Wizard Recipes

Here is a rundown of the common ways to cook vegetables and control their doneness.

Microwaving Vegetables

The microwave is good for steaming veggies with hardly any water at all, provided you know your machine well enough to yank them out before they overcook. Put vegetables on a plate or in a shallow bowl and sprinkle them with a few drops of water, then cover them loosely with a vented microwave cooking lid, a paper towel, or a heavy fitted lid (be careful when you open it; the steam will be very hot). Set the timer and press the button.

Steaming Vegetables

Cooking vegetables above a small amount of simmering water-not in it-is fast and efficient and preserves much of the vitamin content. This method is ideal for plain vegetables you want to eat right away or marinate in a vinaigrette as they cool. (For a specific example, see Basic Steamed Cauliflower )

You can buy a fancy vegetable steamer, but a fold-up basket that you put in the bottom of a covered pot works fine, as does a metal colander or even, in a pinch, a bowl . Fill the steamer with vegetables, set it over an inch or so of water, cover, and turn the heat to medium-high.

Check frequently to prevent overcooking and to make sure there’s still water in the bottom of the pot. To keep the steamed vegetables perfectly crisp-tender (good if you will finish them by some other method), shock them immediately in ice water.

Boiling and Parboiling Vegetables

Simple and straightforward: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it generously, and toss in whole or cut vegetables. (For an example, see Just-Tender Boiled or Steamed Vegetables ) When the vegetables begin to get tender, drain them, either by fishing them out with a strainer or slotted spoon or by pouring the water and the vegetables through a colander.

The term parboiling really means nothing more than “preboiling,” where vegetables are intentionally left underdone because they’ll be cooked again by another method. Because fully boiled vegetables tend to leave both color and nutrients behind in the water, I often boil tender vegetables only briefly (sturdier ones a bit longer), shock them afterward , and reheat just before serving.

Boiling or parboiling is handy if you have different vegetables and each requires a different cooking time; you simply keep the water rolling and work in batches. Since the goal is for all of them to finish cooking at the same time-on the grill or in a stir-fry, for example-try to parboil each to the point where it is just getting tender. (Again, remember to keep checking as they cook.)

Blanching Vegetables

When you want to make a sharp-tasting vegetable-like garlic, onions, or shallots-milder before further cooking, you can blanch it in a pot of bubbling liquid for a few minutes. (For a specific example, see Creamed Onions ) Water is the simplest, though you can also use milk, stock, wine, beer, or juice. The idea is not to make them soft but just to cook them long enough to take the bite out. Three to 5 minutes will do.

It’s worth noting that the same technique, with the time reduced to 30 seconds or less, makes almost all fruits and vegetables-from peaches to tomatoes to garlic-easy to peel.

Sautéing Vegetables

I wish there were another word for this technique, since it sounds much more intimidating than it is-nothing more than cooking food quickly in hot fat. Start with a deep, broad skillet, set it over medium to medium-high heat, and add some oil or butter-1 or 2 tablespoons per pound (you can use more, of course).

When the oil gets hot or the butter is melted, stir or toss the vegetables around in the pan until they’re cooked, seasoning as needed. (For a specific example, see Sautéed Mushrooms )

The only downside is that sautéing raw vegetables takes a little practice to keep them from burning before they’re cooked through; you must check them frequently. A good alternative is to use the basic techniques of parboiling and shocking (see left), then proceed to Precooked Vegetables in Butter or Oil. This combination is excellent.

Braising Vegetables

A combination of sautéing and simmering, braising allows you to cook vegetables until they’re fully tender and take advantage of all their flavor. Root vegetables, cabbages, sturdy winter greens, and alliums (garlic, shallots, leeks, and onions) are all good for braising.

Begin with sautéing, described above. After the vegetables have been softened a little and coated in hot oil (or begun to turn golden and caramelize if you like), add enough liquid-stock, milk, juice, wine, or water-to come about halfway up the vegetables. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the mixture bubbles gently or put the pot in a moderate oven. You can cover vegetables during braising or leave them uncovered, adding more liquid as needed to keep everything from drying out.

The main reason to cook a vegetable (the main reason to cook any food, really) is to make it tender and tastier and to release nutrients that aren’t available in raw food. But the way you cook a particular vegetable can completely change its taste and texture and, for that matter, its nutritional profile.

Some cooking methods deepen flavor by caramelizing the natural sugar or starches-usually with some fat-while others brighten both taste and color with moisture.

Virtually all vegetables can be cooked according to any of the general methods explained here, though there are exceptions. My goal is to help you grow more comfortable cooking vegetables spontaneously and experimenting with your own favorite flavors and techniques.

Keeping the Nutrients in Vegetables

Despite what enthusiasts of raw diets contend, cooking generally increases the bioavailability of the nutrients. For example, the starch in potatoes is not absorbed by the stomach (and can cause gastric distress) unless the potatoes are cooked until just about soft. And anything with even a moderate amount of fiber or protein requires at least some heat (or juicing, which also breaks down the fibers) for the body to digest it properly.

At the same time, most vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients migrate out of the vegetables and into the surrounding liquid during cooking. Submerging vegetables for a long time in boiling water is the least nutritious way to cook them; steaming is a slightly better alternative, especially if the vegetables remain above the steaming liquid or if you incorporate the steaming liquid into the dish.

