It is very essential for health that all the properties of food should be retained in the cooking, therefore the habit of boiling the various vegetables, in an unnecessary quantity of water, and then draining this down the sink, is a means of defrauding the organism of the nourishment originally contained in the article.
Potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and other articles requiring their skins to be removed for serving or mincing, should, when possible, be steamed “in their jackets” and peeled as much as necessary afterwards.
Cauliflowers, cabbage, &c., are excellent when steamed. Green peas, beans, and such, should be put in a covered vessel, with a little butter, and, when necessary, a spoonful or two of water, and gently stewed, standing inside a saucepan of water without the water touching them; or they can be stewed in the oven in an earthenware jar, with a little butter and a spoonful or two of water. This method of cooking takes very little longer time than the ordinary boiling in water. The oven should be moderately heated.
STEWING FRUITS.
Fruits are better stewed in a double enamelled saucepan, or baked in a tightly covered earthen jar in the oven with as little water as possible.
Dried fruits, such as raisins, figs, dates, &c., should be washed and picked over carefully, then soaked for several hours in cold water till they are soft and swollen to their fullest extent, when they should be stewed in the same water.
USE OF SALT.
As little salt as is palatable should be used, and an effort made to daily lessen its use. When once the system is freed from the use of this mineral in its daily food, a small dose shows it to be an active poison. There is enough of natural salts in our vegetable foods without our making use of the mineral deposit. Knowing that many will use this book who are just turning from the meat diet, we give, as a rule, the usual quantity of salt in the receipts used in ordinary cookery. For the same reason we give the ordinary beverages in daily use, in the menus.
BEVERAGES.
Fruit juices are far more conductive to good health than tea or coffee, and we especially recommend lemon juice diluted with boiling water as a breakfast beverage, though we have not ventured to place it on the regular bill of fare. It is a most appetising morning drink, and should be taken a short time before eating.