1. Understanding Food
Chapter 17:
Vegetables

2. Classification of Vegetables
Webster’s dictionary refers to vegetables as “any plant,” but more specifically as those that are edible.
Vegetables may be derived from almost any part of a plant:
Roots
Bulbs
Stems
Leaves
Seeds
Flowers

3. The part of the plant used as a vegetable often serves as a common method of classification.

4. Composition of Vegetables
Plant pigments fall into three major groups:
Carotenoids
Chlorophylls
Flavonoids
Carotenoids and chlorophylls are found in plastids and are fat soluble.
Flavonoid pigments are water soluble, and have a tendency to be lost in cooking water.

5. Leucoplasts Chloroplasts Chromoplasts
Water and other compounds are stored in sacs called vacuoles.
Turgor: The rigid firmness of a plant cell resulting from being filled with water.
Organic acids found in the cell contribute to its pH and to the food’s flavor and acidity.
There are three types of plastids:
Leucoplasts
Chloroplasts
Chromoplasts
Leucoplasts store starch and some water.
Starch stored serves as the major digestible portion of the plant.
Chloroplast plastids contain the chlorophyll that is essential for carbohydrate synthesis and provides the green color of plants.
Chromoplast plastids contain the carotene or xanthophyll pigments which give certain fruits and vegetables an orange-yellow color.

7. Preparation of Vegetables
Vegetables can be prepared by:
Dry-heat methods
Baking
Roasting
Sautéing
Deep-fat frying
Moist-heat methods
Simmering
Steaming
Microwaving

8. Preparation of Vegetables
Regardless of the cooking method or serving style selected, some general principles governing the handling and preparation of vegetables should be followed:
Buying
Storage
Washing
Cooking liquid
Timing

9. Preparation of Vegetables
When heated, vegetables undergo several changes in:
Texture
Flavor
Odor
Color
Nutrient retention
Understanding these phenomena can help to retain as much of their quality as possible during preparation.

11. Storage of Vegetables Refrigerated
A cooler temperature is the most important factor in reducing respiration rates, and most fresh vegetables will last at least three days if refrigerated.
Storage times for various vegetables are ultimately based on their water content.
Some vegetables require special storage treatment. For example:
Bean sprouts are best stored in a bowl of cold water in the refrigerator, and the water should be changed frequently.
Ginger root should be frozen or stored in an airtight container to trap its moisture.

12. Storage of Vegetables Dry Storage
Proper storage does not automatically imply refrigeration. For instance:
Tomatoes (unripe)
Eggplant
Winter squash
Tubers (potatoes)
Dried legumes
Most bulbs (onions)
…should never be stored in a refrigerator.

13. There is some minor redemption to be had for commercial tomatoes, if you plan ahead. Tomatoes will ripen and develop a bit more flavor if left at room temperature in indirect (not direct) sunlight for three to five days or placed in a paper bag with an apple or banana for a day or two.
Refrigeration is the enemy of the tomato as it nullifies flavor and turns the flesh mealy. The culprit is a compound called Z-3 hexenel, which accounts for the tomato's scent and taste. The development of tomato's linolenic acid to the Z-3 that makes our mouth and nose sing is hindered by cold. If you must refrigerate a tomato, take it out about an hour before using it to let it return to room temperature to revive any lurking Z-3.
When wintering your garden, you can salvage some of those tomatoes that haven't yet ripened by wrapping them in newspaper and storing in a cool area between 55 and 70 degrees F for two to four weeks. Store them no more than two deep and check them often to use the ones that have begun to ripen. Don't expect them to be as good as ones you've ripened on the vine, but they will probably still be better than store-bought.