Some Plebeian Vegetables for 

 Winter Use 



By Anna Barrows, New York 



THERE is hardly a housekeeper in the land, 

 however far from markets, or even if her 

 purse is not well-filled, who may not during the 

 winter months make use of all the vegetables shown 

 in this photograph. So long as these plebeian 

 vegetables are available we need not suffer, if our 

 pocket books are not elastic enough to provide 

 string beans or strawberries in January or French 

 artichokes or mushrooms at any time. 



The bunch of parsley is not always in the market, 

 but a healthy root from the garden set in a flower 

 pot in the fall, will grow on for months — perhaps, 

 even to set out in the ground again in the spring. 

 A leaf or two at a time will serve to garnish some 

 dish for the table, and later the same leaves may be 

 chopped fine for a sauce or a soup. When parsley 

 is more abundant the leaves may be dried quickly, 

 but without heat enough to change the color, and 

 rubbed through a sieve and be kept on hand ready 

 at the moment to stir into a soup or Lyonnaise 

 potatoes. If the parsley is plunged in boiling water 

 before drying, more of its color will be retained. 



The cranberries may not always be with us 

 — but when they are abundant they may be canned 

 in jirs of cold water or better yet, be cooked before 

 canning, ready to serve at any time. 



This is the easiest way: Take half as much 

 sugar as cranberries and half as much water as 

 sugar. Cook together for a short time — until 

 every cranberry is burst, then can like any fruit. 

 These will be jellied cranberries. If a thinner 

 sauce is desired add a little water after the can is 

 opened. There is no advantage in canning water. 

 When good cranberries are cooked a short time 

 in this way, the skins are not tough but become 

 filled with jelly, a less commonplace result than 

 the ordinary cranberry jelly. If cooked too long, 

 some of the jellying properties are destroyed. 



Later in the spring the skins are dryer, and th?n 

 the berries and water may be cooked together and 

 strained before adding the sugar. Cook the mix- 

 ture ten to twenty minutes until a drop on a cold 

 surface will grow firm; then turn into molds. 



The lima beans apparently freshly shelled, in 

 the basket, are really dry ones which have soaked 

 fifteen to twenty hours. When thoroughly soaked, 

 then parboiled in water to which a little soda is 

 added, drained and cooked in water again until 

 tender, perhaps in the fireless cooker, they are 

 almost as good as if just picked from the garden. 

 A scanty pint of the dry beans will be a quart or 

 more when soaked. The dry limas are usually 

 higher in price than other beans, but cost only 

 half as much as the canned ones and taste much 

 better. If any are left over, they may be combined 

 with other vegetables for a salad or made into soup. 



A sprinkle of finely chopped parsley over the 

 cooked beans, after they have been buttered, 

 ready for the table adds to their good appearance. 

 Or a green pepper cut fine may be used instead 

 of the parsley. Occasionally the beans are served 

 in tomato sauce. 



The big yellow turnip in the background is an 

 excellent vegetable when well chosen and carefully 

 cooked. Select one of medium size rather than 

 the largest, pare, cut in thick slices and steam or 

 boil until tender. Then drain thoroughly and 

 mash fine, removing all tough portions and prepare 

 like mashed potatoes; with salt, pepper, and butter, 

 or a little cream. 



The small white turnips, in front, may be pared, 

 cut in half-inch cubes, cooked in water until tender, 

 then drained and put in a white sauce. 



The water in which the turnips, either yellow 

 or white, have been boiled should be tasted, and 

 if sweet and pleasant in flavor be saved for a 

 cream of turnip soup with any of the vegetables 

 left over, or combined with a potato soup. 



Beets, at the other end of the line, require quite 

 different treatment. They should not be pared, 

 but cooked without breaking the skin if possible. 

 This takes a long time in midwinter, often several 

 hours. They may be sliced then and served with 

 melted butter to which a little vinegar and parsley 

 are added. 



A few extra beets always should be boiled to 

 drop into any jar of sweet pickle vinegar from which 

 the fruit has been taken. Or if that is not avail- 

 able they may be put in a jar with weak vinegar, and 

 will keep thus for a long time ready to garnish a 

 potato salad or to serve with cold corned beef. 



The carrot, even in winter, cooks in less lime 

 than the beet, but, like that is an effective garni.-h. 



It is usually acceptable if cut in cubes before 

 cooking and served in a white sauce. The water 

 in which it is cooked should be allowed to evapor- 

 ate as it contains sugar and flavor, and may be 

 added to the sauce. Or after the water is cooked 

 away, the carrot cubes may simply be buttered 

 and salted. 



Let carrots be the vegetable one day, canned 

 green peas the next, and on the third day combine 

 what was left of the two. 



Often one does not care to buy more than half a 

 cabbage. Even then, take out the tender centre 

 for a salad or the "cold slaw" and another day 

 boil the cabbage. Either will be better if the stalk 

 of the cabbage is cut short and the head set in cold 

 water for twenty-four hours before using. 



Cook it uncovered in rapidly boiling, salted water, 

 to which a quarter of a teaspoonful of soda is 

 added. There will be little odor in the house, 

 and the leaves will be tender in half an hour. 

 Serve plain with butter the first time. 



Any that is left may, for another day, be com- 

 bined with an equal quantity of white sauce to 

 which a hint of cheese is often added. Then it is 

 all put in a dish covered with buttered crumbs and 

 baked until golden brown. 



The parsnip, according to the country epicures, 

 should be left in the ground until spring, as the 

 frost makes it tenderer. But as they are to be 

 found in the markets we may use them occasionally 

 in winter. Steam them in their skins; then scrape, 

 slice across or lengthwise, and add a little butter, 

 salt and pepper. 



To serve a second time dip in melted fat — 

 butter or that from bacon or sausage — and toast 

 on a flat pan placed under the gas flame or brown 

 in a frying pan. Parsnip fritters also are a luxury 

 where the vegetable is mashed, a beaten egg and 

 seasoning added, and the combination fried 

 brown. 



The potato and the onion are likewise before us 

 but are so familiar that it is only necessary to 

 remind ourselves that alone or in combination with 

 each other or with almost any of the others here 

 mentioned, they may appear as the foundation 

 of a soup, a scallop, a croquette, or a salad. 



Take care of your summer crops and have vegetables like these to eat auring trie winter 



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