Chapter 14

Prepare the sprouts as explained in Art. 80. Cook them in boiling salted water until they are tender, and then drain. Make a white sauce of 2 tablespoonfuls of the butter, flour, salt, and milk. Butter the crumbs by pouring 1 tablespoonful of melted butter over them, stirring until well blended. Place one-fourth of the crumbs in the bottom of a baking dish, add about half of the sprouts, and place another fourth of the crumbs over the sprouts. Add the remaining half of the sprouts and pour the sauce over these. Sprinkle the rest of the crumbs over the top, place in the oven, and bake until the crumbs are brown and the ingredients thoroughly heated.

CABBAGE AND ITS PREPARATION

84. CABBAGE consists of the foliage of the cabbage plant. It is a succulent vegetable with a high flavor; in fact, its flavor is so strong that in many cases it disagrees with persons. However, if cabbage is properly cooked, no apprehension need be felt about eating it, for it can be digested by most persons. The food value of cabbage is not high, being even less than that of string beans. The greater part of this food value is carbohydrate in the form of sugar, but in order to prepare cabbage so that it has any importance in the meal, considerable quantities of protein, fat, and carbohydrate must be added. In itself, it is valuable for its mineral salts and bulk.

Numerous varieties of cabbage can be procured, but only three are commonly used. These include _white cabbage_, which is used the most; _purple cabbage_, which is very dark in color and contains varying shades of red and blue; and _Savoy cabbage_, which has a large number of green crinkled leaves and is commonly cooked by boiling.

85. SELECTION AND CARE OF CABBAGE.--Heads of cabbage that feel firm and solid to the touch and are rather heavy for their size are the best to select for cooking purposes. This vegetable comes into the market early in the summer and may be had until late in the fall. As it has excellent keeping qualities, it may be stored for use as a winter vegetable. When this is done, the stem and the roots should be allowed to remain on the head, for then the cabbage is less apt to wither. If this precaution is taken and the cabbage is stored in a cool place, no great care is required to keep it in good condition until it is to be cooked unless, of course, it is kept for an abnormal length of time.

86. PREPARATION AND COOKING OF CABBAGE.--To prepare cabbage for cooking, remove the outside leaves and then cut the head that remains into pieces of any desirable size. Whether the cabbage should be left in large pieces or cut very fine depends on the dish that is to be prepared. For the first cutting, be sure to cut the head down through the heart and the stem, so that the part not used will remain intact. This may then be used another time if it is kept cool and moist. In case the cabbage becomes at all wilted, it may be freshened by placing it in cold water a short time before it is to be cooked.

87. Cabbage is a vegetable that has many uses and is eaten both raw and cooked. Numerous opinions exist about the difference in digestibility between raw and cooked cabbage, as well as the best ways in which to cook this vegetable. It may be true that in some cases raw cabbage does not cause the disagreeable effect that cooked cabbage often does, but the reason for this is that cabbage when raw has a milder flavor than when cooked, cabbage generally developing during the cooking a strong flavor that causes trouble. The flavor of cabbage, however, may be dissipated if attention is given to the cooking, so that, when properly prepared, cabbage can be eaten with little fear of indigestion.

88. When cabbage is cooked, it is usually boiled like other vegetables; that is, it is covered well with boiling water to which 1 teaspoonful of salt is added for each quart, and then allowed to boil until it can be easily pierced with a fork. Its cooking differs, however, from that of many vegetables, string beans, for instance, in that it is carried on with the cover removed from the kettle. This plan permits of the evaporation of much of the strong flavor, which arises in the steam and which would otherwise be reabsorbed by the cabbage. Since it is the retention of this flavor, together with long cooking, that causes this vegetable to disagree with persons who eat it, both of these points should be carefully watched. If it is cooked in an open vessel and it is boiled just long enough to be tender, so that when done it is white and fresh-looking and not in any way discolored, an easily digested dish will be the result. Usually cabbage will cook sufficiently in 1/2 hour and often in less time.

89. BOILED CABBAGE.--Although cabbage permits of numerous methods of preparation, plain boiled cabbage finds favor with many persons. Generally, cabbage prepared in this way is merely seasoned with butter and served in a part of the liquid in which it is cooked, but it has a more appetizing flavor if bacon or ham fat is used for seasoning or if a small quantity of ham or salt pork is cooked with it.

