EXTENSION COUKSE IN VEGETABLE FOODS. 33 



celeriac, like carrots, may be cut into cubes before cooking, which 

 means still more loss of flavor. Celeriac can be served plain with 

 butter. It is an excellent addition to soups and stews, or as a basis 

 for a cream soup. It may be creamed like potatoes, or may be used 

 like them for making salads. 



SALSIFY. 



This vegetable, sometimes called oyster plant en account of its 

 flavor, is available during the late fall and winter. Like the parsnip, 

 it may be left in the ground over winter and is then particularly 

 good for early spring use. The resemblance in flavor to the oyster is 

 especially noticeable when the boiled vegetable is sauted in butter or 

 made into fritters. The root turns dark quickly if the skin is re- 

 moved before cooking, and so if pared should be dropped at once into 

 vinegar and water to prevent discoloration. After boiling for about 

 30 minutes, the salsify may be served with butter or white sauce, 

 or mashed and made into fritters. It is also used made into a soup 

 with milk. 



CONDIMENTAL ROOTS. 



Ginger and horse-radish are other valuable roots, but are used not 

 so much for food as for the flavor or relish they give to other things. 

 Horse-radish gravy is very good to serve with boiled meat. It can 

 be made by adding to some thickened broth as much grated horse- 

 radish as is liked. (See Lessons X and XIV.) 



EXERCISES, LESSON VI. 



Materials needed. — Old and new root vegetables, such as beets, carrots, pars- 

 nips, celeriac, or salsify ; graters, cheesecloth, test tubes, saucepans, measuring 

 cup, tablespoon, teaspoon, and knife ; cup of milk, butter, flour, salt, and pepper. 



Exercises. — Grate portions of each root available and note the proportion of 

 water and the nature of the woody fiber. Compare results with those from the 

 potato in the previous lesson. How about the proportion of starch? Taste the 

 extracted water. Evaporate it and taste again. 



PARSNIP, SALSIFY, BEET, AND CELERIAC. 



(1) Cook parsnips, separating outer layer beforehand, and notice which part 

 cooks sooner. 



(2) Pare some before cooking, and cook others in the skin in separate ket- 

 tles. Taste the water from each. Which has lost most sugar, presumably? 



(3) Steam some parsnips of same size as those that were boiled. Compare 

 time required for each process. Prepare salsify in same way. Use each for 

 fritters or to saute. 



(4) Cook beets whole, in skins, and in smaller sections, and note loss of juice 

 and color. 



(5) Try celeriac in the same ways. 



(6) Combine potatoes with some of these vegetables. Is the dish palatable? 

 If so, does it not suggest a good way to make a small amount of such vegetables 

 " go farther " ? 



16889°— Bull. 123—16 3 



