Vegetables: From Garden To Table (1981)

thank you [Music] a little attention all members of Company B area details good working Sergeant plus 1600 hours hey Sarge I have some cauliflower Florentine and artichoke heart drinks Sarge mashed potatoes and peas again it looks like you're blown him a death well what did you think enlisted in anyway a chef's School we serve vegetables any other way eat it you'll like it what the sergeant didn't know was that the Abundant variety of vegetables and serving methods can make them the highlight of daily meals and if properly prepared vegetables can make substantial contributions to the vitamins and minerals that we need for good health for example an orange breakfast is not the only way to get your daily quota of vitamin C this combination of vegetables eaten during the day will provide the same amount of vitamin C as an orange the nutrients and vegetables are largely influenced by the part of the plant from which the vegetable comes and all parts of the plant produce vegetables roots stems leaves fruit and flowers although most vegetables can be cooked many are enjoyed in their raw form both as snacks and salad ingredients we'll start with the vegetables that grow below the ground roots and tubers these are all examples radishes and carrots make colorful raw garnishes trim root vegetables sparingly at the root and leaf ends to make radish roses make four slashes which when chilled in ice water spread into a petal design cut carrots in sticks Rings or curls foreign curls are long thin strips rolled and held with a toothpick they retain their shape after chilling in ice water turnips and rutabagas are often waxed to hold in moisture for shipping this is removed when they are paired although usually eaten cooked try them paired and cut into raw wedges or shredded for salads the stems are the next part in the progression of the plant celery and asparagus represent the edible stems of plants cut off the core end of celery to separate the stems wash thoroughly but don't scrape use all parts of celery trim only the very tip ends and the bruised portions add the coarse outer stems to cook dishes for texture and flavor use the inner ones for relishes leaves are good for tossed salad or soup there's an abundance of edible vegetable leaves from which to choose the leaves are low in calories because they are low in starch they are high in moisture content and contribute much cellulose or Fiber to the diet and Aid to the digestive system buy fresh crisp looking salad vegetables then refrigerate them as soon as possible large amounts of vitamin C are lost from vegetables just by leaving them at room temperature since the darker green leaves have more vitamins discard them only if badly bruised or shred them to use in soups plunge the leaf Greens in water and lift out so grit will filter to the bottom drain well refrigerate in sealed plastic containers red lettuce stores best on cord but to crisp inner leaves remove the core by wrapping the head against the counter and twist or cut the core out rinse drain and store cut end down take the rib out of coarse leaves as well as any dark spots since cut surfaces allow greater quantities of vitamin C to be lost tear or shred just before serving some flowers and flower clusters of plants produce edible vegetables choose pure white heads of cauliflower broccoli free of yellow tinges and artichokes with tightly clinging Green Leaf scales rinse the head of cauliflower and remove the outer leaves to make a peeling finger food break or cut off the flower heads from the central core for salads slice thinly just before use the blossom of many plants develops into a fruit technically these vegetables are fruits because they contain seeds and the food needed for seeds to develop the seeds which remain soft are edible as part of the total vegetable the for example those in eggplant summer squash cucumbers and tomatoes when cucumbers are served raw it adds a pretty touch to pull a fork through the green skin in parallel rows before slicing cut open green peppers and remove seeds in section membranes then slice into strips or rings to serve use toothpicks to insert these raw vegetables into a round vegetable for an enticing centerpiece and provide some nutritious dips made from beans or broccoli or simply combine them for a tossed salad well that's an appetizing variety of raw vegetables however there are also good reasons for eating cooked vegetables first of all some vegetables can't be eaten raw also cooking softens fiber and AIDS in the digestion and absorption of food protect color flavor and texture to preserve nutrients now there are moist and dry heat methods of cookery oven baking and broiling are dry heat methods since nutrients and vegetables are concentrated near the skin baking them unpeeled is an excellent cooking method for retaining these nutrients just scrub and remove the eyes oiling the potato produces a softer more edible skin prick the skin so they don't explode from accumulated Steam cook until they feel uniformly soft when pinched with a potholder the length of cooking time is determined more by the size of the vegetable than by the number baked vegetables such as winter varieties of squash and pumpkin should be washed and cut in half remove the seeds and place cut side down on a baking sheet or add stuffing and place right side up bake at 375 to 425 degrees until fork tender serve in the skin or scrape the softened pulp out and serve mashed the Deep yellow or orange color of these vegetables is provided by carotene a plant pigment it indicates an excellent supply of vitamin A the deeper the yellow orange color of the vegetable the more vitamin A it contains use broiling for vegetables with a high moisture content to make kebabs place a variety of vegetables on a skewer these have been dipped in vegetable oil to prevent the surfaces from drying rest them on the cold broiler pan three inches from the Heat cook until just Tender Crisp when overdone they get mushy and fall off the skewer moist heat cookery including boiling and steaming is used for starchy vegetables to swell the starch granules making them more soluble and other vegetables it softens the cellulose using this method green vegetables pose the biggest challenge to retaining nutrients good color flavor and