To prepare boiled cabbage, remove the outside leaves from a head of cabbage, cut it in half down through the heart, and then cut each half into coarse pieces. Unless it is very fresh, allow it to stand in cold water for at least 1 hour before cooking. Put it into a kettle or a saucepan, cover well with boiling water, and add 1 teaspoonful of salt for each quart of water. If ham or salt pork is to be cooked with the cabbage, put a small piece in the kettle with the cabbage. Allow the cabbage to cook with the cover removed until it is sufficiently tender to be pierced with a fork. Pour off all or a part of the liquid, depending on whether it is to be served dry or in its own liquid, and then, in case it has been cooked alone, add butter or ham or bacon fat for flavor. If not sufficiently seasoned, add pepper and more salt.

90. CREAMED CABBAGE.--When cabbage is to be creamed, it is cut up into fairly fine pieces with a sharp knife. The cream sauce that is added to it provides considerable food value and greatly improves its flavor.

CREAMED CABBAGE (Sufficient to Serve Six)

4 c. finely cut cabbage 2 Tb. butter 2 Tb. flour 1/2 tsp. salt Dash of pepper 1/2 c. milk or thin cream 1/2 c. liquid from cabbage

Cook the cabbage according to the directions given in Art. 89 until it is tender and then drain the water from it. While it is cooking, melt the butter in a double boiler, add the flour, and stir until smooth. Pour in the heated liquid and season with the salt and pepper. Stir until the flour is thickened and the sauce is smooth. Pour this over the cabbage, heat together for a few minutes, and serve hot.

91. SCALLOPED CABBAGE.--Scalloped cabbage is a particularly appetizing vegetable dish, and, on account of the ingredients used in its preparation, it is more nutritious than some of the other dishes in which cabbage is used.

SCALLOPED CABBAGE (Sufficient to Serve Six)

4 c. cabbage 1 c. buttered crumbs 2 Tb. butter 2 Tb. flour 1 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. pepper 1 c. milk 1/2 c. liquid from cabbage

Cut the cabbage into very small pieces with a sharp knife or a cabbage chopper. Cook according to the directions given in Art. 89 until nearly tender, and then drain. Spread 1/4 cupful of the buttered crumbs in the bottom of a baking dish, put one-half of the cabbage over this, and then add another 1/4 cupful of the crumbs and the remaining cabbage. Over this pour a white sauce made from the butter, flour, salt, pepper, milk, and liquid from the cabbage. Sprinkle the rest of the crumbs over the top. Bake in a slow oven until the cabbage is thoroughly heated through and the crumbs are browned on top. This baking will complete the cooking of the cabbage. Serve hot. 92. HOT SLAW.--If a slightly sour flavor is desired in a vegetable dish, hot slaw will undoubtedly appeal to the taste.

HOT SLAW (Sufficient to Serve Six)

4 c. cabbage 1 c. water 2 Tb. butter 1 Tb. flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1/3 c. vinegar 1 egg

Slice the cabbage very fine with a sharp knife or a cabbage cutter. Put it in a saucepan, add the water, and allow it to cook until the water is about half evaporated. Melt the butter in a pan and to it add the flour, salt, and vinegar. Then stir the beaten egg in quickly and pour this sauce over the cabbage at once. Allow the mixture to cook until the sauce has thickened, stirring constantly to prevent the curding of the egg. Serve hot.

93. MAKING SAUERKRAUT.--As is well known, sauerkraut is a cabbage preparation that is made by salting finely cut cabbage, packing it tightly, and allowing it to ferment under pressure. This food is made and sold commercially, so that the housewife can usually purchase it in any quantity she desires. However, as it is not at all difficult to make sauerkraut, and as a supply of cabbage in this form provides a valuable article of food during the winter months in households where it is relished, the housewife will do well to prepare enough of this kind of cabbage to vary her meals during the winter. That she may understand how to proceed with the making of sauerkraut and the proper cooking of it, the accompanying directions and recipes are given.

