The Laurel Health Cookery: A Collection of Practical Suggestions and Recipes for the Preparation of Non-Flesh Foods in Palatable and Attractive Ways

oyster plant will cook in 10 m., but late in the season it often requires a half hour. Cook until tender only, not soft. The flavor of the oyster plant is in the water, so there should always be some liquid left to form part of the sauce. A little cream is required to develop the flavor of oyster plant. Water and cream are better than milk. Milk and a little butter may be used when cream is not obtainable. Raw or steamed nut butter may be used in place of either, and olive oil instead of butter gives an appropriate flavor. If there should be dark spots through the oyster plant, be sure that every particle is removed, as one little piece with a dark spot in it will flavor the whole dish. The carbohydrates of oyster plant do not include starch. =Stewed or Creamed Oyster Plant= Cut scraped roots into slices ¼-⅓ in. thick according to size, and drop into the water in which they are to be cooked, an equal quantity, usually. Boil without salt for 10-25 m. When nearly tender, add salt. To the oyster plant liquor, add a little heavy cream, and when boiling, add flour blended with water to make of a creamy consistency; salt if necessary. Chopped parsley may sometimes be added, and a little celery salt occasionally, but oyster plant will not admit of the addition of many flavors. If to be served on toast or rice, or in a rice border, a little onion juice may be added. =Oyster Plant with Drawn Butter Sauce= Cook oyster plant in 2-in. lengths in a small quantity of water. Add sauce 40, heat, serve on toast or rice. =Oyster Plant with Celery or Corn= Use ⅓ or ½ cooked celery or corn in recipe for stewed oyster plant. Any of these dishes may be served as a second course at dinner with beaten biscuit with or without ripe olives. =Parsley= When parsley is fresh, wash, shake and keep in a thick paper sack near the ice. When withered, put at once into ice water