Читать книгу Mrs. Beeton's Dictionary of Every-Day Cookery - Mrs. Beeton - Страница 107

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Ingredients.—To each ½ gallon of water allow 1 heaped tablespoonful of salt, a very small piece of soda. Mode.—This vegetable should always be eaten young, as when allowed to grow too long it tastes stringy and tough when cooked. Cut off the heads and tails, and a thin strip on each side of the beans to remove the strings; then divide each bean into 4 or 6 pieces, according to size, cutting them lengthways in a slanting direction, and as they are cut put them into cold water, with a small quantity of salt dissolved in it. Have ready a saucepan of boiling water, with salt and soda in the above proportion; put in the beans, keep them boiling quickly, with the lid uncovered, and be careful that they do not get smoked. When tender, which may be ascertained by their sinking to the bottom of the saucepan, take them up, pour them into a colander, and when drained, dish and serve with plain melted butter. When very young, beans are sometimes served whole: thus dressed, their colour and flavour are much better preserved, but the more general way of sending them to table is to cut them into thin strips. Time.—Very young beans, 10 to 12 minutes; moderate size, 15 to 20 minutes, after the water boils. Average cost, in full season, 1s. 4d. per peck, but when forced very expensive. Sufficient.—Allow ½ peck for 6 or 7 persons. Seasonable from the middle of July to the end of September, but may be had forced from February to the beginning of June.