Edition 3.0 - MIT CSAIL



Edition 3.0

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RECIPES

That I Otherwise Might Forget

BRYAN A. BENTZ

From the kitchen at:

80 Wilcox Road

Stonington, CT

Chapter 1 : Introduction 6

Chapter 2 : Drinks 7

The Domani 7

Harry's Bar Martini 8

The Poor Man's Bellini 8

The Negroni 9

Manhattan 9

The Marmot 10

Grog 10

Urban Ilk Punch 11

Hot Gingersnap Punch 11

Glögg 12

Ramos Gin Fizz 13

Chapter 3 : Breakfast Dishes 14

Sausage & Cheese Strata 14

Chapter 4 : Hors D'oeuvres & Appetizers 15

Crostini 15

Sweet Potato, Creme Fraiche, and Caviar Bites 16

Feta Compli 16

Smoked Salmon Avocado, and Horseradish Spirals 17

Sauteed Sweet Potato 18

Barbecued Shrimp 18

Salmon, Scallop, & Pea Terrine 19

Stuffed Mussels 20

Marinovanaya Riba v Tomatiye 21

Hot Artichoke Dip 22

Chapter 5 : Soups & Stews 24

Chilled Melon, Champagne, and Lime Soup 24

Cold Mango Soup 25

Oyster Stew 25

Bermuda Fish Chowder 26

Butternut Squash Soup With Blue Cheese and Walnuts 27

Butternut Squash and Leek Soup 28

Pea Soup 29

Lentil Soup 29

Bouillon Soup 30

Cioppino (spicy fish stew) 31

Smoked Fish Chowder 32

Portuguese Potato and Kale Soup 33

Chapter 6 : Main Courses 35

Chicken with Two Sauces 35

Pullet Surprise 35

Provencal Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic 36

Tortola Chicken Curry 37

Poulet aux Apricots, Sauce au Currie 38

Aunt Nellie's Chicken Pie 40

Turkish Baked Eggplant With Cheese 41

Stuffed Flounder 42

Poached Haddock with Brocolli 43

Grilled Bluefish with Apician Sauce 44

Mexican Fish 45

Stuffed Paupiettes of Veal 46

Veal with Asparagus 47

Shrimp & Hot Sausage Jambalaya 49

Smoked Pork over Creamed Spinach 50

Pitrelli Spaghetti Sauce 51

Jean Greenwood Chicken Casserole 52

Canadian Pork Pie 53

Bobotie 53

Chapter 7 : Vegetables 55

Golden Creamed Onions 55

Sherried Sweet Potatoes and Apples 55

Mushrooms with Horseradish and Bacon 56

Asparagus 57

Smothered Okra 57

Flambeed Sweet Potato Gratin 58

Mashed Rutabaga 59

Red Cabbage 59

Chapter 8 : Salads 61

Benihana Ginger Salad Dressing 61

German Potato Salad 61

House Salad 62

Bunny Salad 63

Chapter 9 : Breads, Muffins 64

Mother-in-Law Muffins 64

Parmesan Puffs 65

Chapter 10 : Relishes, Etc. 66

Onion, Raisin, and Cranberry Confit 66

Chapter 11 : Desserts 68

Chocolate Mousse Ice Cream 68

Georgia Chess Pie 69

Genevieve Pie 70

Bourbon Balls 70

Best Ever Rum Cake 71

Bananas Foster 72

Bailey's Irish Cream Cake 73

Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce 74

Whiskey Sauce 75

Cottage Pudding Cake ("Toddy") 75

Christmas Pudding 76

Cottage Pudding Sauce 77

Grapefruit Alaska 77

Imperial Fudge 78

Proletarian Fudge 79

Pecan Pralines 79

Zabaglione 80

Rhubarb Crunch 81

Rhubarb, Another Way 82

Avocado Ice Cream 82

Indian Pudding with Apples 83

Tarte au Citron 84

Meringue 85

Chapter 12 : Menus 86

Chapter 13 : Attributions 87

Introduction

Cooking is one of the few remaining activities that require the exercise of all of your senses. There is nothing quite like the feel of raw chicken, the snap of asparagus, or an egg yolk held in the fingers. You can simmer a mixture by its sound, or tell how hot a roast is getting by the spattering of its fat. You'll constantly extend the reach of your sense of smell, trying to perfect balances of unusual spices. The range of color and value in foods may suggest several still-life arrangements to your eyes.

Admittedly, there may be times when sensory immersion in raw flesh and uncleaned vegetables may not appeal. Then, you can think about the final product, and how it is received. A good dish can make the mouth feel alive, and yearn for more. Presenting a repast to friends requires time, thought, care, and effort; this is a good way of saying that you think they're worthwhile.

I think that working with such a basic element as food puts you in touch with living in a very direct way. This is as much of a necessity for the soul as it is for the stomach. It is a pleasure to dig your hands into the unshaped raw materials of a feast. Nothing can be more basic, more appealing to the primitive side of your nature; cooking a meal is a way of taking a vacation from the complexities of life.

This set of recipes represents a collection of favorites of mine, which I often rely on, or at least look forwards to. As favorites, they are often repeated, perhaps once every two months. I wanted to collect them in part so that I can tear out pages and make a mess of them, rather than having to guard my notes as the only extant records of ingredients, etc. Yet most of these recipes are concepts, and should be approached as such.

The recipes here lay out a general style, such as taste combinations, texture contrasts, or ease of labor. The specifics listed will work; but it is best to develop a sense of why things are being done in a certain way, and then to improvise based on your own tastes, instincts, and experience. Indeed, I rarely now use recipes for any of these dishes.

The total time entry at the top of most recipes indicates how much time from beginning to end the dish will take. Much of this is heating or marinating or other time not requiring involvement, so the work time entry tells how much labor you'll have to put in.

Good luck with them, I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

Drinks

The problem with most popular drinks is that they are designed to function alone, often to intoxicate. The drink recipes listed here are intended to be introductions to food; they may be used to accent tastes, to get the mouth ready for new and exciting adventures.

Thus, they tend to be more flavorful, perhaps with a slight accent on the bitter. A sweet drink will negatively affect the appetite (that's why desserts are sweet - to shut down your appetite after a meal).

Of course, having cocktails before a meal is a good way to relax, to make the transition from a busy day to a relaxed meal; these drinks are not on the weak side. They should be potent enough to facilitate this transition nicely. I've been known to say that the first step in some recipes is to marinate the chef.

1 The Domani

Serves: as many as you like

This drink was invented for me at the bar of the Minerva Hotel in Sorrento. I named it the "Domani" because the word was reverberating in my brain when I ordered the drink. It was just about the only thing our comical parking attendant at Rome seemed to say; perhaps because it took him a day to fetch one's car.

I told the bartender I wanted a gin base, and I wanted a lot of mixer; the rest was up to him. I was no longer thinking about "tomorrow" by the time I finished my second.

Ingredients

1 part Gin

1 part Lemon vodka

1 part Brandy

1 slice Lemon

Ginger ale

Procedure

1. Mix the alcohol together. Pour into a glass with ice, filling the glass to ½.

1. Complete the glass with the ginger ale; add the lemon slice, and consume.

2 Harry's Bar Martini

Serves: as many as you like

Harry's is a unique place; the martini served there is reputedly the most acclaimed martini in Europe. I'm sure this recipe is not exact; the recipe requires some interpretation; this is half of the fun.

I've had very good luck with this recipe. I add a squirt of lemon juice, or maybe just a twist, which adds a bit of floweriness to the drink. It's very good in the summertime.

1. Take a bottle of good English gin and one of dry white wine (I find Soave is good) and put in the refrigerator early in the morning (preferably while contemplating how hard your day will be).

1. One hour before drinking, pour one part of the white wine and five parts of the gin into a carafe that has been half-filled with ice.

1. Mix a little but not too much.

1. Pour into glasses. Put the filled glasses into the refrigerator until the guests arrive.

3 The Poor Man's Bellini

Serves: as many as you like

To be served when one is too poor to get to Harry's Bar in Venice to try their invention. They make this drink with fresh peach nectar and champagne; yet I have achieved satisfactory results by substituting peach schnapps for the nectar.

The result is a respectable solution to mediocre champagne; it is very uplifting - peach aroma is strongly suggestive of a summer meadow, buzzing bees, an orchard; vary the schnapps in proportion to your taste and suggestibility. Too much can be overwhelming, so start on the lighter end of the spectrum.

Ingredients

Cheap champagne

DeKuyper's Peach Schnapps

Procedure

1. Chill the glasses, the champagne, and optionally the schnapps.

1. Pour about ½ of a shot of the schnapps into each glass, and then fill with champagne.

4 The Negroni

Serves: as many as you like

I first had one of these in Alfredo's restaurant in Rome, and I really began to like them at the bar above Anacapri. The tastes require a little getting used to, but they blend very well. The bitter Campari augments the sharpness of the gin, and the vermouth finishes the drink with a varnish which covers and smoothes the taste and aftertaste.

Ingredients

1 part Campari

1 part Bombay gin

1 part Sweet vermouth

1 slice Orange, per glass

Procedure

1. Mix the liquor.

1. Pour into a glass with ice and the orange slice.

5 Manhattan

Serves: as many as you like

This is a common staple, consumed when I wish to be reminded of summer evenings in Stonington, sitting on the porch, watching the remnants of the sunset. I include it because it is a regular drink at home.

Ingredients

1 part Sweet Vermouth

1 part Bourbon

1 Maraschino cherry

Angostura bitters to taste

Some maraschino cherry liquid from the bottle (Optional)

Procedure

1. Put all ingredients in a glass with ice.

1. Stir.

1. Serve and/or drink.

6 The Marmot

Serves: 1

I invented this drink one day at the "T.H.A. Bar". The name Marmot (pronounced "mar MO") was the pseudonym others and I used while running the M.I.T. Freshman Defense Corps. The Corps was the first of many large-scale "hacks". On one occasion, our carefully planned command structure uniformed over 60 freshmen in black T-shirts, and armed them for a water battle; this ad-hoc army succeeded in occupying an M.I.T. dormitory for a few hours.

The drink is supposed to be strong yet refreshing. Ideally it should be made with packed snow; crushed ice will do, and even normal cube ice is acceptable (especially under battle conditions). The mint taste should just hide the bite of the Bourbon; chilling is important to curb the sweetness.

Ingredients

½ shot Creme de Menthe

2 shots Bourbon

Snow or finely crushed ice

Procedure

1. Pack the snow into a small glass.

1. Mix the liquor, and saturate the snow.

7 Grog

Serves: the entire gun deck crew

This is based on the traditional naval beverage. Winston Churchill, when asked what made the British Navy great, answered “Rum, sodomy, and the lash”. I’m willing to try only the first third of his prescription, and even then it is more palatable to use brandy.

Ingredients

1 gallon Limeade

1 quart Brandy

½ Cup Falernum (A spicy syrup, available at good liquor stores)

Procedure

1. Mix ingredients. Drink mixture - either warm or cold.

8 Urban Ilk Punch

Serves: 4 who don't drink much

This drink began as Bourbon Milk Punch, but my friends who liked it all lived in the city. The name became Urban Milk Punch - a frightening concept, conjuring up images of stray, junk-yard cows - and finally has settled down as Urban Ilk.

The rationale here is to produce a very potent drink, which, because of its sweetness and cream, is disguised nicely. This is very good when you have a guest who is slightly ill at ease, and might not want to relax or to drink very much.

Ingredients

⅓ Cup Sugar

¼ Cup Water

6 oz. Bourbon

1 Cup Milk

1 Cup Cream

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 tsp. Nutmeg

Procedure

1. In a saucepan combine the sugar and water, and heat until the sugar is dissolved. Put aside until cool.

1. Combine all other ingredients, and add to sugar syrup. Serve.

9 Hot Gingersnap Punch

Serves: 2, perhaps 3

This is an excellent winter drink, with a nice warm and inviting aroma. The taste is surprisingly like that of gingersnaps, although none are required for the recipe.

Ingredients

1 Tblsp. Sugar

1 Tblsp. Unsulfered dark molasses

¼ tsp. Ground ginger

2 Cups Milk

½ Cup Dark rum

Nutmeg Freshly grated for garnish

Procedure

1. In a small pan combine the sugar, 1 tablespoon of water, the molasses, and the ginger and bring to a simmer, stirring.

1. Add the milk in a stream, whisking, and heat over moderate heat, stirring. Do not let boil, but get it hot.

1. Stir in the rum, divide between 2 heated mugs (I pour hot water in first, then pour it out just before serving), and sprinkle with nutmeg.