To get the most out of your vegetables, cook them just enough to unlock the nutrients but not long enough to allow the bulk of them to escape. If you want the vegetables cooked beyond al dente, for puréeing, mashing, or blending into soups or sauces, you might consider cooking them in a way that uses little or no water-like roasting, stir-frying, or microwaving-or include the cooking liquid in the finished dish.

And if you really love boiled vegetables, consider saving the cooking water and using it for soups or beverages. Or-and this is a very real alternative- don’t worry too much about the nutrition profile.

Recognizing Doneness in Vegetables

Once your veggies are prepared, try bending a piece to get an idea of how long it might take to cook. Harder, starchier vegetables take longer to cook. (That time can always be decreased by cutting the vegetable into smaller pieces, of course.) Spinach requires virtually no heat to wilt; likewise thin asparagus tips or matchsticks of carrots.

But thick asparagus stalks or chunks of carrots will take much longer. Things you can’t bend at all-like potatoes and other root vegetables-are going to take quite a bit longer.

The preceding discussion implies that there’s only a small window of ideal doneness. It’s true that it doesn’t take more than a few minutes for many vegetables to turn from raw to mushy. Though mushy vegetables can offer their own pleasures, here are a handful of ways to recognize when vegetables reach their ideal window of doneness:

• Watch for the color to brighten. Vegetables cooked al dente are even more vibrant than they are when raw. But they quickly peak and begin to look washed out as they start to soften.

• Check them frequently. Since most vegetables don’t take long to cook, the color change will happen in an instant. There’s no shame in poking around with a knife tip, toothpick, or skewer or even tasting. Every once in a while, grab a piece and taste. It’s the only way you’ll ever know for sure. Eventually you’ll be able to do this by sight, smell, and a poke of your finger.
• Remember that vegetables-like other foods-continue to cook as they cool down. Remove them from the heat just before they reach the stage of doneness you want. (This will come easily with practice, trust me.)
• Take control of doneness by learning to “shock” vegetables. This technique gets them ready ahead of time for finishing to perfect doneness at the last minute.

A balanced, delicious meal does not mean slaving away for hours, which is a good thing in today’s busy world.

You can have a meal on the table in 30 minutes or less, using some simple steps:

• Have all the tools and cookware that you need out and ready when starting the meal.

• The foods you use can affect how long dinner will take to cook. Choose ingredients that can be purchased partially prepared such as bagged precut vegetables. Take advantage of supermarket convenience foods. Store-bought glazes, rubs, and marinades can add a whole lot of flavor in very little time.

• When a recipe calls for moist heat, turn to your microwave. Salmon steaks, for example, cook more rapidly and are easier to handle than when they’re poached on the stovetop. The higher the wattage, the faster food cooks; our recipes were tested in 1,000- watt ovens.

• Have a slow cooker? Before leaving the house for work or errands, load an electric slow cooker with the ingredients for stew or chili. For best results, choose a cooker that has a heating element in the sidewall for even heating, both high and low settings, and a liner or crock that can be removed for cleaning.

UTENSILS

The utensils you use can make all the difference. Here is our list of must-haves:

• heavy 12-inch nonstick skillet with a lid
• paring knife for trimming vegetables and fruits
• chef ’s knife for fast chopping and slicing
• serrated knife for cutting delicate foods
• kitchen scissors for snipping herbs
• heatproof silicone spatula
• Microplane grater for grating citrus peel and ginger

GROCERY SHOPPING

When grocery shopping, go to the store with menu concepts for at least several meals. Check your pantry for needed staples before you head out, and stock up on foods that are running low. In the produce aisle, let freshness be your guide.

Favorite Fast Foods:

Fresh pasta • couscous • quick-cooking brown rice • marinated or precooked meats and poultry • presliced meats and poultries • spiced blends • salad dressing • packaged salad greens and vegetables • frozen vegetables • flavored cheeses

Faster Food: Favorite Shortcuts

• Take a few minutes to assemble all the ingredients; it saves time in the long run.

• If you’re going to need noodles for your dinner, put the water on to boil as soon as you get home.

• Do two tasks at once, but make sure only one requires close attention.

• Use your microwave to precook ingredients that take a long time such as potatoes and squash.

• Cut meat into cubes to speed up cooking time.

• Thinly slice long-cooking vegetables like carrots and parsnips.

The various ways in which cooking affects vegetables should be thoroughly understood by the housewife. In the first place, some methods conserve the food material whereas others waste it.

For instance, boiling in water, which is probably one of the most common ways of cooking vegetables, is decidedly advantageous in some respects, but the water dissolves much of the soluble material, such as mineral salts, sugar, etc., found in the vegetables, so that unless some use is made of this water in the cooking of other foods, considerable waste results.

On the other hand, steaming and baking permit no loss of food material, and so they should be applied to vegetables whenever it is desired to conserve food substances.

The flavors of vegetables are greatly changed during the process of cooking, being increased in some cases and decreased in others. In the case of such strongly flavored vegetables as cabbage, cauliflower, onions, etc., it is advisable to dissipate part of the flavor.

Therefore such vegetables should be cooked in an open vessel in order that the flavor may be decreased by evaporation. Vegetables mild in flavor, however, are improved by being cooked in a closed vessel, for all their flavor should be retained.

