VEGETABLES. 209
end ; cut them with a sharp knife into pieces half an inch long, and boil them in just enough water to cover them. They usually require one hour's boiling; but this depends upon their age and freshness. After they have boiled until tender and the water 'boiled nearly out, add pepper and salt, a tablespoonful of butter and a half a cup of cream ; if you have not the cream add more butter.
Many prefer to drain them before adding the seasoning; in that case they lose the real goodness of the vegetable.
LIMA AND KIDNEY BEANS.
THESE beans should be put into boiling water, a little more than enough to cover them, and boiled till tender from half an hour to two hours ; serve with butter and salt upon them.
These beans are in season from the last of July to the last of Sep- tember. There are several other varieties of beans used as summer vegetables, which are choked as above.
For Baked Beans, see PORK AND BEANS.
CELERY.
THIS is stewed the same as green corn, by boiling, adding cream, butter, salt and pepper.
STEWED SALSIFY OR OYSTER-PLANT.
WASH the roots and scrape off their skins, throwing them, as you do so, into cold water, for exposure to the air causes them to immedi- ately turn dark. Then cut crosswise into little thin slices ; throw into fresh water, enough to cover; add a little salt and stew in a covered vessel until tender, or about one hour. Pour off a little of the water, add a small lump of butter, a little pepper, and a gill of sweet cream and a teaspoonful of flour stirred to a paste. Boil up and serve hot.
Salsify may be simply boiled and melted butter turned over them.
FRIED SALSIFY.
STEW the salsify as usual till very tender ; then with the back of a spoon or a potato jammer mash it very fine. Beat up an egg, add a teacupful of milk, a little flour, butter and seasoning of pepper and salt. Make into little cakes, and fry a light brown in boiling lard, first rolling in beaten egg and then flour.
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