10 Glögg

Serves: a decent sized gathering. Often it's good to make this for a small group, and keep the leftovers for use through the holidays.

This is great for cold evenings; I often served it when my friends have had to brave the Antarctic conditions on the Harvard Bridge to come visit.

This drink can be a good start to a celebration. Imagine people gathered on a cold evening, watching the flambéing, then having strong drink. Almost should be a semi-formal event!

Ingredients

2 bottles Sherry

½ bottle Brandy

5 pieces Orange peel, dried in oven

¾ Cup Almonds

5 sticks Cinnamon (or ½ tsp. ground)

1 Cup Seedless raisins

1 Tblsp. Water

1 Cup Sugar

Procedure

1. Cover spices, almonds, raisins, and peel with wine. Let this stand overnight, or at least for several hours.

1. Make a sugar lump by sprinkling 1 Tblsp. of water over the sugar; set this in a warm oven or on back of stove. It will lump itself.

1. Just before serving time, add the rest of the wine and most of the brandy. Heat slowly.

1. Put a wire cake-rack over the warm mixture. Put the sugar lump on the rack; pour on the brandy, and ignite. The sugar will melt and drip through. Dump the remaining sugar into the pot, and serve.

11 Ramos Gin Fizz

Serves: 4

This is an odd drink, but, if done right, it is really special. It's like Urban Ilk punch in that it hides its strength. I've heard that it was invented at the Fairmont Hotel bar in New Orleans.

Ingredients

4 Egg whites

6 oz. Gin

2 tsp. Orange flower water

⅓ Cup Confectioners sugar

2 tsp. Lemon juice

1 Cup Half & half

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 Cups Cracked ice

Procedure

1. Beat eggs until foamy. Combine all other ingredients in a blender, and blend them.

1. Add egg whites to the resulting mess, and chill thoroughly before serving. Tall, thin, chilled glasses are best.

Breakfast Dishes

1 Sausage & Cheese Strata

Serves: 4 Total time: 1 hour 45 minutes Work time: 30 minutes

This dish has a unique flavor, from the combination of sausage, cheese, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and other ingredients. It can be made the night before, and popped in the oven for a successful brunch.

Ingredients

½ lb. Sausage meat

8 slices White bread, crusts removed, in 1-inch cubes.

¾ lb. Monterey Jack cheese, grated

4 Large eggs, beaten

1 ½ Cups Milk

½ tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Dijon-style mustard

A pinch Cayenne

½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce

3 Tblsp. Unsalted butter, melted, cooled.

Procedure

1. In a skillet brown the sausage over medium high heat, breaking it up, and transfer it to a paper towel to drain.

1. Brush a 1-quart soufflé dish with some of the grease, and arrange ⅓ of the bread cubes. Sprinkle in ⅓ of the cheese; top this with all of the sausage. Cover with half of the remaining bread, cover that with half of the remaining cheese. Cover this with all of the remaining bread. Press the layers together slightly.

1. In a bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, mustard, cayenne, and Worcestershire sauce; pour this over the goo in the soufflé dish. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese and dribble the butter on top.

1. Cover and chill for one hour, or overnight. Remove from the refrigerator and let sit for a bit (45 minutes). Times here are approximate; I've cooked the stuff right after making it and no one's noticed.

1. Put the dish in a baking pan and add enough hot water to come halfway up. Bake in a preheated 350( F oven for 1 to 1 ¼ hours, or until golden brown and set.

Hors D'Oeuvres & Appetizers

1 Crostini

Serves: 6 to 8 Total time: 1 hour Work time: 30 minutes

An evolving recipe to make the Florentine pleasure. I remember this mixture being served on small (1" by 2") pieces of toast, which had been done very crisply (Crusts, or Crostini). Part of the experience is produced by the different textures, the creamy liver paté and the crisp toast.

Ingredients

2 Tblsp. Chopped onion

1 Tblsp. Unsalted butter

½ Cup Sliced mushrooms

2 Tblsp. Drained capers, chopped

2 Tblsp. Marsala

2 Tblsp. Olive oil

¼ lb. Chicken livers, trimmed and patted dry

6 ½" thick slices of Italian bread

Parsley for garnish.

Procedure

1. In a large stainless steel or enameled skillet cook the onion and the butter over moderate heat, until soft; add the mushrooms, and heat until all the liquid they give off is evaporated. Add the capers, the Marsala, some salt and pepper, and simmer until most of the liquid is gone. Move this mixture to a food processor.

1. In the cleaned pan, heat 1 Tblsp. of the olive oil. Sauté the chicken livers over moderately high heat, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they are browned on the outside but pink within. Move them to the food processor too.

1. Puree the mixture. The paté is done.

1. I like to cut up the bread into small rectangles and toast it, and then cover these with the warm paté. The paté is fine cold too.

2

3 Sweet Potato, Creme Fraîche, and Caviar Bites

Serves: 8 Total time: 1 hour Work time: 30 minutes

This is a simple and colorful hors d'oeuvre. Much of the work (such as it is) can be done beforehand. The taste is similar to some more common Russian zakuski, which combine the tastes of potato, sour cream, and caviar.

Ingredients

2 Long, narrow sweet potatoes

½ Cup Creme fraîche

1 oz Caviar (nothing too special)

Tiny dill sprigs for garnish

Procedure

1. Cut the sweet potatoes crosswise into ¼-inch slices. With a decorative cutter (I like to use an acorn shape) cut roughly bite-sized pieces from the sweet potato slices.

1. Steam these slices in a steamer set over boiling water, covered, for 5 to 6 minutes - until they are just tender. Place them in one layer on a plate, and cool them covered with plastic wrap. You can do this a day in advance.

1. To serve, lay out the sweet potato fragments, ooze on some of the creme fraîche in a suitably artistic manner, and adorn the top with a little caviar. Stick a dill sprig along side the creme fraîche, and serve. (Alternatively you might avoid the caviar, and use a few drops of honey).

4 Feta Compli

This dish has a very basic, earthy feel about it. As its name suggests, it can be gotten ready and served before anyone is aware that you're up to anything in the kitchen.

Pour some high-grade olive oil on a serving dish. Take slices of Feta cheese, and lay them on the plate. Sprinkle Oregano over all, and serve to diners who don't mind eating with their fingers.

Some good five-grain bread, cut into one-inch squares, makes a useful addition. Don’t allow the diners to forego the pleasure of reaching into the oily mixture for the cheese, though.

5

6 Smoked Salmon Avocado, and Horseradish Spirals

Serves: 8 Total time: 6 hours Work time: 1 hour

This appetizer is nice because it can be prepared almost entirely beforehand. One makes a roll of smoked salmon and a paste of the other ingredients, and chills it. When firm, this is then sliced and served on rounds of bread. The spiral effect is impressive, and the taste combination is excellent.

Ingredients

1 Envelope of unflavored gelatin

2 Tblsp. Fresh lemon juice

½ California avocado

8 oz Package of cream cheese

3 Tblsp. Horseradish

½ lb. Thinly sliced smoked salmon

18 Thin slices of pumpernickel

Pinch Parsley, dill, or chives for garnish

Procedure

1. In a small saucepan sprinkle the gelatin over the lemon juice and let soften. Heat and stir a little to melt the resulting rubbery goo.

1. In a food processor, smooth out the avocado, cream cheese, horseradish, and gelatin goo. You want a uniform, smooth, light green mixture. If necessary, let it cool a little in a bowl so that it's really thick and gooey.

1. Lay out a sheet of wax paper about 1 ½ feet long. On it, overlap the salmon slices. Think about this. Salmon slices often have a thick side, and gradually taper into (often) two peninsulas. The "down" side of the salmon will be the outside of the roll; you want the strong, thick salmon there. Consequently, you should lay the thin part of the slices over the thick parts.

1. Cover the salmon with the goo, leaving about half an inch of border. You want to make this about ¼-inch thick. It really doesn't matter too much, as long as you have enough not to have "thins" where the salmon will touch itself when rolled, or so much that you can't roll the thing.

1. Using the wax paper, start to roll along a long side of the rectangle of fish/goo. Roll the thing up, and twist the ends of the wax paper when done. Chill for 3 hours or overnight.

1. When ready to serve, use a circular cutter to stamp circles out of the pumpernickel; slice the roll with a very sharp knife (so as to avoid smearing), and place each slice on a piece of bread. Soive.

7 Sautéed Sweet Potato

This is a simple yet elegant way to prepare the orange critters.

Ingredients

Sweet potatoes

Honey

Cinnamon, nutmeg

Procedure

1. Microwave or otherwise cook the sweet potatoes until they are 90% cooked. Chill them; they should be internally firm.

1. Peel and slice the cold potatoes into ¼-inch slices. Sauté the slices in a light oil (preferably safflower); while cooking, sprinkle lightly with cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour about ¼ tsp. of honey onto each slice; when the bottom is very lightly browned, turn and repeat.

8 Barbecued Shrimp

Serves: 6 Total time: 30 minutes Work time: 30 minutes

This is an ideal appetizer when you wish to loosen someone up. Being served oily shrimp in shells, one cannot maintain reserve for very long. It can easily be made with shrimp out-of-shell, as well.

The spice combination yields a wonderful liquid. It may be used as a basis for other sorts of sauces.

You can also sauté the shrimp in the hot sauce; it is simpler and faster, but the results aren't quite the same.

This recipe is for two pounds of shrimp, which is a lot.

Ingredients

1 Cup Butter

1 Cup Olive oil

2 Garlic cloves, minced

3 Bay leaves, crushed fine

½ tsp. Dried basil

½ tsp. Oregano

½ tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Cayenne

1 Tblsp. Paprika

1 tsp. Freshly ground pepper

1 Tblsp. Lemon juice

1 Tblsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 lbs. Shrimp in shells

Procedure

1. Melt the butter and oil together in a saucepan. Add all the ingredients but the shrimp.

1. Bring to a boil, stirring; then reduce heat, and simmer ten minutes. Remove and let cool briefly.

1. Add the shrimp to the sauce, pour into a roasting pan, and carefully mix.

1. Preheat oven to 350(F; bake shrimp, turning frequently, until pink, about 20 minutes.

1. Serve in soup bowls with French bread to soak up the sauce.

9 Salmon, Scallop, & Pea Terrine

Serves: 8 or more Total time: 2 or 3 hours Work time: 40 minutes

This recipe is for a fish terrine, or paté-like mixture, which may be served chilled or warmed. It is simple and easy to make, like most of the things in this book; it is colorful, and would even make an excellent light supper on a summer evening.

Ingredients

¾ lb. Sea scallops, rinsed

1 lb. Skinless salmon fillet, cut into ½ inch cubes

1 Cup Peas, frozen is ok, simmered 'til tender

1 Tblsp. Lightly beaten egg white

2 Tblsp. Heavy cream

1 tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Crumbled dry tarragon

Procedure

1. In a food processor, puree the scallops and the peas until nearly smooth; add the egg white, the cream, the salt, and the tarragon, and puree until smooth.

1. Transfer the mixture to a bowl; add the salmon and mix. Pour the glop into a 1-quart rectangular terrine (or baking dish), smoothing the top and rapping the sides to get air bubbles out.

1. Cover the dish with either buttered wax paper and its lid, or two layers of foil. Put in it a baking pan, and add hot water to come halfway up the terrine. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes (I go a little longer because our oven is odd and I don't like undercooked fish).

1. Remove from the oven and take off the foil or other covering. Let stand about 10 minutes, then carefully pour off any liquid on top. I usually run a knife gently around the sides, and then chill the dish for about half an hour - this is because I use a baking dish, and I'm nervous that the stuff will fall apart when unmolding.

1. Invert the dish onto a plate. Either chill, serve at room temperature, or serve warm: slice ½ inch thick slices and lay them out on individual plates. You can make a simple sauce with mayonnaise (and maybe saffron), or from chives and butter.

10 Stuffed Mussels

Serves: 4 to 6 Total time: 40 minutes Work time: 30 minutes

This is an impressive, colorful appetizer. The "stuffing" adds a zing to the mussels, creating a nice balance to the seafood flavor.

This recipe will serve 4 to 6 people, but if you like them, you might want to eat most yourself.

Ingredients

2 doz. Mussels, scrubbed and externally cleaned (remove hair)

½ Tblsp. Finely chopped garlic

3 Tblsp. Finely chopped parsley

⅓ Cup Olive oil

½ Cup Fine, dry bread crumbs

3 slices Bacon, cooked (optional)

1 slice Lemon

fresh Parmesan cheese

Procedure

1. Steam the mussels.

1. Remove the mussels from their shells. Save half of the shells (the bigger or nicer looking ones).

1. Mix the garlic, parsley, olive oil, and bread crumbs. Put the cooked mussels into this mixture, mix so that all of the mussels are coated, and let marinate for a minimum of 20 minutes.