The overcooking of vegetables is sometimes responsible for an increase of a disagreeable flavor. Another feature of vegetables often changed by cooking is their color. For instance, green vegetables do not, upon cooking, always remain green. In many cases, the color may be improved by adding a very small quantity of soda to the water in which the vegetables are cooked.

Attention should also be given to the length of time vegetables are subjected to heat, for the over boiling of some vegetables is liable to develop an unattractive color in them.

This is particularly the case with cabbage, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts, which develop not only a strong, disagreeable flavor but also a reddish color when cooked too long.

The application of heat to vegetables also has a definite effect on them. By sufficient cooking, the cellulose of vegetables is softened to the extent that it is less irritating and much more likely to be partly digested than that of raw vegetables. The acids of fruits increase upon cooking, and so the acidity of vegetables is increased to a certain extent.

Vegetables that contain starch are rendered digestible in no other way than by cooking. On the other hand, the protein material of this food is coagulated by the application of heat, just as the white of an egg or the tissue of meat is coagulated and hardened. However, cooking is the only means of softening the cellulose that surrounds this material.

Still, high-protein foods, such as beans, peas, and lentils, can be much improved if they are cooked in water that is not very hard. The lime in hard water has a tendency to harden them to the extent that they require a much longer time to cook than when soft water is used.

These vegetables may be still further softened by the addition of a small quantity of soda to the water in which they are cooked, but care should be taken not to use too much soda, as it will injure the flavor.

When soda is used, the vegetable should be parboiled for 10 or 15 minutes in the soda water and then drained and cooked in fresh water. This method, of course, does not apply to vegetables that are cooked in soda water to retain their color.

Salt is always added in the cooking of vegetables to season them. In the use of salt, two important points must be borne in mind: first, that it has the effect of hardening the tissues of the vegetable in much the same manner as it hardens the tissues of meat; and, secondly, that it helps to draw out the flavor of the vegetables.

These two facts determine largely the time for adding the salt. If an old, tough, winter vegetable is to be prepared, it should be cooked until nearly soft in water that contains no salt, and the salt should be added just before the cooking is finished.

When it is desired to draw out the flavor, as, for instance, when vegetables are cooked for soup or stews, the salt should be supplied when the vegetables are put on to cook.

Young tender vegetables may be cooked in salt water, but as such water extracts a certain amount of flavor, an effort should be made to use it in the preparation of stews, sauces, and soups.

How did the people eating the traditional Mediterranean diet pack so many vegetables into their daily meals? Easily and deliciously. In the Mediterranean, vegetable consumption is not just a matter of eating any vegetable at any time, in whatever state is most convenient. Vegetable selection is a matter of pride, vegetable preparation an art, and vegetable consumption a pure pleasure. Most essentially, in the Mediterranean, vegetables are chosen according to what is in season.

Outdoor produce markets throughout the Mediterranean offer the season’s best, freshest, most vibrant vegetables. Your local grocer, farmer’s market, or produce stand is also likely to feature the freshest locally grown produce. Even if the vegetables in season in your area aren’t those in season in the Mediterranean, eating the freshest seasonal produce is still eating in the Mediterranean way.

Seek out the best sources for vegetables in your area, and you may discover that vegetables taste much better than you think. Here are a few more Mediterranean-inspired tips for adding vegetables to your day. You’ll wonder how you ever ate without them!

• Looking for a fast-food lunch? A wedge of hearty wheat bread, a small chunk of feta or other cheese, a few slices of ripe tomato, a handful of leafy greens drizzled with olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and a ripe peach or other seasonal fruit for dessert take less time to prepare than going through the drive-through. Bring your Mediterranean lunch to work with you and everyone will wonder what upscale deli supplied your meal.
• The next time you make spaghetti, stir a shredded carrot and a finely chopped green or red pepper, a few mushrooms, or a handful of chopped spinach into the sauce. Vegetable additions add color, flavor, and nutritional power to your pasta dinner.
• Instead of grilling burgers, grill vegetables, Mediterranean style. Slice onions, peppers, zucchini, portabella mushroom caps, eggplant, and tomatoes into thick slices, drizzle with olive oil, and grill. If you want to add a Middle Eastern flair, skewer the vegetables into shish kebabs. A chunk or two of chicken or lamb among the vegetables would be authentic and would add an extra dash of protein. Serve with lemon wedges.
• Drizzle those plain vegetables with a little olive oil and a sprinkling of fresh grated cheese, or garnish with a splash of tomato sauce or a few sun-dried tomatoes. Tomato sauce also adds culinary interest to broiled fish.
• If you can relate to former U.S. President George H. W. Bush when it comes to broccoli (his aversion to this beautiful vegetable was well known), maybe you just haven’t had it cooked really well. Try steaming broccoli just until it is very bright green and tender. Toss with a little olive oil, sea salt, minced garlic, and a few flakes of red pepper. Serve and eat immediately. Perfectly cooked broccoli is a joy. Overcooked or old broccoli is enough to make anyone dislike the stuff.

• Leafy green salads are an important part of many Mediterranean meals. Get in the habit of including a bowl of leafy greens with olive oil and a little lemon juice or vinegar with at least one meal every day. A few extra chopped vegetables and a little grated cheese will make your greens even more interesting and nutrient-rich. (Just remember to forgo the creamy dressing in favor of a dressing with an olive oil base.)

