V E G E T A B L E S A N D P O T A T O E S
Is there a vegetable hater in your home: Most likely there is; there seems to be one in almost every family.
Frequently, we’ve tasted vegetables in the homes of avowed vegetable haters and found them overcooked or devoid of taste or color. Properly cooked and well-seasoned vegetables will be gobbled up by the very ones who think they don’t like them. With spices and herbs, with sauces and combinations of vegetables to add variety, the vegetable hater can become a vegetable lover, scraping every plate clean.
When you plan vegetables for a meal, remember that contrast in color and texture are almost as important as flavor. One strongly flavoured vegetable, like cauliflower or Brussels sprouts, is enough for a single menu. So is one green vegetable. Put sprouts and potatoes on the same plate. They balance each other in taste, color, and texture. And cauliflower in company with fresh-cooked green peas looks inviting, tastes interesting.
McCall’s Vegetables Chart tells you when your favorite vegetables are in season, how to prepare them, and how to cook them. It starts with artichokes and goes almost the full length of the alphabet down to turnips. Familiarize yourself with the information it contains. It will save you money, time, and trouble.
V E G E T A B L E C H A R T
| VEGETABLE | BUYING GUIDE | PREPARATION | BASIC COOKERY |
| All vegetables | Best buys are in season | Wash all vegetables before cooking. | Approximate number of servings per pound and cooking time. Simmer, tightly covered, in 1 inch boiling water with ½ to 1 teaspoon salt per pound. Vegetables are done when tender-crisp. |
| Artichokes (French or Italian) | Compact, firm, heavy globes; free from brown blemishes. Good green color. Fleshy, tightly closed leaf scales. Season: September – May | Cut 1 inch from top. Cut stem close to base. Remove lower tough outer leaves. With scissors, cut thorny tip of each leaf . | 1 per serving 20 to 45 minutes, standing upright in saucepan. |
| (Jerusalem) | Free from blemishes | Pare thinly. Leave whole, dice, or slice | 3 or 4 servings 15 to 35 minutes |
| Asparagus | Green, firm stalk with close, compact tips; tender stalk is brittle and easily punctured. Should not be woody. Free from blemishes. Season: March – June | Break off woody end of stalk. Remove tough scales. Leave stalk whole, or cut into 1-inch lengths. | 3 or 4 servings 10 to 20 minutes |
| Beans, Green or Wax | Clean, firm, crisp, tender pods. Should snap when broken. Free from blemishes. Season: All year Peak: March – August | Remove ends. Cut, into lengthwise strips, for French-style. Cut on diagonal into 1-inch pieces; or serve whole | 4 to 6 servings French style: 10 to 20 minutes Cut or whole: 15 to 30 minutes |
| Beans, Lima | Unshelled limas should be well filled, clean, free from blemishes; dark green, firm pods. Shelled limas are very perishable; should be light-green or green-white, plump, with tender skins. Season: July-November | Shell just before cooking | 2 servings 20 to 25 minutes |
| Beets | Sold in bunches. Smooth, free from blemishes or cracks; fairly clean, firm roots with green tops. Small to medium in size. Season: All year | Remove tops (use as green vegetable); leave 1-inch stems. Scrub well, Peel and slice after cooking. | 3 servings Cover with cold water. Cook, covered, 30 to 45 minutes (Cook greens just with water that clings to leaves 5 to 15 minutes). |
| Broccoli | Firm, tender stems with compact cluster of flower buds. Dark-green or purple-green (depending on variety), free from bruises or yellow. Season: All year Peak: October – March | Trim stem ends, split heavy stalks, (Entire stalk is edible) | 3 servings 10 to 15 minutes |
| Brussels Sprouts | Firm, compact, bright green. Avoid yellow or worm-eaten leaves. Season: November – January | Cut off stem end. Soak in cold water 15 minutes. | 4 servings 10 to 20 minutes |
| Cabbage | Firm, heavy heads; crisp, tender leaves. Avoid yellowing or worm-eaten leaves. Season: All year Peak: October – March | Remove outer leaves; wash. Cut into wedges and remove most of core; or shred | 3 or 4 servings Green, in wedges; 10 to 15 minutes Shredded: 3 to 10 minutes; Red shredded: ( to 10 minutes) |
| Carrots | Firm, clean, smooth, well-shaped, with good color. Free from bruises and cracks. Season All year | Remove tops. Scrape or pare thinly, or scrub well with brush. Cook whole or cut | 4 servings Whole: 15 to 25 minutes Cut: 10 to 20 minutes |
| Cauliflower | Clean, heavy, compact head. White flowerets with green, crisp leaves. Avoid bruises or bron spots. Season: All year Peak: October – December | Remove outer leaves. Leave whole, removing stem. Or cut into flowerets. | 3 or 4 servings Whole: 15 to 20 minutes Flowerets: 8 to 15 minutes |
| Corn on Cob | Plump, firm, milky kernel with bright color. Husks should be green, dried-out, yellow discolorations indicate stale corn. Immature corn lacks flavour. Season: May – October | Just before cooking, remove husks and silk | 1 or 2 per serving 5 to 10 minutes |
