SPRING VEGETABLES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 13, Issue 330, 19 October 1945, Page 22

SPRING VEGETABLES

OME gardeners now have their reward for hard work in the vegetable garden; delicious spritig vegetables are coming forward in plenty. Cook vegetables only until just tender; on no account overcook them?’ There is a peak of flavour developed in the cooking of every vegetable; go beyond that point and the flavour deteriorates, and the colour fades. Asparagus This is not so often home-grown; but it seldom stays long in market or shop, so is generally fresh. It is best served as a course by itself, especially when it first comes into season. Cut the stalks to a convenient and uniform length, wash carefully and tie in bundles. Stand them upright in a saucepan containing enough boiling water to cover the white part. The tips will cook in the steam. Add a little salt to the water, and cook gently for 25 to 30 minutes, or till tender. Untie the bundles, and serve each person’s quota in an individual dish, with a piece of toast underneath, to absorb any water. Pour a little hot melted butter over. Or arrange on buttered toast and put crisp grilled bacon on top. Asparagus Spring Salad This is delicious. Pile up cooked asparagus on individual salad plates, allowing about six stalks to each person. Arrange crisp heart-leaves of lettuce round, and pour over a little French dressing, mixed with minced chives. Sprinkle with tiny crisp croutons of bread ‘fried in butter, and garnish with red radishes peeled backwards to look like flowers.

Asparagus Cigarettes These make delightful savouries, Prepare some thin triangular pieces of fresh white bread, spreading very sparingly with butter, and dusting with . grated cheese. On these place cooked asparagus tips, about 3 inches long, and roll them up. Brush with melted butter and grill a light brown all over. If preferred, the "cigarettes" may be fried brown in e little butter. Scalloped Asparagus One bunch asparagus, 2 cups milk, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 cup breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons flour, 4 hard-boiled eggs. Cut the asparagus into inch lengths, soak in cold water for half an hour, ten boil half an hour. Make a sauce of the butter, flour and milk, chop the eggs finely dnd add to the sauce. In a buttered dish put a layer of asparagus, then a layer of sauce, then breadcrumbs, and repeat till the dish is full, finishing with breadcrumbs on top. Bake a golden brown in a moderate oven. 3 Cooking Young Peds 2 1. Put the shelled peas into boiling water, adding a few of the washed pods,

which help to give flavour. When half cooked, add a few sprigs of mint, a little sugar and salt. Drain when cooked, add a good knob of butter, and shake gently over low heat until the peas are coated with butter. 2. Take several outside leaves of lettuce, wash them well and lay in bottom of saucepan, with water clinging to them. Put the young peas on top, and gradually bring to the boil. No water need be added, as the juice from the lettuce leaves provides moisture enough. Cook over a low heat, and serve with a knob of butter melted on top. Peas cooked in this way have a delicious flavour. Young Carrots and New Peas Wesh the young carrots, leaving them whole, unless large, when they may be split down lengthwise. Put them into a saucepan with sufficient boiling, salted water to cover well, and allow‘to cook steadily. When nearly tender, add the peas, a sprig.or two of mint, a dash of sugar, and a walnut of butter, and sim:= mer till both vegetables are cooked. Then strain and thicken the liquid with cornflour mixed with milk, adding chopped parsley before pouring it over the dished carrots and peas. In this way the mineral salts in the water are not wasted. Eaten with small new potatoes, wholemeal bread and butter and cheese, this is a really delicious meal.