Vegetables

The delicate flavor of a raw fresh mushroom always takes me back to a special field on a farm we owned in Oregon. As a boy I’d get up at dawn to harvest the night’s crop, if any, and bring back a pailful for breakfast when the luck was good. Walking home with the rising sun warming the back of my neck and the cold dewy grass brushing my ankles, I always sampled a few. Then, as my mother sizzled the caps in plenty of butter, and a wonderful earthy aroma filled the kitchen, I could hardly wait. We had them on thick buttery toast, sometimes with a crunch of crisp bacon to set off their richness, or bubbling in thick cream; and as I savored them I could almost sense a whiff of the cool, loamy night fields.

I always urge my students to taste things raw, and to keep tasting as they cook. If you don’t understand your materials and how they’re changing, cooking is like blundering through the subway with the lights off. This is especially true with vegetables. I wonder how many centuries it took for us to forget and then, only recently, to rediscover how good most of them are when eaten raw. Some versatile vegetables, cabbage for instance, adapt well to long cooking, and I’m giving you a few delicious old European recipes. But mostly I’ve concentrated on determining the peak moment for each vegetable, when it just begins to taste and feel cooked, with the color still intense and appetizing and the bite just this side of crispness. In fact some vegetables—such as very fresh asparagus, cauliflower, spinach, if properly cooked—maintain so much natural flavor that today I find I don’t even want to disturb them with a traditional dressing of melted butter. As for overcooking, it simply dissolves their very lively individual character into a nameless mush.

Be attentive, I say. Cooking times are affected by the age of the vegetable, by how you’ve pared it and whether you’ve diced or julienned it, by the degree of heat and the thickness of your pot. The very newest method for cooking vegetables is, of course, the microwave oven, and I’ve discovered it works beautifully for many kinds of vegetables. So I’ve given precise directions for the ones I think do particularly well in the microwave. It’s also easy with this method to pop the dish back in if you find it’s a little underdone for your taste.

I usually like to bring out the pure, natural taste of a vegetable, and that is best done by adding one other simple flavor for contrast, like an aromatic herb, or a speckling of nuts, or a squirt of lemon juice. But there are good combinations. For instance, a purée of carrots and beets, which has a lovely deep color and flavor, or a sauté of cucumbers and snow peas, as fresh looking as a spring garden. Onions enliven beans and beets, corn and eggplant, peas, peppers, and all the squash family; and there are a few more complex mixtures, like a ratatouille and a tian of mixed greens, in which the ultimate flavor is much more than the sum of its parts. For richness and subtlety, cream and cheese are great friends to vegetables, especially when you want a main dish for a meatless meal.

I think I’ve provided here more, and more various, vegetable recipes than appear even in exclusively vegetarian cookbooks. I’ve put a special emphasis on root vegetables, which I happen to love; also, they have been underrated for too long because they weren’t always properly understood. For instance, the time to eat lovely, buttery-flavored salsify is after it’s been touched by frost, or even left underground all winter. Try some of the recipes here for turnips, parsnips, and celeriac, and even if you’ve had a lifelong prejudice I think you’ll change your mind. And there are just a few, fleeting days in May when baby fiddlehead ferns come to us from the northern woods. Try everything, be receptive to new methods, give close and renewed attention to long-neglected treasures, and I do believe that you may re-jig your cooking patterns to give more priority to vegetables. To cook them brilliantly is a sure sign of a fine palate.

VEGETABLES

Boiled artichokes

Steamed artichokes

Microwave-cooked artichokes

How to serve hot artichokes

Artichoke bottoms

Stuffed artichokes

with ham or prosciutto

with shrimp

Cold artichokes

Buttered Jerusalem artichokes

Jerusalem artichoke purée

Jerusalem artichokes vinaigrette

Boiled asparagus

steamed

microwave-cooked

How to dress hot asparagus

with melted butter

with hollandaise sauce

with mousseline sauce

with lemon juice and freshly ground black pepper

How to dress cold asparagus

with vinaigrette dressing

with fresh lemon or lime juice

with chopped hardboiled egg and vinaigrette dressing

with mayonnaise

with mustard mayonnaise

topped with crabmeat or lobster salad

Raw asparagus

Minute asparagus

Quick-boiled green beans

with toasted almonds

with garlic and pine nuts

with sweet onion rings

with fresh herbs

Cold green beans with walnut oil

with mustard-flavored mayonnaise

with dilled vinaigrette

with shallots and Greek olives

Wax beans

Boiled shell or cranberry beans

with bacon

with vinaigrette and onion

Baked beets

with onion and chopped tarragon

with onion and orange

with yogurt

with dill

vinaigrette

Steamed broccoli flowerets

Boiled broccoli

with black butter

with maltaise sauce

with garlic and parsley

broccoli purée

crumbed broccoli

Steamed broccoli rabe

broccoli rabe purée

Cold broccoli rabe

Crisp-cooked Brussels sprouts

with grated Parmesan cheese

with sautéed mushroom caps

with chestnuts

with shallots

Cold Brussels sprouts

Microwave-cooked Brussels sprouts

Steamed cabbage vinaigrette

Braised cabbage

with vinegar and dill

with heavy cream

Lemon cabbage

Whole stuffed savoy cabbage

in chicken broth

with tomato sauce

Red cabbage braised with apples and wine

with raisins

Goloubtzys or choux farcis

Boiled carrots

with fresh herbs

glazed carrots

with cognac or rum

purée of carrots with potatoes

with puréed parsnips

purée of carrots and beets

purée of carrots and parsley

Boiled cauliflower

with Parmesan cheese

with mornay sauce

with cheese sauce

with black butter and capers

with olive oil and garlic

with béarnaise sauce

with Gruyère cheese

with curry sauce

with sliced ham and cheese sauce

purée of cauliflower

purée of cauliflower with parsley

purée of cauliflower with cheese sauce

purée of cauliflower with olive oil and garlic

Microwave-cooked cauliflower

Cold cauliflower

Celery sauté

Boiled celery root

with cheese

with maltaise sauce

Baked celery root and potatoes

Baked stuffed celery root

Skillet-boiled corn

with butter and bacon crumbs

with mustard or herb mayonnaise

with rémoulade sauce

with green pepper butter

Microwave-cooked corn

Corn off the cob

with onion and green pepper

with fresh basil

Raw corn

Corn oysters

Corn pudding with bacon

Poached cucumbers

Steamed cucumbers with herbs

Sautéed cucumbers with cream

with yogurt

with mushrooms

with julienne of broccoli

with snow peas

Sautéed eggplant

with tomato sauce

with Parmesan cheese

in cornmeal

with broiled or sautéed tomato slices

with bacon

with sautéed onions

eggplant casserole

Imam Bayildi

Batter-dipped fiddlehead ferns

Cold fiddlehead ferns

Florence fennel

Cooking greens

Philip Brown’s romaine soufflé

Braised mustard greens

Tian of mixed greens

Tian of mixed greens and bacon

Steamed leeks

Microwave-cooked leeks

Braised leeks

leeks vinaigrette

puréed leeks

Sautéed mushrooms

with heavy cream

with fresh herbs and cream

with sour cream or yogurt

with bacon bits

Cèpes à la bordelaise

Steamed okra

with butter and lemon

with garlic and oil

with garlic-anchovy butter

vinaigrette

Okra and corn

Boiled onions

buttered onions

with nutmeg

with cream sauce

with cheese sauce

with tomato sauce

Fried onions

caramelized onions

dieter’s onions

Broiled onion slices

with hamburgers

with cheese

Braised onions

with Parmesan cheese

with pasta

with sherry, bourbon, or Madeira

Boiled green onions, or scallions

with hollandaise sauce

with mornay sauce

Stuffed onions

Sautéed parsnips

glazed parsnips

Steamed parsnips

Puréed parsnips

parsnip patties

with puréed potatoes

French-fried parsnips

Boiled peas

with herbs

with mushrooms

with green onions

with tiny pearl onions

puréed

Peas with heavy cream

with cream and herbs

To peel peppers

Peppers sautéed in olive oil

with braised beef

with roast chicken

with onion rings

with pasta

Peppers sautéed in butter

with pork chops

with corn kernels

with Italian sausages

Peppers vinaigrette

with mint

with anchovies

with mozzarella and tomatoes

Stuffed peppers

with leftover meat

with corn kernels

Baked potatoes

with yogurt

with beef drippings

Disgustingly rich potatoes

Gratin of potatoes

Mashed potatoes

with parsley or chives

with yellow turnips

duchesse potatoes

German fried potatoes

Hash brown potatoes roesti

Potatoes sautéed in beef suet

Boiled salsify

with mornay sauce

sautéed salsify

with shallots and lemon

Wilted spinach

with nutmeg

with garlic and oil

with hard-boiled egg

puréed spinach

Tossed spinach

with almonds and garlic

with bacon bits

with tomatoes

Steamed summer squash

with oil, herbs, and garlic

Sautéed summer squash

Sautéed zucchini

with garlic and herbs

with shallots

with walnuts

Shredded zucchini

zucchini pancake

zucchini pancake with cheese

Zucchini blossoms

Deep-fried zucchini blossoms

zucchini blossom omelet

with scrambled eggs

in cheese soufflé

Boiled spaghetti squash

Spiced winter squash

with black walnuts

with pecans and ginger

with peanuts

with raw zucchini

Winter squash soufflé

Baked Hubbard squash

with bacon

with brown sugar

Baked butternut squash

Baked acorn or turban squash

with bacon and garlic

with maple sugar and bacon

Stewed fresh tomatoes

with basil

with onion

with garlic and lemon zest

with chilies

with poached eggs

Scalloped fresh tomatoes

scalloped canned tomatoes

Baked tomatoes stuffed with mozzarella

with corn

Greek tomatoes

Broiled herbed tomatoes

with pesto

with garlic and spices

Sautéed tomatoes

Pennsylvania Dutch tomatoes

fried green tomatoes with cream

Steamed cherry tomatoes

steamed peeled cherry tomatoes

Buttered white turnips

with mushrooms

Gratin of turnip

Buttered yellow turnips or rutabagas

with yogurt

mashed

with Madeira or sherry

with mashed potatoes

with duxelles

Raw white turnips

French-fried vegetables

beer batter

to French-fry vegetables

French-fried zucchini

French-fried okra

French-fried potatoes

French-fried sweet potatoes

French-fried parsnips

Ratatouille

with sliced mushrooms

with sliced fennel

with leeks

with poached eggs and cheese

spicy ratatouille

Tian

with rice

with noodles

Artichokes

Globe artichokes vary in size from extremely small, 1 to 1½ inches in diameter, to those which in maturity will be 4 inches across at the widest part. They are most often cooked before eating, although I often use the very tiny artichokes as crudités, simply trimmed and eaten raw. In that case, it is merely the bottom, or the fond, which is eaten after the cone of pale leaves and fuzzy tiny fibers in the center, known as the choke, are removed. The larger artichokes are sometimes trimmed by cutting off about 1 inch of the tops and removing the stem and small hard leaves around the base before cooking. They may be cooked in any of the following ways:

Boiled Artichokes

Stand artichokes upright in a pan and cook in plenty of boiling, salted water with a slice of lemon and a clove or two of garlic. Boil from 25 to 40 minutes, according to size. Drain upside down on paper towels.

Steamed Artichokes

Steam over boiling water for approximately the same length of time as for boiling.

Microwave-Cooked Artichokes

Artichokes cook very successfully in a microwave oven. Stand upright in a nonmetallic dish in a small amount of water and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap, or merely wrap them individually in the plastic wrap. Steam in the oven on full power. According to size, they will take from 9 to 16 minutes.

How to Serve Hot Artichokes

1. With melted butter. If you wish, season the butter with lemon juice or a chopped fresh herb such as tarragon, rosemary, or dill.

2. With hollandaise or Béarnaise sauce (see page 532).

3. With a well-flavored vinegar, such as sherry wine vinegar, if you are dieting.

Serve as a cold appetizer, or a main dish for a luncheon, followed by a salad, such as crab, lobster, shrimp or scallop, chicken or duck salad, or a finely cut vegetable salad dressed with mayonnaise.

Cold artichokes may also be served as a first course or a very light luncheon main course with mayonnaise, vinaigrette dressing, yogurt dressing, or just with oil and vinegar as a dipping sauce for the leaves. In this case, do not remove the centers, unless you wish to serve the sauce in the artichoke.

Artichoke Bottoms

After cooling the artichokes, remove all leaves and choke, leaving only the artichoke bottoms. Use these as a base for hot dishes or to serve purées and small vegetables such as fresh peas, whole-kernel corn, or tiny sautéed mushroom caps; or chill and fill with a cold salad or seafood.

Stuffed Artichokes

Artichokes lend themselves to stuffings. Before stuffing, remove the stem and about ½ inch from the leaf tips.

Makes 4 servings

4 artichokes

1½ cups bread crumbs

¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese

½ cup chopped parsley

½ cup chopped chives

1 tablespoon grated onion

1 or 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

¼ pound softened butter

¼ cup water or chicken broth

1 tablespoon olive oil

Trim the artichokes. Combine remaining ingredients, except water and oil, for the stuffing. Press the stuffing down among the leaves of the artichokes and across the top, then tie string around the artichokes to keep them intact. Place them in an earthenware casserole with the water or broth and dribble the olive oil over the tops. Cover with foil and bake in a 350° oven for 1 to 1½ hours.

Artichokes Stuffed with Ham or Prosciutto. Use 1 cup bread crumbs and add ½ cup finely chopped ham or prosciutto.

Artichokes Stuffed with Shrimp. Use ½ cup or more finely chopped shrimp instead of the ham.

Cold Artichokes

Cook and chill the artichokes. Remove the center leaves and the choke, leaving a hollow in the center. Fill the hollow with any type of seafood.

Jerusalem Artichokes

These are no relation at all to the globe artichoke, but a tuber belonging to the sunflower family, sometimes marketed as “sun chokes.” They look like small knobby new potatoes, and I feel they are a much neglected vegetable, probably because most people have no idea what they are or how to cook them. They deserve to be much more recognized as they not only taste delicious but are extremely low in calories. Boiled in their skins until tender, like new potatoes, they may be eaten with butter or hollandaise sauce (or with nothing at all, if you are counting calories), turned into a purée, or sliced and used cold in salads. If peeled, thinly sliced, and tossed raw into a salad, they have a lovely crisp quality rather like a water chestnut. And, as you probably know, they make excellent pickles.

Buttered Jerusalem Artichokes

Makes 4 servings

1 pound Jerusalem artichokes

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley (optional)

Scrub the Jerusalem artichokes and toss into a bowl of cold water until ready to cook. Put in salted water to cover and boil in their skins for 8 to 10 minutes, or until just tender when tested with a knife point. Peel, slice ½ inch thick, and toss with the butter, salt and pepper to taste and, if you wish, the parsley.

Jerusalem Artichoke Purée

Makes 6 servings

2 pounds Jerusalem artichokes

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ cup heavy cream

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

Scrub and boil the Jerusalem artichokes as before, until tender. Peel and purée in a food processor or food mill. Beat in the butter and cream, season with salt and pepper to taste, and reheat.

Jerusalem Artichokes Vinaigrette

Makes 4 servings

8 to 10 Jerusalem artichokes

Assorted salad greens

½ cup vinaigrette sauce

As you are going to use the Jerusalem artichokes raw, you will have to peel them, using a vegetable peeler. Immediately drop them into a bowl of very cold water with a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent them from discoloring. When you are ready to make the salad, remove the Jerusalem artichokes, dry well, and slice very thin. Add them to the greens in a salad bowl and toss with the vinaigrette sauce.

Asparagus

Asparagus nowadays is in the market almost 12 months of the year. It varies a great deal in size, and sometimes comes in rather irregular-sized bunches. I find the most satisfactory way of cooking asparagus is flat in a skillet with cold water.

