• As people are becoming more conscious of healthy eating, the serving of a variety of correctly cooked, colourful, attractively presented vegetables becomes increasingly important.

• This can be achieved in a variety of ways: a small selection of vegetables served on a separate plate to the main course is popular when appropriate, as is the practice of placing dishes of vegetables on the table for customers to help themselves. There are also people who would welcome a small selection of vegetables served as a separate course.

• As fast world-wide transport is now the norm, the more exotic vegetables, which were previously unknown are now available and caterers, should learn how to prepare, cook and serve them. However, these should not replace but, rather, supplement freshly picked and cooked local produce, which will always be popular if correctly cooked, of good colour and attractively presented.

•  When preparing vegetables they should be cooked as close to service time as possible, or prepared and blanched without over cooking. Over cooked vegetables loose their colour and vitamin and nutrient content.

Vegetables Are Divided Into Different Categories.They Are As Follows:

• ROOT• TUBER • BULBS• STEMS• LEGUMES• AQUEOUS• LEAVES• FLOWER HEADS• FUNGI• VEGETABLE FRUITS • NLN Vegetable database.

Root Vegetables.

• Root vegetables need to be cleaned well to remove soil, which can be a source of contamination. The bacteria Clostridium Perfingens and Bacillus Cereus are present in soil and are very harmful.

Types of Root Vegetables.

• Carrots: Available all year round, good source of Vitamin A.

• Turnips: Best between May – June.

• Swede: Best between October – March.

• Parsnips: Best between October – April.

Types of Root Vegetables.

• Beetroot: Not usually used as a vegetable, but boiled and pickled and used in salads.

• Celeriac: Celery flavoured vegetable looks like a rough skinned turnip.

• Radish: This is usually used as a salad item and not served as a hot vegetable.

• Salsify: Often called an Oyster Plant, due to its oyster type flavour.

Different Types of Roots.

Black Salsify Turnip

Carrot Parsnip

Different Types of Roots.

Beetroot Kohlrabi

Celeraic Swede

Different Types of Radish & Cress.

Scarlet Globe & French Breakfast

Icicle Black Mouli

Corn Salad Mustard & Cress

Types of Tuber Vegetables.• Potatoes:40 different types:

Early crop: May – August. Main crop Sept – May.

• Jerusalem Artichokes:Used in soups or served in a cream sauce.

• Sweet Potatoes: Used in stir-fry dishes, requires prolonged cooking, slightly nutty taste.

Types of Tubers• Yam: Flourish in tropical climates and are similar

to sweet potatoes.

• Taro & Cassava: Also flourish in the tropics, both

taste similar to potatoes. The Taro goes a greyish

green colour when cooked.

• Jicama: a Tropical tuber popular in Mexican dishes.

Different Types of Potatoes.All Purpose Yellow

New

All Purpose White

Baking

Salad Potato

Blue Potato

Orange Sweet

Yellow Sweet

Different Types of Tuber.

Taro Cassava

Yam

Jicama

Jerusalem Artichoke

Types of Bulb Vegetables.

• Onions: All year round, should have a firm and crisp outer skin.

• Spring Onions: Best between May – September, used in salads and Chinese cooking.

• Shallots: Best between September – October, classed as best bulb.

Types of Bulb Vegetables.

• Leeks: All year round, must be well washed before using.

• Chives: Best between May – August, used mainly as a garnish.

• Garlic: All year round, best garlic comes from France.

Different Types of Bulbs.Pickling Onion Banana Shallot

Garlic

Shallot

Different Types of Bulbs.Spring Onions Welsh Onions

Tree Onion

Leeks

Different Types of Bulbs.

Red Onion Yellow Onion

Spanish Onion Vidalia Onion

Types of Leaf Vegetables.

• Cabbage: 4 main types, Green, Red, Chinese & Spring Green.

• Curly Kale: Very dark leaf, no heart / core.

• Sprouts: Should be small, compact with tight leafs.

• Sorrel: Used in salads or cooked like Spinach.

Types of Leaf Vegetables.• Spinach: Deep green leaves, high in Iron.

• Chard: Dark green leaf with white coloured stems.

• Lettuce: Used in salads, wash thoroughly.

• Watercress: High in Iron, store in iced water after picking.

Different Types of Lettuce.

Butterhead Iceberg Webb’s Rocket

Different Types of Lettuce.

Curly Endive Loosehead Chicory Mizuna

Different Types of Lettuce.

Cos Escarole Radicchio Lollo Rosso

Different Types of Green Leaf.

Nettles Purslane Sorrel Dandelion

Different Types of Green Leaf.

Spinach Chinese Greens Spring Greens

Different Types of Green Leaf.Beet Greens Bok Choy Watercress

Curly Kale Chinese Leaves Swiss Chard

Different Types of Leaves.

