, stand in ice water ½-1 hour. Serve on glass dish with cracked ice, or in a bed of shredded lettuce or of spinach leaves, or with a parsley border.

Pare winter radishes and cut into quarters. Serve sprinkled with parsley, or as other radishes.

=Spinach=