To peel or not to peel? In a season when the jumbo stalks are at their prime, it seems to me that peeling the lower half of the stalk is doubly advantageous: the asparagus looks more trim and you tenderize the bottom section by peeling so that more of the stalk is edible. A vegetable peeler or a small paring knife will do the job in very quick fashion. I find that with smaller stalks it’s not necessary to peel; just snap off the lower part of the stalks at the point where they break easily.

Boiled Asparagus

Lay the asparagus flat in a skillet—in several layers, if necessary. Barely cover with cold water seasoned with salt. Bring to a boil, uncovered, and boil until just tender—this usually takes 6 to 8 minutes. To test, remove one stalk with a pair of tongs and shake it lightly. If the head bobs, consider the asparagus cooked. Two pounds of asparagus is supposedly enough for 4 people, but that depends on appetites.

Steamed Asparagus

Steam upright in a specially designed pot with a rack which keeps the whole stalk above water. Steaming takes a little longer. Test for doneness the same way as above.

Microwave-Cooked Asparagus

Asparagus cooks extremely well in a microwave oven. Arrange stalks in a large, rather flat nonmetallic container with about ½ cup water and cover with plastic wrap. As my taste is for crisply tender asparagus, I cook it at full power for just 5 to 6 minutes, but this is something you’ll have to work out for yourself.

HOW TO DRESS HOT ASPARAGUS:

With Melted Butter

With Hollandaise Sauce—Although hollandaise is considered the classic sauce for asparagus, I find it smothers the good flavor of the vegetable and eschew it.

With Mousseline Sauce—This combination of hollandaise sauce blended with whipped cream is considered a delicacy by many people, but not by me.

With Lemon Juice and Freshly Ground Black Pepper—for dieters.

HOW TO DRESS COLD ASPARAGUS:

With Vinaigrette Dressing—(see page 74)

With Fresh Lemon or Lime Juice

With Chopped Hard-Boiled Egg and Vinaigrette Dressing—(see page 74)

With Mayonnaise—(see page 76)

With Mustard Mayonnaise—(see page 76)

Topped with Crabmeat or Lobster Salad

Raw Asparagus

Never forget that good, fresh asparagus is delicious eaten raw, either with a mayonnaise-based sauce in which to dip it or merely with salt and pepper. If young, slim, and tender, it requires no peeling.

See Appetizers and Salads for other asparagus recipes.

Minute Asparagus

Makes 4 to 6 servings

2 pounds asparagus

Salt

¼ pound unsalted butter

3 to 4 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Wash and trim the asparagus and cut into diagonal slices no more than ¼ inch thick—thinner if possible. Place the slices in a colander or frying basket. Place enough water to cover the asparagus in a kettle large enough to accommodate the colander or frying basket, add salt to taste, and bring the water to a full, rolling boil. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet and have the soy sauce, lemon juice, and pepper close at hand. Plunge the asparagus into the kettle of boiling water, bring the water to a second boil, and cook the asparagus for just one full minute. Drain the asparagus very well and add it to the melted butter in the skillet with the remaining ingredients. Toss well over moderate heat until the butter has browned and the asparagus is crisp and deliciously flavored.

Green Beans

The most common variety of green bean is the snap bean, formerly known as a string bean because it invariably needed stringing. This is no longer true, unless the beans are definitely overage. Buy the smallest, freshest, and crispest you can find—they should snap when you break them. You will occasionally find in specialty vegetable markets the very tiny beans called by the French name, haricots verts; these are expensive but well worth buying. Then there is the flat, broad Italian bean and the scarlet runners beloved of the English, which are almost never sold in markets but grown by some gardeners here for their lush vines and brilliant scarlet flowers. They must be picked and cooked when very young as they grow rapidly to tough-skinned inedibility.

There is a lot of controversy about cooking beans. It’s very much a matter of taste preference. While they used to be cooked until they were thoroughly limp and soft (some people still like them that way), nowadays there is an equally unfortunate tendency to go to the other extreme and barely blanch them, so they still taste quite raw. Personally, I like green beans cooked until the raw taste disappears but they still retain a fresh taste and a crispness to the bite. The trick is to keep the cooking water boiling rapidly while adding the beans. My friend Julia Child owns an esoteric piece of equipment called a buffalo iron which is heated until fiery hot and plunged into the water to keep it boiling furiously and cook the beans faster. While it might be fun to have, I’ve always managed to get along without one.

Quick-Boiled Green Beans

Makes 4 servings

2 pounds green beans

¼ pound unsalted butter, cut in pieces

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

Wash the beans and trim off the ends. Bring a plentiful amount of salted water to a rapid, rolling boil in a large saucepan. Drop in the beans, a few at a time, so the water never ceases to boil. If it does, replace the cover until it returns to a boil, then take it off and boil the beans uncovered or they will lose their fresh bright color. Boil for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on age and size, tasting from time to time to see if they are done to your liking. Drain immediately. Some people advise plunging the beans into cold water to stop them cooking further, but if you have drained them while they are still bitey-crisp, this should not be necessary. Return beans to the pan and toss with the butter for 1 to 2 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Serve at once.

Green Beans with Toasted Almonds. Toss with the butter and ½ cup toasted sliced almonds.

Green Beans with Garlic and Pine Nuts. Toss the beans with ¼ cup olive oil, 3 to 4 finely chopped garlic cloves, and ½ cup toasted pine nuts.

Green Beans with Sweet Onion Rings. Toss the beans with ¼ cup olive oil or unsalted butter and garnish with thinly sliced raw sweet onion rings.

Green Beans with Fresh Herbs. Toss with ¼ cup melted butter or olive oil and 1½ tablespoons finely chopped herb of your choice, such as tarragon, dill, marjoram, or with chopped garlic and basil.

Cold Green Beans with Walnut Oil

Makes 4 servings

2 pounds cooked green beans, chilled

4 to 6 tablespoons walnut oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice

¼ cup finely chopped walnuts

Toss the green beans with walnut oil and lemon juice, and garnish with the finely chopped walnuts.

Green Beans with Mustard-Flavored Mayonnaise. Season a good rich mayonnaise (see page 76) with 2 to 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard. Mix with the beans. Garnish with crumbled bacon.

Green Beans with Dilled Vinaigrette. Toss the beans with ½ cup well-dilled vinaigrette sauce.

Green Beans with Shallots and Greek Olives. Toss the beans with ¼ cup olive oil, 3 to 4 tablespoons finely chopped shallots, and 4 tablespoons chopped, pitted Greek olives.

Wax Beans

Wax or yellow beans may be prepared in the same way as green beans.

Shell or Cranberry Beans

Too few people know and appreciate these delicious and very American beans, which you find in markets in the summer. The pods are dry, pink-flecked, and the beans inside are fully formed and have a shiny ivory skin speckled with red and green. The texture is mealy, like that of dried beans, but as they are younger and fresher they take less time to cook.

At one period—and even now in certain parts of the country—the beans were cooked, or rather overcooked, with smoked jowl or loin of pork, which was then cut up and served with them. If you cherish these lovely beans as I do, you’ll never overcook them. Because the beans have to be shelled before cooking, count on 3 to 4 pounds unshelled beans for 4 to 6 servings.

Boiled Shell or Cranberry Beans

Makes 4 to 6 servings

3 to 4 pounds shell or cranberry beans

6 tablespoons melted butter

⅓ cup chopped onion

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Shell the beans and bring to a boil in plenty of salted water. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until just tender, which should take about 20 to 25 minutes, according to age. Drain well. Toss in the pan with the butter, onion, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve garnished with the parsley.

Shell Beans with Bacon. Fry 4 to 5 thick slices of bacon until crisp. Drain and crumble. Add to the cooked beans with the bacon fat, 3 to 4 finely chopped garlic cloves, ¼ cup chopped mint, 2 to 3 tablespoons red or sherry wine vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.

Shell Beans with Vinaigrette and Onion. Serve cold with ⅔ cup very garlicky vinaigrette, ½ cup chopped onion, and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley.

Beets

Baked Beets

To my mind, baking beets is a much more flavorful and effortless method of preparation than the customary boiling, and the color will not bleed as it does in water. Wash the beets, without puncturing the skin. Leave on the roots and trim off all but about 1½ inches of the tops (if the leaves are in good condition, they can be cooked separately as beet greens). Wrap each beet securely in aluminum foil, leaving about an inch of the stalk protruding from the foil. Bake on the middle rack of a preheated 450° oven, allowing 1½ hours.

Beets with Onion and Chopped Tarragon. Slice the beets and serve hot with butter, chopped onion, vinegar, and chopped tarragon.

Beets with Onion and Orange. Slice and serve hot with thinly sliced raw onion and orange sections.

Beets with Yogurt. Slice and serve hot with yogurt and freshly ground black pepper.

Beets with Dill. Cut the peeled beets into julienne strips and serve with melted butter and chopped fresh dill.

Beets with Vinaigrette. Serve cold sliced beets with a vinaigrette to which you’ve added ¼ cup chopped shallots and 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill.

Broccoli

Although broccoli is colorful, versatile, and undoubtedly one of the most popular vegetables in the United States, it has never been a favorite of mine. To me it lacks the excitement that many other vegetables have. Broccoli is usually sold in bunches of approximately 2 pounds. It’s wisest to pick bunches with slender stems, rather than thick woody ones. I find it preferable to remove the stems and cook them separately from the flowerets. I like to peel the stems, cut them into julienne strips, and combine them with julienne strips of white or yellow turnip, as we did in the Three-Vegetable Sauté in Theory & Practice of Good Cooking; other suggestions appear on page 190.

Steamed Broccoli Flowerets

Makes 4 servings

2 pounds broccoli, stems removed

½ cup melted butter

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

Steam the broccoli flowerets over a small amount of boiling water for approximately 10 to 12 minutes, or until crisply tender. Remove to a serving bowl, and gently toss with the melted butter. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Boiled Broccoli

Makes 4 servings

2 pounds broccoli, with stems

½ cup melted butter

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

If you wish to serve the broccoli whole, trim off the tough, heavy ends of the stalks, peel the remaining part of the stalks, and break or cut the top part into several small bunches. Stand the broccoli upright in a rather deep pot in about 1½ inches of cold water, with the stems in the water and the flowerets above it. Bring water to a boil, cover the pot, and cook for about 12 to 15 minutes, or until crisply tender.

Broccoli with Black Butter. Melt ¼ pound unsalted butter over low heat until it turns a golden brown. Pour over the cooked broccoli.

Broccoli with Maltaise Sauce. Combine 1 tablespoon orange zest and a drop or two of orange juice with 1 cup hollandaise (see page 532). Pour over the cooked broccoli.

Broccoli with Garlic and Parsley. Combine 2 or 3 finely chopped cloves garlic with ⅓ cup olive oil. Pour over the broccoli and garnish with chopped parsley.

Broccoli Purée. Purée the cooked broccoli in a food processor or food mill. Season to taste with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a touch of nutmeg, and mix with melted butter and either heavy cream or yogurt to taste.

Crumbed Broccoli. Melt ¼ pound unsalted butter in a skillet over moderate heat, add ½ cup dried bread crumbs and cook for 2 minutes, being careful they do not burn. Add ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese and spoon over the hot broccoli just before serving.

Steamed Broccoli Rabe

This type of broccoli, usually found in Italian markets, and also called rape or broccoli rape, is an elongated green leafy vegetable with long, thin, rather coarse stems, lots of leaves, and little clumps of yellow buds. I happen to adore the rather bitter flavor, although I have to admit it is an acquired taste. Broccoli rabe should be cooked only until crisply tender.

Makes 4 servings

2 pounds broccoli rabe

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

⅓ cup olive oil

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Soak the broccoli rabe well in cold water, then remove and discard about an inch of the thick bottom parts of the stems, leaving the top parts with leaves and flowers. Steam these in a very little water for just a few minutes until barely wilted down, then drain and chop. Meanwhile, heat the garlic in the oil. Pour the hot oil and garlic over the broccoli rabe, season with salt and pepper and toss well. Sprinkle with the cheese and serve at once.

Broccoli Rabe Purée. Purée the cooked broccoli rabe in a food processor or food mill, and mix with ¼ pound butter and a dash of lemon juice. Sprinkle the top with crisp bacon bits.

Cold Broccoli Rabe

Steam, but do not chop the broccoli rabe. When cold, dress with a vinaigrette sauce.

Brussels Sprouts

Although people who have been subjected to limp, soggy Brussels sprouts while traveling in England may not agree with me, I consider this one of the most delicious of our vegetables. Look for small, compact heads—not large, loose heads. Sometimes in farmers’ markets now you can buy sprouts still clinging to their thick stalks. When overcooked, Brussels sprouts become mushy in texture and strong in taste, with an overpowering cabbagelike smell. They must be cooked quickly, so the centers are still rather crisp when you bite into them.

Crisp-Cooked Brussels Sprouts

Makes 6 servings

2 pints Brussels sprouts

½ cup melted unsalted butter

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

Trim outside leaves and stem ends from the Brussels sprouts and soak in salted water for 15 minutes. Put in a saucepan with a small amount of boiling salted water. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until crisply tender. Drain, toss with the melted butter, and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Brussels Sprouts with Grated Parmesan Cheese. Toss the Brussels sprouts with ⅓ cup olive oil, a touch of lemon juice, and a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Brussels Sprouts with Sautéed Mushroom Caps. Toss the Brussels sprouts with an equal quantity of lightly sautéed mushroom caps.

Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts. Toss the Brussels sprouts with an equal quantity of whole cooked chestnuts which have been heated in butter.

Brussels Sprouts with Shallots. Toss with ¼ pound unsalted butter, 4 to 5 tablespoons finely chopped shallots, ½ teaspoon caraway seeds, and 1 to 2 tablespoons vinegar.

Cold Brussels Sprouts

Combine cold Brussels sprouts, cooked to the crisp-tender stage, with a brisk, tart mustard mayonnaise (see page 76) and toss thoroughly before serving.

Microwave-Cooked Brussels Sprouts

Place the Brussels sprouts in a nonmetallic dish with a small amount of water. Cover the dish with plastic wrap, venting one corner to release steam. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes on full power. Drain, and serve in any of the ways mentioned.

Cabbage

Cabbage is probably the most widely used and common vegetable next to potatoes, and an integral part of a New England boiled dinner.

We have several different varieties in the markets: white cabbage, with firm, solid heads; the young green cabbage, which is tender and not as large as the white; and the more loosely formed curly cabbage called savoy, whose flavor is more delicate, perhaps, than the others. In addition, there is red cabbage, which is best braised or used raw in some salads.

For cooking, the outer leaves should be stripped off, the cabbage quartered, the heart or core removed, and the leaves shredded or coarsely cut. Or, if you wish to serve the cabbage in pieces, cut into wedges and leave the core in to hold the leaves together. For dishes such as a gratin of cabbage, stuffed cabbage, or stuffed cabbage leaves, the whole head should be kept intact for blanching. I prefer cabbage steamed in a small amount of water rather than boiled. It should be cooked for a very short time to preserve its texture and flavor.

Steamed Cabbage

Makes 4 to 6 servings

1 medium head of cabbage, shredded or cut in wedges

½ cup melted butter

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

Trim off the stalk and any discolored or limp outer leaves. Cut into wedges, remove the hard core with a sharp knife, and shred the leaves. Or cut into wedges, leaving the core in.

Put about ½ inch salted water into a heavy pot. Bring the water to a boil and, when the steam begins to rise, add the cabbage. Cover the pot tightly, reduce the heat, and steam about 4 minutes for shredded young cabbage, up to 8 minutes for an older one, and about 6 to 8 minutes for cabbage cut into wedges. When the cabbage is just crisply tender, drain it well. Toss with the melted butter, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

With Vinaigrette. Toss the cooked cabbage with 4 tablespoons melted bacon fat and crisp bacon bits, with the final touch of a few drops of vinegar.