| Eggplant | Heavy, firm, free from blemishes, shiny, smooth purple skin. Season: All year Peak: Jul-September | Pare, if necessary. Do not soak in salted water. Cut as desired | 4 or 5 servings Cook as directed in recipes |
| Greens (Collards, Dandelions, Kale, Spinach) | Young, tender, crisp leaves. Free from bruises, excess dirt, and coarse stems. Season: Some type available all year round. | Cut off root ends. Wash several times, lifting out of water, letting sand sink to bottom of vessel. | 3 or 4 servings Thin leaf greens are cooked just with water that clings to leaves. Thick leaf greens need only ½ inch water |
| Onions Small White | Firm, clean, white, dry skins, free from sprouts. Season: All year | Remove outer skins under cold, running water. | 4 servings 15 to 25 minutes |
| Parsnips | Smooth, firm, clean, well-shaped, free from rot. Small to medium in size. Season: August – May | Scrape or peel. Cut as desired, or leave whole | 3 or 4 servings Cut: 10 to 20 minutes Whole: 20 to 40 minutes |
| Peas | Bright-green, filled, pods, free from yellow or mildew, moisture or bruises. Season: All year Peak: May – August | Shell just before cooking | 2 servings 8 to 20 minutes |
| Potatoes Sweet (for yams) | Firm, plump, free from soft spots. Purchase small quantities; perishable. Sweets skins are pale to deep yellow. Flesh is light orange. Yams: skins are white to reddish. Flesh is deep orange. Season: All year | Remove bruised spots and root ends. Do not pare | 2 or 3 servings Cover with boiling water. Cook, covered, 25 to 35 minutes, or until tender |
| Potatoes White (mature or new) | Firm, uniform in shape (medium-size). Free from cuts and blemishes. Color varies with variety. Eyes should be shallow | Pare; remove eyes; leave whole. Pare: cut into quarters. Pare: cut in to 1 inch cubes; or slice ⅛ inch thick. Whole, small new potatoes. Pare or scrape. Unpared, whole potatoes. (medium size) | 2 to 3 servings 35 to 40 minutes 20 to 25 minutes 20 to 25 minutes 20 to 25 minutes Cover with boiling water. Cook, covered, 35 to 40 minutes |
| Squash Acorn | Dark-green, ribbed. Hard rind. Season: All year Peak: October – December | Cut in half, lengthwise. Remove seeds. Do not peel | 2 servings (1 large) 20 to 30 minutes (Cook cut side down) |
| Summer (Zucchini included) | Heavy for size, free from blemishes. Thin, tender skin. Season: May – August | Remove stem and blossom ends. Paring not necessary. Cut as desired | 2 or 3 servings 10 to 20 minutes |
| Winter | Heavy for size, free from blemishes and bruises. Hard rind. Season: October – December | Cut as desired. Remove seeds. Remove rind, if desired | 2 servings 25 to 30 minutes |
| Turnips (Rutabagas) | Firm, smooth, clean free from bruises, with few fibrous roots. Heavy for size. Season: All year Peak: October – November | Peel thinly just before cooking. Cut as desired | 3 or 4 servings 20 to 30 minutes |
| White | Firm, smooth, clean, free from bruises, with few fibrous roots. Small to medium in size. Season: All year Peak: October – November | Peel thinly just before cooking. Leave whole, or cut | 3 or 4 servings Whole: 20 to 30 minutes Cut: 10 to 20 minutes |
Canned Vegetables
To cook such canned vegetables as green beans, green limas, peas, carrots, asparagus, etc., drain liquid from can into a saucepan, and boil down to half the original quantity. Then add vegetables, and heat through only. Do not cook further – these vegetables are already cooked. Season, and serve.
To cook tomatoes, cream-style corn, squash, etc., pour vegetables into a saucepan, and heat through only. Season, and serve.
Frozen Vegetables
Always follow package directions exactly. Remember, the correct amount of water and correct cooking time are of the utmost importance for perfect vegetables. In general, drop the frozen vegetable, unthawed, into a small amount of boiling, salted water. Bring to a brisk boil; cover tightly; cook quickly until vegetables are tender but not mushy. Season, and serve immediately.
Test Kitchen Tips
o Cooking fresh vegetables: Add fresh vegetables (prepared according to chart, opposite) to small amount boiling, salted water. Bring water back to boil and begin timing. Cook at gentle boil till tender for time indicated in the chart. (After adding green vegetables to boiling water, don’t cover till water returns to boil; cover for remainder of cooking time.)
o Heating canned vegetables: Pour liquid from vegetables into saucepan. Simmer down to one-third. Add vegetables to liquid. Season with salt and pepper; add butter. Heat till hot through.
o Cooking frozen vegetables: Follow directions on package. Do not thaw before cooking. Exception: Corn on the cob and spinach should be partially thawed.
o Butter-cooked frozen vegetables: Place 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon butter, and ¼ teaspoon salt in bottom of saucepan. Add frozen block of corn, peas, or French-style green beans; break up with fork. Bring to boil; cook till crisp-tender.