1. Lay the empty mussel shells on a flat metal tray. In each half of the shell, place mussels and stuffing, so that the shells are full. You may not use all of the shells.

1. Press a small piece of bacon on top of each shell half.

1. Grate the Parmesan lightly over each shell half - this is partly decorative, so don't use too heavy a hand.

1. Place the tray under the broiler for about 3 minutes - the contents should be warmed, the cheese should melt. Serve.

11 Marinovanaya Riba v Tomatiye

Serves: 6 Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes Work time: 40 minutes

This is a Russian zakushka, or an appetizer. It's English title might be something like Marinated Fish in Tomato Sauce. Typically many zakuski are served together, as a large course of appetizers before a meal. I like to use this dish as a cold salad when not serving a large collection of appetizers.

Ingredients

1 ½ lbs. Fresh firm-fleshed fish, such as snapper, cod,

flounder, or bass.

½ Cup Plain flour

½ Cup Oil

1 Cup Sliced Onion

¾ Cup Tomato Sauce

¾ Cup Water

1 Cup Shredded carrot

Procedure

1. Cut the fish into roughly 1-inch by 2-inch pieces. Mix some salt and pepper into the flour (to taste) and spread on a plate. Roll the fish chunks in the flour, and sauté in the oil until lightly browned. Remove and set aside. Use the minimal amount of oil necessary.

1. In the same oil, sauté the onion until soft and lightly browned. Grate in the carrot to taste. Add more oil if the mixture becomes too dry.

1. Add the tomato sauce to kill the sautéing. If you want you can thin with some water. I like a thick consistency when I serve this as a salad, otherwise a thinner, salad-dressing like consistency when serving it as an appetizer.

1. Simmer (nearly boil) for 5 minutes or so to blend flavors. Add the fish, turn down to a simmer. Stir carefully so as not to fragment the fish.

1. Remove from heat and chill, for roughly 45 minutes. Serve either on a large tray, or individually over lettuce.

12 Hot Artichoke Dip

Serves: 4 Total time: 1 hour Work time: 30 minutes

My wife and I had this dish as an appetizer at the (now defunct) Amalfi Cafe in Boston. I asked the waitress if she could persuade the cook to part with the recipe, and she did. (Either that or she just made up something for us on her own, but it works).

Ingredients

1 Can Artichoke hearts

½ Can Black olives

1 oz Garlic

4 oz Parmesan cheese

6 oz White wine

1 oz Olive oil

¼ Cup Mayonnaise

Procedure

1. Cuisinart artichokes and olives. Sauté this mixture in heated olive oil with the garlic. Do not brown the garlic.

1. Add the cheese; mix, add the white wine, mix some more. Remove and place in mixing bowl. Add in mayonnaise and stir well.

1. To serve, heat in baking dish for 10 minutes at 350(F. Add toasted pita bread wedges for accessing the dip.

Soups & Stews

1 Gazpacho

Serves: 8 people Total time: 1 hour Work time: 10 minutes

This is a wonderful summer soup, easy and quick to make. This soup could almost be a cocktail, it's so light and refreshing. I ran across the recipe while staying in an inn in Sharpsburg, Maryland. It is very quick to make, and can be served in an elegant setting.

The melon can be either ripe or unripe. The champagne is used to cut the sweetness of the melon liquid. If the melon is unripe, some sugar (dissolved first in water) may be added to bring the mixture to the desired sweetness.

Ingredients

1 28 oz. Can Whole tomatoes

1 Cup Finely chopped green peppers

1 Cup Finely chopped cucumbers

1 Cup Croutons

1 Medium onion, chopped (about ½ cup)

2 Tblsp. White wine

2 Tblsp. Olive oil

1 tsp. Ground cumin

1½ tsp. Vinegar

½ tsp. Salt

¼ tsp. Pepper

Procedure

1. Place the tomatoes, along with half of the green peppers, cucumbers, and onions, in a blender. Add the wine, oil, cumin, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth. Refrigerate for at least one hour

2. Serve with the remaining ingredients (appropriately diced and in separate bowls, or on a platter) as accompaniments.

2 Chilled Melon, Champagne, and Lime Soup

Serves: 2 or 3 people per melon Total time: 1 hour Work time: 10 minutes

This is a wonderful summer soup, easy and quick to make. This soup could almost be a cocktail, it's so light and refreshing. I ran across the recipe while staying in an inn in Sharpsburg, Maryland. It is very quick to make, and can be served in an elegant setting.

The melon can be either ripe or unripe. The champagne is used to cut the sweetness of the melon liquid. If the melon is unripe, some sugar (dissolved first in water) may be added to bring the mixture to the desired sweetness.

Ingredients

1 Honeydew melon (ripeness doesn't matter)

2 Limes

1 bottle Champagne

½ Cup Sour cream (optional)

Procedure

3. Cut the melon in half. Scrape out and discard the seeds.

1. Using a spoon, remove the meat of the melon and place it directly in a blender (this to be done in convenient batches). Blend smooth. Place in a metal container (metal to allow faster chilling).

1. Save enough of the limes to do two decorative slices per bowl. Squeeze the remaining fragments into the melon liquid. Stir. (If you want the soup to be completely flat, add the champagne now. I usually wait, to preserve some sparkle.)

1. Chill the mixture, and the bowls in which you will serve the soup. When ready to serve, add about ⅓ bottle of champagne (per melon used) to the melon liquid. Don't thin the soup too much, but use enough to make sure it isn't overly sweet. Add more lime juice to help the balance. Do this by taste.

1. Pour into bowls. If desired, stir in the sour cream to form distinct swirls (do not mix the liquids very well), spiraling out from the center. Garnish by floating the lime slices on the soup.

3 Cold Mango Soup

Serves: 4 Total time: 20 minutes Work time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb. Mango, cut into pieces

½ lb. Mango, cut for garnishes

1 Cup Plain yogurt

1 to 1½ Cup Milk

¼ Cup Sugar

⅛ tsp. Cinnamon

⅛ tsp. Nutmeg

1 Lime or kiwi

Procedure

1. In a blender, puree the mango pieces with the yogurt, 1 cup of the milk, the sugar, the cinnamon, and the nutmeg, until smooth.

1. Blend in enough of the remaining ½ cup milk to reach the desired consistency.

1. Serve chilled, garnished with a small pile of mango slices and lime or kiwi slices.

4 Oyster Stew

Serves: 4 Total time: 20 minutes Work time: 20 minutes

This recipe makes a light oyster stew, which I think best sets off the delicate oyster flavor. While it is simple, it does require attention. The double boiler prevents the oysters from overcooking - although I've found that with care it isn't necessary.

Ingredients

3 tsp. Butter

½ tsp. Grated onion

1 sliver Garlic

1 to 1½ Pints oysters with liquid

1 ¼ Cup Milk

¾ Cup Cream

½ tsp. Salt

⅛ tsp. White pepper

Procedure

1. In a double boiler sauté lightly the onion and garlic in the butter.

1. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer. When the oysters float, serve, garnished with some fresh parsley.

5 Bermuda Fish Chowder

Serves: 6 Total time: 1 hour 40 minutes Work time: 40 minutes

I had this soup the first day I was in Bermuda, at the Hamilton Princess. The Princess is an interesting old hotel. Its basement was a major center of British Intelligence during WWII; there is even a legend that "the real James Bond" had a suite there.

I was exhausted from three weeks at sea, on an uncomfortable research ship. I was cold, it was getting dark, and I badly needed something good. I ordered the soup as a first course, and liked it so much I had them bring me more before serving dinner.

The soup surprised me - the ingredients were so finely puréed that I couldn't identify any of them with certainty. I had to buy a cookbook to figure it out. The soup is a brownish color, unusual for a fish chowder. It is normally served with Sherry Peppers and dark rum. One uses a few drops of the former, and a tablespoon of the latter.

Ingredients

1 Large Rockfish head or 2 lbs. fresh fish

1 Pinch salt

1 Sprig of thyme

1 Bay leaf

¼ lb. Salt pork or bacon, diced

2 Onions, chopped

6 Stalks celery, chopped

1 Green pepper, chopped

1 Tin of tomatoes

1 Tin of consommé

¼ Bottle of ketchup

6 Sprigs parsley, minced

1 Pinch of curry powder

1 Lemon

Worcestershire sauce

Rum & sherry

Whole cloves

Peppercorns

Procedure

1. Place fish head (or 3 smaller ones if you can't get a big one, or just the regular fish) in a large pot. Add water to cover, as well as salt, thyme, bay leaf, cloves, and peppercorns. Simmer at least an hour, then remove bones and skin and flake the fish into shreds.

1. In a separate saucepan, fry salt pork (or bacon) with onions, celery, and green pepper. Then add tomatoes, consommé, ketchup, parsley, Worcestershire sauce and curry powder. Simmer to blend flavors. Add this mixture to the fish stock.

1. Thicken the chowder slightly with flour or cornstarch. Color with gravy browning. Simmer about 15 minutes longer. Just before serving, add a squeeze of lemon, and serve with dark rum and sherry peppers.

6 Butternut Squash Soup With Blue Cheese and Walnuts

Serves: 6 Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes Work time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

¼ cup Chopped onion

½ stick (¼ cup) Unsalted butter

1 tsp. Salt

1.5 lbs. Butternut squash, cut into ½-inch pieces

2 Cloves

3 ½ cups Vegetable stock

1 cup Heavy cream (optional)

6 Tblsp. Blue cheese, crumbled

6 Tblsp. Chopped walnuts

1 Tblsp. Sage

1 Tblsp. Chopped parsley

Procedure

1. In a saucepan cook the onion in one tablespoon of the butter until it is softened. Add the salt, the squash, and the cloves and cook the mixture (covered) over moderate heat for ten or fifteen minutes until the squash is tender.

1. Add the stock and simmer the mixture for 15 minutes. Add the cream if you want to, bring to a boil.

1. In a small saucepan cook the remaining 3 tablespoons of the butter until it is nut-brown and add it to the stock mixture.

1. Blend in patches. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the walnuts, blue cheese, parsley, and sage.

7 Butternut Squash and Leek Soup

Serves: 8 Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes Work time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

4½ lbs. Butternut squash, halved lengthwise

5 Tblsp. Unsalted butter

4 Large leeks (white and tender green) chopped

7 sprigs Fresh thyme (or 1 teas. dried)

5 Cups Chicken stock

1¼ tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Pepper

½ Cup Sour cream

2 to 3 tsp. Chopped chives

8 slices Crumbled crisp bacon

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 350(F. Place the squash, cut side down, on a baking sheet and bake until tender, about 40 minutes. Let cool slightly, then scoop out and discard the seeds. Scrape the squash meat from the skins.

1. Meanwhile (now I tell you) melt the butter over low heat in a large saucepan or casserole. Add the leeks and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly browned, about 40 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs.

1. Stir in the squash and the stock. Simmer over moderate heat for 20 minutes. In a blender or food processor, puree the soup in batches until smooth. Pour the soup back into the pan and season with salt and pepper.

1. To serve, bowl the mixture, and garnish with sour cream, chopped chives, and bacon (I like to do this in three separate wedges on top).

8 Pea Soup

Serves: 6 to 8 Total time: 2 hours Work time: 40 minutes

This recipe is drawn from the French Canadian relatives of my wife (formerly Mary Ann Dionne). It is just what you would want on a cold, rainy afternoon, along with some pork pie and cretonne (recipes to be included at a later date).

Ingredients

1 lb. Dried green and yellow peas, rinsed

3 Onions, finely chopped

4 to 6 Celery stalks

1 lb. plus Canadian bacon, cubed

5 Cups Water

1 Bay leaf

Ground pepper to taste

Procedure

1. Put everything in a pot; boil it. Reduce to a simmer, do that for about an hour and a half, stirring every ½ hour or so. The soup should be smooth; if it thickens too much, add more water.

1. Serve with freshly made biscuits.

9 Lentil Soup

Serves: 6 to 8 Total time: 2 hours Work time: 30 minutes

This is a descendent of the previous Pea Soup recipe. Since we have that a lot, we figured we needed a variant, one with the same basic features but with a different emphasis.