Braised Cabbage

This is extremely good with pork dishes, corned beef, or boiled beef in lieu of simple steamed cabbage.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

1 medium head cabbage

¼ cup unsalted butter, bacon fat, pork drippings, or goose fat

1½ teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup stock or dry white wine

Trim the cabbage, cut into wedges, remove the core, and either shred or cut coarsely. Melt the fat in a heavy 12-inch skillet. Add the cabbage and stir over medium heat until it wilts and turns a light brown around the edges. Add salt, pepper, and stock or white wine. Cover the skillet tightly and simmer until the cabbage is just tender, about 30 minutes.

Braised Cabbage with Vinegar and Dill. Braise the cabbage in ½ cup of fat until well browned. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover the skillet and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add 1 tablespoon vinegar, and 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill. Shake the pan well and serve.

Braised Cabbage with Heavy Cream. Proceed as above, omitting the dill. Add ⅓ to ½ cup heavy cream. Allow the cabbage to cook down in the cream.

Lemon Cabbage

Makes 4 servings

2- to 3-pound head of cabbage

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1½ to 2 cups cabbage cooking water

Juice of 2 lemons

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

1 lemon, cut into paper-thin slices

Trim the cabbage, remove core, and shred. Bring to a boil enough salted water to cover the cabbage. Add cabbage and cook until just tender. Drain off the cooking liquid, and reserve 2 cups for the sauce.

Melt the butter in a heavy 1½-quart saucepan, mix in the flour, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the roux is well blended. Gradually stir in the reserved cabbage liquid. Cook over medium heat until the sauce is smooth, thick, and at the boiling point. Let the sauce simmer, stirring, for 3 or 4 minutes, then add the lemon juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place the cabbage in a gratin dish, pour the sauce over it, and garnish with paper-thin slices of lemon. Place in a preheated 350° oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve at once.

Whole Stuffed Savoy Cabbage

If you have a food processor, it can simplify the business of chopping the ham, shallots, and mushrooms for the stuffing.

Makes 8 servings

1 large savoy cabbage

¾ cup chopped shallots

6 tablespoons butter

½ cup finely chopped mushrooms

2 cups finely chopped ham

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, or 1½ teaspoons dried tarragon

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

1½ cups cooked rice

1 cup hollandaise sauce (see page 532)

Soak the cabbage well in cold water, then blanch in boiling salted water for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until the leaves will separate easily. Do not detach the leaves. Meanwhile sauté the shallots in the butter until they are transparent, then add the mushrooms. Combine the shallot-mushroom mixture with the ham, tarragon, salt and pepper to taste, and the cooked rice. Taste and correct the seasoning. Spoon some of this stuffing between cabbage leaves, starting with inner leaves and pushing the cabbage back into its original shape as you do so. When all the leaves have been stuffed, reshape cabbage and wrap securely in cheesecloth, tying a string around and up the sides, leaving a piece on top to act as a handle. Have ready a large pot full of boiling, salted water with a rack. Carefully place the cabbage on the rack, and simmer, covered, for 35 to 40 minutes. With the string handle, carefully remove the cabbage from the pot to drain. Remove the string and cheesecloth from the cabbage, and transfer it to a serving platter. Top with hollandaise sauce. Serve cut into wedges.

Stuffed Savoy Cabbage in Chicken Broth. To increase flavor and richness, substitute a good strong chicken broth for water when poaching the cabbage. The resulting liquid will make a flavorful stock for vegetable and cabbage soups, especially borsch.

Stuffed Savoy Cabbage with Tomato Sauce. Top with tomato sauce instead of hollandaise.

Red Cabbage Braised with Apples and Wine

A wonderfully aromatic and flavorful accompaniment to pork, duck, or goose.

Makes 4 servings

2- to 3-pound head red cabbage

3 to 4 tablespoons bacon drippings

Salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 cup red wine

2 unpeeled tart apples, cored and diced

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon vinegar

Remove wilted outer leaves of the cabbage and the core. Shred fine and soak for 20 to 30 minutes in cold salted water. Drain well.

Melt the bacon drippings in a large skillet or sauté pan, add the cabbage, and sauté, stirring often, for several minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add the wine. Simmer the cabbage for 5 to 6 minutes, then add the apples. Sprinkle the cabbage with brown sugar and the vinegar, mix well, cover, and simmer until cabbage and apples are tender, about 6 to 8 minutes.

With Raisins. Ten minutes before serving, add ¼ cup white raisins.

Goloubtzys, or Choux Farcis

Makes 6 servings

1 large head cabbage

2 small onions, finely chopped

5 to 6 tablespoons butter

2 cups cooked cold beef, or other leftover meat, finely chopped or ground

1½ cups cooked rice

Salt, pepper, paprika

Butter

Broth or water

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup cream

Blanch the cabbage in boiling salted water 8 to 10 minutes, or until softened. Remove 12 to 15 large leaves, cut out the large ribs, and dry the leaves on a towel.

Sauté the onion lightly in 2 tablespoons of the butter and add to the meat with the rice and salt, pepper, and paprika to taste. Mix well. Put a large spoonful of the mixture on each leaf. Fold and roll. Arrange the rolls in a buttered baking dish and surround with a little broth or water. Dot them with butter and bake in a 350° oven for about 1 hour.

While the Goloubtzys are baking prepare a sauce by combining 3 tablespoons of butter and flour and letting it color slightly over a low heat. Add the cream and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until thickened. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika to taste.

When the Goloubtzys are tender, pour the sauce over them and let it brown lightly under the broiler for a few minutes before serving.

Carrots

The time was when every restaurant in the country served forth a most boring combination of sliced carrots and fresh, frozen, or canned green peas that was one of the most grim mixtures ever conceived.

Recently, it seems to me, carrots have more than come into their own. We are no longer limited to those huge, woody, tasteless ones. Supermarkets sell plastic bags of small carrots, called finger carrots, which when cooked quickly and served with butter and/or fresh herbs are quite delicious. I also find that the young carrots which come in bunches with the tops attached are often extremely good.

Boiled Carrots

Makes 4 servings

2 pounds fairly small carrots

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter

Salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste

Scrape the carrots and cut into julienne strips, slice, or leave whole. Put in a pan in enough boiling salted water to cover and cook until just tender, about 7 to 20 minutes, depending on the cut (julienne strips and slices will take the least time). Drain, toss with the butter and salt and pepper to taste.

Carrots with Fresh Herbs. Toss the buttered carrots with 1 to 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh dill, marjoram, or tarragon.

Glazed Carrots. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup to the buttered carrots, and shake the pan well over low heat until the butter and syrup combine to form a glaze on the carrots. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Carrots with Cognac or Rum. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of cognac or rum to the glazed carrots and shake the pan very well so that the vegetable and seasonings blend thoroughly.

Purée of Carrots with Potatoes. Purée the cooked carrots in a food processor or food mill, mix with the butter, then blend the carrot purée with an equal quantity of puréed potatoes, an additional 4 tablespoons butter, ½ cup heavy cream, and salt and pepper to taste.

Purée of Carrots and Parsnips. Combine carrot purée with an equal quantity of puréed parsnips. Add butter to taste.

Purée of Carrots and Beets. Combine equal quantities of puréed carrots and puréed baked beets. Add 4 tablespoons butter and ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg. This is especially good with pork.

Purée of Carrots and Parsley. Combine the puréed carrots with ½ cup chopped parsley and 2 tablespoons chopped chives. Fold in 4 to 5 tablespoons butter.

Cauliflower

Cauliflower, which used to be pretty much a winter vegetable, seems to have extended its growing cycle to year-round. When purchasing white cauliflower, look for firm, snowy heads and be sure the leaves at the base are green and not discolored. Occasionally you will find in the markets a purple cauliflower, sometimes called purple broccoli, which makes an amusing change from the white and may be cooked in exactly the same way. Cauliflower can be cooked whole or broken up into flowerets. The main thing is to avoid overcooking, for nothing is as bad as watery, mushy cauliflower.

Boiled Cauliflower

Makes 4 to 6 servings

1 medium head cauliflower

½ cup melted unsalted butter

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

Wash the cauliflower well, cut off the heavy stem end and green leaves. Cook whole, stem down, or broken into flowerets, in boiling salted water to cover. A whole cauliflower will take from 12 to 20 minutes, depending on the size. Flowerets will take about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain, pour the melted butter over, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cauliflower with Parmesan Cheese. Sprinkle with ¼ pound grated Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper.

Cauliflower with Mornay Sauce. Pour 1 cup mornay sauce (see page 531) over the boiled cauliflower and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Place under the broiler to brown for 1 to 2 minutes.

Cauliflower with Cheese Sauce. Pour over the cauliflower a creamy cheese sauce (see page 531), using either Gruyère, Cheddar, or fontina.

Cauliflower with Black Butter and Capers. Pour ½ cup browned butter, mixed with 1 to 2 tablespoons vinegar and 1 tablespoon capers, over the cauliflower.

Cauliflower with Olive Oil and Garlic. Pour ¼ cup olive oil mixed with 2 finely chopped cloves garlic over the cauliflower, and sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Cauliflower with Béarnaise Sauce. Pour 1 cup Béarnaise sauce (see page 532) over the cauliflower.

Cauliflower with Gruyère Cheese. Force thin fingers of Gruyère cheese into the head of a whole cooked cauliflower, return to the saucepan, and pour melted butter over the top. Cover and heat 2 minutes.

Cauliflower with Curry Sauce. Pour 1 cup curry sauce (see page 532) mixed with ¼ cup finely ground toasted almonds or filberts over the cauliflower.

Cauliflower with Sliced Ham and Cheese Sauce. Serve the cauliflower on slices of good-quality ham, and top with cheese sauce (see page 531) or well-buttered crumbs.

Purée of Cauliflower. Purée the cauliflower in a food processor or food mill, and blend with ½ cup unsalted butter and salt and pepper to taste.

Purée of Cauliflower with Parsley. Blend the purée of cauliflower with ½ cup butter and 3 to 4 tablespoons chopped parsley.

Purée of Cauliflower with Cheese Sauce. Blend the purée of cauliflower with 1 cup cheese sauce (see page 531).

Purée of Cauliflower with Olive Oil and Garlic. Blend the purée with ¼ cup olive oil, 2 or 3 finely chopped cloves garlic, and the juice of 1 lemon.

Microwave-Cooked Cauliflower

A whole head of cauliflower may be cooked in a small amount of water in a nonmetallic dish, covered with plastic wrap, on full power for about 12 to 13 minutes, depending on the size. Flowerets will take about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and drain. Serve in any of the variations given for boiled cauliflower. Cauliflower with Gruyère cheese is especially good done in the microwave oven. Pour butter over and heat for 2 minutes on full power.

Cold Cauliflower

Cold cooked cauliflower may be served as an appetizer, a vegetable, or a salad. It looks more attractive if put in a bowl on a bed of greens. Dress with any of the following:

1. Vinaigrette with herbs such as chopped parsley, chives, or tarragon.

2. Mayonnaise or half mayonnaise and half yogurt.

3. Green mayonnaise (see page 77).

4. Russian dressing (see page 37).

Celery

For me, the greatest use for celery is raw in salads (see page 82), or finely cut as an additive and flavor enhancer for stews, stuffings, vegetable combinations, and certain dishes. As a simple boiled or steamed vegetable I feel that it leaves much to be desired, although it does gain by being braised (see Theory & Practice, page 168) or sautéed, either alone or in a mixed sauté.

Although most people refer to a bunch or head of celery, actually it is correct to describe it as a stalk, which is made up of ribs. The small ribs in the center are known as the heart.

Celery Sauté

Makes 4 to 6 servings

1 large stalk of celery, cleaned and trimmed

6 to 7 tablespoons unsalted butter

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

Cut the stalk into thin slices. Heat the butter in a sauté pan, add the celery slices and salt and pepper to taste. Shake the pan occasionally and cook over medium heat until the celery is fairly tender—about 5 minutes.

Celery Root or Celeriac

This deliriously flavored root vegetable has been all too little used, except for Celery Root Rémoulade (see Theory & Practice, page 330), which is found on the menu of every good French restaurant and has helped to awaken people to its distinctive and excellent taste. Because of this, we are beginning to use celery root in ways that were not part of our cooking pattern—boiled, puréed (see Theory & Practice, page 59), or baked. The rough-looking bulbs vary in diameter from 2 to 6 inches, and you may find the larger ones somewhat pithy inside. Just scrape away the soft part; there will still be enough to use. While the bulb must be peeled if it is to be used raw, there is no need to peel it first if it is going to be cooked whole.

Boiled Celery Root

Makes 6 servings

2 to 2½ pounds celery root

½ cup melted butter

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

Toasted bread crumbs

Cook the whole celery roots in boiling salted water until just tender—about 30 to 40 minutes. Drain. Peel the celery root, cut into slices and serve with melted butter, salt and pepper to taste, and toasted bread crumbs on top.

Celery Root with Cheese. Cook the celery root as above. Arrange the slices in a buttered baking dish, dot with butter, and sprinkle liberally with a combination of grated Parmesan and Gruyère cheeses. Place under the broiler until the cheese melts and browns nicely.

Celery Root with Maltaise Sauce. Arrange slices of cooked celery root in a serving dish and spoon Maltaise sauce (see page 532) over them just before serving.

Baked Celery Root and Potatoes

Arrange layers of thinly sliced raw potatoes and celery root in a well-buttered baking dish. Dot with butter and barely cover with beef or chicken stock. Bake in a preheated 350° oven until the vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. This is especially good with game.

Baked Stuffed Celery Root

Makes 8 servings

4 celery roots, peeled and halved

6 tablespoons butter

⅓ cup chopped shallots

1 cup chopped mushrooms

½ cup tomato paste

½ cup finely chopped cooked tongue

Salt, freshly ground black pepper, dried thyme

Buttered crumbs

Chopped parsley

Blanch the celery roots in boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Drain, scoop out the centers, and trim neatly. (Scooped-out centers may be reserved for a purée.) Preheat the oven to 325°.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a skillet and sauté the shallots and mushrooms until soft. Mix in the tomato paste, tongue, salt and pepper to taste, and a good pinch of thyme. Fill the celery root centers with this mixture, dot the tops with the remaining butter, cut in pieces, and arrange in a baking dish. Bake in a 325° oven for 45 minutes. Sprinkle the tops with buttered crumbs and chopped parsley, and serve. These are excellent with roast beef and wild duck.

Corn

Corn is certainly one of our most popular vegetables. It’s been much spurned by most Europeans, probably because it has never been a standard item of their diet. However, I well remember a delightful bistro in Paris where during corn season it was not unusual to find delicious corn from Alsace presented in a most intelligent way. The corn on the cob was cooked in half milk and half water and served as an hors d’oeuvre, which to me makes great sense. At the beginning of a meal it is delicious, refreshing, and most satisfying, and you are not chewing on an ear while other things on your plate get cold.

Naturally, the best way to prepare corn is to rush it from your garden to a pot of boiling water and eat it at once. Few of us can do that anymore.

Skillet-Boiled Corn

Everyone has his own opinion as to how corn should be cooked. This is my preferred method. Shuck the ears and put them flat in a skillet with cold water. Bring to a boil over rather high heat and remove the corn when the water reaches a full, rolling boil. Serve the corn at once with plenty of melted butter, salt, and a peppermill.

Corn with Butter and Bacon Crumbs. Roll the cooked corn in melted butter and then in crisp bacon crumbs.

Corn with Mustard or Herb Mayonnaise. Serve the corn hot with herb or mustard mayonnaise (see page 76).

