Chapter XXV: Boiled Artichokes (3)

_Mode_.--Let the herbs be as fresh as possible for a salad, and, if at all stale or dead-looking, let them lie in water for an hour or two, which will very much refresh them. Wash and carefully pick them over, remove any decayed or wormeaten leaves, and drain them thoroughly by swinging them gently in a clean cloth. With a silver knife, cut the lettuces into small pieces, and the radishes and cucumbers into thin slices; arrange all these ingredients lightly on a dish, with the mustard-and-cress, and pour under, but not over the salad, either of the sauces No. 506, 507, or 508, and do not stir it up until it is to be eaten. It may be garnished with hard-boiled eggs, cut in slices, sliced cucumbers, nasturtiums, cut vegetable-flowers, and many other things that taste will always suggest to make a pretty and elegant dish. In making a good salad, care must be taken to have the herbs freshly gathered, and _thoroughly drained_ before the sauce is added to them, or it will be watery and thin. Young spring onions, cut small, are by many persons considered an improvement to salads; but, before these are added, the cook should always consult the taste of her employer. Slices of cold meat or poultry added to a salad make a convenient and quickly-made summer luncheon-dish; or cold fish, flaked, will also be found exceedingly nice, mixed with it.

_Average cost_, 9d. for a salad for 5 or 6 persons; but more expensive when the herbs are forced.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_ from May to September.

CUCUMBERS.--The cucumber is refreshing, but neither nutritious
nor digestible, and should be excluded from the regimen of the
delicate. There are various modes of preparing cucumbers. When
gathered young, they are called gherkins: these, pickled, are
much used in seasonings.

RADISHES.--This is the common name given to the root of the
_Raphanus satious_, one of the varieties of the cultivated
horseradish. There are red and white radishes; and the French
have also what they call violet and black ones, of which the
black are the larger. Radishes are composed of nearly the same
constituents as turnips, that is to say, mostly fibre and
nitrogen; and, being generally eaten raw, it is on the last of
these that their flavour depends. They do not agree with people,
except those who are in good health, and have active digestive
powers; for they are difficult of digestion, and cause
flatulency and wind, and are the cause of headaches when eaten
to excess. Besides being eaten raw, they are sometimes, but
rarely, boiled; and they also serve as a pretty garnish for
salads. In China, the radish may be found growing naturally,
without cultivation; and may be occasionally met with in England
as a weed, in similar places to where the wild turnip grows; it,
however, thrives best in the garden, and the ground it likes
best is a deep open loam, or a well-manured sandy soil.

WINTER SALAD.

1153. INGREDIENTS.--Endive, mustard-and-cress, boiled beetroot, 3 or 4 hard-boiled eggs, celery.

_Mode_.--The above ingredients form the principal constituents of a winter salad, and may be converted into a very pretty dish, by nicely contrasting the various colours, and by tastefully garnishing it. Shred the celery into thin pieces, after having carefully washed and cut away all wormeaten pieces; cleanse the endive and mustard-and-cress free from grit, and arrange these high in the centre of a salad-bowl or dish; garnish with the hard-boiled eggs and beetroot, both of which should be cut in slices; and pour into the dish, but not over the salad, either of the sauces No. 506, 507, or 508. Never dress a salad long before it is required for table, as, by standing, it loses its freshness and pretty crisp and light appearance; the sauce, however, may always be prepared a few hours beforehand, and when required for use, the herbs laid lightly over it.

_Average cost_, 9d. for a salad for 5 or 6 persons.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_ from the end of September to March.

SALADS.--Salads are raw vegetables, of which, among us, the
lettuce is the most generally used; several others, however,
such as cresses, celery, onions, beetroot, &c., are occasionally
employed. As vegetables eaten in a raw state are apt to ferment
on the stomach, and as they have very little stimulative power
upon that organ, they are usually dressed with some condiments,
such as pepper, vinegar, salt, mustard, and oil. Respecting the
use of these, medical men disagree, especially in reference to
oil, which is condemned by some and recommended by others.

POTATO SALAD.

1154. INGREDIENTS.--10 or 12 cold boiled potatoes, 4 tablespoonfuls of tarragon or plain vinegar, 6 tablespoonfuls of salad-oil, pepper and salt to taste, 1 teaspoonful of minced parsley.