Ingredients

1 lb. Lentils - rinsed

3 Onions, finely chopped

4 Chopped celery stalks

1,2 Garlic cloves, chopped

1 lb. Ham, cubed

1 can Skinned canned tomatoes, with ½ the liquid

4 Cups Water

1 handful Chopped parsley

1 Bay leaf

Ground pepper to taste

Procedure

1. Bring it all to a boil; simmer for 1 and ½ hours, stirring every 30 minutes.

10 Cioppino (spicy fish stew)

Serves: 2 or 3 Total time: 1 hour Work time: 30 minutes

This is an easy, low calorie stew, which can be made with whatever you happen to have at hand. It might be served with French bread for a complete meal. The intent is to combine complementary flavors, to achieve a warm and inviting soup/stew.

Don't be too straightjacketed by the ingredients list.

Ingredients

2 Potatoes, diced

2 Tomatoes, diced

½ Chicken breast with bone

1 Hot sausage

7 Fresh mussels

2 Clams

3 Shrimp with shells

1 Onion

1 Piece haddock

1 Garlic clove

Procedure

1. Remove the chicken meat from the bone. Place the bone in a large pot, and cover with water. Begin to simmer it, and add the garlic clove, chopped. Wine can be used in place of some or all of the water.

1. Remove the shells from the shrimp, and add them to the pot, which should simmer together for about a half an hour to make a reasonable stock.

1. Dice and sear the chicken meat in very little oil or butter. Set it aside. Slice the sausage and sauté in the same oil. Chop and sauté the onion.

1. Remove the shrimp shells from the water. Dice and add the potatoes and tomatoes. From now on the idea is to add ingredients depending on time required to cook. Let the potatoes cook through before continuing (test by tasting).

1. Add the clams and mussels, the sausage, the chicken, and the onion. If you want, add other ingredients here, such as scallops, lobster tails, fresh vegetables.

1. When the shellfish open and seem cooked, remove the chicken bone and add the haddock, cut into about 1 inch cubes. Continue to simmer for about 7 minutes.

1. Test the haddock. If it is done, serve the stew.

11 Smoked Fish Chowder

Serves: 6 Total time: 1 hour 40 minutes Work time: 30 minutes

This is a winter soup; it is thick and warm. The flavors are unique for a chowder, ranging from the bacon taste, through the clam essence, to the accent of fresh dill. The appearance is very good as well.

Ingredients

1 ½ lb. Finnan haddie (smoked haddock)

2 Cups Bottled clam juice

1 can Minced clams

4 Slices bacon, chopped

1 Large onion, chopped

3 Tblsp. Flour

1 lb. Red potatoes, quartered and cut crosswise

into ½ inch pieces.

2 Stalks celery, chopped

1 Bay leaf

1 ½ Cup Heavy cream

1 Cup Milk

1 Tblsp. Fresh dill

Salt & pepper

Procedure

1. In a large saucepan, cover the haddock with the clam juice, and the minced clams (including juice). Simmer, barely, and poach the haddock (covered) for 10 to 15 minutes, until it just starts to flake.

1. Set aside the fish, and save the liquid in a separate container.

1. In another pan, cook the bacon. Save it, and leave 3 Tblsp. of the bacon grease in the pan. Sauté the onion in the fat, over low heat (just soften it). Add the flour, a cook the resulting roux for 3 minutes over medium heat. Make sure the flour is cooked.

1. Add the reserved liquid in a stream, whisking. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add the potatoes, celery, bay leaf; simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are done.

1. Stir in the cream, the milk, salt & pepper, and bring the liquid back to a simmer. Add the haddock in pieces, and a lot of the dill.

1. Cook until the haddock is warmed through. Remove the bay leaf. Pour into bowls, and garnish with the bacon and the remaining fresh dill.

12 Portuguese Potato and Kale Soup

Serves: 6 to 8 Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes Work time: 15 minutes

This soup recipe is from the Fat Siu Lau restaurant in Macao.

Ingredients

2 Heads of garlic

1 Cup Chopped onion

1 ⅓ lb. Boiling potatoes

¾ Cup Olive oil

½ lb. Chouriço or chorizo

1 Bay leaf

½ lb. Kale, stems discarded, leaves shredded.

Procedure

1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 2-inch pieces.

1. In a kettle cook the garlic, the onion, the potatoes, in the olive oil over moderate heat, stirring, until the onion is softened.

1. Add the chorizo, the bay leaf, and 6 cups of water and bring to a boil.

1. Simmer the mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes; then discard the bay leaf.

1. Pluck out the chorizo on a plate, and blend or puree the remaining glop. You can put this through a sieve if you wish.

Put the chorizo back in, add the kale, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the kale is just tender. Season with salt and pepper, and drizzle it with olive oil for serving.

Main Courses

1 Chicken with Two Sauces

Serves: 12 Total time: 1 hour 40 minutes Work time: 30 minutes

A different way to dress a common bird. The concept is Creole. The first sauce echoes the sweetness of the chicken skin, but complements it so that it doesn't seem so much like fat; the Béarnaise sauce brings out the white meat flavor, and accents it so that it stands up to the first sauce.

The result is that both the skin and the interior are accented, but in different ways. This makes eating the bird a very different experience.

This recipe is from Gioia Danesi, a girl I knew in Boston. Her father owned a restaurant in Watertown, and had worked at Harry's Bar in Venice.

Ingredients

3 Quartered chickens, baked

1 Large can apricots, drained and chopped

½ tsp. Salt

¼ tsp. Cinnamon

¼ Cup Brandy

Béarnaise sauce

Procedure

1. Put apricots in saucepan. Add salt, cinnamon, and brandy; cook over low heat for 20 minutes.

1. Remove chicken from its pan and place on heat-proof platter in oven set at 170 degrees. Pour off fat from pan and add apricot sauce. Cook, scraping to incorporate drippings into sauce.

1. Spoon over chicken, and top with Béarnaise sauce.

2 Pullet Surprise

This is a chicken dish, which unfortunately doesn't quite yet exist. It is intended mainly for guests in the newspaper business. Put whatever into it you would like. If it isn't quite clear what I'm getting at here, say the name of the dish a few times.

This name and other ones like it remind me of a story about a woman applying for a technical writing position. The application asked her to list some of her favorite books; one title she wrote down was "Lame is Rob", by somebody called Victor Hugo. (At least she didn't confuse him with "Evictor" Hugo, the famous absentee landlord and author of "Lease Miserables".)

Then again, to appreciate the power of names, one should always keep in mind the portly Comte du Jour, who built a soup and sandwich empire from a small town in northern France. Most restaurants carry at least one of his products, so I'd bet that you've heard of him.

3 Provençal Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

Serves: 6 to 8 Total time: 1 hour 40 minutes Work time: 30 minutes

Warming, lively, and herbal - this chicken dish is a great change from the normal baked and sautéed varieties. The garlic cloves cook inside their skins, softening in both texture and flavor, and may be spread on toasted French bread.

Ingredients

2 3 lbs. chickens, cut into 8 pieces each

½ tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Freshly ground pepper

¾ Cup Extra-virgin olive oil

2 ½ tsp. Herbes de Provençe:

½ tsp. dried marjoram

½ tsp. oregano

½ tsp. summer savory

1 tsp. dried thyme (or use all thyme)

40 Whole garlic cloves, unpeeled

1 loaf French bread, sliced and toasted

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

1. Season the chicken pieces with the salt and ½ tsp. of the pepper.

1. In a large, flameproof casserole, heat 2 Tblsp. of the olive oil over moderately high heat; add the chicken in batches, and brown evenly, about 3 minutes on each side.

1. Remove the casserole from the heat; put all of the chicken in the pot, and add everything else (except for the bread). Toss to coat the chicken well.

1. Place aluminum foil over the casserole, and then put the lid on. Bake, without removing the lid, for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

1. Serve in the casserole dish, with sliced bread on the side, upon which the garlic may be spread.

4 Tortola Chicken Curry

Serves: 6 Total time: 1 hour Work time: 40 minutes

This is a spicy chicken dish, with bananas, apples, raisins, pecans, and coconut. It nominally feeds six; I have used it too feed more, but if you like it, it really feeds about four.

This is strongly based on a Creole recipe, but with additional overtones. I've found that it is a very good recipe to play with; it is tolerant of all sorts of stretching, shoving, and deletions.

Ingredients

Seasoning mix:

2 Tblsp. Curry powder

1 tsp. Cayenne

½ tsp. Ground cumin

½ tsp. Ground cinnamon

½ tsp. Ground turmeric

½ tsp. Black pepper

½ tsp. Dried sweet basil leaves

¼ tsp. Ground coriander

Main ingredients:

½ lb. Unsalted butter

2 Tblsp. Chicken fat or more butter

3 C. Chopped unions

2 C. Chopped apples

1 C. Sliced bananas

½ C. Raisins

½ C. Pecan halves or pieces

1 tsp. Salt

¾ tsp. Garlic powder

½ tsp. Cayenne

½ tsp. Black pepper

½ tsp. Dried sweet basil leaves

¼ tsp. White pepper

2 lb. Boneless chicken

1 ½ C. Basic chicken stock

¾ C. Canned cream of coconut

½ C. Lightly packed shredded coconut

4 ½ C. Basic cooked rice

Procedure

1. In 4 qt. pan, combine butter, chicken fat, onions, and seasoning mix; cook over high heat until butter melts, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom.

1. Add 1 cup of the apples, the bananas, raisins, pecans, and stir well. Simmer until mushy, about 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Add more butter (up to 4 Tblsp.) if dry.

1. Cut the chicken into cubes. Combine salt, garlic, red and black peppers, basil, and white pepper; mix well and work into chicken by hand.

1. When the mixture is simmering, raise heat to high. Stir in chicken and 1 cup of the apples; cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add stock, cream of coconut, and coconut flakes. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Serve over rice.

5 Poulet aux Apricots, Sauce au Currie

Serves: 6 to 8 Total time: 1 hour Work time: 40 minutes

This is a neat dish hot or cold. I would tend to de-emphasize the curry sauce, as it can be potent.

This dish can be served directly, or the chicken can be chilled, sliced, and served with the sauce.

This recipe came from Gioia Danesi, and is closely related to that used by the restaurant Le Bocage in Watertown, which her family owns.

Ingredients

4 Whole chicken breasts, skinned, boned

½ lb. Dried apricots

4 cups Curry-chicken velouté (recipe below)

1 Cup White wine

Procedure

1. Soften the apricots in the wine by boiling the apricots in the wine. Remove from heat and let cool.

1. Stuff apricots in whole breasts. Place breasts on a buttered parchment covered sheet pan. Place a second buttered parchment sheet over the breasts.

1. Bake in a preheated 450(F for 20 to 25 minutes.

Curry Sauce

Ingredients

¼ lb. Butter

8 Tblsp. Flour

4 Cups Chicken stock

½ tsp. Salt

½ tsp. White pepper

½ tsp. Sugar

4 Egg yolks

6 Tblsp. Heavy cream

2 Tblsp. Curry

1. Melt butter in skillet. Add flour and stir; cook for about 3 minutes - do not brown. Add stock to roux. Let boil until thickened. It is optional to use the wine from the apricot marinade in partial place of the stock.

1. Add the seasonings and adjust to taste. Mix together yolks and heavy cream. Add about ½ Cup of the sauce and mix well, then stir into remaining sauce.

1. Heat, but do not boil. Whisk in one-half of the curry powder; taste and add more if necessary.

6 Aunt Nellie's Chicken Pie

Serves: 4 Total time: 2 hour 30 minutes Work time: 1 hour

This pie uses no spices, unless you count the salt. This is a style not usually found in modern recipes (see also Pitrelli Spaghetti Sauce). It always surprises me how well such dishes come out. Perhaps it's due to an underlying harmony of the basic ingredients.

Ingredients

3 lbs. Roasting chicken, giblets removed

2 tsp. Salt

1 can Onion soup

2 Tblsp. Butter

1 tsp. Gravymaster (optional)

Water

Flour dissolved in water

Pastry for double-crust pie (recipe follows)

Procedure

1. Stew the chicken, covered with salted water, for about 1½ hours. When done, pull meat off bones and cut into bite-sized chunks. Refrigerate until the next day.

1. Skim fat from the broth, leaving just enough for flavor. Add onion soup to the broth and boil. Thicken with a flour/water paste, to desired consistency. Add Gravymaster for color if desired. Strain to remove onions.

1. Put bottom crust in pie plate, fill with chicken, and cover with 1¾ cups gravy. Cover with top crust, spread with butter, and bake at 400(F for 30 minutes.

1. Serve hot with extra gravy.

Aunt Nellie's Piecrust

Aunt Nellie say's this is her mother's recipe. Make sure to use lard, and plenty of water.