Corn with Rémoulade Sauce. Use rémoulade sauce (see page 77) instead of the mayonnaise.

Corn with Green Pepper Butter. Combine butter with finely chopped skinned green pepper.

Microwave-Cooked Corn

Cook in the husks in a microwave oven for about 3 minutes on full power.

Corn off the Cob

Makes 6 servings

6 to 8 ears corn

¼ pound unsalted butter

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

½ to ¾ cup heavy cream

With a sharp knife, remove the kernels from the corn. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Add the corn and shake the pan for about 1 minute, just to heat it through. Add salt, pepper, and the heavy cream and heat. Then serve at once.

Corn with Onion and Green Pepper. Sauté 4 tablespoons chopped onion and ½ cup finely chopped green or red pepper (preferably skinned) in ¼ pound butter. Add the corn kernels and sauté in this mixture till just heated through.

Corn with Fresh Basil. Mix 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves into the corn just before serving. This felicitous combination of flavors is Chilean.

Raw Corn

Young corn is good just cut from the cob and blended with lightly whipped heavy cream seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with cold fish or meat.

Corn Oysters

Makes 6 servings

12 ears corn

3 tablespoons heavy cream

2 tablespoons sifted flour

1 tablespoon melted butter

1 well-beaten egg

Shuck and clean the corn very well, and with a sharp knife make a cut lengthwise in the center of each row of kernels. Scrape with the back of the knife to push all of the pulp out. Blend with the cream and flour, then the butter and egg. Drop the batter by spoonfuls on a well-buttered griddle or skillet. Cook until delicately browned on both sides.

Corn Pudding

Makes 4 servings

10 ears corn

3 well-beaten eggs

1 cup milk

½ cup cream

1 tablespoon melted butter

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

5 or 6 dashes Tabasco

Shuck, clean, and scrape the corn as in preceding recipe, being certain to scrape the cobs well after removing the corn in order to get all of the milk. Combine with the beaten eggs, milk, cream, butter, and seasonings. Pour the mixture into a 1½-quart baking dish and bake in a 350° oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until just firm to the touch.

Corn Pudding with Bacon. Place crisp rashers of bacon atop the pudding just before serving.

Cucumbers

We now have two types of cucumber, the regular fat, heavily seeded kind that is very watery and all too often waxed, and a long, thinner, practically seedless one, sometimes called a Chinese or English cucumber, that is more expensive but of better quality. You can also find in summer and fall cucumbers that are sold for pickles. These are often cheaper and better flavored than the regular kind. While the cucumber is primarily one of our most reliable salad vegetables, it can also be quite delicious if lightly poached, steamed, or sautéed, dressed with butter and herbs, and served as an accompaniment to fish.

Poached Cucumbers

Makes 4 servings

Peel, split, and seed 3 cucumbers of average size and cut them into oval lozenges (the small pieces left over after the ovals are shaped may be finely chopped and added to cold soups or used for sandwich fillings). Poach lightly in boiling, salted water for just a few minutes, until they turn pale and translucent. Drain and toss with melted butter and a few grinds of pepper.

Steamed Cucumbers

Prepare in the same way as poached cucumbers, but steam over boiling water in a steam basket or colander just until translucent.

Steamed Cucumbers with Herbs. Toss with butter and finely chopped fresh dill, tarragon, chives, parsley, or mint.

Sautéed Cucumbers with Cream

Makes 4 servings

3 cucumbers, peeled, split, seeded, and sliced ¼ inch thick, or cut into oval lozenges as for Poached Cucumbers, above

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon or dill

¼ cup heavy cream

Blanch the cucumber pieces for 3 minutes in boiling water to remove the bitter juices. Drain well. Melt the butter in a skillet, add the cucumbers, and toss briefly until heated through but still crisp. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, tarragon or dill, and add the cream. Let it cook down for a minute and serve.

Sautéed Cucumbers with Yogurt. Use 2 tablespoons plain yogurt instead of the cream. Just heat through with the cucumbers; it must not boil or it will curdle.

Sautéed Cucumbers with Mushrooms. Toss 1 cup tiny sautéed mushroom caps (if caps are large, halve or quarter them) with the cucumbers before adding the cream.

Cucumbers Sautéed with Julienne of Broccoli. Peel broccoli stalks, cut in julienne strips, and blanch with the cucumbers. Toss vegetables in butter and sprinkle with chopped herb of your choice. Omit cream.

Cucumbers Sautéed with Snow Peas. Trim and string 1 pound snow peas. Sauté in skillet with blanched cucumbers and butter over high heat, tossing constantly, until snow peas turn bright green. Sprinkle with finely chopped herb of your choice—tarragon, mint, basil, or fresh coriander. Omit cream.

Eggplant

This beautiful, versatile vegetable can be found in markets most of the year and deserves to be used more frequently and imaginatively than is usually the case here. Oriental, Middle Eastern, Greek, Italian, Spanish, and Provençal recipes for eggplant are legion, but apart from ratatouille (see page 190), we seem to have adopted very few of them. This may be because we mostly grow the large bell-shaped purple eggplants that tend to be full of seeds, with a coarse texture and bitter flavor. The elongated purple eggplants about 4 to 6 inches long sold in Italian markets and some supermarkets or the round white Oriental eggplant, still rare but occasionally to be found in specialty vegetable stores and farmers’ markets, have an infinitely better texture and a more delicate flavor. When you buy eggplants pick out those that are firm, smooth, and shiny, with unblemished, unwrinkled skin.

If you are going to cook eggplant for a short time, slice and salt it, peeled or unpeeled, according to the recipe, and let it drain to draw out the bitter juices. This is not necessary if you are going to cook it for a long time, as the liquid will evaporate naturally.

Sautéed Eggplant

Makes 4 servings

1½ pounds eggplant

Flour seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper

⅓ cup olive oil

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Trim off ends of eggplant and cut into ½-inch slices. Salt and drain the slices, if you wish, but this is not necessary; if you do, pat dry before proceeding.

To cook, dip the slices into the seasoned flour. Heat the olive oil and butter in a 12-inch skillet and sauté the eggplant slices until tender and nicely browned on both sides. Be sure not to crowd the pan. It’s best to sauté a few slices at a time, drain them on paper towels, and remove them to a heated serving dish to keep warm in a low oven.

Sautéed Eggplant with Tomato Sauce. Serve the eggplant slices with hot tomato sauce (see page 534).

Sautéed Eggplant with Parmesan Cheese. Sprinkle the sautéed slices with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and place under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes.

Sautéed Eggplant in Cornmeal. Use fine cornmeal instead of flour.

Sautéed Eggplant with Broiled or Sautéed Tomato Slices. Top the sautéed eggplant with lightly broiled or sautéed tomato slices.

Sautéed Eggplant with Bacon. Add rashers of crisply cooked bacon cut into small pieces to the eggplant.

Sautéed Eggplant and Onions. Top the slices with sautéed onions.

Eggplant Casserole. Sauté the eggplant slices, but do not cook them through, as they will have further cooking. Arrange the slices in a well-oiled casserole, alternating them with layers of sliced onion, peeled and sliced green pepper, and peeled, seeded, and sliced tomato. Dribble a little olive oil on each layer and season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and 2 or 3 finely chopped garlic cloves. Top with a mixture of buttered crumbs and grated Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 350° oven for 30 to 45 minutes, or until vegetables are just tender.

Imam Bayildi

This Turkish stuffed eggplant is said to have been given its name, which translates as “the imam fainted,” when the imam, or priest, tasted the dish and swooned with pleasure. Whether you believe that or not, there’s no denying that this is an utterly delicious way of preparing eggplant. It may be served hot or cold, alone as a luncheon dish or first course, or with roasted or broiled meat.

Makes 6 servings

3 large eggplants

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

10 tablespoons olive oil

3 large onions, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 tablespoon finely chopped pine nuts (optional)

Cut the green ends from the eggplants, wash them, and put them in a large saucepan. Add boiling water to cover, put a lid on the pan, and cook for about 10 minutes. Drain the eggplants well, plunge them into cold water, and leave for 5 minutes. Cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out most of the flesh, leaving a ½-inch-thick shell. Set aside the scooped-out flesh. Arrange the shells in a buttered baking dish and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Pour 4 teaspoons olive oil into each shell and cook the shells, uncovered, in the center of a preheated 350° oven for 30 minutes.

While the shells are cooking, heat remaining olive oil in a skillet, add the onions and garlic, and sauté gently for 5 minutes, then add the tomatoes, cinnamon, sugar, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Continue simmering this mixture until the liquid has reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Chop the eggplant flesh and add it to the skillet with the chopped pine nuts, if used, and cook for 10 minutes more. Remove the shells from the oven and stuff them with the tomato mixture.

Fiddlehead Ferns

Fiddlehead ferns are young ferns which are edible when the tightly curled fronds pop out of the soil in the spring. These tenderly delicious morsels can occasionally be found fresh in markets. Cook them very briefly in boiling salted water and serve with melted butter or with olive oil, a bit of chopped garlic, and a touch of vinegar. Frozen and canned fiddleheads are also available.

Batter-Dipped Fiddlehead Ferns

Dip into beer batter (see page 188) and deep-fry in 365° fat for about 2 minutes. Drain on absorbent paper. These are especially good with broiled birds.

Cold Fiddlehead Ferns

They are also delicious blanched, chilled, and served with an herbed vinaigrette.

Florence Fennel

Florence fennel is a cultivated bulbous vegetable that has the same crisp texture as celery, but a very strong flavor of anise. It may be sliced and eaten raw as part of a tray of crudités or prepared like celery. Cultivated fennel should not be confused with wild fennel, which grows along the roads in California, Oregon, and other parts of the country. The dried stalks of wild fennel are often used when cooking fish, or run through loin of pork (see page 419). My preferred way of cooking cultivated fennel is braised (see Theory & Practice, page 167), but it is also good blanched, separated, and French-fried (see page 187) or served with an anise-flavored sauce. Cold, it is nice poached à la Grecque (Theory & Practice, page 60), or used raw, like celery, in salads and vegetable hors d’oeuvre.

Greens

Each year over 240 million pounds of greens are eaten in the United States, and that isn’t counting the wild greens, like pokeweed, gathered in various parts of the country. The range of greens in our markets is impressive and includes beet greens, collards, kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, spinach, Swiss chard, and dandelion greens. There is almost no leafy green that can’t be cooked and that goes for salad greens such as lettuce, delicious braised (see Theory & Practice, page 168), escarole, chicory, watercress, and the Italian arugula. Recently, at a Moroccan meal, I had a combination of spinach, watercress, and arugula that had been lightly cooked, blended with a little olive oil and a good deal of lemon juice. Served as a salad, it made an extraordinarily refreshing contrast to the food.

Traditionally, wild and cultivated greens were cooked for two or three hours with salt pork, ham hocks, or smoked hog jowl until they collapsed. I think a short cooking time and a variety of seasonings make greens more palatable and flavorful, although you might like to try the traditional method and see which you prefer.

Cooking Greens

Allow 1 pound greens for 2 servings. Wash the greens thoroughly in several changes of water, discarding discolored leaves and trimming off tough stems, if necessary. The water clinging to the greens after the final washing is usually enough for cooking. If it evaporates too fast, add a little boiling water to the pan.

My preferred method of cooking greens is to put them in a heavy pan after washing, sprinkle them with a little salt, cover, and let them wilt over moderate heat, turning them once or twice with a wooden spoon so they cook evenly. Cooking times vary according to the type, sturdiness, and age of the greens. Chicory, watercress, and lettuce leaves will take about 15 minutes, escarole a little longer. Turnip, beet, and mustard greens vary as to age and size. Count on a minimum cooking time of 5 minutes, a maximum of 15 for turnip and beet greens, and cook mustard greens until the stems are tender, from 10 to 25 minutes. Kale, a coarse green, takes about 20 minutes, collards 15 to 20 minutes. When cooking Swiss chard, cut off the leaves and cook the white stems separately, like asparagus, in boiling salted water to cover until just tender. The leaves will take about 10 to 15 minutes.

When the greens are tender, drain them well, chop them if you like, and dress them with melted butter, olive oil and garlic, or ham or bacon fat (¼ cup for each 2 pounds of cooked greens). A dash of vinegar or lemon juice will heighten the flavor.

Certain greens, such as spinach, mustard greens, lettuce, and kale, cooked and chopped, are delicious in soufflés and timbales (see page 262).

Philip Brown’s Romaine Soufflé

This new and different way to cook crunchy romaine was originated by my friend Philip Brown at one of his California cooking classes. The soufflé has an unusual flavor and the little bits of chopped romaine give a pleasant crunchiness. Serve it with roast lamb or beef or a chicken casserole and you will need no green vegetable, starch, or salad to complete the meal, it stands in for all three. Another nice thing about this dish is that you can make the base and fold in the egg whites an hour before you need to bake it, then leave it in the refrigerator until it is time to pop it into the oven.

Makes 6 servings

1 large head of romaine

4 tablespoons butter

3 scallions or green onion, chopped

3 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk, heated

4 eggs, separated

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Tabasco to taste

Grated Parmesan cheese

Cut off the coarse bottom of the romaine stalk. Wash romaine thoroughly and chop coarse. Put in a heavy pan with a little water and cook until wilted. Drain well and chop fine. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet and cook scallions, or green onions, including green tops, until soft but not brown. Add romaine and cook, stirring, until moisture evaporates. Melt remaining butter in a saucepan, blend in flour, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring. Mix in milk and cook until thickened. Beat egg yolks into sauce, one at a time, then add Cheddar cheese and cook until smooth. Stir in romaine mixture until well blended. Season with salt, Worcestershire, and Tabasco. Lavishly butter a 1½-quart soufflé dish, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, coating bottom and sides. Shake out excess. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry; fold one-third into the romaine mixture, blending thoroughly. Fold in remaining whites lightly. Pour into soufflé dish, sprinkle with a little grated Parmesan and put in a preheated 400° oven. Immediately reduce heat to 375° and bake 25 to 35 minutes, according to how you like your soufflé. At 25 minutes it will be still a little runny in the center.

Braised Mustard Greens

Makes 4 to 6 servings

2 pounds mustard greens

6 to 7 tablespoons olive oil

1 or 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

Lemon juice or vinegar

Wash the mustard greens. Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch skillet and add the garlic, the greens, and a tiny bit of water, if needed. Cover and steam the greens for 15 to 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper and toss well with a fork and spoon several times during the cooking period. Serve very hot with a little lemon juice or vinegar.

Tian of Mixed Greens

Makes 6 servines

1 pound each dandelion greens, collards, and mustard greens

1 cup chopped green onion, or scallions

1 cup chopped smoked ham

1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

Chopped hard-boiled egg (1 or 2)

Cook the greens until tender, about 25 minutes, following basic recipe for cooking greens. Drain well and chop coarse. Add the onion, smoked ham, lemon juice or vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss well and serve with a garnish of chopped hard-boiled egg.

Tian of Mixed Greens and Bacon

Makes 6 servings

1 pound each dandelion greens, mustard greens, and escarole

½ pound thick-cut bacon, cut into cubes and partially cooked (not crisp)

2 or 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 to 3 tablespoons wine vinegar, or to taste

1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, or 2 teaspoons dried and crumbled

Cook the greens until tender, about 25 minutes, following basic recipe for cooking greens. Drain well, and chop coarse.

Combine the greens in a 12-inch skillet with the bacon, garlic, and vinegar. Toss over medium heat, until thoroughly heated, and add the fresh mint just before serving. Correct the seasoning and serve at once.

Leeks

Although leeks have been grown in this country for two centuries, until rather recently they were generally used only as a flavoring vegetable for soups and stews. The French and the Italians have always been partial to leeks and cooked them in various ways, and I think it must have been after the introduction here of vichyssoise, the soup invented by the famous chef Louis Diat, that they joined the American vegetable repertoire.