94. For every 10 medium-sized heads of cabbage, measure 2 cupfuls of salt. Cut the heads of cabbage into quarters and shred on a cabbage slicer, or cutter. Place several inches of the shredded cabbage in the bottom of a large crock, and over it sprinkle a layer of salt. Stamp this down with a wooden potato masher or some other similar utensil. Then add another layer of cabbage and salt and stamp this down in the same way. Proceed in this manner until the crock is nearly full. Then place a clean cloth over the cabbage in the crock. On this cloth place a clean board as near the size of the crock as possible, and on the board place a large clean stone or some other weight. When thus filled and weighted down, place the crock in a cool place. The cabbage will then begin to ferment, and it is this fermentation that changes the cabbage into sauerkraut. After a time, juice will form and gradually rise over the top of the board, and on top of this juice will form a scum. Remove this scum at once, and do not allow any to collect at any time after the fermentation of the cabbage ceases. Occasionally, when a supply of sauerkraut is taken from the crock for cooking, replace the cloth by a clean one, but always be sure to put the board and the weight back in place.

95. SAUERKRAUT WITH SPARERIBS.--Persons who are fond of sauerkraut find the combination of sauerkraut and spareribs very appetizing. The spareribs give the cabbage a very pleasing flavor and at the same time supply nourishment to the dish.

SAUERKRAUT WITH SPARERIBS (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1 qt. sauerkraut 2 lb. spareribs 1 tsp. salt 3 c. water

Put the sauerkraut and the spareribs into a kettle and add the salt and water. Allow to simmer slowly for 2 or more hours. If additional water is necessary, add it from time to time. Just before removing from the heat, allow the water to boil down so that what remains may be served with the hot sauerkraut.

96. BAKED SAUERKRAUT.--In the cooking of sauerkraut for the table, pork in one form or another is generally added; in fact, one rarely thinks of sauerkraut except in combination with pork. While boiling is the method that is usually applied to this vegetable, many housewives prefer to bake it, for then the odor does not escape so easily and a flavor that most persons prefer is developed.

BAKED SAUERKRAUT (Sufficient to Serve Six)

2 lb. fresh pork 1 qt. sauerkraut 1 Tb. salt 3 c. water

Cut the pork into several large chunks, and put it with the sauerkraut into a baking dish that has a cover. Add the salt and water, cover the dish and place in the oven. Bake slowly for 2 or 3 hours. Serve hot.

97. SAUTED SAUERKRAUT.--If an entirely different way of cooking sauerkraut is desired, it may be sauted. When nicely browned and served with boiled frankfurters, it is very appetizing.

SAUTED SAUERKRAUT (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1 qt. sauerkraut 4 Tb. bacon or ham fat 2 tsp. salt

Steam the sauerkraut over boiling water for about 1 hour. Then melt the fat in an iron frying pan, add the sauerkraut and sprinkle with the salt. Place a cover over the pan and allow the sauerkraut to saute until it is slightly browned on the bottom. Stir and continue to cook until the entire amount is slightly browned. Serve hot.

CARROTS AND THEIR PREPARATION

98. CARROTS are one of the root vegetables. They are similar in composition to beets, having practically the same total food value, which is for the most part carbohydrate in the form of sugar. Besides being valuable in the diet for their mineral salts and bulk, they add variety to the menu, especially in the winter, for upon maturing they can be kept for a long time if they are properly stored. As tiny young carrots, they are also much used as a summer vegetable, and when cooked whole and served in an attractive way they make a delicious vegetable dish.

99. SELECTION AND PREPARATION.--The selection of carrots is a simple matter, because they keep well and are not likely to be found in a spoiled condition in the market. When small summer carrots are purchased, they should be fresh and should have their tops on. Winter carrots should be as nearly uniform in size as possible and should not be extremely large. Those which are too large in circumference are likely to have a hollow in the center and are not nearly so desirable as thin, solid ones. Carrots of any kind should be uniform in color, and should be without the green portion that is sometimes found on the top near the stem and that is caused by exposure to the light in growing.

100. In preparing carrots for cooking, they should be scraped rather than peeled, in order to avoid wasting any of the vegetable. They are always cooked in boiling salted water, after which they can be treated in various ways. The water in which carrots are cooked should not be thrown away, as it may be used to flavor soup stock. If any carrots remain after a meal, they may be utilized in vegetable salad or soup.

101. BUTTERED CARROTS.--If small, tender carrots can be obtained, they will be found to be delicious upon being boiled and then dressed with butter. Winter carrots may be prepared in this way too, but they will probably require a little more cooking to make them tender.