Do you think you don’t have enough time to chop up a salad? Take advantage of food industry technology and splurge on ready-to-eat bagged veggies and greens. Selections are plentiful, many types are organic, and they come prewashed. What could be quicker?

• Eat pizza in the Mediterranean style. Unlike American pizzas, Mediterranean pizzas are typically thin, light concoctions with just a few toppings. Fresh tomato sauce and one or two featured vegetables (mushrooms, garlic slices, onion, zucchini, broccoli, peppers) and a very light sprinkling of mozzarella or Parmesan cheese on a fresh-baked (or store-bought, if you are pressed for time) whole-grain crust makes a perfect light dinner.

Many Mediterranean pizzas don’t even include cheese. In the mood for something more substantial? The more veggies, the better! Add roasted eggplant, mushrooms, red peppers (better than green if you want that lycopene punch)-you name it! See how much your pizza can hold. Load up and enjoy!

• Are you or your kids getting bored with peanut butter sandwiches? Add chopped or shredded carrots for a surprising, refreshing, flavorful crunch.
• Pumpkin is an American vegetable, but its nutritional value is Mediterranean in spirit! Stir canned pumpkin into hot oatmeal for breakfast with a little cinnamon and brown sugar. Add a generous spoonful to applesauce for a light dessert, or stir some into vanilla yogurt for an added zing.
• Microwave a sweet potato or yam until soft for a quick, carotenoid- and fiber-rich snack, or try baked sweet potato fries or yam chips, brushed lightly with olive oil and baked at 400 degrees until lightly browned and fork-tender, about twenty minutes, or longer if you’ve got a large pan full.

The one thing you can do to make your diet more “Mediterranean” is to begin eating more fresh vegetables today. Whether or not they were traditionally grown and consumed in the Mediterranean, the very concept of eating the vegetables grown on the land around you captures the essence of the traditional Mediterranean diet. Vegetables add beauty to your plate, excitement to your palate, and a host of vital substances to your body.

Vegetables were, at one time, abused and neglected, relegated to the minor role of unimportant side dishes, to be taken or left, or not even noticed on the table.

Today, however, lowly vegetables are much more appreciated, not only for their nutritional importance but for the variety, flavor, eye appeal, and even elegance and sophistication they bring to the menu.

This article lists the fresh vegetables commonly used in North American kitchens, including many products that have become familiar from Asian and Latin cuisines. Tips for evaluation and trimming the products, as well as the average trimming yield, are indicated.

Vegetables are listed alphabetically, rather than by family classification, to make them easier to find.

Artichokes, Globe

Identification: Artichokes are the unopened or immature flowers of a type of thistle.

They vary in size and coloration but are usually round to somewhat elongated, colored light to medium green , sometimes with purple tints.

Related Varieties: Baby artichokes are not actually babies but come from a different place on the plant and are at their full size. Especially young baby artichokes may be tender enough to eat whole, with little trimming except for removing the top points of the leaves.

Evaluation: Look for compact, tight leaves; heavy for size; few or no brown blemishes.

Preparation: Wash. Cut 1 inch (2-3 cm) off tops. Cut off stem and lower leaves. Scrape out choke (fuzzy center) with melon ball cutter.(Remove choke before or after cooking.) Dip in lemon juice immediately.

Percentage Yield: 80% (whole, trimmed),30% (bottoms only)

Asparagus

Identification: Spear-shaped new shoot or stem that emerges from the plant’s roots in the spring. The pointed spear tip sprouts branches when the shoot is left to grow.

Related Varieties: White asparagus is the same plant as green, but soil is mounded over the shoots, protecting from the sun so they do not turn green. In Europe, white asparagus is more common than green. The flavor is milder than that of green, although North American white asparagus is usually more bitter than European. Purple asparagus turns dark green when cooked. It is tender and sweet.

Evaluation: Look for tightly closed tips; firm not  withered, stalks. For white asparagus, buy only product that has been kept chilled for its entire storage time; unchilled white asparagus becomes fibrous.

Preparation: Break off woody lower ends. Remove lower scales, which may harbour sand, or peel lower part of stalk. Cut tips to uniform lengths and/or tie them in bundles for cooking. White asparagus should be peeled the entire length of the stalk. Purple asparagus needs no peeling; just trim the bottoms.

Percentage Yield: 55% (green, peeled)

Avocados

Identification: The egg-shaped fruit of a small tree, with a leathery skin, tender, pale-green flesh, and a single large seed or pit in the center.

Related Varieties: There are several varieties that fall into two main categories:

1) The Mexican or Californian avocados, mostly the Hass variety, that have rough dark green skins that turn black when ripe. These have a rich, buttery flesh with a high oil content.

2) The West Indian or Florida type, with smoother skins that remain green. These are juicier and have a lower oil content.

Evaluation: Look for fresh appearance; fruit heavy for size; no blemishes or bruises.

Preparation: Ripen at room temperature,2-5 days. Cut in half lengthwise and remove pit Peel (skin pulls away easily from ripe fruit). Dip or rub with lemon juice immediately to prevent browning.

Percentage Yield: 75%

Bamboo Shoots

Identification: The young shoots of various species of bamboo plants, harvested as they just begin to emerge from the ground. They are roughly cone-shaped, with tough, brown skins and a creamy, crisp, tender interior.

