LESSON XXVIII ROOT VEGETABLES (C)

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Tapioca is a food material prepared from the roots of the cassava plant grown in South America. Like many other foods prepared from the roots of plants, it consists of a large percent of starch. In its preparation, tapioca is heated so that the starch is partially cooked. Tapioca is prepared for the market in two forms,—pearl tapioca, and minute or granulated tapioca. The latter requires a much shorter time to cook. If granulated tapioca is substituted for pearl tapioca, but one half the quantity is required.

APPLE TAPIOCA

3/4 cupful pearl tapioca or 3/4 cupful granulated tapioca 2 1/2 cupfuls boiling water 1/2 teaspoonful salt 6 apples 1/2 cupful sugar

If pearl tapioca is used, cover it generously with cold water and allow it to stand one hour or overnight. While soaking keep the tapioca covered. If any water is unabsorbed, do not discard it,—use less than the given quantity of boiling water.

If granulated tapioca is used, no cold water is needed. For either granulated or pearl tapioca, add the boiling water and salt to the tapioca and cook over the naked flame and then over hot water as in the case of breakfast cereal (see General Rules for Cooking Cereals). Cook in the double boiler until transparent. Wash, core, and pare the apples; place them in a buttered baking-dish; fill the cavities with sugar, pour tapioca over them, and bake in a moderate oven until the apples are soft. Serve with sugar and cream, or with Lemon Sauce.

Other fruits may be substituted for apples. If canned fruits are used, substitute the fruit sirup for part of the water in which the tapioca is cooked.

RHUBARB TAPIOCA

Use the same ingredients for the rhubarb dessert as for Apple Tapioca, substituting for the apples 3 cupfuls of rhubarb, cut into pieces, and using twice the quantity of sugar. Bake until the rhubarb is soft.

LEMON SAUCE

3/4 cupful sugar 2 tablespoonfuls flour 2 cupfuls boiling water 1 lemon,—juice and rind 1 tablespoonful butter

Mix sugar and flour thoroughly; then slowly add the boiling water. Cook 10 minutes. Add the lemon juice and rind, then the butter. Stir until the butter is melted, when the sauce will be ready to serve.

For economy, the butter may be omitted. It adds to the flavor, however.

SWEET SAUCES.—Sweet Sauces usually contain sugar and butter and are thickened with a powdered cereal. It is interesting to consider which of the two materials—sugar or butter—should be used to separate the grains of the flour or corn-starch.

The quantity of fat used with the flour of White Sauces (see below) is a little less than that of the flour. It is difficult to separate starch grains when the quantity of fat equals only one half the quantity of flour. On the other hand, when starch grains are separated by means of sugar, the quantity of the sugar should equal at least the quantity of the starchy material (see Blanc Mange). In the recipe for Lemon Sauce above, it will be noted that the quantity of fat is one half that of the flour; the quantity of sugar greatly exceeds that of the flour. Hence the sugar affords a more satisfactory means of separating the starch grains in Lemon Sauce.

PROPORTIONS OF INGREDIENTS FOR SAUCES

Flour Fat Liquid

Thin White Sauce 1 tablespoonful, 3/4 tablespoonful, 1 cup (Toast, sweet sauce, certain cream soups, etc.)

Medium White Sauce 2 tablespoonfuls, 1 1/2 tablespoonfuls, 1 cup

(Vegetables (see page 109), gravy, tomato sauce, etc.)

Thick White Sauce 3 tablespoonfuls, 2 tablespoonfuls, 1 cup
(Gravy, tomato sauce, etc.)

Very Thick White Sauce 4 tablespoonfuls, 3 tablespoonfuls, 1 cup
(Croquettes, etc.)

(If richer sauces are desired, equal quantities of fat and flour should be used.)

QUESTIONS

What is the purpose of soaking pearl tapioca in water before cooking? Give the reason for covering pearl tapioca while it is soaking. Why is it necessary to cook it in a double boiler?

What is the use of flour in Lemon Sauce? Why is the flour mixed with the sugar before adding the boiling water (see Experiment 24)? How long does it take the flour to thicken? How long a time does the recipe give for cooking the flour mixture? What is the purpose of cooking it for so long a time?

What precautions can be taken to prevent the sauce from scorching?

If, after cooking the required length of time, the sauce is not thick enough, what is the simplest method of thickening it?

For a sauce recipe in which very little fat and no sugar are given, devise a method of preparing smooth sauce.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

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