Leeks are a nuisance to clean because of the sand and dirt that get trapped between the tight layers of leaves. First trim off the root end and all but an inch or so of the green top and rinse well under cold water, spreading the leaves as much as possible. You’ll probably find it necessary to make a slit in the top with a sharp knife in order to separate them. Very small or large leeks are best cut in small pieces before cooking. I love leeks and my preferred cooking method is to steam them.

Steamed Leeks

Allow 2 or 3 average-sized leeks per serving. Steam them in a small amount of boiling salted water until just tender, which should take from 15 to 18 minutes.

Microwave-Cooked Leeks

Put the leeks in a heatproof glass baking dish with a small amount of water, and cover with plastic wrap. Cook about 10 to 12 minutes at full power. Drain the leeks well and serve them hot with melted butter or with hollandaise sauce (see page 532), or chill them and serve with a vinaigrette dressing.

Braised Leeks

Makes 4 to 6 servings

12 average-sized leeks, trimmed and cleaned

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Sprig of fresh thyme, finely chopped, or ½ teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled

½ cup chicken or beef broth

⅓ cup cognac

Lemon juice

Chopped parsley

Brown the leeks in a heavy skillet in the olive oil and season them with salt, pepper, and thyme. Add broth, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer the leeks until they are just tender, about 15 minutes. Add the cognac, let the liquid come to a boil again, and simmer for 2 to 3 more minutes. Sprinkle with a few drops of lemon juice and garnish with chopped parsley.

Leeks Vinaigrette. Poach 12 to 14 leeks in chicken or beef broth to cover until just tender. Drain and cool the leeks and reserve the broth for soup. Arrange the leeks in a serving dish and cover with a sauce vinaigrette. Chill for several hours before serving. Garnish with chopped hard-boiled eggs, olives, or onion rings.

Puréed Leeks. Cut leeks into small pieces and poach in chicken broth, beef stock, or water to cover until very tender. Drain well, purée in a food processor, dress with butter and salt and pepper, and serve with a dusting of finely chopped fresh parsley.

Mushrooms

Although there are scores of varieties of wild mushrooms, they’re not available (unless you are an adventurous mushroom hunter) and we must resort to the cultivated variety. They are available at all times of the year, have a good flavor and reliable texture, and need no cleaning—just a wipe with a damp towel to remove any surface dirt. Never peel mushrooms or you will lose most of the flavor. Very often mushrooms are boiled or sautéed without the stems, in which case the stems may be chopped and used for making duxelles (see page 535) or tossed into soups or stews for extra flavor. If mushrooms are used purely as a garnish, they should not take on color; simply poach them in acidulated water barely to cover for 5 minutes over medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally. If they are not to be used immediately, they may be held over hot water.

NOTE: Any of the recipes that follow would also apply to sautéed fresh chanterelles and other edible wild mushrooms, such as oyster mushrooms (except for cèpes, which need special preparation) or to the large Black Forest or the shiitake mushrooms that are now being sold fresh in specialty markets.

Sautéed Mushrooms

Makes 4 servings

1 pound mushrooms

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons oil

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

Remove mushroom stems and wipe caps well with a damp towel. Heat the butter and oil in a 10-inch skillet. When quite hot add the mushroom caps and sauté very quickly, for 5 to 7 minutes, shaking the pan frequently so the mushrooms move about and do not burn. Sprinkle with salt and pepper as they sauté.

Sautéed Mushrooms with Heavy Cream. Add ½ to ¾ cup heavy cream to the mushrooms and cook down slightly. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

Sautéed Mushrooms with Fresh Herbs and Cream. Add 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon, some chopped chives, and ½ cup heavy cream to the mushrooms and let this cook down for a few minutes.

Sautéed Mushrooms with Sour Cream or Yogurt. Add ¼ cup chopped parsley and 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill to the mushrooms. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in 1 cup sour cream or yogurt. Return the pan to the heat and shake it as the sauce heats through. Do not allow sour cream or yogurt to come to a boil, or it will curdle.

Sautéed Mushrooms with Bacon Bits. Add ¼ cup chopped parsley, a dash or two of lemon juice, and ½ cup crisp bacon bits to the sautéed mushrooms, or sauté the mushrooms in bacon fat and garnish with fried bacon slices.

Cèpes à la Bordelaise

If you are a mushroom hunter or can obtain these delicious fall mushrooms, the Boletus edulis, this is the best way I know of preparing them. I like to serve them with chicken, squab, or game.

Makes 4 servings

1 pound fresh cèpes (wood mushrooms)

8 to 10 tablespoons olive oil

3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

Chopped parsley

Clean the cèpes well, separate caps from stems, and inspect carefully to make sure there are no worms residing inside. Slice the caps about ⅛ inch thick, and chop the stems rather coarsely. Use 2 skillets for cooking the cépes. In the first skillet heat 4 to 5 tablespoons very fruity olive oil. Add the sliced caps and sauté very gently, turning them once or twice, until they turn rather brown and are crispy around the edges. Heat 4 to 5 tablespoons olive oil in the second skillet, add 3 or 4 finely chopped cloves garlic and the chopped mushroom stems. Sauté very quickly, shaking the pan as you do so to blend the mixture. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. When the stem pieces are cooked, combine them with the cooked caps and toss together well. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, taste, and correct the seasonings.

Okra

Okra, a vegetable that is enormously popular in the South and with Hispanic people, is the basis of many Southern and Creole dishes, notably gumbos. Usually it is deep-fried, steamed, rolled in cornmeal and sautéed or fried. Sometimes it is dipped in a batter and fried (see page 189). The rather slimy texture of okra offends some palates but delights others. Always buy young and tender okra—it should be very green and fresh-looking, not browned at the edges—and don’t ever overcook it.

Steamed Okra

Makes 4 servings

Cook 1 pound okra in a small amount of boiling salted water for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until barely tender. Drain very well.

Okra with Butter and Lemon. Dress the cooked okra with a good amount of melted butter and a teaspoon or two of lemon juice.

Okra with Garlic and Oil. Dress the okra with a small amount of olive oil and some finely chopped garlic.

Okra with Garlic-Anchovy Butter. Serve the okra with butter which has been blended with mashed anchovies or anchovy paste and finely chopped garlic.

Okra Vinaigrette. Chill the okra well and serve with vinaigrette.

Okra and Corn

An old Southern dish with an interesting combination of vegetable flavors that is very good with pork dishes and with fried chicken.

Makes 6 servings

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

6 tablespoons butter

1 large green or red bell pepper, skinned, seeded, and finely chopped

2 cups Italian plum tomatoes

6 to 8 small okra, tops removed and thinly sliced

Salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 to 2½ cups corn kernels, cut from the cob

Sauté the onion and garlic in the butter and add the pepper. When they are just beginning to soften, add the tomatoes and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until well blended and smooth. Add the okra, seasonings, and corn and cook for 4 to 5 minutes more. Taste and correct the seasoning.

Onions

The onion family includes large sweet globe onions; sweet red Italian onions, which are ideal for salads; slim-bulbed white onions, both large and small, which are used mainly for cooking; and the ordinary, run-of-the-mill small brown onions, which are highly unpredictable—sometimes sweet and delicious, and sometimes almost uncompromisingly hot and disagreeable. For further details, see the Concordance, page 576. Then there are the green—or spring—onions, usually called “scallions” and sometimes “seed onions.” They are usually served raw in plates of crudités or cut up in salads, but they can also be very good boiled or braised whole.

When peeling onions, it is best not to remove the root end completely, otherwise the onion might break apart and lose its shape. Brown onion skins, incidentally, can be used in soups and stocks for color and flavor. If you are not using all of a large onion in a recipe, wrap the unused part tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Boiled Onions

This is the most basic (and in my opinion the least interesting) of all onion preparations, but it lends itself to embellishment. If you use the small white onions, the easiest way to peel them is to cover them with boiling water and let them stand 3 to 4 minutes; the blanching loosens the skins.

Makes 4 servings

Cook 1 pound peeled onions whole or sliced in just enough salted water to cover. Tiny onions will take 15 to 20 minutes of cooking time, large ones will take 30 to 35 minutes, and sliced onions will take somewhat less time. Drain the onions very well.

Buttered Onions. Serve with butter and freshly ground black pepper.

Buttered Onions with Nutmeg. Add a small amount of nutmeg or mace to the buttered onions.

Onions with Cream Sauce. The traditional Thanksgiving way of serving onions is in a rich cream sauce, which I find is much improved by adding 1 or 2 finely chopped cloves garlic and a dash of nutmeg.

Onions with Cheese Sauce. Add shredded or grated Gruyère, Cheddar, or Monterey jack cheese to the cream sauce.

Onions with Tomato Sauce. Serve the onions with tomato sauce which has been well seasoned with freshly ground black pepper, skinned sautéed green or red peppers (see page 166), and finely chopped garlic.

Fried Onions

Makes 4 to 6 servings

6 tablespoons butter or good beef drippings

3 to 4 large onions, sliced very thin

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

Melt the butter or, if possible, beef drippings, which give an extraordinarily good flavor, in a heavy skillet. Add the onions and cook over rather brisk heat until they begin to color, turning them often with a spatula. Reduce the heat and let them cook down, tossing them well, until almost caramelized (sprinkling with a teaspoon or two of granulated sugar will aid in coloring and glazing the onions). Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve on steak, hamburgers, or other meat dishes, or just enjoy them as they are.

Caramelized Onions. Let the onions cook until completely caramelized and sort of crispy. Use as a garnish for various meats, such as steak, broiled liver, or pork chops.

Dieter’s Onions. Brown the sliced onions very carefully in a heavy skillet over low heat without any fat. Turn them often and watch to make sure they don’t burn. They will soften and turn color very nicely. You can also add them to dishes prepared without fat.

Broiled Onion Slices

These make a delicious garnish for hamburgers, steaks, and chops. They do not become as softly tender as boiled onions, but retain a pleasing crispness.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Slice 1 to 1½ pounds large onions ⅜ to ½ inch thick. Place on the rack of a broiling pan, brush well with melted butter, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Broil until they turn a rather delicate brown. Be careful that they don’t burn, and brush with more butter, if necessary. When cooked on one side, turn the slices with a spatula, brush with melted butter, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and broil until delicately colored.

Broiled Onions with Hamburgers. Place a broiled hamburger on top of each slice of broiled onion.

Broiled Onions with Cheese. Heap shredded Gruyère or Cheddar cheese onto the broiled slices. Return to the oven just long enough to melt the cheese. Serve at once.

Braised Onions

Makes 4 servings

6 to 8 tablespoons butter or oil, or a combination of the two

20 small white onions or onion slices

½ cup chicken or beef stock

Salt, freshly grated black pepper

Heat the fat in a heavy skillet or sauté pan with a lid, and sauté the onions until lightly browned. Add the stock and salt and pepper to taste, cover the pan, and cook the onions until crisp-tender—about 20 to 30 minutes for small white onions, and somewhat less for slices.

Braised Onions with Parmesan Cheese. Just before serving, sprinkle the onions liberally with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Braised Onions with Pasta. Use these braised onions as a sauce for pasta, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Braised Onions with Sherry, Bourbon, or Madeira. Add ¼ cup medium-dry sherry, bourbon, or Madeira to cooked onions and let liquid cook down very quickly for about 3 to 5 minutes. These go well with game, turkey, chicken, or veal.

Boiled Green Onions, or Scallions

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Trim 5 to 8 bunches of green onions, or scallions, and cook in boiling, salted water to cover until crisply tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon or pancake turner lift the onions very carefully to a serving platter, making sure they are well drained. Serve with melted butter, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

Boiled Green Onions with Hollandaise Sauce. Serve, like asparagus, with hollandaise sauce (see page 532).

Boiled Green Onions with Mornay Sauce. Serve the onions with a rich cream sauce (see page 531) enhanced with grated Gruyère or Cheddar cheese.

Stuffed Onions

With a baked potato these make a delicious luncheon or supper.

Makes 6 servings

6 medium-large onions

1 to 1½ pounds well-seasoned sausage meat

2 tablespoons bread crumbs

8 to 9 slices bacon

Cook the onions in boiling salted water until they are tender but not so soft they collapse. Run cold water over them. When cool enough to handle, remove the center rings, leaving a cup in each onion. Stuff the onions with the sausage meat and sprinkle with a few bread crumbs. Place the bacon slices on the bottom of a baking dish and arrange the stuffed onions on top. Bake in a 375° oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the sausage meat is just cooked through. Do not overcook.

Parsnips

For the life of me, I cannot understand why so many people dislike parsnips, which are one of our most delicious winter vegetables, if properly treated. They have a sweetness that is particularly suited to sautéing and glazing, and they make a most delectable purée. There is a good deal of waste on parsnips, because the cores tend to be quite woody. Look for those that are fat around the top, not the long skinny ones, and count on about 2½ to 3 pounds parsnips for 4 servings. They aren’t the easiest of vegetables to peel, either, so if I am boiling or blanching them I cook them in the skins and peel them afterward.

Sautéed Parsnips

Makes 4 servings

2½ to 3 pounds parsnips, unpeeled

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

6 to 8 tablespoons butter

Cook the parsnips in a good amount of boiling salted water for from 20 to 45 minutes, depending on the age and size of the vegetables. They are done when easily pierceable with a skewer or the point of a small knife. Plunge the cooked parsnips into cold water and, when cool enough to handle, peel, discarding the tough ends. Slice the parsnips very thin, sauté in butter, 5 to 6 minutes, and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Glazed Parsnips. While the parsnips are sautéing, sprinkle lightly with a small amount of granulated sugar and let them glaze. Serve at once.

Steamed Parsnips

Steam parsnips until tender in a small amount of boiling salted water, peel, and slice in julienne strips. Dress with butter and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Puréed Parsnips

One of my favorite ways with parsnips is to purée them with Madeira and serve with turkey, pork, or beef.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

3 pounds parsnips, cooked

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

½ to ¾ cup butter, melted

3 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream

¼ cup Madeira, or to taste

Additional butter

2 tablespoons bread crumbs or finely chopped nuts (for topping)

Peel cooked parsnips and purée them in a food processor or by putting them through a food mill. Combine the purée with the salt, sugar, melted butter, cream, and Madeira, and whip together well with a spatula or whisk. Spoon the purée into a 1-quart baking dish, dot with butter, and sprinkle with the crumbs or chopped nuts. Bake in a 350° oven for 20 to 30 minutes.

Parsnip Patties. Form above mixture into small patties, roll lightly in flour, and sauté in 4 to 6 tablespoons butter, turning once, until browned nicely on both sides.

Puréed Parsnips and Potatoes. Combine puréed parsnips with an equal amount of puréed potatoes and prepare in either of the above fashions.

French-Fried Parsnips

Makes 4 servings

8 cooked parsnips, cut into fingers 2 inches by ¼ inch

All-purpose flour

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Fresh bread crumbs

Peanut or vegetable oil for frying

Dip the parsnip fingers in flour, then in beaten egg, and roll in fresh bread crumbs. Fry in deep hot oil (380°) for 3 to 5 minutes. Drain on absorbent paper. Serve at once.

Peas

We have become so used to the frozen pea that the idea of buying fresh garden peas and shelling them has become almost forgotten. However, in summer you will find in various sections of the country locally grown and freshly picked peas that are in the markets for a short season. Make the most of them. When you’re buying them, be sure to snitch a couple, open the pods and bite into a pea to check on their juiciness and sweetness before you buy. Sometimes they may look okay, but the peas inside the pod are overage and starchy.

It takes 3 to 4 pounds of peas in the pod, depending on size, to yield enough for 4 persons. Fresh garden peas should be shelled just before cooking and never washed. While a little sugar will enhance their flavor, I find it is best not to salt them until after cooking. Fresh peas, cooked until just crisply tender, make a delicious salad (see page 83), as do raw peas, if they are really young and tender.

