Telegram Conservation Cook Book

Soak vegetables in water for any length of time before cooking.

For boiling, have a large saucepan of water on the stove (rain water is best) at a rapid boil.

Drop in the vegetables with skins on, large ones first.

Bring the water back to a boil as soon as possible.

Add salt, one teaspoonful to every quart of water used.

Continue cooking gently, partly uncovered, until tender, testing with a silver fork.

Do not let the boil stop before the vegetables are tender, and do not let them stand in water after they are tender.

Drain at once and cover with cold water two or three times.

When cooled, peel and dice, or keep in a covered dish to avoid drying if not serving right away.

For white sauce, heat the butter, add flour and stir until smooth.

Add the milk, stirring all the time.

When the sauce boils, add salt and the prepared vegetables.

Cook 10 minutes and serve.

Beets always require the boiling method; wash them without breaking roots or stems to avoid bleeding.

Serve beets with butter, salt and pepper, or pickle them.

For steaming, peel or scrape the vegetables finely and steam cook them.

Serve steamed vegetables with white sauce, or make the sauce with meat stock instead of milk.

Serve pumpkin, squash and spinach with butter, salt and pepper.

To cook tomatoes, pour boiling water over them, let stand 2 or 3 minutes, drain, cover with cold water, pour off and peel.

Cut large tomatoes in fourths and small ones in halves.

Put into a stewpan and boil gently 20 minutes or half an hour.

Season five minutes before cooking is finished.

To cook onions, cut in slices and boil in salted water 10 minutes.

Drain, add butter, salt and pepper, cover the stewpan and cook over a hot fire five minutes, shaking the pan occasionally.

Set it back where it will cook slowly for 40 minutes.

To boil potatoes, put them on in cold water with one tablespoon salt to each quart.

Boil until a fork penetrates easily, then drain, return to stove, let stand a moment, shake gently, and remove the cover to let steam escape, repeating two or three times.

For tomatoes, cover with boiling water for a moment, remove skins, cut in quarters, place in saucepan with no water, add seasoning, sugar and butter, and cook 20 minutes.

For asparagus, peel and wash, tie in bundles with heads one way and ends cut even.

Cover with boiling water and cook 25 minutes, add salt, draw to the back of the stove and simmer 5 minutes.

Lift out, drain, arrange on a hot dish, remove strings and pour melted butter over it.

For cabbage, cut in quarters, remove core, wash, and place in saucepan nearly covered with boiling water; cook until done.

Add salt and simmer 10 minutes, drain, and serve with melted butter or as desired.

For kale, strip leaves from stems, wash thoroughly, and boil in boiling water 10 minutes.

Drain, return to saucepan and cover with fresh water.