Sea Kale Recipe

An easily grown vegetable, especially valuable when forced during the

winter months.

To raise from seed sow in April, lift the roots in Fall and plant out

the following Spring in rows 2 ft. apart.

Sea Kale needs well dug, well manured soil and plenty of water. We

recommend planting roots (3 year old preferably). Cover the bed with

light blanching material, 7 or 8 ins. deep and cut same as Asparagus

(Coal ashes is what is usually used for Seakale). It should be ready to

cut in 6 or 8 weeks. To get it early, plant 3 roots in hills 4 ft.

apart. Place an old bucket or box over the hill and cover all over with

fresh stable manure. The heat from the manure will make cutting possible

in 2 or 3 weeks; 4 or 6 buckets or boxes may be used and transferred to

other hills when first hills are through. (Roots can be procured in the

Fall.)

=Forcing Inside.= Plant 3 to 5 roots in an 8 in. pot and invert a similar

pot over it and cover the hole in the top. Place under bench in

conservatory or Greenhouse, or in a warm basement where 50 or 60 degrees

may be maintained. Water every day. Cutting should be made in from 18 to

21 days, according to heat maintained.

=Use.= Seakale is considered a great delicacy, the young shoots when

cooked are more tender than the youngest Asparagus. They are usually

cooked whole and served with white (cream) sauce as Asparagus, or may be

chopped up and cooked like celery and served in the same manner. It has

a nice buttery flavor of its own, that has to be tasted to be

appreciated, a flavor that will take with the household. We do not

hesitate to say that if once grown the demand will soon exceed the

supply.

Vegetables are at their best in their own season, just as nature

develops them, not as man forces them. Gathered not quite full grown

with the dew of the morning upon them, they are solid, tender, juicy,

sweet and full of flavor, fit for a feast of the gods. But the

crispness, sweetness and fresh flavors are fleeting, and few but owners

of, and neighbors to gardens know the prime flavors of the fruits and

vegetables upon their tables. Therefore in selecting vegetables for your

table choose first the freshest possible, select medium sized and not

overgrown ones, though small sized turnips and large rutabagas are best,

egg-plants should be full grown, but not ripe. If vegetables are not

fresh refresh them by plunging them into cold salt water an hour before

cooking. Old potatoes should be pared as thin as possible and be thrown

at once into cold salt water for several hours, changing the water once

or twice. Wipe plunged vegetables before cooking. Old potatoes are

improved by paring before baking. Irish or sweet potatoes, if frozen,

must be put into bake without thawing. Onions should be soaked in warm

salt water an hour before cooking to modify their rank flavor. Lettuce,

greens, and celery are sometimes best cleaned by using warm water,

though they must be thrown at once, when cleaned, into cold water. To

steam vegetables is better than to boil them, their flavors are held

better, they are less liable to be water-soaked and their odors are

confined instead of escaping through the house. If they are to be boiled

always draw fresh water. Mrs. Rorer says, Soft water should be used for

dry vegetables, such as split peas, lentils and beans, and hard water

for green ones. Water is made soft by using a half teaspoonful of

bi-carbonate of soda to a gallon of water, and hard by using one

teaspoonful of salt to a gallon of water. As soon as the water boils,

before it parts with its gases, put in the vegetables. Use open vessels

except for spinach. The quicker they boil the better. As soon as tender,

take them out of the water, drain and dress for the table. Never let

them remain in the water after they are once done. Fresh vegetables boil

in about 1/3 of the time of old ones. A little bi-carbonate of soda

added to the boiling water before greens are put in will serve to keep

their color. A pinch of pearl ash put into boiling peas will render old

yellow ones, quite tender and green. A little sugar improves beets,

turnips, peas, corn, squash, tomatoes and pumpkins, especially if they

are not in prime condition. A little lime boiled in water improves very

watery potatoes. A piece of red pepper the size of a finger nail, a

small piece of charcoal or even a small piece of bread crust, dropped in

with boiling vegetables will modify unpleasant odors. Vegetables served

with salt meats must be boiled in the liquor of the meat after it has

been boiled and removed. Egg-plant and old potatoes are often put on to

cook in cold salt water. It is claimed that onions, carrots, and turnips

cook quicker if cut in rings across the fiber. Clean all vegetables

thoroughly to remove all dirt and insects. To free leaves from insects,

throw vegetables, stalk ends uppermost, into a strong brine made by

putting one and one half pounds of salt into a gallon of water. Leave

them in the brine for two or three hours, and the insects will fall off

and sink to the bottom.