BUTTERED CARROTS (Sufficient to Serve Six)

3 c. diced carrots 2 Tb. butter 1/2 tsp. salt Dash of pepper

Wash and scrape the carrots and cut into half-inch pieces. Put to cook in enough boiling water to cover the carrots well, and add 1 teaspoonful of salt for each quart of water. Cook in a covered kettle until they can be easily pierced with a fork and then drain off the water. Add the butter, salt, and pepper, heat until the butter melts, and serve.

102. CARROTS WITH PARSLEY.--The addition of parsley to carrots gives a flavor that improves them very much. This should be chopped fine and added after the carrots have cooked sufficiently.

CARROTS WITH PARSLEY (Sufficient to Serve Six)

3 c. sliced carrots 3 Tb. parsley finely chopped 2 Tb. butter 1/2 tsp. salt Dash of pepper

Wash and scrape the carrots, slice in very thin slices, and cook until tender in boiling salted water. Drain and add the chopped parsley, butter, salt, and pepper. Mix carefully so as not to break the slices of carrot. Serve hot.

103. BROWNED CARROTS.--A very appetizing way in which to prepare carrots is to cut them in slices lengthwise, boil them until tender, and then brown them in fat. Wash and scrape the desired number of carrots, cut into slices lengthwise, and if large-sized carrots are used, cut the slices into halves. Cook in boiling salted water until tender and then drain. Melt some fat in a frying pan, place the carrots in the hot fat, and brown first on one side and then on the other, turning the slices carefully so as not to break them. A few minutes before removing the carrots from the frying pan, sprinkle sugar over them and allow the sugar to melt. In removing them to a vegetable dish, pour over them the sirup that forms. Serve hot.

CAULIFLOWER AND ITS PREPARATION

104. CAULIFLOWER grows in heads as does cabbage, but only the flower or blossom of the plant is eaten. A head of cauliflower from which the leaves have not been removed is shown in Fig. 8. In flavor and composition this vegetable is similar to cabbage, but its flavor is a little more delicate. Still, cauliflower should always be cooked in an uncovered vessel, as are cabbage and Brussels sprouts, if a strong disagreeable flavor would be avoided.

105. SELECTION AND COOKING.--Very solid heads of cauliflower that are creamy white in color and free from the black specks or blemishes so common to this vegetable should be selected for cooking. The only care that cauliflower requires before cooking is to keep it in a cool place, for it does not wilt nor decay quickly.

To prepare this vegetable for cooking, the white head should be cut from the leaves, which are discarded. Then the head should be placed upside down in a pan of salt water and allowed to soak for an hour in order to drive out the small bugs or worms that are so frequently found in this vegetable. The cauliflower may then be cooked whole or broken apart, but in either case it should be cooked until tender in boiling salted water with the cover removed from the kettle.

106. CAULIFLOWER WITH TOMATO SAUCE.--Variety can be secured in the preparation of cauliflower by serving it with a tomato sauce. Besides being very palatable, this is an extremely attractive dish because of the contrast in colors. Chicken gravy may be used instead of tomato sauce, and a most delightful dish is the result.

CAULIFLOWER WITH TOMATO SAUCE (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1 head cauliflower 2 Tb. butter 2 Tb. flour 1/2 tsp. salt Dash of pepper 2 c. strained tomato

Soak the cauliflower in cold salted water, and then tie it carefully in a piece of cheesecloth and put it to cook in boiling salted water. Cook until tender, but not so long that it will fall to pieces. Take from the water, remove the cheesecloth carefully, and place the cauliflower in a vegetable dish. While the cauliflower is cooking, prepare the sauce by melting the butter in a double boiler, adding the flour, salt, and pepper, and stirring into this the heated strained tomato made by forcing canned or stewed tomatoes through a sieve. Cook until the sauce has thickened and then pour over the cauliflower in the vegetable dish. Serve hot.

107. SCALLOPED CAULIFLOWER.--Another opportunity to make a delicious scalloped dish is afforded by cauliflower. In fact, many persons prefer scalloped cauliflower to any of the dishes made from this vegetable. The ingredients used with the cauliflower increase its food value, which is somewhat low.