Ingredients

1 lb. Lard

1 t. Salt

5 ¼ Cups Flour

1 Cup Water

Procedure

1. Soften lard until it is pliable, and put it in a mixing bowl. Add 1 tsp. salt and the flour, and mix thoroughly with your hands, until it is like soft putty. Add water and mix well.

1. Section off dough for 4 double crusts. Freeze 3 sections in separate plastic bags. Roll dough thin for 1 double-crust pie.

7 Turkish Baked Eggplant With Cheese

Serves: 4-6 Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes Work time: 35 minutes

This recipe was given to me by someone at Bread & Circus in Cambridge.

Ingredients

6 Tblsp. Vegetable oil

1 Large eggplant

4 Eggs

½ Cup Grated Parmesan cheese

½ Cup Grated Fontina cheese

1 Cup Cooked rice or mashed potato

2 Tblsp. Fresh parsley

1 Tblsp. Fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp. dried)

1 Tblsp. Fresh basil (or 1 tsp. dried)

2 Tomatoes, sliced

Some Salt, to taste

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 350(F. Grease a 9” by 6” baking dish with the vegetable oil.

1. Wash and slice the eggplant into ¼” slices. Sauté in oil.

1. Place half of the eggplant slices in the baking dish.

1. Beat 2 of the eggs well; add the cheese and potato or rice. Mix well and cover the eggplant slices with the mixture.

1. Place another layer of eggplant on top.

1. Cover with chopped, fresh mixed herbs and tomatoes. Beat the remaining eggs and pour on top of the tomato layer. Season with salt and the remaining oil.

1. Bake in oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a custardlike crust forms.

8 Stuffed Flounder

Serves: 2 Total time: 40 minutes Work time: 30 minutes

This is a simple stuffed fish dish. Cooked crabmeat is used in the stuffing, so that when cooking the fish, the stuffing only needs to be warmed, and not cooked through. This allows for a much more delicate touch on the fish.

(Please use real crabmeat instead of the chemically processed whitefish which is so annoyingly common now.)

The scallops are used to make a sauce, upon which the fish is placed. The result is a very delicate tasting dish, with varying textures to add interest.

Ingredients

¼ lb. Bay scallops

¾ lb. Fresh flounder

1 can Real crabmeat

1 cup Light cream

Have available:

Olive oil

Bread crumbs

Basil, tarragon, white pepper

Procedure

1. Open the can of crabmeat. Pour the juice off into a blender; put the meat in a bowl.

1. Mix the meat with some olive oil and breadcrumbs to make the stuffing. I recommend just enough oil and bread crumbs to hold the material together; the flavor of crab is delicate and should not be overpowered. A touch of lemon can help.

1. Lay out the fillets or flounder. Divide the stuffing into lumps, one for the bottom of each fillet. The crab mixture is highly compressible.

1. Roll each fillet and toothpick tight. Place on baking tray, and paint with a small amount of melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, until done.

1. Meanwhile, add the scallops to the juice in the blender. Add some cream and blend until smooth. Add very small amounts of the herbs to taste. Add cream as necessary to achieve a sauce-like consistency. Place this sauce in a pan and simmer very lightly to cook the scallop meat. If the sauce seems to congeal, don't despair, just return to the blender and smooth it out.

1. Pour the sauce on the plates, and place the fish onto the sauce.

9 Poached Haddock with Broccoli

Serves: 4 Total time: 40 minutes Work time: 30 minutes

This is a relatively quick dish to make, and is impressive in appearance. It is also a good combination of seafood and fresh vegetable tastes. Almost any meaty, white fish can be substituted for the haddock.

Ingredients

2 Fillets of haddock

1 Head of broccoli

1 Red pepper

1 Cup Heavy or light cream

2 Tblsp. Butter

White wine

Procedure

1. Remove 8 or nine flowerettes of brocolli and save them. Cook the remaining broccoli in your favorite manner (steam, boil, pressure cooker).

1. Dice the red pepper, and put in a small saucepan with the butter. Lightly sauté until soft.

1. Cut the haddock fillets into serving-size pieces, that you would want to present. Put these pieces in a large saucepan, cover with wine (and water if you want to dilute it) and simmer very lightly until cooked.

1. While this is cooking, place the cooked brocolli into a blender, and blend with the cream. Add white pepper and seasonings to taste. The result should have a sauce-like consistency.

1. Just before the fish is done, drop the flowerettes briefly into boiling water, and then, just when they are cooked but before becoming soft or losing color, remove them and put them under cold running water. When cool, set aside.

1. To serve, pour the brocolli sauce on a plate; arrange the poached fish radially on the plate; garnish with the reserved flowerettes and the sautéed red pepper, and whisk to the table.

10 Grilled Bluefish with Apician Sauce

The sauce is the interesting thing here, and it isn't really a sauce, it's a basting liquid. It is from the oldest known cookbook, that of Claudius Apicius, a professional chef of the time of Tiberius.

The basis for it is a combination of olive oil, honey, and black pepper. It can be added to with herbs and other flavors; if you go far enough you end up with something like Teriyaki sauce. The spirit is similar, but Apician sauce is much more delicate. It is excellent for sautéing beef, as a salad dressing, anything your imagination can think of.

Honey doesn't appear in too many recipes nowadays, probably because of its sweetness. In small quantities, though, it adds a unique flavor. I've begun to use it more and more.

The fish can be sautéed in the honey/oil mixture instead of grilled. It may be necessary to increase the amount of Apician sauce to facilitate the sautéing. Also, I would then add the honey at the end, as it doesn't stand up to heat that well.

Ingredients

½ Cup Olive oil

1/6 Cup Honey

Bluefish fillets

Black pepper

Procedure

1. Heat the olive oil over moderate heat. Gradually add the honey and stir. Add black pepper and herbs to taste. Taste the mixture frequently, and adjust the amount of honey to balance the spices.

1. Arrange the bluefish in a grilling rack. Liberally baste the fillets with the oil/honey mixture. Grill and serve.

11 Mexican Fish (Red Variant)

Serves: 8 Total time: 45 minutes Work time: 30 minutes

This is a very flavorful way of preparing fish in a low-calorie manner. I usually use a meaty, white fish. Red Snapper is also very good; I've even done this recipe with Bluefish.

Part of the fun with this recipe is seeing how the ingredients come together to form a new flavor.

Ingredients

1 Cup Milk

1 tsp. Dried oregano leaves

2 lbs. Fish fillets

1 Medium onion, sliced

¼ Cup Olive oil

4 Tomatoes, chopped

2 Cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 Tblsp. Capers

½ Cup Pitted olives

¼ Cup Dry white wine

1 tsp. Ground cumin

1 Lemon (use the juice)

Salt and pepper

Procedure

1. Cut the fish into serving sizes (roughly 8 pieces). Mix milk and oregano; pour over fish. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

1. Cook and stir onion in oil in a 10-inch skillet until tender. Stir in everything else except for the fish. Simmer uncovered until thickened, about 15 minutes.

1. Drain the fish; pat dry with paper towels. Place each fish fillet on a foil square. Pull the foil up a little bit, and divide the sauce amongst all of the fish pieces. Fold the foil closed, and seal securely.

1. Put these foil packets on a cookie sheet or equivalent, and bake at 350(F for about 30 minutes.

1. You can serve the fish in the foil directly; provide snipped cilantro and lemon wedges if you want to be fancy.

12 Mexican Fish (Green Variant)

Serves: 8 Total time: 45 minutes Work time: 30 minutes

This is a different take on the recipe above. It's very good with Sea Bass.

Ingredients

1 Cup Milk

1 tsp. Ground cumin

2 lbs. Sea bass, red snapper, or other decent fish fillets

1 Cup Finely chopped onion

¼ Cup Olive oil

¼ to ½ Cup Snipped Cilantro

1 Cup Chopped green chilies

1 ½ tsp. Salt

¼ tsp. Pepper

Lime or lemon wedges

Procedure

1. Cut the fish into serving sizes (roughly 8 pieces). Mix milk and cumin; pour over fish. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Cook and stir onion in oil in a 10-inch skillet until tender. Stir in everything else except for the fish and lime wedges. Simmer uncovered until thickened, about 15 minutes.

3. Drain the fish; pat dry with paper towels. Place each fish fillet on a foil square. Pull the foil up a little bit, and divide the sauce amongst all of the fish pieces. Fold the foil closed, and seal securely.

4. Put these foil packets on a cookie sheet or equivalent, and bake at 350(F for about 30 minutes. Serve with lime wedges.

13 Veal with Asparagus

Serves: 2 to 4 Total time: 1 hour Work time: 30 minutes

This dish was designed to capture the essence of Springtime. I was at sea, sailing from Kodiak in Alaska, for about a month in March and April: far away from anything like Spring. I began to daydream of a trip to the North End in Boston; as I thought about it, this dish took shape in my mind.

Veal seems the obvious choice for the main theme, with asparagus for a vegetable contribution. Lemon and white wine, olive oil and butter help merge the flavors. I sometimes use canned asparagus tips, as they are soft and meld into the sauce nicely. I grow fresh asparagus, yet if I use that I make sure to simmer them first.

I like to serve it with penne made with red pepper and basil. The result is a simple two-dish meal, with a wide range of flavors.

Ingredients

1 or 2 per person Veal Cutlets

1 Lemon

2 handfuls Loose mushrooms

1 can Canned asparagus tips, drained, or fresh parboiled

asparagus

1 Cup White wine

2 Tblsp. Unsalted butter

Extra virgin olive oil

Sifted, fine flour

Grated Parmesan cheese

Procedure

1. Dredge the veal in some of the flour, and shake off the excess. Leave just a light coating of flour. Do this just before sautéing so that the flour doesn't turn to paste.

1. If you like, sauté whole cloves of garlic in the olive oil, and then throw them away. This will lightly flavor the oil with garlic.

1. Lightly sauté the veal in the olive oil. Do not overcook; they should be underdone, as you will be simmering the veal in the sauce later on. Use a fairly high heat, and try to brown the pieces. Do one or two pieces of veal at a time, and put the finished ones on a plate in the oven.

1. Pour off most of the oil, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Add roughly a teaspoon of butter. Add a little more than a tablespoon of the fine sifted flour, and stir over medium heat. The object is to cook the flour, and form a roux-like material. Make sure to get the brown stuff that is stuck to the pan into the mixture.

1. Add white wine to make the mixture about half an inch deep. Stir, add flour if it needs thickening. You don't want it too thick - just so that it isn't runny. Squeeze in lemon juice to taste.

1. Slice the mushrooms, and add them to the sauce. You want these to remain nearly uncooked, to add variety to the texture.

1. Mix in the canned asparagus tips, and stir. Then bring the veal out of the oven, and slide the pieces to the bottom of the pan. Let the whole ensemble simmer together for a few minutes.

1. To serve, place a piece of veal on the plate. Mound the sauce/asparagus/mushroom mixture on top. Sprinkle some of the grated Parmesan over the sauce, in a thin strip over the top of the mound.

14 Shrimp & Hot Sausage Jambalaya

Serves: 6 to 8 Total time: 1 hour 40 minutes Work time: 40 minutes

This is a spicy mixture of shrimp, sausage, vegetables, and rice. Ideally, it is a very smoky rice dice, packed with various flavors; kind of a Cajun risotto.

The key to doing this dish well is to do the stock well. Using the shrimp shells in the stock is a must.

Ingredients

1 lb. Smoked hot sausage (Andouille sausage is ideal; if you can't get

that, Hillshire Farms Hot Links are recommended.)

2 Tblsp. Oil

1 Large onion, chopped

2 Large clove garlic, minced

1 Stalk celery, diced

1 Bell pepper, chopped

1 Bunch scallions, chopped

⅓ Cup Parsley, chopped

1 Small eggplant, diced finely

2 lb. Raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (save the shells)

2 Cups Raw rice

3 Cups Stock

1 Bay leaf

½ tsp. Cayenne

Procedure

1. Simmer the shrimp shells in the stock; keep extra broth available to replace that which evaporates. Make up the rest with water. I also add the scallion tops to the pot.

1. Brown the sausage in a large pot -- a Dutch oven, a large Revere two-handled container, or something that size. Remove the sausage and set it aside. Leave the remaining sausage oil in the pot.

1. Add the oil to the pot; heat over medium heat, and add the onion, the garlic, the celery, the bell pepper, and half of the scallions and parley (the remainder will be added at the end, for freshness). Sauté for five minutes.

1. Add the eggplant and sauté for another five minutes.

1. Add the shrimp, the sausage, the rice, the broth (minus the solid material), and the seasonings. Cover and cook for 30 to 40 minutes; stir frequently. Make sure that the rice doesn't cement itself to the bottom of the pan. Add liquid if the mixture starts to dry out.

