Chapter 12. Quick Vegetables

Basic Rule for Preparing Canned Vegetables

Drain the vegetables. Cook only the liquid until reduced to one-half its original volume. Add the vegetables and season as you like. Heat, drain and serve.

Canned Green Beans, Provenale
1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup thinly sliced onions
1/2 cup julienne-cut green pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup canned tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 cup water
2 1/2-can green beans, drained

Heat the oil in a saucepan; saut the onions 5 minutes. Add the green pepper, celery, garlic, tomatoes, salt, pepper, bay leaf, oregano and water. Bring to a boil and cook over low heat 10 minutes. Add the beans and cook 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Serves 4-6.

Lima Beans, New Orleans Style
3 slices bacon
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green peppers
1 16-ounce can tomatoes
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon basil
1 16-ounce can lima beans, drained
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Brown the bacon and remove. Pour off half the fat. In the fat remaining, saut the onion and green peppers 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sugar and basil; bring to a boil, and cook over low heat 20 minutes. Add the beans, pepper and salt to taste. Cook 10 minutes. Crumble the bacon on top. Serves 4.

Old-Fashioned Beans and Corn
4 slices bacon
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 15 1/2-ounce can cut green beans
1 16-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Fry the bacon crisp; remove and crumble. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat; saut the onion in the fat 5 minutes. Drain the beans; add the liquid to the onion. Cook over high heat until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Add the beans, corn, sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper and bacon; cook over low heat 10 minutes. Serves 6-8.

Baked Bean Casserole
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onions
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced green peppers
2 1-pound cans baked beans
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a skillet; saut the onions and green peppers 10 minutes. In a casserole, arrange successive layers of the beans, tomatoes and sauted vegetables, sprinkling the vegetables with salt and pepper. Finish with a tomato layer. Bake in a 350 oven 30 minutes. Serves 4-6.

Canned Beets in Wine
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 1-pound can tiny beets, drained

Heat the butter, honey, sherry, nutmeg and orange rind in the top of a double boiler. Add the beets, place over hot water and cook 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Serves 4.

Canned Spiced Beets
1 16-ounce can sliced beets
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
3 tablespoons minced parsley

Heat the beets in their liquid, then drain well. Add the butter and olive oil; toss until coated. Sprinkle with the lemon juice, salt, pepper, coriander and parsley. Serves 4-5.

Beets in Orange Sauce
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
2 1-pound cans tiny beets, drained

Combine all the ingredients in the top of a double boiler; bring to a boil. Place over hot water and let stand 15 minutes before serving. Serves 6-8.

Harvard Beets
2 1-pound cans sliced beets
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons butter

Drain the beets, reserving 1 cup liquid. In a saucepan, mix together the cornstarch, sugar, salt and vinegar, then stir in the reserved liquid. Cook over low heat, stirring steadily to the boiling point. Add the beets and butter; cook 10 minutes. Serves 6-8.

Marinated Canned Carrots
1 16-ounce can carrots
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano

Drain the carrots and place in a dish. Mix together the oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper and oregano. Pour over the carrots; marinate in the refrigerator at least 4 hours before serving. Serves 3-4.

Chicken Divan
3 packages boil-in-a-bag broccoli au gratin
16 slices cooked chicken or turkey
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup light cream
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Place the bags of broccoli in boiling water; cook 8 minutes. Open the bags, and place the contents of 1 1/2 bags in a buttered baking dish. Arrange the chicken or turkey over it; sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Mix the remaining broccoli with the cream; pour over the chicken or turkey. Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake in a preheated 400 oven 20 minutes. Serves 4-6.

Corn and Peas
1 12-ounce can corn kernels
1 16-ounce can green peas
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
2 tablespoons minced parsley
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Drain the corn and peas, but reserve 1/2 cup of the green pea liquid. Cook the liquid over high heat until reduced to 1/4 cup. Add the vegetables, marjoram, parsley, butter and pepper. Heat and taste for seasoning. Serves 4-6.

Canned Peas and Cheese
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 tablespoons butter
1 16-ounce can peas, heated and drained
3 tablespoons minced parsley
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Saut the onions in the butter until tender and browned. Toss with the peas, parsley, pepper, cheese and add salt to taste. Serves 3-4.

Quick Pure of Peas
1 16-ounce can green peas
1/2 cup light cream
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon mace

Drain the peas; combine in an electric blender with the remaining ingredients and run until smooth. Or force the peas through a food mill, then mix with remaining ingredients. Cook over low heat until hot, stirring almost constantly. Serves 2-4.

Quick Spinach Souffl
3 packages boil-in-a-bag creamed spinach
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon cognac
4 egg whites, beaten stiff

Heat the spinach by boiling bags in water 8 minutes. Empty bags into a bowl. Mix in the egg yolks, salt, pepper, nutmeg and cognac. Cool 10 minutes. Fold in the egg whites. Turn into a 1 1/2-quart souffl dish. Bake in a preheated 350 oven 30 minutes, or until set and browned. Serves 4-6.

Mixed Vegetable Souffl Pudding
1 package boil-in-a-bag creamed spinach
1 package boil-in-a-bag peas in onion sauce
1 package boil-in-a-bag Creole succotash
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 egg whites, beaten stiff

Heat all the vegetables by placing bags in boiling water; cook 10 minutes. Empty bags into a bowl; mix in the egg yolks, salt, pepper and cheese. Cool 10 minutes. Fold in the egg whites. Turn into a 1 1/2-quart souffl' or baking dish. Bake in a preheated 375 oven 30 minutes, or until set. Serve immediately. Serves 6-8.

Corn was the staple food of the Indians of North and South America, a fact reported by the hordes of European explorers who came in hopes of finding gold or new routes to the Indies, or in search of new lands to conquer. Not only was the corn eaten on the cob by the Indians but several tribes knew how to grind it for flour, from which they made pancakes and primitive breads. The Indians of Mexico learned how to make a sweet, honey-like syrup from the stalks, the Incas turned the corn into sugar; but for some undiscovered reason, every tribe knew how to make a strong liquor from distilled corn.

It was undoubtedly Columbus who first brought corn to Europe. Only fifty years later, it had traveled around the world to the remotest corners of the Far East, a record for speed when considered in the light of the state of communications of the early 16th century.

"Comer verdura y echar mal ventura." Eat vegetables and be healthy.

Old Spanish Proverb, 18 th century