HOW TO BOIL VEGETABLES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7293, 4 January 1902, Page 3

HOW TO BOIL VEGETABLES.

Be sure that the water as at boiling point before putting into it the vegetables to 'be cooked. If it as cold or lukewairm, th c freshness and flavour will soak out into the water. Place the saucepan over the hottest part of your stove, so that it will boil as quickly as possible, and be careful that tfhe boiling process does not cease until the contents are (thoroughly cooked and ready to be dishedl. Potatoes should boil half an hour, unless small, "when fifteen to twenty minutes will suffice. Let those of a common size, or as nearly as possible, be selected for a meal, and! on no account boil sweet and white potatoes togetlber. CWrots, when young and temdler, should be boiled three-quarters of an hour. When old, they require another quarter. The, same rule holds good for onions. 'Cabbage andi cauliflower require from twenty minutes to an hour, according to age and size. Peas and asparagus should be boiled from twenty to twenty-fiv» minutes. When peas are at all old and present a slightly yellow appearance, this> length of time will be insufficient; but the fault is in the peas, which are not, and scarcely can b& made, fit for the table. Turnips should be boiled forty minutes sin summer. In winter they require an hour* Beets require an amount of boiling, that varies in proportion to their size and the time of the year. In summer, when they are young and small, an hour will suffice. In winter they require one and a half hour's boilingr and even, two hours, if of large size. Beets should never be prodded with a fork to see if they are sufficiently tender, as this allows the crimson colouring anatiter to escape and spoils their appearance on the table. With vegetables, as well as all other food 1 , no amount of dexterous cooking will transform those that are ill grown, old or stale, into good, succulent, nourishing dishes. On the other handi, the finest (and freshest vegetables can easily be spoiled by bad or careless cooking.