_Mode_.--Cut the potatoes into slices about 1/2 inch in thickness; put these into a salad-bowl with oil and vinegar in the above proportion; season with pepper, salt, and a teaspoonful of minced parsley; stir the salad well, that all the ingredients may be thoroughly incorporated, and it is ready to serve. This should be made two or three hours before it is wanted for table. Anchovies, olives, or pickles may be added to this salad, as also slices of cold beef, fowl, or turkey.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

CHICKEN SALAD.--(See No. 931.)

GROUSE SALAD.--(See No. 1020.)

LOBSTER SALAD.--(See No. 272.)

TO BOIL SPINACH (English Mode).

1155. INGREDIENTS.--2 pailfuls of spinach, 2 heaped tablespoonfuls of salt, 1 oz. of butter, pepper to taste.

_Mode_.--Pick the spinach carefully, and see that no stalks or weeds are left amongst it; wash it in several waters, and, to prevent it being gritty, act in the following manner:--Have ready two large pans or tubs filled with water; put the spinach into one of these, and thoroughly wash it; then, _with the hands_, take out the spinach, and put it into the _other tub_ of water (by this means all the grit will be left at the bottom of the tub); wash it again, and, should it not be perfectly free from dirt, repeat the process. Put it into a very large saucepan, with about 1/2 pint of water, just sufficient to keep the spinach from burning, and the above proportion of salt. Press it down frequently with a wooden spoon, that it may be done equally; and when it has boiled for rather more than 10 minutes, or until it is perfectly tender, drain it in a colander, squeeze it quite dry, and chop it finely. Put the spinach into a clean stewpan, with the butter and a seasoning of pepper; stir the whole over the fire until quite hot; then put it on a hot dish, and garnish with sippets of toasted bread.

_Time_.--10 to 15 minutes to boil the spinach, 5 minutes to warm with the butter.

_Average cost_ for the above quantity, 8d.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_.--Spring spinach from March to July; winter spinach from November to March.

_Note_.--Grated nutmeg, pounded mace, or lemon-juice may also be added to enrich the flavour; and poached eggs are also frequently served with spinach: they should be placed on the top of it, and it should be garnished with sippets of toasted bread.--See coloured plate U.

VARIETIES OF SPINACH.--These comprise the Strawberry spinach,
which, under that name, was wont to be grown in our
flower-gardens; the Good King Harry, the Garden Oracle, the
Prickly, and the Round, are the varieties commonly used. The
Oracle is a hardy sort, much esteemed in France, and is a native
of Tartary, introduced in 1548. The common spinach has its
leaves round, and is softer and more succulent than any of the
Brassica tribe.

SPINACH DRESSED WITH CREAM, a la Francaise.

1156. INGREDIENTS.--2 pailfuls of spinach, 2 tablespoonfuls of salt, 2 oz. of butter, 8 tablespoonfuls of cream, 1 small teaspoonful of pounded sugar, a very little grated nutmeg.

_Mode_.--Boil and drain the spinach as in recipe No. 1155; chop it finely, and put it into a stewpan with the butter; stir over a gentle fire, and, when the butter has dried away, add the remaining ingredients, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Previously to adding the cream, boil it first, in case it should curdle. Serve on a hot dish, and garnish either with sippets of toasted bread or leaves of puff-paste.

_Time_.--10 to 15 minutes to boil the spinach; 10 minutes to stew with the cream.

_Average cost_ for the above quantity, 8d.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_.--Spring spinach from March to July; winter spinach from November to March.

SPINACH.--This is a Persian plant. It has been cultivated in our
gardens about two hundred years, and is the most wholesome of
vegetables. It is not very nutritious, but is very easily
digested. It is very light and laxative. Wonderful properties
have been ascribed to spinach. It is an excellent vegetable, and
very beneficial to health. Plainly dressed, it is a resource for
the poor; prepared luxuriantly, it is a choice dish for the
rich.

SPINACH.--This vegetable belongs to a sub-order of the
_Salsolaceae_, or saltworts, and is classified under the head of
_Spirolobeae_, with leaves shaped like worms, and of a succulent
kind. In its geographical distribution it is commonly found in
extratropical and temperate regions, where they grow as weeds in
waste places, and among rubbish, and in marshes by the seashore.
In the tropics the order is rarely found. Many of them are used
as potherbs, and some of them are emetic and vermifuge in their
medicinal properties.

