VEGETABLES. 211
bread half an inch thick, pare off the crust and toast it a delicate brown on both sides. When the stalks of the asparagus are tender (it will usually cook in twenty to forty minutes) lift it out directly, or it will lose both its color and flavor and will also be liable to break ; dip the toast quickly into the liquor in which it was boiled and dish the vege- table upon it, the heads all lying one way. Pour over white sauce, or
melted butter.
ASPARAGUS WITH EGGS.
BOIL a bunch of asparagus twenty minutes ; cut off the tender tops and lay them in a deep pie plate, buttering, salting and peppering well. Beat up four eggs, the yolks and whites separately, to a stiff froth; add two tablespoonfuls of milk or cream, a tablespoonful of warm butter, pepper and salt to taste. Pour evenly over the aspara- gus mixture. Bake eight minutes or until the eggs are set. Very good.
GREEN PEAS.
SHELL the peas and wash in cold water. Put in boiling water just enough to cover them well and keep them from burning; boil from twenty minutes to half an hour, when the liquor should be nearly boiled out ; season with pepper and salt and a good allowance of but- ter ; serve very hot.
This is a very much better way than cooking in a larger quantity of water and draining off the liquor, as that diminishes the sweetness, and much of the fine flavor of the peas is lost. The salt should never be put in the peas before they are tender, unless very young, as it tends to harden them.
STEWED GREEN PEAS.
INTO a saucepan of boiling water put two or three pints of young green peas, and when nearly done and tender drain in a colander dry ; then melt two ounces of butter in two of flour ; stir well and boil five minutes longer; should the pods be quite clean and fresh boil them first in the water, remove and put in the peas. The Germans prepare a very palatable dish of sweet young pods alone by simply stirring in a little butter with some savory herbs.
SQUASHES, OR CYMBLINGS.
THE green or summer squash is best when the outside is beginning to turn yellow, as it is then less watery and insipid than when younger.
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