1. Remove from heat, add the remaining scallions and parsley, and serve.

15 Smoked Pork over Creamed Spinach

Serves: 4 to 6 Total time: 2 hour 30 minutes Work time: 30 minutes

This is an excellent winter dish, inexpensive, and fairly easy to prepare. It is a layered dish, with a spicy top layer, contrasted against the softness of the creamed spinach. The textures also vary from top to bottom.

Ingredients

1 ½ lb. Smoked pork butt, netting removed

2 Tblsp. Unsalted butter

2 10 oz. packages of frozen spinach,

cooked and chopped and squeezed dry

½ tsp. Tarragon

1 Cup Heavy cream

¼ Cup Dry white wine

2 Tblsp. Dijon mustard

2 Tblsp. Minced fresh parsley

¼ Cup Bread crumbs

¼ Cup Fresh grated Parmesan

Procedure

1. Put the butt in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 1 and ½ hours. Remove from the water and let cool. The water should be saved as stock for another application. Slice the pork butt into ½-inch slices.

1. Cook the onion in butter over moderate heat until soft. Add the spinach, tarragon, some salt and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes, until fairly dry. Add the cream, and reduce over moderately high heat until thick.

1. Mix the wine, mustard, and parsley.

1. Spoon the spinach mixture into a 2 quart. gratin dish. Arrange the pork slices over the spinach. Brush the pork slices with the mustard mixture. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on the pork to hold the mustard mixture, and grate the Parmesan cheese lightly over the pork. Drip some melted butter over the pork to keep it moist.

1. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 350(F, until the pork is golden brown. Serves 4 to 6.

16 Pitrelli Spaghetti Sauce

John Pitrelli is well known for his sauce. I was surprised at the simplicity of the recipe, knowing the result.

I suppose you might add various vegetables, such as peppers, or meat, or garlic cloves; but this isn't necessary at all.

Ingredients

4 Large cans of tomato puree

1 Can water (more if the puree

is very thick. Rinse all of puree out

of the cans.)

1 cup Olive oil

1 Tblsp. Oregano, crushed

1 Tblsp. Salt

1 Tblsp. Sugar

1 tsp. Pepper (or to taste)

Light sprinkling of garlic powder

Light sprinkling of MSG (optional)

Procedure

1. Bring ingredients to boiling, while stirring.

1. Reduce to simmer; stir occasionally, simmering, for 2 to 8 hours.

17 Jean Greenwood Chicken Casserole

Serves 6 to 8.

Ingredients

9"x13" Pan, or 3 quart casserole

8 oz. Medium noodles

1 can Cream of mushroom soup

⅔ Cup Chicken broth

½ tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Poultry seasoning

2 to 3 oz. Cream cheese, softened, or 1 6 oz stick.

1 Cup Cream-style cottage cheese

⅓ Cup Chopped onion

⅓ Cup Chopped green pepper

⅓ Cup Sliced stuffed green olives

¼ Cup Minced parsley

3 ½ Cup Diced, cooked chicken

1 ½ Cup Buttered bread crumbs

Procedure

1. Cook chicken (microwave is quickest). Cook noodles as well, drain and rinse.

2. Mix next four ingredients (soup through seasoning), heat.

3. Beat cheeses together and stir in everything up to the chicken.

4. Into large casserole layer:

½ of the cheese

½ of the chicken

½ of the soup mix

(then repeat)

5. Top with crumbs and bake.

18 Canadian Pork Pie

Serves: 6 Total time: 3 hours Work time: 30 minutes

This is from Mary Ann’s family.

Ingredients

1 lb. Ground lean pork

1 tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Black pepper

¼ tsp. each: powdered cloves, marjoram, and allspice

3 Tblsp. Potato flakes (or breadcrumbs)

1 Cup Water

Optional onion powder.

Pastry for 2-crust pie.

Procedure

1. Combine all ingredients except pastry; blend well. Simmer covered for 2 hours, stirring frequently.

1. Roll out half the pastry, lining 8-inch pie pan. Pour in meat mixture. Cover pie with other rolled-out crust, sealing edge with water. Prick with a fork to allow steam to escape during baking.

1. Bake at 425(F for 10 minutes, then at 350(F for 35 minutes longer, or until the top is brown.

19 Bobotie

Serves: 6 Total time: 1 hour 40 minutes Work time: 30 minutes

This is a South African "meatloaf", a shell of seasoned meat filled with custard. This dish goes back at least 300 years, when the Dutch brought Javanese and Malay slaves to South Africa. The name "Bobotie" is a mixture of Afrikaans, English, and Malay.

The dish itself involves mixing curry, fruit, and chutney with the beef. This brings out different flavors in the beef then one is normally used to. The Avocado Ice Cream is excellent for dessert after this dish.

This recipe is from the Dionne family.

Ingredients

½ Cup Coarse bread

8 Dried apricots, cut up

¼ Cup Chopped almonds

1 ½ tsp. Curry powder

½ tsp. Salt

¼ tsp. Pepper

1 ½ lbs. Ground beef

¼ Cup Chopped onion

¼ Cup Fresh lemon juice

¼ Cup Chutney

2 Eggs, slightly beaten

1 Cup Milk

Procedure

1. In a large bowl lightly toss together the breadcrumbs, apricots, almonds, curry, salt, and pepper. Add the ground beef, onion, lemon juice, and the chutney.

1. In a small bowl combine the eggs and milk. Pour half of the egg mixture into the ground beef, toss it and blend well.

1. Pat the ground beef into a 1 ½ qt. buttered baking dish, leaving a depression in the center ¾ inches deep, and forming an edge of meat about 1 inch wide around the dish.

1. Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 10 minutes. Pour the remaining egg mixture into the center of the loaf. Bake an additional 40 to 50 minutes, until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

1. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Vegetables

1

2 Golden Creamed Onions

Serves: 8 Total time: 1 hour Work time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

3 lbs. Small white onions, blanched and peeled

2 Tblsp. Unsalted butter

1 tsp. Sugar

¾ tsp. Salt

⅔ Cup Heavy cream

⅔ Cup Minced fresh parsley

Procedure

1. In a skillet large enough to hold the onions in one layer, combine the onions, the butter, sugar, salt, and enough water to cover the onions by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, and boil until the liquid is almost evaporated.

1. Cook the onions further until they gently brown, swizzling the skillet to get all sides.

1. Add the cream, bring to a boil, and simmer until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper, stir in/garnish with the parsley, and serve.

3 Sherried Sweet Potatoes and Apples

Serves: 8 Total time: 2 hours Work time: 1 hour

Ingredients

3 Large Granny Smith apples

½ stick Unsalted butter

¼ Cup Fresh lemon juice

¼ Cup Firmly packed light brown sugar

¼¼ tsp. Cinnamon

⅓ Cup Medium-dry sherry

Procedure

1. Boil the sweet potatoes for about 35 minutes until they are just tender. Cool them, and then peel them and cut them into ½ inch cubes.

1. Core and peel the apples, and cut them into ½ inch cubes.

1. In a large skillet, cook the apples in the butter for 3 minutes (until they are softened). Add the lemon juice, the brown sugar, the cinnamon, and the sherry, and bring to a boil; then simmer about 3 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes and stir (don't break up the potatoes); in 2 or 3 minutes, when all is heated through, soive.

4 Mushrooms with Horseradish and Bacon

Serves: 4 Total time: 30 minutes Work time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

5 slices Lean bacon cut into 1-inch pieces

3 Tblsp. Unsalted butter

1 lb. Small mushrooms, stems trimmed flush with the caps

¼ Cup Heavy cream

2 Tblsp. Snipped fresh chives

1 Tblsp. Drained bottled horseradish

1 pinch Cayenne

Procedure

1. In a heavy skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until crisp. Move it to paper towels to drain. Pour off the fat from the pan, but leave the little brown crusty deposits.

1. In the skillet melt the butter, and in it cook the mushrooms for 5 to 8 minutes (or until tender) and transfer them to a plate.

1. To the skillet add the cream, the chives, the horseradish, and the cayenne, and simmer (stirring) for 1 minute.

1. Stir in the mushrooms, the bacon, and salt and pepper to taste.

5 Smothered Okra

Serves: 4 Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes Work time: 15 minutes

Many people don't like okra, mainly because they haven't had it prepared correctly. As okra is cooked, it oozes a sticky liquid, which is not pleasant in the mouth. However, further cooking causes this liquid to go away; it mixes with the sauce in this recipe, and in part is reabsorbed by the okra.

Ingredients

1 Medium onion, chopped

1 Large garlic clove, minced

3 Tblsp. Oil

1 lb. Fresh okra, sliced

1 Cup Ground tomatoes

¼ tsp. Cayenne

¼ tsp. Salt

Procedure

1. Sauté the onions and garlic briefly in the oil. Add the okra and continue to cook over medium heat for three minutes.

1. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper; cook over low heat for 1 hour.

6 Flambéed Sweet Potato Gratin

Serves: 6 to 8 Total time: 1 hour Work time: 20 minutes

This is an attractive way to present sweet potatoes. It is very easy. For the best appearance, use a very large round ovenproof dish.

Ingredients

3 lbs. Large sweet potatoes

4 Tblsp. Unsalted butter

¼ tsp. Salt

⅛ tsp. Pepper

2 Tblsp. Sugar

¼ Cup Bourbon

Procedure

1. Boil the potatoes for 20 minutes. Cool them under cold running water and peel them. Preheat the oven to 475(F. Melt the butter.

1. Slice them into ¼ inch rounds, and arrange them overlapping slightly in concentric rings in the buttered dish. Pour the remaining butter over them. Season with salt, pepper, and maybe a little cinnamon. Bake for about 20 minutes.

1. Mix the bourbon and the sugar; pour over the sweet potatoes and flambé.

7 Mashed Rutabaga

8 servings.

This came from the Akershus Norwegian restaurant.

Ingredients

½ pound Rutabaga

¼ pound Carrots

¼ pound Potatoes

1 ½ cup Half and Half

½ oz. Sugar

Salt, white pepper, and nutmeg to taste.

Procedure

1. Place rutabaga, carrots, and potatoes in pan. Add water and boil until soft; pour off water.

2. Bring Half and Half to a boil, add butter.

3. Mix vegetables in a chopper; slowly add the hot mixture of cream and butter until the rutabaga reaches the right thickness. Season to taste.

8 Red Cabbage

4 servings

This came from the Akershus Norwegian restaurant. While quite simple, indeed obvious, it was quite delicate – I include it here mainly because the proportions of ingredients work well.

Ingredients

2 pounds Shredded red cabbage

1 Tblsp. White vinegar

2 Cups Water

2 Tblsp. Sugar

2 Tblsp. Salt

2 Tblsp. Caraway seed

Procedure

Put all ingredients into a large kettle and simmer until cabbage is tender (approximately one hour).

Salads

1 Benihana Ginger Salad Dressing

I used this when staging "Bryanhana" here at home (a complete hack on the restaurant chain). Anyway, I thought that the dressing came out very well. I served it over chopped lettuce with tomato wedges.

Ingredients

½ Cup Minced onion

½ Cup Peanut oil (I used corn oil for allergy reasons)

⅓ Cup Rice vinegar

2 Tblsp. Water

2 Tblsp. Minced fresh ginger

2 Tblsp. Minced celery

2 Tblsp. Ketchup

4 tsp. Soy sauce

2 tsp. Sugar

2 tsp. Lemon juice

½ tsp. Salt

¼ tsp. Black Pepper

Procedure

1. Put everything in a blender and blend, until it is well pureed. Makes 1.75 Cups.

2 German Potato Salad

This is a basic, high cholesterol, high fat dish, good as a side dish. It may be served warm or cold.

Ingredients

8 Potatoes, cooked in skins, chopped.

6 Strips bacon

3 Diced onions

1 Tblsp. Flour

1 Cup Water

½ Cup Cider vinegar

1 tsp. Sugar

3 tsp. Salt

Procedure

1. Cook bacon. In the grease, put flour, ½ to ¾ cup water, cider vinegar, and salt to taste.

1. Cook onion in this mixture. Add sugar; stir until thick.

1. Add crumbled bacon. Add potatoes to sauce and marinate.

3 House Salad

This is what I serve when I want to concentrate on the rest of the meal. It is simple, and effective in its stimulation of the mouth. It combines three flavors: avocado, mandarin orange, and raspberry. This recipe is for four people.

