Peas

Peas should be shelled and the shells put in a saucepan and covered with boiling water. Cook for thirty minutes, drain and put the shelled peas into this water; add a very little sugar, if liked, put in the casserole, and cook, simmering slowly until the peas are tender. It is practically impossible to give the time of cooking, so much depends upon the freshness and maturity of the peas. From twenty to thirty minutes, or in the oven from thirty to forty, should suffice. They must not be overdone. Two quarts will serve four.

String Beans

String beans should be blanched. Free them from strings, cut up, and soak in cold water, for a longer or shorter time. If they are fresh and crisp, twenty minutes will do; if wilted, a few hours are needed. Drain, put them into rapidly boiling, salted water, and boil rapidly, cover off, for ten minutes. Drain, let cold water run over them, then put them in the casserole with one-half cupful of boiling water and one rounding tablespoonful of butter for each quart of beans. Cover and cook for twenty or twenty-five minutes in a medium hot oven. Do not overcook. Season and serve. One quart will serve four.

Cauliflower, cabbage, and brussels sprouts must all be soaked for thirty minutes in cold water to which salt has been added in order to free them from any insects hidden in the leaves. Break the cauliflower into flowerets and cut the cabbage in pieces if the casserole is to be used. Half cover with water and cook in the oven, the cabbage for an hour or more, depending upon its age, the cauliflower from thirty to forty minutes.

When the cabbage is nearly done, if more than a little water remains, pour it off until about one-half cupful is left. Add one rounding tablespoonful of butter or bacon fat, and cook uncovered for the remainder of the time. The cauliflower should be cooked until done, drained, and served with a cream or hollandaise sauce.

Brussels sprouts should be prepared for cooking by removing any outside leaves after soaking, and putting in the casserole with, for a quart of sprouts, one cupful of stock and one rounding tablespoonful of butter. Cook until tender. Remove cover of the casserole, season with salt and pepper, add more butter if necessary, and serve without sauce. One quart will serve six.

There is but one way of finding out when vegetables are done, and that is to try them. Salt should be added when the cooking is nearly or all done, and the time for cooking in the casserole should be from ten to forty minutes more than cooking on the stove. They do not need careful watching while cooking in this way, and will be found to be very delicious.

Baked Lentils

Wash a quart of lentils and put them into a saucepan with a quart of cold water; add a teaspoonful of lemon juice, two small onions, each stuck with two cloves, two or three red peppers, a teaspoonful of salt, and a bunch of garden herbs, including plenty of parsley and a small sprig of mint. Place in the pan, well covered, over a moderate fire until the water has been absorbed and the lentils are soft, but not pulpy. This should not take more than half an hour. Then take out the herbs, onions, and cloves, put the lentils into a buttered earthenware dish, cover the top with a light layer of browned bread crumbs and chopped parsley mixed, dot it over with tiny pieces of butter, and bake it in a quick oven just long enough to give it a rich brown crispness. Serve with a good brown gravy. Pork or beef can be boiled with the lentils if the flavor of meat is desired. If German lentils are used in carrying out this recipe, •they should be soaked at least twenty-four hours, and then boiled in the water in which they were soaked to secure the best results.