FRENCH MODE OF DRESSING SPINACH.

1157. INGREDIENTS.--2 pailfuls of spinach, 2 tablespoonfuls of salt, 2 oz. of butter, 1 teaspoonful of flour, 8 tablespoonfuls of good gravy; when liked, a very little grated nutmeg.

_Mode_.--Pick, wash, and boil the spinach, as in recipe No. 1155, and when quite tender, drain and squeeze it perfectly dry from the water that hangs about it. Chop it very fine, put the butter into a stewpan, and lay the spinach over that; stir it over a gentle fire, and dredge in the flour. Add the gravy, and let it boil _quickly_ for a few minutes, that it may not discolour. When the flavour of nutmeg is liked, grate some to the spinach, and when thoroughly hot, and the gravy has dried away a little, serve. Garnish the dish with sippets of toasted bread.

_Time_.--10 to 15 minutes to boil the spinach; 10 minutes to simmer in the gravy.

_Average cost_ for the above quantity, 8d.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_.--Spring spinach from March to July; winter spinach from October to February.

_Note_.--For an entremets or second-course dish, spinach, dressed by the above recipe may be pressed into a hot mould; it should then be turned out quickly, and served very hot.

BAKED TOMATOES.

(_Excellent_.)

1158. INGREDIENTS.--8 or 10 tomatoes, pepper and salt to taste, 2 oz. of butter, bread crumbs.

_Mode_.--Take off the stalks from the tomatoes; cut them into thick slices, and put them into a deep baking-dish; add a plentiful seasoning of pepper and salt, and butter in the above proportion; cover the whole with bread crumbs; drop over these a little clarified butter; bake in a moderate oven from 20 minutes to 1/2 hour, and serve very hot. This vegetable, dressed as above, is an exceedingly nice accompaniment to all kinds of roast meat. The tomatoes, instead of being cut in slices, may be baked whole; but they will take rather longer time to cook.

_Time_.--20 minutes to 1/2 hour.

_Average cost_, in full season, 9d. per basket.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_ in August, September, and October; but may be had, forced, much earlier.

TOMATOES.--The Tomato is a native of tropical countries, but is
now cultivated considerably both in France and England. Its skin
is of a brilliant red, and its flavour, which is somewhat sour,
has become of immense importance in the culinary art. It is used
both fresh and preserved. When eaten fresh, it is served as an
_entremets_; but its principal use is in sauce and gravy; its
flavour stimulates the appetite, and is almost universally
approved. The Tomato is a wholesome fruit, and digests easily.
From July to September, they gather the tomatoes green in
France, not breaking them away from the stalk; they are then
hung, head downwards, in a dry and not too cold place; and there
they ripen.

HOT TOMATO SAUCE, or PUREE OF TOMATOES.

(See No. 529.)

STEWED TOMATOES.

I.

1159. INGREDIENTS.--8 tomatoes, pepper and salt to taste, 2 oz. of butter, 2 tablespoonfuls of vinegar.

_Mode_.--Slice the tomatoes into a _lined_ saucepan; season them with pepper and salt, and place small pieces of butter on them. Cover the lid down closely, and stew from 20 to 25 minutes, or until the tomatoes are perfectly tender; add the vinegar, stir two or three times, and serve with any kind of roast meat, with which they will be found a delicious accompaniment.

_Time_.--20 to 25 minutes.

_Average cost_, in full season, 9d. per basket.

_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons.

_Seasonable_ from August to October; but may be had, forced, much earlier.

ANALYSIS OF THE TOMATO.--The fruit of the love-apple is the only
part used as an esculent, and it has been found to contain a
particular acid, a volatile oil, a brown, very fragrant
extracto-resinous matter, a vegeto-mineral matter,
muco-saccharine, some salts, and, in all probability, an
alkaloid. The whole plant has a disagreeable odour, and its
juice, subjected to the action of the fire, emits a vapour so
powerful as to cause vertigo and vomiting.

II.