Ingredients

2 Avocado

1 can Mandarin oranges

Raspberry-Walnut dressing

Lettuce

Procedure

1. Cover the salad plates with lettuce. Peel the avocado, and cut into wedges.

1. Place the avocado wedges radially outwards from the center of the plate. Put the mandarin oranges in the center of the plate carefully, so that a small hemisphere covers the intersection of all of the avocado wedges.

1. Dress with the Raspberry-Walnut dressing and serve. If you can't find this in the stores, use raspberry vinegar to make a dressing, or add fresh raspberries to a basic vinaigrette.

4 Bunny Salad

This would be ideal rabbit food. It is very simple, and needs fresh carrots for best effect. I like this salad when made in a blender; the texture is sort of like that of Grapenuts. Some revisionists make this in Cuisinarts, but it just isn't the same.

This is an old family recipe.

Ingredients

Carrots

Lettuce

Mayonnaise

Procedure

1. Clean the carrots of skin and ends. Blend them in a blender, in batches. Put the resulting material in a bowl.

1. Add a little mayonnaise and stir; if it seems too dry, add a little more. A touch of lemon juice isn't bad, but the pure orthodox version is best.

1. Let the salad marinate for awhile, while chilling, so that the juices from the butchered carrots mix with the mayonnaise, and cut its eggy taste. Serve in globules over lettuce.

Breads, Muffins

1 Mother-in-Law Muffins

These Blueberry muffins are intelligently designed: only a minimum of muffin is used to hold together a maximum of blueberries.

This recipe makes about 18 muffins; it's from Jean Dionne.

Ingredients

2 Cups Blueberries

2 ⅓ Cup Flour

1 Cup Sugar

2 tsp. Cream of tartar

1 tsp. Baking soda

½ tsp. Salt

¾ stick Butter

¾ Cup Milk

1 Egg, lightly beaten

½ tsp. Vanilla

Procedure

1. In a bowl toss the blueberries with ⅓ cup of the flour, and set them aside.

1. Into another bowl, sift the remaining 2 cups of flour, add the sugar, the cream of tartar, the baking soda, and the salt.

1. Add the butter (softened) and blend the mixture until it resembles meal.

1. In yet another bowl, combine the milk, egg, and vanilla; then stir this into the flour mixture until it is just combined.

1. Fold in the blueberries, spoon the batter into buttered 2-inch muffin cups (filling then ⅔ full).

1. Bake in a preheated oven (350 degrees) for 25 to 30 minutes, until they are golden. Serve hot with butter.

2 Parmesan Puffs

Serves: 8 (one puff each) Total time: 1 hour 40 minutes Work time: 30 minutes

These are good as an appetizer, or as an accompaniment to other dishes. They are quite simple to do.

Ingredients

¼ Cup Milk

½ stick (¼ Cup) Unsalted butter

¼ tsp. Salt

½ Cup All-purpose flour

2 Large eggs

1 Cup Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Procedure

1. In a saucepan, combine the milk, ¼ cup water, the butter, and the salt and boil.

1. Reduce the heat to moderate, add the flour in a lump, and beat the mixture with a wooden spoon, until it leaves the side of the pan and forms a ball.

1. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, whisk in the eggs one at a time, and add the Parmesan and pepper to taste.

1. Drop the batter in 8 blobs on a buttered baking sheet and bake in the upper third of a preheated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until they are crisp and golden. Serve very hot and watch guests yelp in pain.

Relishes, Etc.

1 Onion, Raisin, and Cranberry Confit

Serves: 8 or more Total time: 2 hours Work time: 1 hour

This is a nice accompaniment to turkey. By varying the ingredients slightly, you can place emphasis on the onions, raisins, or cranberries. It is a very attractive dish when finished. It can be made days ahead of time.

Ingredients

⅔ Cup Golden raisins

⅔ Cup Dark raisins

2 lbs. Small white onions, peeled

¾ stick Unsalted butter

½ Cup Sugar

¾ Cup White wine vinegar

1 ½ Cups Dry white wine

3 Garlic cloves, minced

¼ tsp. Dried thyme, crumbled

1 tsp. Salt

1 ⅔ Cups Cranberries, picked over

Procedure

1. In a small bowl soak the raisins in 2 cups hot water for 10 minutes.

1. In a large saucepan, cook the onions in the butter over medium heat, for a fairly short time; Add the sugar and 1 tablespoon of the vinegar, and cook until the sugar is dissolved and is a golden caramel.

1. Add the remaining 11 tablespoons of vinegar (if you like vinegar) and the wine and boil for 2 minutes.

1. Add the raisins and the soaking liquid, the garlic, the thyme, the salt, 1 cup of water (just cover the solids); bring to a boil, and then simmer for 1 hour (until tender).

1. Add the cranberries, and boil uncovered for 15 to 30 minutes, stirring sometimes; you want the mixture to thicken.

1. Season with salt, transfer to a bowl, and let cook. Serve roughly at room temperature.

Desserts

1 Chocolate Mousse Ice Cream

Serves: lots of people Total time: 2 hours Work time: 45 minutes

This recipe is based on a recipe from Commander's Palace restaurant in New Orleans. The ice cream is very rich, and can only be eaten in small quantities. It is great fun to make, because you get to taste lots of chocolate in the process. It is remarkably simple to do, but can get a little messy.

The only substantial modification in the recipe from the restaurant is that I suggest cooking the egg yolks, primarily to prevent salmonella. If you have a known source of sound eggs, this is unnecessary.

This recipe makes about 2 quarts of ice cream, which will fit in small ice cream makers. It is almost unnecessary to use an ice cream maker - the mousse-like consistency means that chilling is almost as good. If you don't have an ice cream maker, I'd suggest putting the mixture in the freezer, and taking it out and stirring it every five or ten minutes until it starts to get hard.

Ingredients

¾ Cup Milk

¾ Cup Sugar

1 lb. Fine quality semi-sweet chocolate

4 Cups Heavy cream

6 Large egg yolks

Procedure

1. In a large saucepan (large enough to hold all of the ingredients) combine the milk with the sugar and bring to a boil, stirring. Take off the heat and let cool a bit.

1. Mix the egg yolks with a cup of the cream, and stir well. Add this to the cooled saucepan.

1. Bring the saucepan back to a very low simmer. Stir to prevent the mixture from becoming an omelet. You want to gradually cook the egg yolks without coagulating them.

1. While the pan is warming, take a knife and finely chop the chocolate, pausing only to sample the odd piece (especially those too small to safely hold while chopping with the knife). As you do this, add the chocolate to the warm liquid in the saucepan and stir it in. This will help the eggs from lumping. I know it's hard to believe that all that chocolate can be added successfully, but it can. If the mixture is really thickening, add more cream.

1. Add all of the remaining cream and stir.

1. If necessary, blend the mixture in batches. This will smooth out any inhomogeneities in the liquid. This is really the only messy part, as it's hard to pour from a saucepan into a blender.

1. Cool the mixture in the 'fridge. Now freeze it in the ice cream maker of your choice according to the manufacturer's directions.

2 Georgia Chess Pie

This pie is one of the best ways I can think of to use coconut. It ends up mixing so well with the other tastes that the result is really a new flavor.

Ingredients

¼ lb. Butter, softened

1 ½ Cup Sugar

3 Eggs

1 tsp. Cornmeal

1 tsp. Vinegar

1 Tblsp. Vanilla

1 tsp. Cornstarch

1 Cup Flaked coconut

1 Unbaked 9-inch pie crust

Procedure

1. Cream butter and sugar until light.

1. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one.

1. Add the cornmeal, vinegar, vanilla, and cornstarch and beat well.

1. Stir in the coconut and pour into the shell.

1. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour, until firm. The center should remain moist!

3 Genevieve Pie

I based this on a pie I had in Quebec City some years ago; it was simply called "Maple Syrup Pie". I've looked in a number of cookbooks at recipes for this and related pies, and I've made a few attempts; but what I found I liked was basically a new recipe.

Thing you're trying to achieve is something like pecan pie, without the nuts. The flavor should be a rich maple flavor, augmented with the vanilla.

The flour is intended to help thicken the mixture; it isn't really necessary. It will make the pie slightly more opaque, which may or may not be what you want.

Ingredients

1 Cup Maple syrup

3 Eggs

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

2 Tblsp. Flour

2 Tblsp. Butter

1 Cup Heavy cream, whipped

1 Pie crust

Procedure

Combine everything and mix well. Pour into the piecrust, and bake at 375(F for 40 to 50 minutes. Test with a knife, which should come out clean.

4 Bourbon Balls

This is reminiscent of Christmas time - those clandestine raids into the kitchen, to find the depository of these carefully hidden creations.

They are best a day or two after they are made. This recipe makes 40 to 48 balls. Vary the liquid so that they're not too gooey.

This is an old family recipe.

Ingredients

2 ¼ Cup Vanilla wafer crumbs (one 12 oz. box)

1 Cup Pecans or walnuts, finely chopped

⅓ Cup Bourbon

1 ½ Cup Confectioner's sugar

2 Tblsp. Cocoa

3 Tblsp. White corn syrup

Procedure

1. Blend wafers in blender until they are crumbs; blend the nuts; put in a bowl and mix the nuts with the crumbs (sounds kind of like a penitentiary).

1. Put the rest of the ingredients in blender and blend well. Pour this over the dry ingredients and mix.

1. Roll into balls, and roll the balls in more confectioners' sugar. Store in an airtight container. Age 18-24 hours before using.

5 Best Ever Rum Cake

Serves: 4 Total time: 2 hours Work time: 1 hour

This is an unusual cake, the production of which can be a major event. Be sure to read the entire recipe through before beginning.

Ingredients

1 or 2 quarts Black Rum

1 Cup Unsalted butter

1 tsp. Sugar

2 Large eggs

1 Cup Dried fruit

1 tsp. Soda

1 bottle Excedrin

Baking powder

Lemon juice

Brown sugar

Procedure

1. Before you begin, sample the rum to check for quality. It will be used to marinate the dried fruit, so it is important that it isn't too sweet. We use Gosling's Black Rum. Toss back a shot for luck, ponder the taste and the aftertaste. Good stuff, isn't it?

1. Select a large mixing bowl, and get out the necessary mixer, spoon, baking dish. Try another shot of the rum to get an intuition for the effects of oxidation on the flavor. In fact, since you'll be baking the cake, you'll be bringing the rum to a fairly high temperature. Try another shot to be sure the flavor can stand up to it.

1. With the electric mixer, beat 1 cup of the butter in a large fluffy bowl. Try the rum to make sure it is of the finest quality. Add 1 seaspoon thugar and continue to beat.

1. The best way to make absolutely sure of the rum is to quaff a level cup of it. Then take the fried druit and mince with a dull knife. Set aside.

1. Next sift 3 cups of pepper or salt (it really doesn't matter) into the whipped mixture. Test it with a shot of the rum. Sift ½ pint of lemon juice. Fold in chopped butter and strained nuts. Stir.

1. Grease oven and turn cake pan 350 degrees. Open second quart of rum. Add all ingredients together and wix mel. Add brown sugar or whatever color you can find. Pour the mess into the coven and ake. Check the rum again and bo to ged.

6 Bananas Foster

Serves: 4 Total time: 10 minutes Work time: 10 minutes

A very rich, filling, but nice dish. Simple to produce, and people are impressed, especially if you do the flambéing at the table.

My friend Pierre suggests adding orange rinds to the sauce. At Brennan's, in New Orleans, I saw them add Tabasco - and that was for breakfast!

The basic recipe came from a class I took in Cajun cooking at the Boston Center for Adult Education.

Ingredients

⅓ Cup Butter

¼ Cup Brown sugar

1 tsp. Cinnamon

3 Firm (unripe) bananas, sliced lengthwise

½ Cup Rum

1 qt. Vanilla ice cream

Procedure

1. In a skillet, melt the butter, add the sugar and cinnamon, and mix well.

1. Add the bananas and sauté until they soften.

1. Heat the rum, ignite, and pour over the sauce.

1. When the flame dies out, pour over the ice cream in individual dishes.

7 Bailey's Irish Cream Cake

Serves: 12 Total time: 1 hour 40 minutes Work time: 35 minutes

This is an excellent recipe from our nanny, Tracy.

Ingredients

Cake:

2 Cups All-purpose flour

1 ½ tsp. Baking powder

1 tsp. Ground cinnamon

½ tsp. Salt

⅛ tsp. Ground cloves

¾ Cup Bailey's Irish Cream

½ Cup Butter, cut into pieces

1 ½ tsp. Vanilla Extract

4 Eggs

1 ⅓ Cup Sugar

Frosting:

2 ¾ Cups Heavy cream

⅓ Cup Bailey's Irish Cream

¼ Cup Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

½ tsp. Ground cinnamon

Assorted Chocolate clovers, e.g. Betty Crocker Real Chocolate Dessert Decorations

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter and flour 2 nine-inch round cake pans.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and cloves; set aside.