Evaluation: Look for solid, heavy shoots with no soft spots or cracks; no trace of sour smell.

Preparation: Peel down to the creamy white or pale yellowish cone-shaped core.

Slice and boil in salted water until tender, then cut as desired for use in recipes.

Percentage Yield: Varies greatly, depending on size of shoots, which range from a few ounces to a pound (less than 100 grams to 500 grams) or more.

Beans, Fava

Identification: Also called broad bean. Unlike most of our common beans, which originated in the Western Hemisphere, favas are Old World beans. The large pods hold four to six beans in a soft, white lining. The flat beans slightly resemble limas, but they are not as starchy. Flavor is subtle and nutlike.

Evaluation: Select small to medium pods that are fresh green in color, not overly large. Yellowing pods may be too mature. Some spots on pods are normal.

Preparation: Preparation is labor-intensive. Shell the beans, parboil, then peel off skins or husks

Percentage Yield: 15-20%

Beans, Fresh Shell

Identification: These are the fresh, moist versions of the many types of dried beans.

Related Varieties: Although many types of beans are grown to be shelled, most of these are dried, and with the exception of cranberry or borlotti beans, southern peas or cowpeas, and black-eyed peas, few are available fresh. Soybeans and lima beans have their own entries below.

Evaluation: Look for firm, fresh, moderately filled-out pods containing firm but not hard seeds. Avoid yellow or brownish pods, which are likely to be too mature.

Preparation: Shell and rinse. Cook before serving; raw beans can be harmful.

Percentage Yield: 40%

Beans, Snap

Identification: Fresh green beans and other varieties are in the same family as shell beans, except they are grown to be picked immature for their tender, edible pods.

Related Varieties: Green beans are the most common. Some green varieties, picked when very small and tender, are known as haricots verts (ah ree coh vehr ,French for “green beans”).Other varieties include yellow or wax beans, purple beans, and flat, Italian-style green beans.

Evaluation: Look for firm and straight beans, with few shriveled ends; even color, without blemishes. Should be tender and crisp enough to break when bent to a 45- degree angle. Enclosed seeds should be small, not large and bulging.

Preparation: Wash. Cut or snap off ends. Remove any spots. Leave whole or cut into desired lengths.

Percentage Yield: 88%

As a cook ,you have a choice of many kinds of vegetables and many cooking methods. Not surprisingly, then, you are also faced with the necessity of learning many rules for cooking vegetables. Cooking affects vegetables in four ways. It changes the following:

1. Texture.

2. Flavor.

3. Color.

4. Nutrients.

How much these four characteristics change determines whether your final product is attractive and delicious to the customer or whether it ends up in the garbage. You can control these changes if you understand how they happen.

Unfortunately, there is still legitimate controversy among chefs about proper vegetable cooking techniques. Modern technology has not yet solved all the problems that experienced chefs tackle successfully every day in the kitchen.

CONTROLLING COLOR CHANGES

It is important to preserve as much natural color as possible when cooking vegetables. Because many people may reject or accept a vegetable on the basis of its appearance, it can be said that its visual quality is as important as its flavor or nutritional value.

Pigments are compounds that give vegetables their color. Different pigments react in different ways to heat and to acids and other elements that may be present during cooking, so it is necessary to discuss them one at a time.

WHITE VEGETABLES

White pigments, called flavones, are the primary coloring compounds in potatoes, onions, cauliflower, and white cabbage and in the white parts of such vegetables as celery, cucumbers, and zucchini.

White pigments stay white in acid and turn yellow in alkaline water. To keep vegetables such as cauliflower white, add a little lemon juice or cream of tartar to the cooking water. (Don’t add too much, though, as this may toughen the vegetable.) Covering the pot also helps keep acids in.

Cooking for a short time, especially in a steamer, helps maintain color (and flavor and nutrients as well).Overcooking or holding too long in a steam table turns white vegetables dull yellow or gray.

RED VEGETABLES

Red pigments, called anthocyanins, are found in only a few vegetables, mainly red cabbage and beets. Blueberries also are colored by these red pigments.(The red color of tomatoes and red peppers is due to the same pigments that color carrots yellow or orange.) Red pigments react very strongly to acids and alkalis. Acids turn them a brighter red.

Alkalis turn them blue or blue-green (not a very appetizing color for red cabbage). Red beets and red cabbage, therefore, have their best color when cooked with a small amount of acid. Red cabbage is often cooked with tart apples for this reason.

When a strongly acid vegetable is desired, such as Harvard Beets or Braised Red Cabbage, add just a small amount of acid at first. Acids toughen vegetables and prolong cooking time. Add the rest when the vegetables are tender.

Red pigments dissolve easily in water. This means

1. Use a short cooking time. Overcooked red vegetables lose a lot of color.

2. Use only as much water as is necessary.

3. Cook beets whole and unpeeled, with root and an inch of stem attached, to protect color. Skins easily slip off cooked beets.

4. When steaming,use solid pans instead of perforated pans to retain the red juices.

5. Whenever possible, serve the cooking liquid as a sauce with the vegetable.

GREEN VEGETABLES

Green coloring, or chlorophyll, is present in all green plants. Green vegetables are common in the kitchen,so it is important to understand the special handling required by this pigment.

Acids are enemies of green vegetables. Both acid and long cooking turn green vegetables to a drab olive green.