1160. INGREDIENTS.--8 tomatoes, about 1/2 pint of good gravy, thickening of butter and flour, cayenne and salt to taste.

_Mode_.--Take out the stalks of the tomatoes; put them into a wide stewpan, pour over them the above proportion of good brown gravy, and stew gently until they are tender, occasionally _carefully_ turning them, that they may be equally done. Thicken the gravy with a little butter and flour worked together on a plate; let it just boil up after the thickening is added, and serve. If it be at hand, these should be served on a silver or plated vegetable-dish.

_Time_.--20 to 25 minutes, very gentle stewing.

_Average cost_, in full season, 9d. per basket.

_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons.

_Seasonable_ in August, September, and October; but maybe had, forced, much earlier.

THE TOMATO, OR LOVE-APPLE.--This vegetable is a native of Mexico
and South America, but is also found in the East Indies, where
it is supposed to have been introduced by the Spaniards. In this
country it is much more cultivated than it formerly was; and the
more the community becomes acquainted with the many agreeable
forms in which the fruit can be prepared, the more widely will
its cultivation be extended. For ketchup, soups, and sauces, it
is equally applicable, and the unripe fruit makes one of the
best pickles.

TRUFFLES AU NATUREL.

1161. INGREDIENTS.--Truffles, buttered paper.

_Mode_.--Select some fine truffles; cleanse them, by washing them in several waters with a brush, until not a particle of sand or grit remains on them; wrap each truffle in buttered paper, and bake in a hot oven for quite an hour; take off the paper, wipe the truffles, and serve them in a hot napkin.

_Time_.--1 hour. _Average cost_.--Not often bought in this country.

_Seasonable_ from November to March.

THE COMMON TRUFFLE.--This is the _Tuber cibarium_ of science,
and belongs to that numerous class of esculent fungi
distinguished from other vegetables not only by the singularity
of their forms, but by their chemical composition. Upon
analysis, they are found not only to contain the usual
components of the vegetable kingdom, such as carbon, oxygen, and
hydrogen, but likewise a large proportion of nitrogen; from
which they approach more nearly to the nature of animal flesh.
It was long ago observed by Dr. Darwin, that all the mushrooms
cooked at our tables, as well as those used for ketchup,
possessed an animal flavour; and soup enriched by mushrooms only
has sometimes been supposed to contain meat.

TO DRESS TRUFFLES WITH CHAMPAGNE.

1162. INGREDIENTS.--12 fine black truffles, a few slices of fat bacon, 1 carrot, 1 turnip, 2 onions, a bunch of savoury herbs, including parsley, 1 bay-leaf, 2 cloves, 1 blade of pounded mace, 2 glasses of champagne, 1/2 pint of stock.

_Mode_.--Carefully select the truffles, reject those that have a musty smell, and wash them well with a brush, in cold water only, until perfectly clean. Put the bacon into a stewpan, with the truffles and the remaining ingredients; simmer these gently for an hour, and let the whole cool in the stewpan. When to be served, rewarm them, and drain them on a clean cloth; then arrange them on a delicately white napkin, that it may contrast as strongly as possible with the truffles, and serve. The trimmings of truffles are used to flavour gravies, stock, sauces, &c.; and are an excellent addition to ragouts, made dishes of fowl, &c.

_Time_.--1 hour. _Average cost_.--Not often bought in this country.

_Seasonable_ from November to March.

THE TRUFFLE.--The Truffle belongs to the family of the Mushroom.
It is certain that the truffle must possess, equally with other
plants, organs of reproduction; yet, notwithstanding all the
efforts of art and science, it has been impossible to subject it
to a regular culture. Truffles grow at a considerable depth
under the earth, never appearing on the surface. They are found
in many parts of France: those of Périgord Magny are the most
esteemed for their odour. There are three varieties of the
species,--the black, the red, and the white: the latter are of
little value. The red are very rare, and their use is
restricted. The black has the highest repute, and its
consumption is enormous. When the peasantry go to gather
truffles, they take a pig with them to scent out the spot where
they grow. When that is found, the pig turns up the surface with
his snout, and the men then dig until they find the truffles.
Good truffles are easily distinguished by their agreeable
perfume; they should be light in proportion to their size, and
elastic when pressed by the finger. To have them in perfection,
they should be quite fresh, as their aroma is considerably
diminished by any conserving process. Truffles are stimulating
and beating. Weak stomachs digest them with difficulty. Some of
the culinary uses to which they are subjected render them more
digestible; but they should always be eaten sparingly. Their
chief use is in seasoning and garnitures. In short, a professor
has said, "Meats with truffles are the most distinguished dishes
that opulence can offer to the epicure." The Truffle grows in
clusters, some inches below the surface of the soil, and is of
an irregular globular form. Those which grow wild in England are
about the size of a hen's egg, and have no roots. As there is
nothing to indicate the places where they are, dogs have been
trained to discriminate their scent, by which they are
discovered. Hogs are very fond of them, and frequently lead to
their being found, from their rutting up the ground in search of
them.

