The Community Cook Book Part 9

Put the desired number of eggs into a kettle and cover with boiling water. Cover the kettle and let stand ten minutes. Drain off the water, put eggs into a bowl, cover again with boiling water and send to the table.

VEGETABLES

"Perhaps if we could penetrate Nature's secrets we should find that what we call weeds are more essential to the well-being of the world than the most precious fruit or grain."--Hawthorne.

The simplest methods of cooking and serving vegetables are generally the best. The most common method of cooking them is in boiling water. All green vegetables, bulbs and tubers should be crisp and firm when put on to cook, and should, of course, be thoroughly cleaned before being cooked.

Almost all vegetables may be served in the form of salad. Our most common green salad plant is lettuce; celery is next, but endive, chicory and dandelion, with many others, may be used to advantage in this way, and furnish pleasing variety to the menu.

Nearly all vegetables are good canned, and if care is taken in preparing and canning, it is possible to have fresh-tasting fruits and vegetables through all seasons.

Thorough sterilization is necessary in canning or preserving. In the first place, use good jars. Gla.s.s jars will be found the most satisfactory. Those with gla.s.s top and rubber ring held in place by a wire spring are the cheapest in the long run, although the initial expense may be somewhat high. Never use defective rubbers, as vegetables often spoil after being sterilized, because of bad rubbers.

A clothes boiler makes a good container to use in sterilizing. A false bottom made of wire netting cut to fit or strips of wood may be used, as the jars will break if set flat on the bottom of the boiler.

Select vegetables that have not begun to harden or decay. Always can as soon as possible after gathering. Some vegetables are best cooked before putting in jars; among these are beets, pumpkins and turnips, but most of them may be packed while raw in jars and cooked as follows:

Pack jar full, adding salt as desired, fill with cold water to the top of the jar. Put the rubber on the jar and place the gla.s.s top on, but do not press down the spring at the side of the jar. Put as many jars in the boiler as it will hold without crowding. Pour into the boiler enough water (cold) to prevent it from going dry during the boiling. Put the cover on the boiler and bring the water to a boil and keep it boiling for an hour. (Hour and a half for half-gallon jars.) At the end of this time remove the boiler cover, and let the steam escape. Press down the spring on each jar, which clamps on the top, and no outside air can enter.

On the next day raise the spring at the side of the jar and boil as on the first day, clamping on the top as before at the end of operation.

Repeat this on the third day. All meats, fruits and vegetables are sterilized on this principle.

Never subject jars to a draft of cold air when removing them from the boiler, as this will be likely to crack them. If, after sterilization seems complete, any jars spoil, increase the time of boiling.

ASPARAGUS.

Cut the tender part into short pieces. Cover with boiling water, and boil until done. Season with salt and pepper, and serve with most of juice; or, if preferred, serve with a cream dressing.

BEETS.

Wash the beets carefully without breaking the skin. Cover with boiling water and boil until tender. Take from the boiling water and drop into cold. Rub off the skin, cut in thin slices and serve at once with salt and b.u.t.ter.

CINCINNATI BAKED BEANS.

Measure beans (marrowfat are best), put them in cold water and parboil fifteen minutes and drain; use the Boston bean pot. For three pints of dried beans add three level teaspoonfuls salt, one-quarter pound pickled pork cut fine, six tablespoonfuls New Orleans mola.s.ses or six tablespoonfuls of C sugar, one tablespoonful standard mustard. Mix the above well and put in a three-quart bean pot, and fill within one inch of top with boiling water. May be kept in oven several days, but must never be allowed to get dry, adding boiling water as needed.

CORN.

Cook ears of corn five minutes in boiling water. Then cut through the center of each row of grains and press the grains from the hulls with the back of a knife. Put corn in saucepan and season with b.u.t.ter, salt, pepper and sugar. Add enough hot milk to moisten, and cook ten minutes.

When succotash is desired, add to a pint of corn cooked as above the same amount of cooked and seasoned sh.e.l.led beans.

CORN PUDDING.

One dozen ears of corn, two eggs, one kitchen spoonful b.u.t.ter, one-half teaspoonful salt, one tablespoonful sugar.

CORN PUDDING.

To one can of corn, one pint milk, three eggs, two tablespoonful melted b.u.t.ter, one tablespoonful white sugar, pepper and salt to taste. Beat the eggs very light, add sugar and b.u.t.ter rubbed together; stir hard.

Next the corn and seasoning, finally the milk; beat hard, bake in b.u.t.tered dish one-half hour, covered; then lift top and brown. Serve in baking dish.

CREAMED CAULIFLOWER.

One pint cooked cauliflower, one pint milk, one teaspoonful salt, one-third teaspoonful pepper, one tablespoonful b.u.t.ter, one-half teaspoonful flour, three slices toasted bread. Break cooked cauliflower into branches and season with half of the salt and pepper. Put b.u.t.ter in a saucepan on the fire. When hot add flour and stir until frothy and smooth. Add gradually the milk, constantly stirring. When sauce boils add the salt, pepper and cauliflower. Cook ten minutes and serve very hot on the slices of toast.

GREEN STUFFED PEPPERS.

Clean out peppers and stuff with rice or potatoes, and meat. Moisten with hot water, standing on end in baking dish. Cover and bake until almost done, then remove cover and brown. Cheese or tomatoes may be used instead of meat.

HASHED BROWN POTATOES.

Boil about one quart potatoes, drain and sprinkle with one teaspoonful salt and a little pepper. Add one teaspoonful chopped parsley and a few drops of onion juice, brown one heaping tablespoonful b.u.t.ter, add one tablespoonful flour and gradually one cup hot water. Salt and pepper to taste. Add potatoes, and cook about five minutes, or until they have absorbed nearly all the sauce. b.u.t.ter a saute pan, add the potatoes and cook until light brown. Turn over like an omelet. Potatoes must not be chopped until cold.

HASHED TURNIPS.

Chop boiled turnips into large pieces. Put in saucepan, and for a pint and a half of turnips add a teaspoonful of pepper, a tablespoonful of b.u.t.ter and four tablespoonfuls of water. Cook over a hot fire until seasoning is absorbed.

HOME-MADE NOODLES.

(_Serve as a Vegetable with Stewed Chicken or Veal._)

Four eggs, one tablespoonful cream, one teaspoonful salt, flour enough to make a stiff dough; roll out very thin and let dry an hour or longer; roll up and cut into fine strips; put into a kettle of boiling water, salted, boil ten minutes; cut a few noodles an inch wide and fry brown in b.u.t.ter to place on top. Serve with plenty of gravy.

KALE CANNON.

(Old Irish Dish.)

Take ten or twelve good-sized potatoes, peel and boil in salt water, add a large bunch of parsley previously washed and drained, and a pinch of baking soda. When the parsley is done, which will be in ten or fifteen minutes, take it up and lay it in a plate, drain it well and chop it, leaving out the stems. Chop fine one onion; when the potatoes are cooked place them at the back of the stove with a cloth and the lid over them; mash them, adding the onions as quickly as possible as the hot potatoes cook it, add a little pepper and salt and about one-half cup of hot milk with a lump of b.u.t.ter melted in it. Mix all together, serve with a little b.u.t.ter with each helping. This is sometimes made with kale, hence its name.

LYONNAISE POTATOES.

One pint cold potatoes cut in dice and seasoned with salt and pepper.