Protect the color of green vegetables by

1. Cooking uncovered to allow plant acids to escape.

2. Cooking for the shortest possible time. Properly cooked green vegetables are tender-crisp, not mushy.

3. Cooking in small batches rather than holding for long periods in a steam table. Steaming is rapidly becoming the preferred method for cooking green vegetables. Steam cooks food rapidly, lessens the dissolving out of nutrients and flavor, and does not break up delicate vegetables. Overcooking, however, can occur rapidly in steamers.

Do not use baking soda to maintain green color. Soda destroys vitamins and makes texture unpleasantly mushy and slippery.

How much water should be used when boiling? A large quantity of water helps dissolve plant acids, helps preserve colors, and speeds cooking .But some cooks feel that an excessive amount of nutrients are lost. See the next section for further discussion.

YELLOW AND ORANGE VEGETABLES

Yellow and orange pigments, called carotenoids , are found in carrots, corn, winter squash, rutabaga, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and red peppers. These pigments are very stable. They are little affected by acids or alkalis. Long cooking can dull the color, however.

Short cooking not only prevents dulling of the color but also preserves vitamins and flavors.

CONTROLLING NUTRIENT LOSSES

Vegetables are an important part of our diets because they supply a wide variety of essential nutrients. They are our major sources of vitamins A and C and are rich in many other vitamins and minerals. Unfortunately, many of these nutrients are easily lost.

Six factors are responsible for most nutrient loss:

1. High temperature.

2. Long cooking.

3. Leaching (dissolving out).

4. Alkalis (baking soda, hard water).

5. Plant enzymes (which are active at warm temperatures but destroyed by high heat).

6. Oxygen.

Some nutrient loss is inevitable because it is rarely possible to avoid all of these conditions at the same time. For example,

• Pressure steaming shortens cooking time, but the high temperature destroys some vitamins.

• Braising uses low heat,but the cooking time is longer.

• Baking eliminates the leaching out of vitamins and minerals, but the long cooking and high temperature cause nutrient loss.

• Boiling is faster than simmering, but the higher temperature can be harmful and the rapid activity can break up delicate vegetables and increase loss through leaching.

• Cutting vegetables into small pieces decreases cooking time, but it increases leaching by creating more exposed surfaces.

• Even steaming allows some leaching out of nutrients into the moisture that condenses on the vegetables and then drips off.

As a cook ,you have a choice of many kinds of vegetables and many cooking methods. Not surprisingly, then, you are also faced with the necessity of learning many rules for cooking vegetables.

Many guides to vegetable cookery simply present a long list of rules to memorize. You will be able to understand the principles more easily, however, if you first learn how vegetables change as they are cooked and how to control those changes.

In other words ,it is suggested you not just memorize what to do but understand why you do it. Cooking affects vegetables in four ways. It changes the following:

1. Texture.

2. Flavor.

3. Color.

4. Nutrients.

How much these four characteristics change determines whether your final product is attractive and delicious to the customer or whether it ends up in the garbage. You can control these changes if you understand how they happen.

Unfortunately, there is still legitimate controversy among chefs about proper vegetable cooking techniques. Modern technology has not yet solved all the problems that experienced chefs tackle successfully every day in the kitchen.

CONTROLLING TEXTURE CHANGES

Changing the texture is one of the main purposes of cooking vegetables.

FIBER

The fiber structures of vegetables (including cellulose and pectins) give them shape and firmness. Cooking softens some of these components.

The amount of fiber varies

1. In different vegetables. Spinach and tomatoes have less than carrots and turnips, for example.

2. In different examples of the same vegetables. Old, tough carrots have more fiber than young, fresh carrots.

3. In the same vegetable. The tender tips of asparagus and broccoli have less fiber than their tougher stalks.

Fiber is made firmer by

1. Acids.

Lemon juice, vinegar and tomato products, when added to cooking vegetables, extend the cooking time.

2. Sugars.

Sugar strengthens cell structure.You will use this principle primarily in fruit cookery. For firm poached apples or pears, for example, cook in a heavy syrup. For applesauce, cook apples until soft before sweetening.

Fiber is softened by

1. Heat.

In general, longer cooking means softer vegetables.

2. Alkalis.

Do not add baking soda to green vegetables.Not only does it destroy vitamins but

it also makes the vegetables unpleasantly mushy.

STARCH

Starch is another vegetable component that affects texture.

1. Dry starchy foods like dried legumes (beans, peas, lentils), rice,and macaroni products must be cooked in enough water for the starch granules to absorb moisture and soften. Dried beans are usually soaked before cooking to replace lost moisture.

2. Moist starchy vegetables like potatoes and sweet potatoes have enough moisture of their own, but they must still be cooked until the starch granules soften.

DONENESS

A vegetable is said to be done when it has reached the desired degree of tenderness.

This stage varies from vegetable to vegetable. Some, such as winter squash, eggplant, and braised celery, are considered properly cooked when they are quite soft.

Most vegetables, however, are best cooked very briefly, until they are crisp-tender or al dente (firm to the bite). At this stage of tenderness, they not only have the most pleasing texture

but also retain maximum flavor , color, and nutrients.

CONTROLLING FLAVOR CHANGES

COOKING PRODUCES FLAVOR LOSS

Many flavors are lost during cooking by dissolving into the cooking liquid and by evaporation. The longer a vegetable is cooked, the more flavor it loses.