ITALIAN MODE OF DRESSING TRUFFLES.

1163. INGREDIENTS.--10 truffles, 1/4 pint of salad-oil, pepper and salt to taste, 1 tablespoonful of minced parsley, a very little finely-minced garlic, 2 blades of pounded mace, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice.

_Mode_.--After cleansing and brushing the truffles, cut them into thin slices, and put them in a baking-dish, on a seasoning of oil, pepper, salt, parsley, garlic, and mace in the above proportion. Bake them for nearly an hour, and, just before serving, add the lemon-juice, and send them to table very hot.

_Time_.--Nearly 1 hour.

_Average cost_.--Not often bought in this country.

_Seasonable_ from November to March.

WHERE TRUFFLES ARE FOUND.--In this country, the common truffle
is found on the downs of Hampshire, Wiltshire, and Kent; and
they abound in dry light soils, and more especially in oak and
chestnut forests. In France they are plentiful, and many are
imported from the south of that country and Italy, where they
are much larger and in greater perfection: they lose, however,
much of their flavour by drying. Truffles have in England been
tried to be propagated artificially, but without success.

TRUFFLES A L'ITALIENNE.

1164. INGREDIENTS.--10 truffles, 1 tablespoonful of minced parsley, 1 minced shalot, salt and pepper to taste, 2 oz. of butter, 2 tablespoonfuls of good brown gravy, the juice of 1/2 lemon, cayenne to taste.

_Mode_.--Wash the truffles and cut them into slices about the size of a penny-piece; put them into a sauté pan, with the parsley, shalot, salt, pepper, and 1 oz. of butter; stir them over the fire, that they may all be equally done, which will be in about 10 minutes, and drain off some of the butter; then add a little more fresh butter, 2 tablespoonfuls of good gravy, the juice of 1/2 lemon, and a little cayenne; stir over the fire until the whole is on the point of boiling, when serve.

_Time_.--Altogether, 20 minutes.

_Average cost_.--Not often bought in this country.

_Seasonable_ from November to March.

USES OF THE TRUFFLE.--Like the Morel, truffles are seldom eaten
alone, but are much used in gravies, soups, and ragoûts. They
are likewise dried for the winter months, and, when reduced to
powder, form a useful culinary ingredient; they, however, have
many virtues attributed to them which they do not possess. Their
wholesomeness is, perhaps, questionable, and they should be
eaten with moderation.

BOILED TURNIPS.

1165. INGREDIENTS.--Turnips; to each 1/2 gallon of water allow 1 heaped tablespoonful of salt.

_Mode_.--Pare the turnips, and, should they be very large, divide them into quarters; but, unless this is the case, let them be cooked whole. Put them into a saucepan of boiling water, salted in the above proportion, and let them boil gently until tender. Try them with a fork, and, when done, take them up in a colander; let them thoroughly drain, and serve. Boiled turnips are usually sent to table with boiled mutton, but are infinitely nicer when mashed than served whole: unless nice and young, they are scarcely worth the trouble of dressing plainly as above.

_Time_.--Old turnips, 3/4 to 1-1/4 hour; young ones, about 18 to 20 minutes.

_Average cost_, 4d. per bunch.

_Sufficient_.--Allow a bunch of 12 turnips for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_.--May be had all the year; but in spring only useful for flavouring gravies, &c.