SCALLOPED CAULIFLOWER (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1 head cauliflower 2 Tb. butter 2 Tb. flour 1 c. milk 1 c. water from cauliflower 1/2 tsp. salt Dash of pepper 1 c. buttered crumbs

Prepare and cook the cauliflower according to the directions given in Art. 105, breaking it into flowerets before pouring the boiling water on it. When it has cooked tender, drain the water from it. Prepare a sauce with the butter, flour, milk, water from the cauliflower, salt, and pepper. Butter the crumbs by pouring 1 tablespoonful of melted butter over them. Put 1/4 cupful of the crumbs on the bottom of a baking dish, add one-half of the cauliflower, and over this place another 1/4 cupful of crumbs. Then add the remainder of the cauliflower, and pour the white sauce over all. Sprinkle the remainder of the crumbs over the top. Place in a hot oven and bake until well heated through and brown on top. Serve from the dish.

108. CREAMED CAULIFLOWER.--A very attractive vegetable dish can be prepared from cauliflower by cooking the head whole and then serving a cream sauce over it, as shown in Fig. 9. In serving, a portion of the head should be broken off for each person and served with a little of the cream sauce.

CREAMED CAULIFLOWER (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1 head cauliflower 2 Tb. butter 2 Tb. flour 1 c. milk 1/2 c. water in which cauliflower was cooked 1/2 tsp. salt Dash of pepper

Soak a solid head of cauliflower in cold salted water for about 1 hour. Then wash thoroughly, wrap carefully in cheesecloth, and cook in boiling salted water until tender. When sufficiently cooked, drain, and make a sauce of the other ingredients. Place the cauliflower in a vegetable dish, pour the white sauce over it, and serve hot.

CELERY AND ITS PREPARATION

109. CELERY is the stem of a plant that grows in stalks, as shown in Fig. 10. When the stalks are large, they are sold singly, but if they are very small, several of them are tied together and sold in a bunch. The season for celery begins in the fall and lasts until early spring. It may be obtained in the summer, but as the price is usually high and the quality not good, very little use should be made of it during that time.

The chief use of celery is as a relish, when it is eaten raw, but it is also valuable for flavoring soups and making salads, pickles, and various other dishes. It is probably used less frequently as a cooked vegetable than in any other way, but when it is in season and can be purchased at a reasonable price, it should be cooked to give variety to the diet.

The food value of celery is extremely low, being less than 100 calories to the pound or about equal to that of 1 ounce of meat. However, in spite of this fact, celery is valuable for its mineral salts and bulk, as well as for the appetizing quality that it lends to various foods and to the meals at which it is served.

110. CARE AND PREPARATION.--Well-bleached, firm stalks of celery should be selected for use. After it comes into the house, it may be kept in good condition for a long time if it is wrapped in a damp cloth and put where it will keep cool. A good plan is to serve the hearts and tender inside stems raw, as explained in _Soup_, and then to use the coarse outside stems for cooking, flavoring soups, or making salads. Celery must be cleaned carefully for dirt often clings to the ridges. After being scrubbed thoroughly, it will become crisp and tender if it is allowed to stand in cold water for some time before serving. When it is to be served as a cooked vegetable, it should be cooked in boiling salted water, as are other vegetables, and then seasoned or dressed in any desirable way. The water in which it is cooked should be utilized in the making of sauce or soup.

111. CREAMED CELERY.--The usual way of preparing celery when it is to be served as a cooked vegetable is to cream it. The cream sauce that is added to the celery increases its food value considerably and greatly improves its flavor. This sauce may be made entirely of milk or of half milk and half liquid from the celery.

CREAMED CELERY (Sufficient to Serve Six)

3 c. diced celery 3 Tb. butter 3 Tb. flour 1 tsp. salt Dash of pepper 1 c. milk 1/2 c. water in which celery was cooked

Cook the celery in boiling salted water until tender, and then drain. When the celery has cooked, make a white sauce of the other ingredients. Pour this sauce over the cooked celery, heat together, and serve.

112. CELERY AU GRATIN.--The food value of celery may be still further increased by combining it with cheese and bread crumbs in addition to a cream sauce. Such a dish, which is known as _celery au gratin_, is prepared according to the accompanying recipe.

CELERY AU GRATIN (Sufficient to Serve Six)

4 c. diced celery 2-1/2 Tb. butter 2-1/2 Tb. flour 1/2 tsp. salt Dash of pepper 1 c. milk 1 c. water in which celery was cooked 1 c. buttered crumbs 1/2 c. grated cheese