texture like yellow vegetables they're good sources of vitamin A but the carotene is masked by chlorophyll a green pigment the green color indicates they are high in vitamin C in fact the darker green the vegetable the more vitamin C it has however vitamin C is difficult to retain during cooking because it dissolves in liquid and can be destroyed by enzymes in a warm environment but since enzymes are inactivated at the boiling point it is logical to start the cooking process in boiling water and to use as little water as possible foreign we'll use broccoli in a demonstration of moist heat cooking after washing and removing the leaves divide the thick stalks vertically or into small pieces that way they'll cook as fast as the flower tops add the broccoli to the boiling water cover and return to the boiling point on high heat then reduce heat to maintain a slow boil using just enough water to prevent scorching is called waterless cooking this method relies upon the steam created to do the cooking if cooked quickly in a pan with a tight fitting lid to a tender but crisp doneness a bright green is maintained when cooked well done the cell walls break down and allow the chlorophyll to react with natural plant acids this creates an olive drab color and a strong flavor leaving the lid off but using more cooking water is often recommended for vegetables in the Cabbage family this is because they contain sulfur compounds which break down during cooking creating a strong Aroma in flavor with the lid off these compounds can escape however since half of the vitamin C will end up in the cooking liquid it should be eaten with the vegetables this is especially true for canned vegetables one solution is to remove the vegetables boil the liquid down to only a few tablespoons then return vegetables to the liquid until just hot throughout vegetables may also be steamed in a perforated container placed over boiling water so that the vegetables are not touching the water as for this artichoke prepare an artichoke by cutting off most of the stem and clipping the tips of the leaves including half an inch on top cover with a tight fitting lid when done leaves should pull off easily they can be served hot or cold this looks good I've never tried one obviously look you just pull off one of the leaves and dip it in the sauce of your choice it sure looks like more fun that is good sweet corn peas and green beans can be eaten as immature seeds however in their fully ripened State these seeds turn dry and need to be cooked in liquid before eating dried vegetable seeds provide B vitamins calcium and iron and are a good source of protein when combined with animal protein sort out damaged beans or foreign matter and rinse the beans absorb the liquid so use two to three times as much water as beans one cup of beans will make two cups when cooked cover with water and let soak overnight when ready to cook bring the beans to a boil in the soaking water in order to retain vitamins dissolved in the water for flavor add onion garlic celery carrots herbs bacon or bony meat reduce the Heat and simmer slowly until fully tender fast high heat breaks the skin which causes them to become mushy check done this with a fork microwave ovens may be used to cook vegetables with or without moisture while saving time and energy however their main advantage in vegetable cookery is retaining nutrients frozen vegetables for instance may be cooked without adding any extra water no loss of nutrients to cooking liquid but it's not necessary to use boiling water to cook fresh corn on the cob or frozen vegetables in the pouch they are microwave favorites slash the pouch to avoid pressure buildup because the husk forms a natural insulation the corn is steamed in its own moisture just micro cook a couple of minutes per ear when cooked silks peel back with the husk frying is a technique adapted from Chinese cookery vegetables prepared in this manner retain nutrients and color because of the short cooking time use vegetables high in moisture leafy greens such as cabbage are shredded cut asparagus carrots and celery in very thin diagonal strips these shapes add to visual appeal they also have maximum exposed surface area so they will cook quickly a funnel-shaped pan called a wok is the traditional utensil for this technique but a heavy Skillet may also be used add the chopped vegetables to two tablespoons of hot oil and stir to quickly coat them in the oil Gooch pop and sizzle keep it moving so it won't stick add extra moisture cover and steam just a few minutes to reach a translucent tender crispness eggplant adapts well to pan frying pair only if the skin is tough slice half an inch thick and dip into beaten egg then seasoned flour or breadcrumbs fry uncovered in a small amount of oil over moderate heat two to four minutes or until lightly browned and Tender Crisp we're all aware of the technique of French frying potatoes but the Japanese Deep Fat fry all kinds of vegetables dipped in a batter the result is called tempura wash and dry the vegetables so the batter will adhere to them non-starchy kinds are best but the secret is to cut them thin and cut them in interesting shapes short carrot sticks diagonal slices of celery and zucchini wedges of turnip bite-sized cauliflower blossoms the batter and oil are critical factors use a mild vegetable oil heated to 350 degrees cut the vegetables and begin heating the oil before making the batter which should be ice cold when used test the oil with a little drop of batter it should sink to the bottom then quickly rise in the midst of bubbles dip the vegetables into the batter one at a time then into the oil repeat but don't overload the hot fat try about one minute or until light brown the batter creates a seal around the vegetables so that they are tenderized by their natural moisture turning to steam that's why small pieces work best you'll be surprised at the new mellow flavors you detect this is a good way to try new vegetables drain then serve hot with a choice of dipping sauces horseradish sweet sour or mustard it's easy to see that there's a wide variety of vegetables offering a good balance of nutrients and both raw and cooked vegetables can be incorporated into any part of a meal from appetizers to dessert use them to add color and excitement to your meals foreign