THE TURNIP.--This vegetable is the _Brassica Rapa_ of science,
and grows wild in England, but cannot be brought exactly to
resemble what it becomes in a cultivated state. It is said to
have been originally introduced from Hanover, and forms an
excellent culinary vegetable, much used all over Europe, where
it is either eaten alone or mashed and cooked in soups and
stews. They do not thrive in a hot climate; for in India they,
and many more of our garden vegetables, lose their flavour and
become comparatively tasteless. The Swede is the largest
variety, but it is too coarse for the table.

MASHED TURNIPS.

1166. INGREDIENTS.--10 or 12 large turnips; to each 1/2 gallon of water allow 1 heaped tablespoonful of salt, 2 oz. of butter, cayenne or white pepper to taste.

_Mode_.--Pare the turnips, quarter them, and put them into boiling water, salted in the above proportion; boil them until tender; then drain them in a colander, and squeeze them as dry as possible by pressing them with the back of a large plate. When quite free from water, rub the turnips with a wooden spoon through the colander, and put them into a very clean saucepan; add the butter, white pepper, or cayenne, and, if necessary, a little salt. Keep stirring them over the fire until the butter is well mixed with them, and the turnips are thoroughly hot; dish, and serve. A little cream or milk added after the turnips are pressed through the colander, is an improvement to both the colour and flavour of this vegetable.

_Time_.--From 1/2 to 3/4 hour to boil the turnips; 10 minutes to warm them through.

_Average cost_, 4d. per bunch.

_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons.

_Seasonable_.--May be had all the year; but in spring only good for flavouring gravies.

VEGETABLES REDUCED TO PURÉE.--Persons in the flower of youth,
having healthy stomachs, and leading active lives, may eat all
sorts of vegetables, without inconvenience, save, of course, in
excess. The digestive functions possess great energy during the
period of youth: the body, to develop itself, needs nourishment.
Physical exercise gives an appetite, which it is necessary to
satisfy, and vegetables cannot resist the vigorous action of the
gastric organs. As old proverb says, "At twenty one can digest
iron." But for aged persons, the sedentary, or the delicate, it
is quite otherwise. Then the gastric power has considerably
diminished, the digestive organs have lost their energy, the
process of digestion is consequently slower, and the least
excess at table is followed by derangement of the stomach for
several days. Those who generally digest vegetables with
difficulty, should eat them reduced to a pulp or purée, that is
to say, with their skins and tough fibres removed. Subjected to
this process, vegetables which, when entire, would create
flatulence and wind, are then comparatively harmless. Experience
has established the rule, that nourishment is not complete
without the alliance of meat with vegetables. We would also add,
that the regime most favourable to health is found in variety:
variety pleases the senses, monotony is disagreeable. The eye is
fatigued by looking always on one object, the ear by listening
to one sound, and the palate by tasting one flavour. It is the
same with the stomach: consequently, variety of food is one of
the essentials for securing good digestion.

GERMAN MODE OF COOKING TURNIPS.

1167. INGREDIENTS.--8 large turnips, 3 oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, rather more than 1/2 pint of weak stock or broth, 1 tablespoonful of flour.

_Mode_.--Make the butter hot in a stewpan, lay in the turnips, after having pared and cut them into dice, and season them with pepper and salt. Toss them over the fire for a few minutes, then add the broth, and simmer the whole gently till the turnips are tender. Brown the above proportion of flour with a little butter; add this to the turnips, let them simmer another 5 minutes, and serve. Boiled mutton is usually sent to table with this vegetable, and may be cooked with the turnips by placing it in the midst of them: the meat would then be very delicious, as, there being so little liquid with the turnips, it would almost be steamed, and consequently very tender.

_Time_.--20 minutes. _Average cost_, 4d. per bunch.

_Sufficient_ for 4 persons.

_Seasonable_.--May be had all the year.

TURNIPS.--Good turnips are delicate in texture, firm, and sweet.
The best sorts contain a sweet juicy mucilage, uniting with the
aroma a slightly acid quality, which is completely neutralized
in cooking. The turnip is prepared in a variety of ways. Ducks
stuffed with turnips have been highly appreciated. It is useful
in the regimen of persons afflicted with chronic visceral
irritations. The turnip only creates flatulency when it is soft,
porous, and stringy. It is then, consequently, bad.

