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figtarist
To conserve the minerals and vitamins, vegetables should be put to cook in water already boiling. Use only enough water to cook the vegetables without allowing them to scorch, and continue cooking only until the vegetable is done.
The more of the color of the vegetables that can be preserved, the more attractive and appealing they will be to the appetite, especially when teaching young children to enjoy vegetables. Try to keep the white of onions, cauliflower and cabbage; the green of "greens;" the yellow of carrots; the reed of beets.
The white vegetables should be cooked only until they are tender. Cabbage can be cooked in twenty minutes, or fifteen if it is young. Pressure cooking will reduce the time still more. Hard water, that is, with much minerals, will discolor vegetables more than soft water.
During the first few minutes of cooking, vegetables give off a volatile acid. This acid will darken greens to a dirty brown if the pan is kept covered. By leaving the pan uncovered the acid is allowed to escape and the green color will not be so greatly changed.
The yellow color of carrots, squash and sweet potato is not easily destroyed. But still we need to think of preserving their food value. Baking is best for sweet potatoes and squash; carrots can be steamed.
The red color of beets and red cabbage is easily lost. Beets should be cooked whole. They can be pared or cut later. Adding a little lemon juice to red cabbage will help retain the color. Use about one tablespoon of juice to the cup of water you cook the cabbage in.
Do not throw away the water in which vegetables are cooked. It is rich in vitamins and minerals. It can be used in soup, or served with the vegetable, or drink as you would fruit juice.
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Posted in: Conserve vitamins and minerals in vegetables,Cooking vegetables with different colors,How to cook vegetables
