1818 



ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 



parsnips are tender and just out of the 

 ground they will cook in 35 minutes; 

 when old it takes from 40 to 50 minutes 

 to cook them. The cooked and peeled 

 parsnips may be chopped rather coarse, 

 seasoned with salt and put into a stew- 

 pan with hot milk enough to cover them. 

 Place the stewpan on the range where 

 the heat is moderate. 



For a pint and a half of parsnips heat 

 together one tahlespoonful of butter and 

 one teaspoonful of flour. Stir into the 

 parsnips and milk. Simmer for 10 min- 

 utes. Parsnips are often cut in slices 

 after boiling and fried in butter. 



€fBEE]V PEAS 



This vegetable should be gathered 

 when the seeds are about half grown, 

 and it should be cooked as soon as pos- 

 sible after gathering. When the peas 

 are thus young and tender they are best 

 simply boiled and seasoned with salt and 

 good butter. Some varieties of peas lack 

 sweetness, and in this case a little sugar 

 in the water in which they are cooked 

 improves the flavor. Overcooking spoils 

 the color and flavor of the vegetable. 

 Peas should always be boiled slowly and 

 with the cover partially off the stewpan. 

 It is impossible to give the exact time 

 of cooking this vegetable, since so much 

 depends upon the maturity of the peas, 

 the length of time they have been picked, 

 etc. Young, tender peas will generally 

 cook in 20 or 30 minutes, and the sea- 

 soning should be added while they are 

 still firm and crisp. If the peas are 

 cooked until the green color of the chlo- 

 rophyll is destroyed they are overdone 

 and their delicate flavor is spoiled. When 

 peas are overgrown and a little hard 

 they should be cooked by the rule "Peas 

 with pork." When this rule is followed 

 a pinch of delicate, small, white onions 

 may be added to the peas and other in- 

 gredients and will give a very savory 

 dish. Peas that have lost much of their 

 natural sweetness are improved by a bit 

 of sugar. 



Boiled Peas With Butter 



Put one quart of shelled peas in a 

 stewpan and add enough boiling water 



to cover them generously. Place over a 

 hot fire and when they begin to boil draw 

 back where the water will bubble gently. 

 Until the peas are done cook with the 

 cover partially off the stewpan. When 

 the peas are tender add one teaspoonful 

 of salt and three tablespoonfuls of good 

 butter. Cook 10 minutes longer. If the 

 peas are not the sweet kind add a tea- 

 spoonful of sugar with the salt and 

 butter. 



Peas With Pork 



One quart peas, four ounces pork, one 

 tahlespoonful butter, one gill water (one- 

 half cupful), two small white onions, one- 

 eighth teaspoonful pepper. 



Cut pork into small bits. Put butter 

 into stewpan and on the fire. When the 

 butter is melted add the pork and cook 

 gently until a light brown, then add the 

 water, peas, onion and pepper. This is 

 a good way to cook peas when they are 

 a little old and hard. 



Peas With Lettuce 



One quart peas, two tablespoonfuls but- 

 ter, one head lettuce (the heart), one 

 small onion, one teaspoonful sugar, one- 

 half gill water. 



Put all the ingredients into a stewpan, 

 cover and place over the fire and cook 

 for five minutes, tossing the vegetables 

 several times. Now draw the pan back 

 where the contents will simmer slowly 

 for half an hour. 



Sugar Peas 



The green pods of the sugar pea may 

 be prepared like string beans. 



G-ather the pods while the seeds are 

 still very small. String them like beans 

 and cut into two or three lengths. Cover 

 with boiling water and boil gently until 

 tender. If they are young and fresh they 

 will cook in 25 or 30 minutes. Pour off 

 some of the water, which will serve for 

 soup. Season with salt and butter and 

 serve at once. When the pods are fresh 

 and tender they have an exquisite flavor. 

 When the seeds have grown large and 

 the pods become tough they may be 

 shelled and cooked like any other variety 

 of peas. The seeds of the sugar pea are 

 tender and fine flavored. 