TURNIPS IN WHITE SAUCE.

(An Entremets, or to be served with the Second Course as a Side-dish.)

1168. INGREDIENTS.--7 or 8 turnips, 1 oz. of butter, 1/2 pint of white sauce, No. 538 or 539.

_Mode_.--Peel and cut the turnips in the shape of pears or marbles; boil them in salt and water, to which has been added a little butter, until tender; then take them out, drain, arrange them on a dish, and pour over the white sauce made by recipe No. 538 or 539, and to which has been added a small lump of sugar. In winter, when other vegetables are scarce, this will be found a very good and pretty-looking dish: when approved, a little mustard may be added to the sauce.

_Time_.--About 3/4 hour to boil the turnips.

_Average cost_, 4d. per bunch.

_Sufficient_ for 1 side-dish. _Seasonable_ in winter.

THE FRENCH NAVET.--This is a variety of the turnip; but, instead
of being globular, has more the shape of the carrot. Its flavour
being excellent, it is much esteemed on the Continent for soups
and made dishes. Two or three of them will impart as much
flavour as a dozen of the common turnips will. Accordingly, when
stewed in gravy, they are greatly relished. This flavour resides
in the rind, which is not cut off, but scraped. This variety was
once grown in England, but now it is rarely found in our
gardens, though highly deserving of a place there. It is of a
yellowish-white colour, and is sometimes imported to the London
market.

BOILED TURNIP GREENS.

1169. INGREDIENTS.--To each 1/2 gallon of water, allow 1 heaped tablespoonful of salt; turnip-greens.

_Mode_.--Wash the greens well in two or three waters, and pick off all the decayed and dead leaves; tie them in small bunches, and put them into plenty of boiling water, salted in the above proportion. Keep them boiling quickly, with the lid of the saucepan uncovered, and when tender, pour them into a colander; let them drain, arrange them in a vegetable-dish, remove the string that the greens were tied with, and serve.

_Time_.--15 to 20 minutes. _Average cost_, 4d. for a dish for 3 persons.

_Seasonable_ in March, April, and May.

CABBAGE, TURNIP-TOPS, AND GREENS.--All the cabbage tribe, which
comprises coleworts, brocoli, cauliflower, sprouts, and
turnip-tops, in order to be delicate, should be dressed young,
when they have a rapid growth; but, if they have stood the
summer, in order to be tender, they should be allowed to have a
touch of frost. The cabbage contains much vegetable albumen, and
several parts sulphur and nitrate of potass. Cabbage is heavy,
and a long time digesting, which has led to a belief that it is
very nourishing. It is only fit food for robust and active
persons; the sedentary or delicate should carefully avoid it.
Cabbage may be prepared in a variety of ways: it serves as a
garniture to several recherché dishes,--partridge and cabbage
for example. Bacon and cabbage is a very favourite dish; but
only a good stomach can digest it.

BOILED VEGETABLE MARROW.

1170. INGREDIENTS.--To each 1/2 gallon of water, allow 1 heaped tablespoonful of salt; vegetable marrows.

_Mode_.--Have ready a saucepan of boiling water, salted in the above proportion; put in the marrows after peeling them, and boil them until quite tender. Take them up with a slice, halve, and, should they be very large, quarter them. Dish them on toast, and send to table with them a tureen of melted butter, or, in lieu of this, a small pat of salt butter. Large vegetable marrows may be preserved throughout the winter by storing them in a dry place; when wanted for use, a few slices should be cut and boiled in the same manner as above; but, when once begun, the marrow must be eaten quickly, as it keeps but a short time after it is cut. Vegetable marrows are also very delicious mashed: they should be boiled, then drained, and mashed smoothly with a wooden spoon. Heat them in a saucepan, add a seasoning of salt and pepper, and a small piece of butter, and dish with a few sippets of toasted bread placed round as a garnish.

_Time_.--Young vegetable marrows 10 to 20 minutes; old ones, 1/2 to 3/4 hour.

_Average cost_, in full season, 1s. per dozen.

_Sufficient_.--Allow 1 moderate-sized marrow for each person.

_Seasonable_ in July, August, and September; but may be preserved all the winter.

FRIED VEGETABLE MARROW.