White Cabbage Sprouts

Red Cabbage

Types of Flower Head Vegetables.

• Cauliflower: Best between March – December, should have bright white head.

• Broccoli: All year round, firm green or purple heads.

• Globe Artichoke: Best cooked with piece of Lemon attached to the bottom.

Different Types of Flower Head.

Cauliflower Globe Artichoke

Purple Cauliflower Purple & Green Broccoli

Types of Stem Vegetables.• Celery: Used in Bouquet Garni, Soups or

salads.

• Chicory: Used as lettuce.

• Fennel: Bulb like with a strong flavour, used in salads.

• Asparagus:3 main types with white, green & purple heads.

Types of Stem Vegetables.• Cardoon: A relation of the Globe Artichoke

prepare like Celery.

• Fennel: Bulb like with a strong flavour, used in salads.

• Asparagus:3 main types with white, green & purple heads.

• Fiddlehead Fern: A mixed flavour of Asparagus & French Beans.

Different Types of Stem Vegetables.

Fennel Asparagus Fiddlehead Fern

Celery Cardoon

Types of Legumes & Pods.

• Broad Bean: Can be used as a salad item, mainly used as a hot vegetable dish.

• French Bean: Used as a hot vegetable dish.

• Runner Bean: Large ones can be stringy and tough.

Types of Legumes & Pods.

• Mange tout: Crisp flat underdeveloped pea. Stir-fried or sautéed.

• Peas: Should be firm and crisp, sugar snap peas should be cooked like Mange tout.

• Kenya Beans: Similar to French bean but grown in Kenya.

Different Types of Pods & Legumes

Sugar Snap Haricot Broad

Garden Peas in pod

Different Types of Pods

Mange tout Bobby Bean Runner Bean

Types of Edible Fungi.• Only purchase Fungi (Mushrooms) from

reputable suppliers, do not use fungi that you are unsure of.

• Some Fungi are poisonous and great care is needs to be taken to avoid them.

Types of Edible Fungi.

• Cep: Flat and brown in colour.

• Chanterelle: Also known as Egg mushroom.

• Morel: Very expensive, holes all over the mushroom.

• Field Mushroom: Very woody looking.

Types of Edible Fungi.

• Open: Mostly used in general cooking.

• Closed: Mostly used in general cooking.

• Truffle: Black or White.

• Shiitake: Flat topped.

Different Types of Mushrooms & Fungi.

Oyster Chanterelle

Hedgehog Fresh Cep

Horn of Plenty Shaggy Ink Cap

Chestnut Button

Different Types of Mushrooms & Fungi.

Shiitake Enoki Black & White Truffle

Fresh Morel Dried Morel

Horse Parasol

Different Types of Mushrooms & Fungi.

Dried Cep (Porcini)

Portobello

Giant Puffball Dried Cloud Ear Straw

Types of Vegetable Fruits.• Tomato: Should be ripe and red, Cherry,

Beefsteak, Plum.

• Avocado: Must be ripe, soak in Lemon juice after preparing.

• Aubergine: Egg plant, when prepared sprinkle with salt, removes excess water.

• Cucumber: Used in salads, baby cucumbers are called Dills.

• Capsicum: Peppers, green, yellow, red, black, white, orange.

Types of Vegetable Fruits.• Courgette: Also known as by their Italian name

Zucchini.

• Okra: Also known as Ladies fingers.

• Baby Sweetcorn: Good source of Vitamin C & B1.(Marrow and Courgette are also known as a fruit).

• Marrow: Best cooked by steaming or Par boiling.

• Squash: Two types Summer & Winter Squash.

Different Types of Tomatoes.

Cherry Sun Dried Tomatillo

Different Types of Tomatoes.

Beefsteak Plum

Different Types of Aubergine & Avocado.

Aubergine Purple Aubergine

White Aubergine Hass & Winter Avocado

Different Types of Cucumber.

Ridge Cucumber

Cucumber

Different Types of Capsicums (Peppers).

Yellow Green Red

Different Types of Chillies.

Jalapeno Ancho Bird

Large Dried Anaheim

Different Types of Fruit Vegetables.

Okra (Ladies Fingers) Baby corn & Corn on the Cob

Pumpkin

Different Types of Winter Squash.

Acorn Butternut Turban Hubbard

Different Types of Summer Squash.

Pattypan Chayote Yellow Straightneck

Types of Aqueous Vegetables.

• Courgette: Also known as by their Italian name Zucchini.

• Marrow: Best cooked by steaming or Par boiling.

• These types of Vegetables are also Fruit Vegetables.

Different Types of Aqueous Vegetables.

Spaghetti Marrow Vegetable Marrow Courgette