In the last couple of years a new variety of pea has appeared, called the sugar snap, an edible-pod type of great flavor and distinction. It is different from the flat Chinese snow pea because the peas are fully formed inside the sweet, crunchy, edible pod. All you have to do is remove the stem end and little strings, and then eat the whole thing, either raw or cooked very simply—blanched and tossed with butter or sautéed or stir-fried until the shells just turn green.

Boiled Peas

Makes 4 servings

3 to 4 pounds peas in the pod

1 teaspoon sugar

Butter

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

Shell the peas just before they are to be cooked. Cook them gently in a small amount of unsalted boiling water with the sugar for about 10 to 15 minutes, according to size, or until just tender. Drain well and toss in the pan with an ample amount of butter, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

Buttered Peas with Herbs. Sprinkle the buttered peas with fresh chopped parsley, tarragon, or mint.

Buttered Peas with Mushrooms. Combine the buttered peas with an equal quantity of sautéed sliced mushrooms and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon.

Buttered Peas with Green Onions. Thinly slice green onions, or scallions, heat through in a little butter, and toss with the peas.

Buttered Peas with Tiny Pearl Onions. The tiny pickling onions are hard to get these days. If you can find them, parboil them in salted boiling water, then cook with the peas.

Puréed Peas. Boil the peas until tender, then purée in a food mill, using the fine blade, or a food processor. For a finer texture, force the puréed peas through a tamis or a very fine sieve. Mix with 4 to 6 tablespoons butter, salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and, if you like, 1 or 2 tablespoons heavy cream.

Peas with Heavy Cream

Makes 4 servings

3 to 4 pounds peas in the pod

6 tablespoons butter

1 cup heavy cream (approximately)

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

Shell the peas. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan and add the peas. Cover with heavy cream and cook gently until the peas are tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Just before serving, add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Peas with Cream and Herbs. Add finely chopped parsley or a little chopped mint, or both, to the preceding if you wish.

Peppers

In my kitchen, no pepper is used until it has first been peeled. If the peppers are to be stuffed, I may decide just to blanch them in boiling water to retain the shape, but that is the only time I make an exception. I consider the flavor of the peeled pepper more distinguished and delicious, and the vegetable lies more gently on the stomach when there is no tough skin to digest.

There are always plenty of green bell peppers in the markets, more of the red than formerly, and occasionally some yellow peppers, but not often. Red and yellow peppers are much more decorative to serve than green and have a richer flavor, but green will suffice if there is nothing else. If you can stand the heat, hot peppers can be treated in the same ways as sweet bell peppers.

To Roast and Peel Peppers

If you have a gas range, impale the pepper on a fork and turn over the flame until the skin blisters and pops. Or put on a pan under the broiler, and broil, turning the peppers frequently, until the skins turn black. After that the peeling process is easy. Let the peppers cool slightly, then pinch and pull the skin away with your fingers, using the point of a knife on stubborn spots. Sometimes it helps to put the peppers in a paper bag or wrap them in damp paper towels before peeling, as the steam they give off helps to loosen the skins. Remove the seeds after the pepper has been peeled and, unless you are going to stuff them, cut the peppers in half.

Peppers Sautéed in Olive Oil

A nice change of pace with pork, veal, or chicken dishes.

Makes 4 servings

4 large or 8 small peppers, peeled, seeded, and cut in ½-inch strips

4 to 5 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

1 to 2 tablespoons shredded fresh basil leaves

1 tablespoon wine vinegar, or more to taste

Grated Parmesan cheese

Sauté pepper strips a few minutes in olive oil with the chopped garlic and salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Add the shredded basil and vinegar and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle lightly with grated Parmesan cheese.

Sautéed Peppers with Braised Beef. Omit the Parmesan cheese and vinegar and add the sautéed peppers to the sauce for a braised beef or beef stew.

Sautéed Peppers with Roast Chicken. Double the recipe and smother a good-sized roast chicken with the sautéed peppers.

Sautéed Peppers with Onion Rings. Combine the sautéed peppers with an equal quantity of sautéed onion rings and serve with steak or hamburgers.

Sautéed Peppers with Pasta. Add an extra clove garlic, finely chopped, and a good amount of fresh basil, cut into thin strips, as you sauté the peppers. Use as a sauce for 1 pound pasta, cooked to your taste and thoroughly drained. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.

Peppers Sautéed in Butter

Makes 4 servings

4 large or 8 small peppers, peeled, seeded, and cut in ½-inch strips

4 tablespoons butter

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons lemon or lime juice

Very gently sauté the peppers in the butter until just heated through. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and add the lemon or lime juice.

Sautéed Peppers with Pork Chops. Heap the sautéed pepper slices on 4 grilled pork chops.

Sautéed Peppers with Corn Kernels. Combine the sautéed peppers with 2 to 2½ cups cooked corn kernels, freshly cut from the cob. Omit the lemon or lime juice, add 4 tablespoons extra butter and an additional grind or two of black pepper, and heat thoroughly.

Sautéed Peppers with Italian Sausages. Cook the pepper slices with 1 or 2 finely chopped cloves garlic and combine with 4 to 8 Italian sausages (depending on size), briefly poached in water and then broiled until delicately browned. Heat through and serve at once, or use the pepper-sausage mixture as a sauce for your favorite pasta, and serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Peppers Vinaigrette

Makes 6 to 8 servings

6 to 8 large peeled red, yellow, or green peppers, or a combination

3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

1 to 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 to 2 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar, or other wine vinegar

Salt to taste

Cut the peeled peppers into ½-inch strips. Combine the oil, garlic, and vinegar, and pour over the pepper strips. These may be served warm or cold and will hold in the refrigerator, covered, for several days.

Peppers Vinaigrette with Mint. Add to the vinaigrette mixture 1 tablespoon or more finely chopped fresh mint or parsley.

Peppers Vinaigrette with Anchovies. Serve the peppers flanked with anchovy fillets.

Peppers Vinaigrette with Mozzarella and Tomatoes. Top slices of mozzarella cheese with sliced tomatoes, strips of pepper vinaigrette, and anchovy fillets.

Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed peppers are a great American tradition. Blanch or peel them, then stuff with various savory mixtures or leftover chopped meat, and bake with a little broth.

Makes 8 servings

8 rather small peppers

2 pounds well-seasoned sausage meat

1 cup stock

Remove the tops, seeds, and membranes from the peppers and blanch them for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the peppers well and make a few small holes in the bottom of each with the point of a small knife. Stuff the peppers with the sausage meat. Arrange in a baking dish, add the stock, and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes in a 375° oven. Serve the stuffed peppers with scrambled eggs, poached eggs on toast, or shirred eggs (see page 251).

Peppers Stuffed with Leftover Meat. Instead of sausage meat, use cooked chopped beef, pork, or chicken mixed with finely chopped onion, garlic, and bread crumbs and highly seasoned.

Peppers Stuffed with Corn Kernels. Fill the peppers with whole-kernel corn, add a dab or two of butter and a spoonful of heavy cream and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Buttered crumbs may be placed on top if you like.

Potatoes

Buy your potatoes according to the way you are going to use them. The waxy types, such as California long whites and new potatoes, are best for boiling and slicing, for potato salads (see pages 93–96), hash browns (see page 170), and the various hashes. I like to cook the small round new potatoes whole, either boiled, steamed, or quickly baked in their jackets in a 425° oven for 20 to 30 minutes. They can also be cut into chunks with the skin on and deep-fried (see Theory & Practice, page 230).

Our greatest baking potato, of course, is the brown-skinned Idaho, which is grown in soil with a high lava content like the soil in Peru, where potatoes originated.

Baked Potatoes

Allow 1 potato per serving, or half a potato if they are extra large. Scrub them well and prick the skins a little to allow an escape route for the steam so the potato doesn’t burst. Place on the rack of a preheated 425° oven and bake for about 1 to 1½ hours, or until soft to the touch when squeezed. Split and serve at once.

I so love the earthy flavor of good baked potatoes that I put nothing on them but coarsely ground black pepper, but others may prefer them with salt, pepper, and a good dollop of butter. The standard recipe of sour cream and chives is not something I am particularly fond of, as I feel it detracts from the flavor.

Baked Potatoes with Yogurt. Split the potato, add a dollop of yogurt and freshly ground black pepper.

Baked Potatoes with Beef Drippings. If you are serving the potato with roast beef or a broiled steak, moisten it with a little of the tasty pan drippings, and season with salt and pepper.

Disgustingly Rich Potatoes

I gleaned from Mildred Knopf a great idea for using the skins of baked potatoes after the pulp has been scooped out for this dish and serving them with cocktails. See Twice-Baked Potato Skins (page 38).

Makes 6 servings

6 large Idaho potatoes

¾ cup butter

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup heavy cream

4 tablespoons butter

Gruyère or Cheddar cheese, shredded

Bake the potatoes until soft, split lengthwise and scoop the pulp into a mixing bowl, scraping the shells well. Add the ¾ cup butter, salt, pepper, and cream, mix lightly, and transfer to a flat baking dish. Dot with the 4 tablespoons butter and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake in a 375° oven for 15 minutes.

Gratin of Potatoes

Makes 6 servings

2 pounds Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut in ¼-inch slices

¾ pound Gruyère cheese, cut in tiny cubes

2 eggs

2 cups milk

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

⅛ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

Arrange in a well-buttered baking dish layers of potato slices alternating with cubes of cheese. Beat the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and pour over the potatoes. Bake in a 350° oven for 1¼ to 1½ hours, or until liquid is absorbed and potatoes soft.

Mashed Potatoes

This most basic of American methods of serving potatoes can be turned into something as elegant as Duchesse Potatoes.

Makes 6 servings

8 medium potatoes

¾ stick (6 tablespoons) butter

Salt to taste

½ cup heavy cream, heated

Freshly ground black pepper

Peel the potatoes and boil until they are tender. Drain well, return to the pan, and toss them quickly over moderate heat to dry them. Mash the potatoes with a masher, add the butter and salt, and mash again. Add the hot cream, and whip the potatoes with a spatula or a whisk until they are light and fluffy. Place the potatoes in a heated serving dish with an extra pat of butter in the center, and dust them with freshly ground black pepper. If the potatoes are exceptionally dry, you may add more cream.

Mashed Potatoes with Parsley or Chives. Whip in a little chopped parsley or chopped chives, or both.

Mashed Potatoes and Yellow Turnips. Whip together equal quantities of whipped potatoes and yellow turnips that have been mashed with butter.

Duchesse Potatoes. After adding the cream, add 2 or 3 egg yolks and whip potatoes vigorously. This mixture is usually forced through a pastry bag with a rosette tube to form small medallions on a buttered baking sheet, or to make a border on a planked dish. Brown the medallions lightly in a 375° oven before serving.

German Fried Potatoes

Makes 4 servings

4 to 6 medium-sized firm, waxy potatoes

5 tablespoons butter

Salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste

Peel the potatoes and slice ⅛ inch thick. Heat the butter in a large skillet, add the potato slices, and sauté over fairly intense heat until crisp and brown, turning them often with a spatula and seasoning them as they cook with salt and pepper.

Hash Brown Potatoes

For this use the best boiling potatoes you can find. They should be firm and waxy. New potatoes or medium-size potatoes that are not too floury are good. Once cooked, they need not be fried right away; they can be left overnight.

Makes 6 servings

6 to 8 potatoes

8 tablespoons butter

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

Boil the potatoes in their skins in a small amount of salted water, covered, until just barely pierceable—for hash browns it is better if they are not completely cooked. Drain, peel, and chop fairly coarse. Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a black iron or Teflon-lined skillet (you may add a tablespoon of oil if you like). When hot, add potatoes and press down well. Cook over fairly brisk heat until a brown crust forms on the bottom. Invert the pan onto a plate and slide out the potato cake. Return pan to heat, add rest of butter to pan, slide potatoes back, unbrowned side down, and brown the second side. Salt and pepper on both sides during cooking. Slide the potatoes out onto a hot plate and serve at once.

Roesti. Boil potatoes for about 10 minutes, or until they are half cooked. Peel and shred. Cook as for hash brown potatoes, pressing the shreds into a cake with a spatula.

Potatoes Sautéed in Beef Suet

The rich flavor that the beef suet and the crisp cracklings impart to the potatoes makes them taste like poor man’s steak.

Makes 4 servings

3 tablespoons rendered beef suet with cracklings

4 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled, and sliced about ¼ inch thick

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

When rendering the beef suet in the skillet, leave the crisp cracklings in the pan. Add the potatoes to the hot fat and sauté in batches over medium-high heat until nicely browned and crisp around the edges, sprinkling them with salt and pepper as they cook.

Salsify

At one time there was a great vogue for salsify, sometimes called oyster plant because people believed it had a flavor reminiscent of oysters (vegetarians even made mock-oyster soup with salsify), although I have never been able to detect any similarity. It then dropped into virtual oblivion and is now hard to find and correspondingly expensive. This long skinny root, rather like a parsnip, varies in color from light brown to very dark. Before cooking, scrape the roots, remove any little tendrils, and toss the salsify into a bowl of cold acidulated water, to prevent its discoloring, until ready to cook.

Boiled Salsify

Makes 4 servings

2 to 3 pounds salsify, whole or cut in 3-inch lengths

6 to 8 tablespoons butter

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

Chopped parsley

Cook the salsify in boiling salted water until just tender—about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain well, and serve with butter, salt and pepper to taste, and chopped fresh parsley.

Salsify with Mornay Sauce. Arrange the cooked salsify in a baking dish, cover with a rich mornay sauce (page 531), sprinkle with buttered crumbs and freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and heat in a 350° oven for about 20 minutes, or until bubbling hot.

Sautéed Salsify. Melt 6 to 8 tablespoons butter in a heavy skillet, add the cooked, well-drained salsify, and cook over moderate heat, shaking the pan often, until delicately browned. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley.

Salsify with Shallots and Lemon. Sauté ½ cup finely chopped shallots in the butter before the final sautéing of the salsify. Just before serving, add about 2 teaspoons lemon juice and shake the pan well.

Spinach

Spinach is certainly one of our most versatile vegetables. Delicious by itself, either as leaf spinach, chopped, or as a purée, it also combines magnificently well with various other foods, notably with fish, eggs, and cheese, and in the south of France it emerges as a dessert, combined with sugar, a custardy sauce, and apricots. I am happy to think that the days are over when children loathed spinach because they were forced to eat something that was supposedly good for them.

Wilted Spinach

Makes 4 servings

2 pounds fresh spinach

⅓ cup melted butter

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

A little lemon juice or vinegar

Wash the spinach extremely well, drain it, and transfer it to a heavy pot, with no water other than that which clings to the leaves. Let it wilt, covered, over medium to high heat, making sure to toss it once or twice during the wilting process. This should take just minutes. When wilted, drain at once, and if you are serving it en branche toss it with butter, salt and pepper to taste, and lemon juice or vinegar.

Spinach with Nutmeg. Toss the cooked spinach with melted butter and finely ground nutmeg to taste.

Spinach with Garlic and Oil. While the spinach is cooking, sauté 2 to 3 finely chopped cloves garlic in 4 tablespoons olive oil. Season spinach with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and toss well with the garlic and oil to blend the flavors. Add a touch of vinegar, if you wish.

Spinach with Hard-Boiled Egg. Toss the wilted spinach with 4 to 5 tablespoons olive oil and a touch of nutmeg. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with 1 or 2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered or coarsely chopped.

Puréed Spinach. Drain the wilted spinach extremely well. Purée in a food processor or chop it extremely fine by hand and add 4 to 6 tablespoons melted butter, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, and a dash of nutmeg. Blend very well. Serve topped with buttered crumbs.

