ABSTRACT
This chapter is about foods that do not come from animals. Vegetables are generally the savory edible parts of plants, including leaves, roots, stalks, and flowers. Vegetables, which can include, fungi (mushrooms) and starchy foods like potatoes, beans, rice, and grains, are becoming increasingly more important in the modern foodservice establishment. In sub-Saharan Africa (south of the Sahara desert), favorite vegetables include yams (the white tropical type), okra, squash, and eggplant. The people of these nations have also enthusiastically adopted two ingredients from the New World—peanuts (often ground as a thickener) and very hot peppers. In Mediterranean region, including both the European and African shores, as well as the Middle East, cooks prepare slowly braised vegetables like eggplant with tomatoes, olive oil, onions, and, of course, garlic. The vegetables fade in color, but become very tender. Grilled vegetables, particularly eggplant, zucchini, and peppers, dressed with lemon juice and olive oil, are also a hit.