Flavor loss can be controlled in several ways:

1. Cook for as short a time as possible.

2. Use boiling salted water. Starting vegetables in boiling water shortens cooking time. The addition of salt helps reduce flavor loss.

3. Use just enough water to cover to minimize leaching. Note that this rule contradicts rule 1 in that adding vegetables to a small quantity of water lowers the temperature more, so cooking time is extended..

4. Steam vegetables whenever appropriate. Steam cooking reduces leaching out of flavor and shortens cooking time.

Strong-Flavored Vegetables

With certain strong-flavored vegetables ,it is desirable to lose some of the flavor to make them more appealing to the taste.      These include the onion family (onions, garlic, leeks , shallots),the cabbage family (cabbage , Brussels sprouts ,cauliflower ,broccoli),and some root vegetables (turnips, rutabagas).

When cooking strong-flavored vegetables leave uncovered to allow these flavors to escape ,and use larger amounts of water.

COOKING PRODUCES FLAVOR CHANGES

Cooked vegetables do not taste like raw vegetables because cooking produces certain chemical changes. As long as the vegetables are not overcooked, this change is desirable. It produces the flavors one looks for in vegetable dishes.

Overcooking produces undesirable changes in members of the cabbage family. They develop a strong, unpleasant flavor. Cabbage and its relatives should be cooked quickly, uncovered.

COOKING AND SWEETNESS

Young, freshly harvested vegetables have a relatively high sugar content that makes them taste sweet. As they mature ,or as they sit in storage, the sugar gradually changes to starch. This is especially noticeable in corn, peas, carrots, turnips and beets.

To serve sweet-tasting vegetables:

1. Try to serve young, fresh vegetables that have been stored for as short a time as possible.

2. For older vegetables ,especially those just listed, add a small amount of sugar to the cooking water to replace lost sweetness.

We all know that vegetables, whether edible or not, are part of plants-potatoes are enlarged parts of the roots, carrots are the roots themselves, celery is the main stalk, spinach is the leaf, artichoke is the flower and eggplant is the fruit. Mushrooms are exceptions. They don’t belong in the Plant Kingdom but are fungi.

Several parts of certain plant may be edible, such as the root and leaves of turnips and beets, while in some plants a certain part is edible, others may be poisonous. The enlarged root of the potato plant is perfectly healthy to eat but the poisonous leaves you want to eat only if you are contemplating suicide. Rhubarb has a wonderful edible stalk but the leaves can kill you.

All vegetables have fibers, a substance essential to human health, but some have more, others have less. Fibers give rigidity and shape to the living plant. We cannot digest fibers, which are organic substance called cellulose, so they have no nutritive values to the body. But we cannot digest our foods without them.

The vegetables that cook quickly, e.g. cabbage, have relatively low amounts of fiber, those that are slow-cooking, such as artichoke, are often high in fiber. Age also determines how much fiber a vegetable has. The older it is, the more fibrous. A young kohlrabi is soft and tender like a fresh radish, while an old one is hard to cut through with a knife, it is so full of tough fibers.

The root-end parts of plants have higher fiber content than the blossom-end part. The bottom portion of an asparagus is full of coarse, tough fibers while the young top velvety-tender tips have very little.

Cooking for best appearance

There are pigments that Nature uses to dye vegetables. Intensely colored vegetables on the plate give a great impact to our visual senses that translates to heightening appetites. Our early American heritage from English and northern European immigrants favored overcooked vegetables, a tradition that continued until relatively recently.

Overcooking kills flavor because the volatile flavor components escape with the steam, but it also kills color pigments. Compare the favor and color of overcooked green beans to crisp quick-cooked beans. Today’s tendency of vegetable cookery among the new foodies is crisp, but tender-brief cooking to the point of al dente. But such tendency is regional. People in the southern U.S., for instance, still tend to cook vegetables longer than their compatriots on the East and West coasts.

Green is the most common vegetable color. The pigment chlorophyll gives the green coloration and this pigment is sensitive to length of cooking and acidity of the cooking liquid. Both destroy the pigment and change it to another pigment that has a drab, unappetizing army olive-green color.

Never cook green vegetables in acidic liquid. Yet, all vegetables contain some acid and long cooking leaches those into the cooking liquid. As a result, the water becomes more and more acidic and the chlorophyll pigment disappears. Cooking green vegetables in uncovered pot is helpful because in covered pot water concentrates the acid, but without the lid much of it evaporates with the steam.

Older cookbooks suggest adding baking soda to the cooking water to make it alkaline and retain bright colors. More recently nutritionists found, on the other hand, that vegetables they cook in alkaline water lose much more nutrients than those they cook in neutral and acidic water. Hence, never add baking soda to the vegetable cooking water.

Yellow and orange vegetables owe their colors to pigments called carotenoids. Carrots, corn, tomato, winter squashes and red peppers carry these pigments. They are very stable in either long cooking or acids, but if you cook these vegetables very long, even these pigments transform and the vegetables’ color turn dull.

Red and purple color pigments are called anthocyanins. Beets and red cabbage carry these. They are very stable on long cooking but prolonged overcooking still destroys them, and your beet or cabbage turns colorless. But these pigments are extremely sensitive to acidity. Acid brightens the pigments, alkali changes them to blue or blue-green as you may have noticed when cooking red cabbage.