Tossed Spinach

Makes 4 servings

2 pounds fresh spinach

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 or 3 finely chopped shallots

3 tablespoons soy sauce

Wash and dry the spinach thoroughly. Heat the olive oil in a very large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the pepper, shallots, soy sauce, and spinach. With a wooden fork and spoon toss the spinach as if you were tossing a salad. Be patient and keep tossing. Eat as soon as it is wilted.

Spinach with Almonds and Garlic. Substitute garlic cloves for the shallots, add about ½ cup coarsely chopped toasted almonds while you toss the spinach, and finish it off with a good dash of Tabasco.

Spinach with Bacon Bits. Toss the spinach with shallots and soy, as above, and just before serving add a good ½ cup crisp bacon bits.

Spinach with Tomatoes. Sauté ⅔ cup chopped onion in 6 tablespoons olive oil. Add the uncooked spinach; 3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped; and a dash of nutmeg. Cook until the spinach is just wilted, tossing well. Just before serving add ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese.

Summer Squash

Summer squash have become much more a part of our vegetable lives since we have learned that they should be cooked fast so they don’t disintegrate to an unappetizing mushiness. Look for the youngest, smallest, and firmest squash you can find and don’t on any account peel them. My favorite method of cooking zucchini, the little yellow straightnecks and crooknecks, and the tiny pattypans or scalloped squash is to steam them briefly and serve them with plenty of butter, or to slice and sauté them.

Steamed Summer Squash

Makes 6 servings

1½ pounds summer squash

6 to 7 tablespoons melted butter

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

Lemon juice

Trim off ends of squash and leave whole, if they are really small. Otherwise, cut into 1-inch pieces. Cook in a small amount of boiling salted water in a heavy saucepan until just crisply tender, about 8 minutes. Dress with melted butter, salt and pepper to taste, and a dash of lemon juice.

Summer Squash with Oil, Herbs, and Garlic. Toss the cooked squash with 6 tablespoons olive oil, 2 or 3 finely chopped garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, and 1 tablespoon finely chopped dill (if available). Serve at once.

Sautéed Summer Squash

Makes 6 servings

1½ pounds summer squash

6 tablespoons butter or olive oil or a combination of the two

4 or 5 green onions, or scallions, finely chopped

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Lemon juice

Trim the squash and slice thin or cut in long fingers (for zucchini or crooknecks). Heat the fat in a heavy skillet and sauté the green onions until just translucent. Add the squash and sauté very quickly, tossing well, and seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving, add the parsley and a dash of lemon juice.

Sautéed Zucchini

Makes 6 servings

1½ pounds small, firm zucchini

6 tablespoons butter or olive oil or a combination of the two

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

Trim ends from the zucchini and slice coin-thin (the food processor slicing attachment is good for this). Heat the butter or oil in a heavy skillet, add the zucchini and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes over medium to high heat, tossing well. Season with salt and pepper to taste as they cook. Serve at once.

Zucchini Sautéed with Garlic and Herbs. Add 2 or 3 finely chopped garlic cloves when sautéing the zucchini. Just before serving add 2 tablespoons chopped parsley and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil.

Zucchini Sautéed with Shallots. Sauté ½ cup finely chopped shallots in the butter or oil until just translucent, then add the zucchini. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Zucchini Sautéed with Walnuts. Add ½ cup shelled, coarsely chopped walnuts to the zucchini and sauté as before, shaking the pan until the zucchini is crisply tender and the walnuts heated through. Serve garnished with 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley and a few more walnuts.

Shredded Zucchini

Makes 6 servings

6 to 7 small, firm zucchini

6 tablespoons butter

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

1 to 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Trim the zucchini and shred, either on a grater by hand or with the shredding attachment of the food processor. Put shreds in a heavy dish towel, bring ends together and twist towel, squeezing the shreds to remove all the excess liquid. Melt the butter in a heavy skillet. When hot, add the zucchini and toss very quickly until the shreds are just crisply tender and delicately browned. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with parsley.

Zucchini Pancake. Heat 4 tablespoons butter or olive oil or a combination of the two in a very heavy skillet. Add the shredded zucchini and press down into a flat cake with a spatula. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Shake the pan gently so the cake does not stick. When brown on underside, invert a plate over the pan and turn out the zucchini cake. Add 2 tablespoons more butter to skillet, and when hot, slip zucchini cake back into pan, uncooked side down, and cook until crisp and brown. Slide onto a plate and serve cut in wedges.

Zucchini Pancake with Cheese. This slightly different version of the zucchini pancake is mixed with eggs and cheese. Cook the shredded zucchini and 1 or 2 finely chopped garlic cloves in 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil, tossing well, until lightly browned. Remove to a bowl and mix with 1 egg and ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese. Reheat the pan, add more butter and oil if needed, return zucchini to pan and press down into a flat cake. Brown on one side, then either flip the cake over as you would a flapjack or, if you are not that dextrous, invert onto a plate, slide back into pan, uncooked side down, and cook until brown and crisp.

Zucchini Blossoms

The flowers of the zucchini are absolutely delicious deep-fried or sautéed. If you are gathering them from your own garden, pick only the male blossoms that grow on thin stems (the females have a small zucchini forming at the base of the flower) or you’ll have no zucchini crop. Zucchini blossoms can be found in Italian markets in summer, sold in bunches.

Deep-Fried Zucchini Blossoms

Allow 6 blossoms per serving. Gently wash and dry the blossoms, trim off stalks, and dip in beer batter (see page 188). Deep fry in 360° oil until crisply brown, about 4 to 5 minutes, drain on absorbent paper, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Zucchini Blossom Omelet. Use the deep-fried blossoms as an omelet filling, adding 2 or 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese.

Zucchini Blossoms with Scrambled Eggs. Incorporate the sautéed blossoms into the eggs about midway in the cooking, allowing 2 blossoms per serving.

Cheese Soufflé with Zucchini Blossoms. Incorporate the sautéed blossoms into the sauce base for a Parmesan cheese soufflé, before mixing with the egg whites.

Winter Squash

The most common of the so-called winter squashes, some of which are no longer confined to the winter months but in markets for most of the year, are the acorn, butternut, banana, turban, and Hubbard. In the fall, you can usually buy the huge Hubbards and the banana squash cut in pieces with the hard skin left on, ready to cook. Acorn, turban, and butternut are sold whole, though some markets peel the butternut and sell it in plastic bags. I find it keeps better in the skin. A new type of hard-shell squash that has become very popular with dieters who long for a pasta substitute is spaghetti squash, the stringy inside of which is like strands of spaghetti. If you grow this squash in your garden, it may be picked when small and immature and treated like summer squash.

Boiled Spaghetti Squash

Boil the whole hard-shell squash in water to cover for 20 to 30 minutes, according to size, then split, drain, and remove the seeds. With a fork, scrape out the spaghetti-like strands of the flesh and serve with any light, delicate pasta sauce (see pages 279–285).

Spiced Winter Squash

Makes 4 servings

2 pounds Hubbard, banana, or butternut squash, cut in pieces, seeds removed

6 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

½ teaspoon allspice

½ teaspoon mace

Put the squash on a rack or in a steam basket over simmering water and steam until the flesh is just tender, which will depend on the size and age of the squash. Do not overcook. Scrape the pulp from the shell and beat well with a fork or whisk, adding the butter, salt, and spices, until light and fluffy. Serve in a heated dish dotted with more butter.

Winter Squash with Black Walnuts. Omit spices. Add ½ cup coarsely chopped black walnuts to the purée. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Winter Squash with Pecans and Ginger. Beat the steamed squash with the butter and add ½ cup chopped pecans, ¼ cup finely chopped candied ginger, and ⅓ cup dry sherry. Put in a deep 9-inch baking dish, dot with butter, and bake in a 350° oven until butter is melted and squash hot.

Winter Squash with Peanuts. Use ½ cup coarsely chopped salted peanuts instead of black walnuts.

Puréed Winter Squash with Raw Zucchini. Omit spices. Mix ½ cup shredded raw zucchini into the hot purée for a lovely color, flavor, and texture contrast. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Winter Squash Soufflé

Makes 6 servings

1½ cups puréed steamed winter squash

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon nutmeg

6 tablespoons butter

5 egg yolks

7 egg whites

Combine squash with the seasonings and butter and beat lightly. Mix in the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold one-quarter of the whites into the purée, incorporating thoroughly. Lightly fold in the remaining whites. Pour mixture into a well-buttered 1½-quart soufflé dish, stand dish in a roasting pan half filled with hot water, and place on top of the stove over medium heat for 5 minutes. (This will help to stabilize the soufflé and quicken the rising process.) Preheat the oven to 375°. Remove dish from the water to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Baked Hubbard Squash

Because of the hard, thick skin, Hubbard squash is impossible to peel and practically has to be chopped into pieces with a hatchet; fortunately markets sell the squash cut up and ready for steaming or baking. There is something particularly appetizing about having a big square of the crinkly-skinned, orange-fleshed Hubbard, adrip with butter and delicately brown around the edges, on a plate with roast pork, chicken or turkey, or corned beef. Use one 4- to 5-inch square of Hubbard squash per person. Spread with 2 tablespoons of soft butter and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place the squash in a baking pan and bake in a 350° oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until tender.

Baked Hubbard Squash with Bacon. Place a slice or two of bacon on the squash instead of spreading with the butter.

Baked Hubbard Squash with Brown Sugar. Prepare as for Baked Hubbard Squash, and sprinkle the squash lightly with brown sugar.

Baked Butternut Squash

While butternut is delicious peeled, cubed, steamed, and mashed with salt, pepper, and either butter, sour cream, or yogurt, or treated like Spiced Winter Squash, the hard but thin skin becomes completely soft and edible when baked. Try it this way sometime. The squash retains more flavor, stays firm, and is highly economical, as you can eat it all.

Makes 4 servings

2 small butternut squash

Unsalted butter

2 small white onions, finely sliced or chopped

Salt, freshly ground black pepper or aromatic pepper (see note)

2 tablespoons butter mixed with 1 teaspoon chopped parsley and chives or parsley and dill, or 2 tablespoons green peppercorn butter (see page 318)

Wash squash and cut in half lengthwise, removing strings and seeds. Slice in long strips about ½ inch thick, skin and all. Well butter a large glass casserole or baking dish (you can use other flavorful fats instead of the butter, such as goose or duck fat) and scatter the onion over the bottom. Arrange squash on onion, skin side down, sprinkle with salt and pepper or aromatic pepper, and dot with the herb or green peppercorn butter, cut in small pieces. Cover casserole with aluminum foil and bake in a 400° oven for 40 minutes, or until squash and skin are soft enough to eat, but not mushy. Remove foil once or twice during baking and brush surface of squash with the melted butter.

NOTE: To make aromatic pepper, grind a mixture of 3 parts black peppercorns, 2 parts white peppercorns, and 1 part allspice berries.

Baked Acorn or Turban Squash

Makes 6 servings

3 good-sized acorn or turban squash

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

Split the squash crosswise, remove seeds and strings, fill cavities with a tablespoon of butter, add salt and pepper. Bake in a 350° oven until tender, about 45 to 50 minutes.

Acorn or Turban Squash with Bacon and Garlic. Omit butter. Put 1 slice of bacon, cut in pieces, and just a touch of finely chopped garlic in each cavity, season, and bake until squash is tender and bacon crisp.

Acorn or Turban Squash with Maple Sugar and Bacon. Sprinkle the cavity with 1 teaspoon maple sugar before adding the bacon. Omit garlic.

Tomatoes

When tomatoes are perfect, ripe and luscious, they are perhaps the most admirable of all our vegetable-fruits. Unfortunately, it’s hard to find them that way. So-called advances in vegetable culture designed to give tomatoes greater shelf life have all but ruined them. Florida tomatoes are gassed to give them color, at the expense of flavor and texture—and resemble pink flannel. In the West we do get good tomatoes from Mexico and some from California, but in the East we are forced to wait until the local tomatoes are in season and can be enjoyed to the hilt. Out of season it is much better to cook with good-quality canned tomatoes, such as the small Italian plum tomatoes from California, Italy, and other places. There are many good brands of canned tomatoes on the market and it pays to shop around until you find one you like. I recently came across a brand from California, canned in tomato purée, that was delicious.

Stewed Fresh Tomatoes

One of my favorite ways of preparing fresh, ripe seasonal tomatoes is to stew them. I often eat this most satisfying dish for lunch, varying the seasonings and occasionally adding a poached egg. Good canned tomatoes can be substituted (use about 1½ cups as the equivalent of 1 pound fresh tomatoes).

Makes 4 servings

4 pounds ripe tomatoes

4 tablespoons butter

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

Scald the tomatoes in boiling water and run them under cold water. Cut out the cores and peel the tomatoes, using your fingers to remove the skin. Cut the tomatoes into large chunks and place in a heavy saucepan with the butter. Cover and cook slowly over medium heat until they begin to break down. Add salt and pepper to taste and continue cooking until well blended, 8 to 10 minutes or slightly longer. Correct the seasonings and serve the tomatoes with an additional dab of butter, if you wish.

Stewed Tomatoes with Basil. Add 2 tablespoons finely cut basil leaves and 4 additional tablespoons butter to the stewed tomatoes.

Stewed Tomatoes with Onion. Cut 1 medium-size onion in thin slices and sauté in 3 tablespoons butter until just translucent. Add to the tomatoes and cook until well blended and soft.

Stewed Tomatoes with Garlic and Lemon Zest. Add to the stewed tomatoes 1 finely chopped garlic clove. Just before serving, add 1 to 2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest and 2 additional tablespoons butter.

Stewed Tomatoes with Chilies. Add to the stewed tomatoes 3 finely chopped canned peeled green chilies and 1 chopped garlic clove.

Stewed Tomatoes with Poached Eggs. Drop poached eggs into individual bowls of stewed tomatoes at the last minute, along with little dabs of butter.

Scalloped Fresh Tomatoes

These have always been a great American standby.

Makes 4 servings

8 to 10 medium-size ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded

1 to 1½ cups fresh bread crumbs

1 to 1½ sticks butter, cut in small pieces

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Butter a deep baking dish and alternate layers of tomato slices, crumbs, dots of butter, and salt and pepper, finishing with a top layer of crumbs. Salt and pepper the crumbs and dot with butter. Bake in a 350° oven for about 20 to 25 minutes and serve bubbling hot.

Scalloped Canned Tomatoes. Line a baking dish with crumbs and add a 32-ounce can of Italian plum tomatoes, salt, freshly ground black pepper, and ¼ cup finely chopped onion or shallot. Cover liberally with additional crumbs, dot with butter, and bake in a 350° oven for 35 to 40 minutes.

Baked Tomatoes Stuffed with Mozzarella

A versatile and attractive little dish I like to serve as a first course, with veal scaloppine, or as a light luncheon entrée. Dieters who live in parts of the country where fresh mozzarella is made should look out for the cheese made with skim milk and no salt.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

4 to 6 large, ripe, firm tomatoes

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

¼ to ½ pound mozzarella cheese (amount depends on size of tomatoes)

2 tablespoons minced fresh basil, or 2 teaspoons dried basil

Cut a slice from the top of each tomato. Using a teaspoon, scoop out the pulp and seeds. Turn the tomato shells upside down on a platter and allow them to drain for about 15 minutes. Use some of the oil to brush a baking dish just large enough to hold the tomatoes. Place them in the dish. Season each tomato cavity with salt and pepper, and drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil into each one. Chop the mozzarella fine and mix it with the basil. Stuff the tomatoes with this mixture. With a pastry brush, brush the outside skin of the tomatoes with the remaining olive oil. Bake in a preheated 375° oven for about 20 minutes, or until the mozzarella has melted. Serve hot.