1171. INGREDIENTS.--3 medium-sized vegetable marrows, egg and bread crumbs, hot lard.

_Mode_.--Peel, and boil the marrows until tender in salt and water; then drain them and cut them in quarters, and take out the seeds. When thoroughly drained, brush the marrows over with egg, and sprinkle with bread crumbs; have ready some hot lard, fry the marrow in this, and, when of a nice brown, dish; sprinkle over a little salt and pepper, and serve.

_Time_.--About 1/2 hour to boil the marrow, 7 minutes to fry it.

_Average cost_, in full season, 1s. per dozen.

_Sufficient_ for 4 persons.

_Seasonable_ in July, August, and September.

THE VEGETABLE MARROW.--This vegetable is now extensively used,
and belongs to the Cucurbits. It is the _C. ovifera_ of science,
and, like the melon, gourd, cucumber, and squash, is widely
diffused in the tropical or warmer regions of the globe. Of the
nature of this family we have already spoken when treating of
the cucumber.

CUT VEGETABLES FOR SOUPS, &c.

1172. The annexed engraving represents a cutter for shaping vegetables for soups, ragouts, stews, &c.; carrots and turnips being the usual vegetables for which this utensil is used. Cut the vegetables into slices about 1/4 inch in thickness, stamp them out with the cutter, and boil them for a few minutes in salt and water, until tender. Turnips should be cut in rather thicker slices than carrots, on account of the former boiling more quickly to a pulp than the latter.

CARROTS.--Several species of carrots are cultivated,--the red,
the yellow, and the which. Those known as the Crecy carrots are
considered the best, and are very sweet. The carrot has been
classed by hygienists among flatulent vegetables, and as
difficult of digestion. When the root becomes old, it is almost
as hard as wood; but the young carrot, which has not reached its
full growth, is tender, relishing, nutritious, and digests well
when properly cooked.

VEGETABLE MARROWS IN WHITE SAUCE.

1173. INGREDIENTS.--4 or 5 moderate-sized marrows, 1/2 pint of white sauce, No. 539.

_Mode_.--Pare the marrows; cut them in halves, and shape each half at the top in a point, leaving the bottom end flat for it to stand upright in the dish. Boil the marrows in salt and water until tender; take them up very carefully, and arrange them on a hot dish. Have ready 1/2 pint of white sauce, made by recipe No. 539; pour this over the marrows, and serve.

_Time_.--From 15 to 20 minutes to boil the marrows.

_Average cost_, in full season, 1s. per dozen.

_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.

_Seasonable_ in July, August, and September.

BOILED INDIAN WHEAT or MAIZE.

1174. INGREDIENTS.--The ears of young and green Indian wheat; to every 1/2 gallon of water allow 1 heaped tablespoonful of salt.

_Mode_.--This vegetable, which makes one of the most delicious dishes brought to table, is unfortunately very rarely seen in Britain; and we wonder that, in the gardens of the wealthy, it is not invariably cultivated. Our sun, it is true, possesses hardly power sufficient to ripen maize; but, with well-prepared ground, and in a favourable position, it might be sufficiently advanced by the beginning of autumn to serve as a vegetable. The outside sheath being taken off and the waving fibres removed, let the ears be placed in boiling water, where they should remain for about 25 minutes (a longer time may be necessary for larger ears than ordinary); and, when sufficiently boiled and well drained, they may be sent to table whole, and with a piece of toast underneath them. Melted butter should be served with them.

_Time_.--25 to 35 minutes. _Average cost_.--Seldom bought.

_Sufficient_,--1 ear for each person. _Seasonable_ in autumn.

_Note_.--William Cobbett, the English radical writer and politician, was a great cultivator and admirer of maize, and constantly ate it as a vegetable, boiled. We believe he printed a special recipe for it, but we have been unable to lay our hands on it. Mr. Buchanan, the present president of the United States, was in the habit, when ambassador here, of receiving a supply of Indian corn from America in hermetically-sealed cases; and the publisher of this work remembers, with considerable satisfaction, his introduction to a dish of this vegetable, when in America. He found it to combine the excellences of the young green pea and the finest asparagus; but he felt at first slightly awkward in holding the large ear with one hand, whilst the other had to be employed in cutting off with a knife the delicate green grains.