The Home

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXIV, Issue 15, 12 April 1906, Page 25

The Home

By 'Maureen'

The Digestibility of Vegetables. As the value of a food depends not alone upon how much of nutrients it contains, but also upon how much of these the body can digest and assimilate, it follows that the preparation of food materials is -a matter of as much moment as their composition It is not enough that food* should be appetising, although this is a necessary factor, but they must be cookld w° e iras\h P elfnav c or° r illCreaSC *»* **«tiMity as Cooking changes the texture of food, and it should develop flavor rather then destroy it. Vegetables sufer, perhaps, more than any other class of foods in trrf PH eSP H Vk Paginal delicate flavors being destroyed and then rich sauces added to disguise their tasteless condition. Tasteless meat may in Ictual exrrvTast h,,t aS th gUiC f kkity t and Wh011 ? Rested aa a savory rcast but the fact remains that with a diet of more or less tasteless food the appetite is soon lost sTmilaTed^rea^ -^-t is not as! The vegetables which we term common, possibly because they cost less, are the greatest suflere?s m respect to careless cooking. Turnips, carrots, and cabbage may £ J^n 101 ? , carefull y Prepared, [but are ordinarily ,5* especially tempting. Cauliflower and Brussels sprouts cr hh cce cn no SS t rlple;rsir Iple;rsin g Watery """*' " COoked Many vegetables, notably Brussels sprouts and came- thn? ir rr ° Ve f. by , Co ° king in stOck in sucha nei that they will absorb its flavor. Onions and cabbage should be cooked in more than one water this rendering them more delicate and wholesome, fcut the majority of vegetables should be cooked in only suffit'ms m a eih r rT^ t^ th , Cm mm ° ISt Ulltll th^ are te^r. This method retains their natural juices and flavor I x cooking young green peas, f or instance, melt a little SSi?T add lhe - reas ' and let them cook in the butter, stirring occasionally until they are well heated Add salt and sufficient boilinK watet barely to cover them. Cook uncovered, adding 4ter a littS a? f *i™ c as T " eeded t0 keep them moist, until they are tender. The water should for the most part be absorTurnips au Gratin. Cook the turnips as follows :— Pare and cut into ZuV pp CC ° Ver f th C ,° ld Water ' put over the *™ and w^l r-r mnutes; drai!1 ' rinse in cold water, cover with foiling salted water and cook until tender. Or the turnips may be cooked in white stock uncovered so as to absorb the stock. When tender, drain. Make a white sauce as directed. If the turnips are cooked in Sock make with all milk; if they are cooked in water the s?o U cT lf desired '. fay be made of part milk and par? hunh r a Pl f of , turni P s one tablespoonful of tahwin t P f "I 111 ' 1 ° ne tables P°^ful of flcur, one si-sus- w-. ta to s&"waSTe stnri a^odeT^i, re!""" 61011 " UmbS ' h <°™ '"