Baked Tomatoes Stuffed with Corn. Blend a little of the chopped tomato pulp with 2 cups corn kernels, 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley or basil, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 6 tablespoons melted butter. Stuff tomato shells, cover tops with bread crumbs, dot with butter, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Greek Tomatoes. Sauté 1 finely chopped small onion and 2 chopped garlic cloves in 6 tablespoons butter until limp. Mix in 2½ cups cooked rice, ½ cup ground cooked lamb, ¼ cup pine nuts, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1 teaspoon dried oregano or basil. Stuff tomato shells and arrange in a baking dish. Combine ½ cup olive oil, ¼ cup tomato purée, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Pour over tomatoes and bake in a 350° oven for 30 minutes, basting now and then with the sauce. Serve hot as a light main course or cold as a first course with a touch of wine vinegar to add zip.

Broiled Herbed Tomatoes

If the tomatoes are very large, cut them in half. If small, merely cut off a generous portion of the top.

Makes 6 servings

3 large tomatoes, halved, or 6 smaller tomatoes, tops cut off

6 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs

4 tablespoons chopped parsley

4 tablespoons chopped basil (optional)

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

Sprinkle the tops of the tomatoes with a mixture of the crumbs, herbs, and garlic. Dot tops with butter or dribble olive oil on them. Place under a preheated broiler, about 4 to 5 inches from the heat, and broil for about 10 minutes, or until tomatoes are heated through and crumbs nicely browned, watching carefully to make sure the crumbs do not burn.

Broiled Tomatoes with Pesto. Sprinkle the tops of the tomatoes with bread crumbs and spread each one with 1 to 2 teaspoons pesto. Broil about 5 inches from the heat.

Broiled Tomatoes with Garlic and Spices. Remove tops from 6 large ripe but firm tomatoes, squeeze lightly to loosen the pulp and drain upside down on paper towels. Combine ½ cup olive oil, 3 finely chopped garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, a touch of nutmeg, and ½ cup bread crumbs and spread this over the tops of the tomatoes. Brush lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and broil about 5 inches from the heat for 12 to 15 minutes.

Sautéed Tomatoes

Good for breakfast with bacon or ham, or with hamburger or roast chicken.

Makes 4 servings

4 small to medium tomatoes

½ cup flour

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons olive oil

Slice the tomatoes rather thick. Season the flour with salt and pepper to taste and dip the tomato slices in the flour, lightly coating both sides. Heat the butter and oil in a skillet and sauté the slices rather quickly until lightly browned on both sides and heated through.

Pennsylvania Dutch Tomatoes

Makes 6 servings

Flour

6 rather firm tomatoes, cut in thick slices

5 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons oil

⅔ cup (approximately) firmly packed brown sugar

1½ cups heavy cream

Flour the tomato slices very well on both sides. Melt the butter and oil in a heavy skillet and add the tomato slices. While they’re cooking sprinkle the tops generously with brown sugar. Turn the slices and again sprinkle them with brown sugar. Allow the slices to caramelize, then turn them so the other side can caramelize as well. Add the heavy cream to the pan and allow the slices to simmer in it for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the tomato slices to a hot platter and serve them with plenty of crisp bacon and buttered toast.

Fried Green Tomatoes with Cream. Green tomatoes may be sliced thick, floured, and treated in exactly the same fashion.

Steamed Cherry Tomatoes

Makes 6 servings

4 tablespoons butter

2 pint baskets cherry tomatoes

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon, or more, chopped fresh dill, basil, or tarragon

Melt the butter in the upper part of a double boiler. Wash and dry the tomatoes and add them to the butter. Add the salt, freshly ground black pepper, and herb of your choice. Cover and cook over boiling water until they are just tender.

Steamed Peeled Cherry Tomatoes. Pour boiling water over the cherry tomatoes and let them stand for 1 minute, then plunge them into cold water. Carefully peel the tomatoes and place them in the top of a double boiler. Add ⅔ cup melted butter, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon chopped chives, 1 tablespoon cut fresh basil or tarragon. Heat over boiling water until just heated through. Do not overcook. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Turnips

This is a plea for greater appreciation of the turnip, one of our most maligned and least understood vegetables. Although it is widely used by the Chinese, the Scandinavians, the French, the British, and the Germans, here it is a social outcast. I can’t understand why, as I’m terribly fond of turnips; perhaps no one has bothered to taste turnips lately. But as they are with us most of the year, I think it is high time we learned how to make the most of them. Start slowly. Carve turnips into small lozenges about as long as an olive, the way the French do, then add to stews and sautés to enrich the flavor of the sauce or gravy. You can place the lozenges under a roast to brown in the fat along with roast potatoes, or add them to a New England boiled dinner or a pot-au-feu. They may also be lightly browned in butter first with a touch of sugar to glaze them (see Theory & Practice, page 211). Glazed turnips have a natural affinity for game. Before long you will find yourself quite infatuated with this peppery vegetable.

These days we have a good variety of turnips, mainly the big yellow turnips, also called rutabagas, and the white globe turnips with a little band of purple around the top and greens that are delicious when cooked (see page 150). There are also tiny white turnips and, at times, you may see in specialty markets a dwarf variety, known as rapinata, which have a very delicate flavor and tender little greens.

Buttered White Turnips

Makes 4 servings

1½ pounds white turnips, peeled and sliced

2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

Cook the sliced turnips in a small amount of boiling salted water until just tender, about 15 minutes, according to size and age. Drain. Toss with the butter and salt and pepper to taste.

Buttered Turnips with Mushrooms. Combine the buttered turnips with an equal quantity of lightly sautéed mushrooms.

Gratin of Turnip

Makes 4 to 6 servings

4 medium or 6 small turnips, peeled and sliced

Salt, freshly ground black pepper

2 cups cooked rice

4 to 5 tablespoons butter

1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Cook the turnips in boiling salted water until tender. Drain. Add salt and pepper to taste. Arrange the turnips with alternating layers of rice in a gratin or baking dish and dot with butter. Bake in a 350° oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with the cheese and parsley, and return to the oven until the cheese has melted. Serve with lamb, beef, or chicken dishes.

Buttered Yellow Turnips or Rutabagas

Makes 4 servings

1 large rutabaga, weighing about 1½ pounds, peeled and diced

2 to 3 tablespoons butter

Freshly ground black pepper

Cook the diced turnip in a small amount of boiling salted water until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well. Toss with the butter and plenty of pepper.

With Yogurt. If you are watching calories, stir in cold yogurt and omit the butter.

Mashed Rutabagas. Mash the cooked rutabagas, season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and beat in 6 tablespoons melted butter.

With Madeira or Sherry. Flavor the mashed rutabaga with a tablespoon of Madeira or sherry, turn into a casserole, sprinkle the top heavily with bread crumbs, and place in a 350° oven until the top is browned.

With Mashed Potatoes. Combine the mashed rutabagas with an equal quantity of mashed potatoes, a generous amount of butter, and heavy cream to taste. (This is what I call a contagious dish; once you’ve been exposed to it you’ll use it often.)

With Duxelles. Combine the mashed rutabagas with about ½ cup duxelles (see page 535), lacing it in for a marbleized effect. This is a startlingly good flavor combination. You might think the strong peppery taste of the turnips would wipe out the delicate mushroom quality but, oddly enough, they meet on equal ground.

Raw White Turnips

Cut peeled raw white turnips into thin round slices or julienne strips and serve as crudités or toss in a salad. Or shred the turnips and combine with other shredded vegetables such as carrots, beets, and cabbage, and toss with vinaigrette sauce or a yogurt dressing.

French-Fried Vegetables

Far too often French-fried vegetables are ruined by the wrong batter and poor frying, but when properly prepared they can be tender and delicious.

I greatly favor a beer batter for vegetables because the yeast in the beer gives a lightness and crispness to the batter. Vegetables that lend themselves to being dipped in batter and fried are artichoke hearts, artichoke bottoms, asparagus, green beans, wax beans, cauliflower flowerets, broccoli flowerets, small Brussels sprouts (if large, cut in half), eggplant fingers or slices (soaked first in salted water, then pressed to release the bitter juices and dried well), mushrooms, green and red pepper rings or strips, snow peas, sugar snap peas, spinach leaves, fiddlehead ferns, salsify, green onions, and strips of cabbage leaves. Onion rings are much better if dipped in a buttermilk batter (see Theory & Practice, page 222), and okra and zucchini should be floured and rolled in crumbs or cornmeal for deep-frying.

Beer Batter

Enough for approximately 2 pounds vegetables

¾ cup flour

2 eggs, separated

1½ teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons salad oil

¾ cup beer at room temperature

Freshly ground black pepper

Place the flour in a mixing bowl and add the egg yolks, salt, oil, beer, and a grind or two of pepper. Stir the batter clockwise with a wire whisk until thoroughly mixed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to rest for anywhere from 2 to 24 hours. Stir the batter well. In a separate bowl beat the 2 egg whites with a wire whisk until stiff but not dry. Gently fold the whites into the batter.

NOTE: The same batter may be used for deep-frying edible flowers, such as elderberry blossoms, white acacia blossoms. Wash, dry, and dip the bunches of blossoms in the batter.

To French-Fry Vegetables

Select the vegetables you wish to cook; see that they are trimmed, washed, and well dried; and dust lightly with flour. Dip into the batter and lower into the deep-fryer, in which the oil has been heated to 360°. Do not fry too many pieces at a time or it will lower the temperature of the oil. Cook until just golden brown, allowing a little more cooking time for the denser vegetables, less for the thin or leafy ones. Remove and drain on absorbent paper and keep warm in a 250° oven until all are fried. Serve immediately.

French-Fried Zucchini. Slice the zucchini in rounds about ½ inch thick. Dust lightly with flour, then roll in fine bread crumbs. Deep-fry in 370° fat until golden brown.

French-Fried Okra. Trim the ends of the okra pods, dust with flour, roll in fine cornmeal and deep-fry in 370° fat until golden.

French-Fried Potatoes. I like to use rendered beef suet for French-frying potatoes; it gives great flavor but you can use oil or the solidified vegetable fat if you prefer. Peel potatoes and cut into long strips ¼ to ½ inch wide and thick, or in round or long slices, cut ⅛ inch thick (these may be peeled or left unpeeled, as you wish). Dry well, then deep-fry in 325° fat until flabby but not colored, for about 5 or 6 minutes. Remove and drain on absorbent paper. Leave at room temperature for 1 or more hours, then complete the frying by plunging the potatoes into 375° fat. Fry until crisp and brown, about 2 or 3 minutes.

French-Fried Sweet Potatoes. Cook as for French-Fried Potatoes.

French-Fried Parsnips. Cut small parsnips into julienne strips, as for French-Fried Potatoes, and cook in the same way. Large parsnips should first be blanched in boiling water until just tender, peeled, and cut into rounds or strips. They may also be dipped in flour or in batter before frying.

Mixed Vegetable Sautés

Mixed vegetable sautés can be prepared with practically any vegetables that are currently available. In order to make a good sauté, it is important to gauge the different cooking times for the various vegetables you plan to use; start with the vegetable that requires the longest cooking time—for example, small peeled white onions. Melt 4 to 6 tablespoons butter along with 3 or 4 unpeeled garlic cloves in a heavy pan over fairly low heat. Add the onions, cover the pan, and let them simmer for about 10 minutes. Then, while the onions are cooking, shred either a head of cabbage or a head of lettuce (a solid head such as romaine or iceberg), and add to the cooking onions; this will create steam and liquid in which to cook the other vegetables. Now add the next-longest-cooking vegetable, let us say carrots and perhaps turnips, cut in rather large chunks. Cover the pan again and continue cooking for about 20 to 25 minutes; test the vegetables for tenderness—they should be nearly done but not quite. After this you might add cauliflower flowerets, perhaps a bit of zucchini, either sliced rather thick or, if they’re very small, leave them whole. Let these cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, covered, and finally add any green vegetables you prefer: shredded spinach, finely cut green beans, shelled green peas, or asparagus tips. Give these another 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the cover and test the vegetables again for tenderness. Stir in additional butter to taste; add salt and freshly ground black pepper and any herb you may desire. Toss the vegetables thoroughly and remove them immediately to a serving dish.

For an interesting sauté, you’ll want to have at least 3 vegetables in addition to the bed of greens and onions. Choose what is in season, and the amounts will be determined by the number of people you’re serving.

Here’s a partial list of other vegetables that would work for a good sauté:

Artichoke bottoms or baby artichokes

Mushrooms

Eggplant

Tiny new potatoes

Leeks (carefully washed and trimmed)

Green or red peppers, peeled

Small tomatoes

Chayote

Edible-podded peas or sugar snap peas

Salsify (oyster plant)

Broccoli flowerets and broccoli stems (these take different cooking times)

Kohlrabi

Brussels sprouts

Tiny radishes

And practically any other vegetable of your choice. The secrets of a really good sauté are: don’t overcook the vegetables, use plenty of seasoning, and be careful of your timing.

Ratatouille

This has become an all-time favorite with roast lamb or beef.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

1 or 2 large onions, sliced

4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

½ cup olive oil

2 green peppers, peeled and slivered

1 large eggplant, diced

4 or 5 small zucchini, cut into ¼-inch slices

8 to 10 very ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or 2 to 3 cups canned Italian plum tomatoes

1 tablespoon shredded fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried

1½ teaspoons salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Sauté the onions and garlic in the oil in a deep saucepan with a heavy bottom. When the onions are just translucent, add the peppers, eggplant, and zucchini, and mix together well. Reduce the heat, cover the pan tightly, and simmer for 10 minutes, shaking the pan or tossing the vegetables 2 or 3 times so they cook evenly. Add the tomatoes and the seasonings and continue simmering for another 10 or 12 minutes. Uncover the pan and allow the mixture to cook down and the liquid to reduce, stirring frequently. The vegetables should be somewhat intact, well mixed and blended but not mushy and liquid. Taste and correct the seasoning.

Ratatouille with Sliced Mushrooms. Add ½ pound sliced mushrooms to the ratatouille 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

Ratatouille with Sliced Fennel. Add 1 large bulb of fennel, thinly sliced, with the eggplant, peppers, and zucchini.

Ratatouille with Leeks. Add 2 sliced leeks with the eggplant.

Ratatouille with Poached Eggs and Cheese. Serve the ratatouille in small individual ramekins or baking dishes topped with a poached egg and covered with shredded Gruyère cheese. Run under the broiler or place in a 450° oven just long enough to melt the cheese. Serve as a first course for dinner or a luncheon main dish.

Spicy Ratatouille. In place of 1 cup fresh or canned tomatoes, use 1 cup Mexican canned tomatoes and hot green chilies.

Tian

This dish is as good served cold as hot.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Olive oil

2 pounds raw spinach, coarsely chopped

2 pounds raw Swiss chard, coarsely chopped

6 to 8 finger-size zucchini, cut in small dice

2 medium onions, coarsely chopped, or 3 bunches of scallions, finely cut

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

½ cup finely chopped basil leaves or 2 tablespoons dried basil

Salt to taste

1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

6 eggs, lightly beaten

1½ cups grated Parmesan cheese

Fresh bread crumbs

Cover the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil and add the spinach and Swiss chard. Cook until just wilted. Remove and drain. Press out all liquid. Add the zucchini, onion, and garlic to the skillet, adding more oil if needed, and repeat cooking procedure.

Combine the vegetables, the fresh or dried basil, salt, and pepper, and place in a lightly oiled heavy earthenware casserole or tian. Pour the eggs over the vegetables and top with the cheese and bread crumbs. Bake in a 350° oven until the eggs are just set and the cheese is melted.

Tian with Rice. Add 2 cups cooked rice and spoon the vegetables over.

Tian with Noodles. Mix 2 cups cooked fine noodles with the vegetables.