The change is not permanent-add a little acid (vinegar, lemon juice or cream of tartar) to the cooking water for your red cabbage that had turned blue, and it changes back to red.

White color pigments are the anthoxanthins. Potatoes, white cabbage, onion and cauliflower carry these pigments but also the white parts of leeks, celery, cucumber and zucchini. White pigments are stable on long cooking and remain stable in acidic cooking water.

Alkalic water changes them to yellow pigments. So if you want your cauliflower to turn dingy yellow for your dinner guests you don’t like, add baking soda to the cooking water. Otherwise a little lemon juice or other acid keeps white vegetables snow white. But prolonged overcooking or holding vegetables over heat too long also changes colors to dull yellow, grayish pink or any unappetizing shades.

Vegetables are extremely versatile in the kitchen. We may use any of the following cooking methods to prepare them:

1. Boiling, blanching or parboiling. All these terms refer to the same cooking method- cooking in briskly boiling large amount of salted water, akin to pasta cooking. The reason for large amount of water is to keep it at boil as much as possible when you add the vegetables.

A large body of liquid keeps its heat better than a small amount. When you add the vegetables, it returns to boil relatively quickly. Large amount also helps to dilute accumulating leached-out acids that would change the color.

Blanching and parboiling are the same things. The terms imply cooking in boiling water until nearly cooked but still quite crisp. Once you remove the vegetables from the boiling water, you quickly immerse them in cold water to stop the cooking process (iced water, that some cookbooks suggest, is not necessary-cold water instantly stops the process and you avoid an unnecessary step of ice water preparation).

Then the vegetables are ready for a next cooking step, for cold storage or as salad ingredient. Boiling is a term that implies cooking to a softer stage than blanching. Today many cooks prefer to serve freshly-blanched crisp vegetables instead of boiled.

You always add salt to the water to cook vegetables. The amount is about ½ teaspoon for every quart (liter) of water. Without salt the boiling water leaches out the vegetables’ natural salt and the flavor becomes flat.

Blanching produces the brightest colored vegetables of all cooking methods. They become brighter than their natural colors. Why? Vegetables are made up of tiny cells that contain the coloring pigments.

There is a thin layer of air that surrounds each cell and that layer slightly mutes the color in living plants. It is similar to looking through a fogged-up windshield. The heat in blanching removes that thin air layer from the surface cells, and the muting effect disappears-the colors become brighter, like if you had put on the defroster for your windshield.

2. Steaming is a slower process than boiling or blanching requiring nearly twice the cooking time. Many cooks swear by steaming as the method for best-tasting vegetables. But thers (myself included) disagree. When you steam and blanch the same vegetable to the same degree of doneness, you notice a slight but distinct difference.

Steaming does not bring the flavors out as fully as cooking in boiling water does. You may want to try it yourself and decide. You don’t need to salt the water when steaming in spite of some cookbook directions. Salt does not evaporate with the steam and the vegetables remain unaffected.

3. Stir-frying, sautéing and frying are closely related methods. All use high heat and oil or fat to prevent sticking to the pan and to develop the flavor by the browning reaction In stir-frying you add just a film of oil, in sautéing somewhat more and you fry in deep, hot oil. When frying in a lot of oil, the cook needs to coat the vegetable with a batter, or the fast-escaping steam from the vegetables makes a terrible spatter in the oil. The coating moderates the direct contact of the hot steam and the oil, resulting in plenty of hissing and sizzling but less spattering.

4. Baking or roasting is suitable for many of the sturdier vegetables. Those with particularly high moisture content, such as cucumbers, are not suitable-by the time they are finished roasting, not much more than a brown pellet left. You always stir in a small amount of oil or fat with baked or roasted vegetables to help them brown and inhibit sticking to the pan.

You may also add seasonings with the oil. Add robust herbs and spices early in the process but subtle-flavored herbs lose too much essential oil during the baking process, so it is best to add them late. For baking or roasting, use whole vegetables or large chunks. If you cut them into too small pieces, they dry out too much.

5. Broiling and grilling vegetables are just like broiling or grilling meat, except it is necessary to add some oil or fat to avoid sticking and promote browning. For this method the vegetables are often in thick slices.

6. Microwave cooking is very popular because of its speed. Many cooks believe in this method yet it is so fast that overcooking is a real danger. You leave the vegetables in the microwave oven just 30 seconds too long, and you end up with a product ready to be puréed for baby food. Microwave cooking doesn’t brings out flavors, either. Test it for yourself and compare. Cook, say green beans, in the microwave to the same doneness as green beans you cook in boiling water or in a steamer.

My memorable microwave cooking lesson was at a good friend’s summer dinner party at the height of the corn season. He was a first-class gardener and his wife was a third-class cook. Unfortunately, she was the designated cook in the house. Minutes before dinner he picked fresh young corn in his backyard garden, handed them to his wife while us guests looked on in an expectation for fabulous culinary delights.

Fresh-picked corn is a rarity in most of our lives and the flavor is often ahead of caviar and truffles. The corn cobs were ready in record time-she microwaved them. Instead of culinary delight it was a struggle to chew and swallow the tough, flavorless kernels. The microwaves totally annihilated them. It was a pure waste growing them since in this case frozen corn would have easily surpassed the fresh.