§ XVII.
Asparagus.
(Asperge.)
I clean the asparagus as if for ordinary use, either with the stalk, or the buds only. Before I put them in bottles or jars, I plunge them into boiling water, and afterwards into cold water, in order to take away the peculiar sharpness of this vegetable. The stalks are placed in the jars with great care, the heads being downwards: the buds are put in bottles. After both are well drained, I cork the bottles, &c. and I put them in the water-bath, where they remain only till the water thoroughly boils.
§ XVIII.
Windsor Beans.
(Petites fèves de marais.)
Neither the feverole (the small dried bean) nor the julienne, which resembles it, are fit to be preserved. I make use of the genuine Windsor, or broad bean, which is of the thickness and breadth of the thumb, when ripe. I gather it very small, about the size of the end of the little finger, in order to preserve it with its skin. As the skin becomes brown when in contact with the air, I take the precaution of putting the beans in bottles as soon as shelled. When the bottles are full, the beans having been shaken down gently on the stool, and in that way the vacancies in the bottle having been filled up, I add to each bottle a little bunch of savory; I cork them quickly in order to give them one hour’s boiling in the water-bath. When this vegetable has been quickly gathered, prepared and preserved, it has a white, greenish colour; on the contrary, when the operation has been tardy, it becomes brown and hard.
§ XIX.
Peeled Windsor Beans.
(Fèves de marais dérobées.)
In order to preserve Windsor beans stripped of their skins, I gather them larger, about half an inch long at the utmost. I take off the skin, bottle them with a small bunch of savory, &c. and I put them in the water-bath, which is made to boil an hour and half.