3. In a small pot over medium heat combine Irish Cream and butter; heat until butter melts and mixture almost boils. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Cover to keep warm.

4. In bowl with mixer at high speed beat eggs until pale yellow and tripled in volume, 7-8 minutes. Reduce speed to medium; beat in sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, until combined. Reduce speed to low.

5. In thin steady stream beat hot Irish Cream mixture into egg mixture until combined. Beat in flour mixture until just combined.

6. Divide batter between pans; bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pans on rack 10 minutes - remove from pans - cool completely on rack.

7. Make the frosting: combine heavy cream, Irish Cream, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. With mixer at high speed beat until stiff peaks form, 3-5 minutes. Refrigerate frosting until ready to use.

8. To assemble, trim tops of cakes to level, if necessary. Place 1 cake layer on serving platter, spread with 1 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. If desired transfer 1 ½ cups frosting to pastry bag fitted with star tip. Spread top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Pipe rosettes over top of cake; decorate with chocolate clovers.

8 Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce

Serves: 6 Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes Work time: 30 minutes

This is a nice complement to the Jambalaya; it is refreshingly unspiced.

Bread pudding was invented as a way to utilize stale bread. This is still a good idea, especially if you like to buy a lot of fresh bread.

Ingredients

1 Loaf stale French bread

4 Cups Milk

3 Eggs

1 ¼ Cups Sugar

2 tsp. Vanilla

1 tsp. Cinnamon

½ Cup Raisins

½ Cup Pecans

Procedure

1. Crumble bread in a bowl. Pour milk over it and let it soak for ½ hour.

1. In another bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla.

1. Stir into bread and add raisins and pecans. Pour into a greased 9" x 13" x 2" pan, and bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.

9 Whiskey Sauce

Ingredients

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Evaporated milk

½ Cup Butter

3 Egg yolks

1 Cup Broken pecans

¼ Cup Bourbon

1 tsp. Vanilla

Procedure

1. Add ¼ cup of the milk to the sugar in a saucepan. Add the yolks one at a time, blending thoroughly. Add the remainder of the milk and the butter.

1. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat, add the pecans, whiskey, and the vanilla.

1. Serve over the warm bread pudding.

10 Cottage Pudding Cake ("Toddy")

Ingredients

1 Cup Butter

1 Cup Sugar

½ Cup Milk

2 eggs (Beaten)

2 tsp. Baking powder

½ tsp. Vanilla extract

Procedure

Beat very well. Bake in tube pan at 375 degrees until brown.

11 Christmas Pudding

Ingredients

¼ Cup Softened butter

½ Cup Sugar

1 Egg

1 Cup Flour

1 ½ tsp. Baking powder

½ tsp. Baking soda

¼ tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Cinnamon

½ tsp. Nutmeg

½ tsp. Ground cloves

½ tsp. Ginger

1 can Tomato soup, undiluted

¼ Cup Finely chopped orange peel

(¼ Cup Finely diced mixed candied fruit)

A bit Of brandy, if desired.

Procedure

1. Cream butter; add sugar and beat until light.

2. Beat in egg.

3. Add sifted dry ingredients, alternately with soup. Blend well.

4. Stir in fruits, if desired.

5. Put in greased 1 ½ quart mold. Cover with lid or foil.

6. Set on trivet in kettle. Add boiling water to come halfway up the mold. Cover kettle, and boil gently 1 ½ hours or until done.

7. Serve hot with sauce.

12 Cottage Pudding Sauce

This is an old family recipe. It may be used warm or chilled; it thickens a bit when cooled.

Ingredients

1 Cup Sugar

1 Beaten egg

1 Tblsp. Flour

½ tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

1 Small piece of butter

Procedure

1. Mix and add everything with two cups of boiling water. Bring just to a boil, and then remove from heat.

1. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla.

13 Grapefruit Alaska

Serves: 6 Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes Work time: 40 minutes

This dish is can be a wonderfully elegant dessert, being both impressive and simple. It is done in two phases. First one prepares the grapefruit and filling, and leave these to chill. When it's time to serve them, final preparation is done (including roasting) and they are immediately served.

The dish combines the sweet and creamy ice cream and meringue tastes with the tart taste of the grapefruit and the mandarin orange. You should keep this in mind when preparing the dish, as you can vary the proportions to achieve a range of effects. Depending on what has come before, you should be able to pick an ideal balance to complete dinner.

Ingredients

3 Grapefruit, cut in half

1 can Mandarin oranges

16 Marshmallows

4 tsp. Lemon juice

2 Egg whites

¼ Cup Fine granulated sugar

⅛ tsp. Salt

Vanilla ice cream

Procedure

1. Cut the 3 grapefruit in half, then remove the fruit pulp in sections Cut away the membranes, trim into bite-sized pieces. In a bowl mix with the Mandarin oranges, lightly sprinkle with some sugar.

1. Mound this mixture in the center of the grapefruit halves, leaving a center hollow to hold the ice cream, and freeze.

1. Melt the marshmallows with the lemon juice in a double boiler, stirring until smooth. Cool slightly.

1. Beat egg whites and salt until they will hold a soft peak. Gradually add sugar, continuing to beat until the whites will form a stiff peak.

1. Fold in slightly warm marshmallow mixture.

1. When needed, place grapefruit halves on baking sheet, place a scoop of Vanilla ice cream in each one. Completely cover with the marshmallow meringue, right to the edge to seal in the ice cream.

1. Place the halves either in a very hot oven (525(F) until lightly browned, or under high broiler heat for about 1 minute. Watch very closely to avoid overcooking. Serve immediately.

14 Imperial Fudge

This is the best way to make fudge; below is a simpler, quicker recipe. You should be warned that eating this is addicting. Soon, your addiction will rob you of the energy and discipline to make it, so you need the simpler recipe for quick fixes.

Ingredients

4 Squares of Baker's chocolate

1 ½ Cup Brown sugar

1 ½ Cup White sugar

1 Cup Milk

1 Egg-size lump of butter

Procedure

1. Heat chocolate on low heat until it is melted. Add everything else, and bring to boiling.

1. Stir now and then; cook until drops off of a spoon form clear balls in a cup of cold water.

1. Cool in a greased pan.

15

Proletarian Fudge

This recipe is just about half that for Pecan Pralines, but the flavoring is chocolate. You could vary the flavoring to produce other forms of candy, a good idea if you need to break a chocolate addiction.

Ingredients

2 Squares unsweetened chocolate

1 ½ Cup Confectioner's sugar

¼ tsp. Salt

¼ Cup Heavy cream

½ t. Vanilla

Procedure

1. Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler. Add the sugar, salt, and cream, and mix until smooth.

1. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Spread into an 8"x8"x2" buttered pan. Cool until firm. Makes 1 lb.

16 Pecan Pralines

These are insanely sweet but wonderful items.

Ingredients

2 Cups Brown sugar

1 Cup White sugar

1 Pinch salt

1 Cup Water

1 Cup Cream

3 Cups Pecans

1 tsp. Vanilla

Procedure

1. Combine sugar, salt, cream, and water in a saucepan. Cook, stirring, until boiling. Continue to cook until 240 degrees.

1. Remove from heat and beat until creamy - if it hardens too soon, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of cream, heat over medium heat, stirring gently, until smooth.

1. Add nuts and vanilla, and drop by spoonfuls onto a buttered cookie sheet.

17 Zabaglione

Serves: 4 Total time: 2 hours (if chilled) Work time: 30 minutes

This is a foamy, rich dessert. It can be served warm, or chilled.

Ingredients

4 Large eggs

¼ Cup Sugar

½ Cup Sweet Marsala

⅓ Cup Heavy cream

10 Strawberries

¼ Cup Cognac

Procedure

1. Sauté the strawberries in the Cognac, over low heat; let the juice ooze out, and form a syrup with the Cognac. Add sugar to taste. Set aside.

1. In a double boiler, combine the egg yolks, sugar, and salt. Mix at high speed (using a mixer) for 5 minutes, until it is thick and foamy.

1. Add the Marsala in a thin stream, beating. Beat until the glop is triple in volume, holds soft peaks, and feels warm to the touch - this shows that the eggs are cooked.

1. Put some of the strawberry mixture in the bottom of each glass, and pour the Zabaglione over the top. Chill or serve.

18 Rhubarb Crunch

A good alternative to the plain rhubarb, should you ever tire of that. It can be very good if apples are used instead.

Ingredients

For the topping:

1 Cup Sifted flour

¾ Cup Uncooked rolled oats (not quick-cook)

1 Cup Brown sugar firmly packed

½ Cup Melted butter

1 tsp. Cinnamon

For the fruit mixture:

4 Cups Diced rhubarb

1 Cup Sugar

2 Tblsp. Cornstarch

1 Cup Water

1 tsp. Vanilla

Some whipping cream

Procedure

1. Mix together the topping mixture ingredients until crumbly.

1. Press half of this in a greased 9-inch layer cake pan, or preferably a glass ovenproof baking dish. Cover with the rhubarb.

1. In a small saucepan combine the sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and water. Cook, stirring until thick and clear; pour over the rhubarb.

1. Top with the rest of the crumbs.

1. Bake in a 350(F oven for about one hour. Serve with the cream, whipped or not.

19 Rhubarb, Another Way

This is the simplest possible recipe, but makes a very good rhubarb stew. It is excellent over ice cream.

Ingredients

3 Cups Rhubarb

½ Cup Sugar

½ Cup Water

Procedure

1. Cut up the rhubarb stalks into roughly ¼ inch chunks. Put them in a pan with the water.

1. Boil the mixture and stir. Add sugar to taste.

1. Chill and serve.

20 Avocado Ice Cream

Serves: 3 Total time: 2 hours Work time: 30 minutes

This really isn't ice cream; it shouldn't be frozen, just chilled. If it sounds strange, just think of avocado as a pear fruit, which it is. This is very good after Bobotie.

This recipe is from Mary Ann's family.

Ingredients

1 Ripe avocado

2 Tblsp. Sugar

1 Cup Vanilla ice cream

Juice of 1 lemon

Procedure

1. Cut the avocado in half lengthwise, remove the pit. Peel and mash the green pulp, and push it through a sieve to be really sure.

1. Add the lemon juice (I recommend using only ½ of it) and the sugar. Combine all of this with the ice cream, and beat it (while humming Michael Jackson). After all, this is a fruit ice cream.

1. Chill and serve. If you freeze it it will crystallize, which fights the natural creaminess of the Avocado.

21 Indian Pudding with Apples

This is one of my favorite variants on simple Indian Pudding. The apples make it a little lighter than usual. This is very good served with vanilla ice cream, while the pudding is warm.

Ingredients

5 Cups Milk

½ Cup Cornmeal

⅓ Cup Sugar

½ Cup Molasses

½ Stick butter

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1 tsp. Ginger

¾ tsp. Salt

2 Cups Thinly sliced apples (roughly 2 apples)

Procedure

1. Scald 3 cups of the milk.

1. In a bowl, add 1 cup milk to the cornmeal. Add this to the scalded milk slowly, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

1. Add everything else except for the last cup of the milk, and pour into a buttered 2-quart baking dish. Pour the remaining milk over a spoon so that it floats on top.

1. Bake at 275(F for 3 or 4 hours.

22 Tarte au Citron

Serves: 6 to 8 Total time: 1 hour 40 minutes Work time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 Cup Flour

2 Tblsp. Sugar

⅛ tsp. Salt

½ Cup Butter

1 Egg yolk

3 Eggs

½ Cup Sugar

3 Lemons (rind + ¾ cup juice)

1 stick Butter

1 Tblsp. Butter

Procedure

1. In a bowl combine 1 Cup flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Blend in ½ stick plus 1 ½ teaspoons cold butter, cut into bits, until the mixture resembles meal.

1. Stir in 1 small egg yolk and 3 tablespoon of ice water. Toss the mixture until the liquid is gone, and form the dough into a ball. Knead lightly and reform into a ball. Dust with flour and chill for 1 hour.

1. Roll the dough into a ⅛" thick round on a lightly-floured surface, drape it over the rolling pin, and fit it into a 9" shallow pan with a removable fluted ring. Press the dough firmly into the pan and cut off any excess dough with a floured rolling pin. Chill for 1 hour.

1. In a heavy saucepan whisk together 3 eggs, ½ cup sugar, the grated rind of 3 lemons, and ¾ cup lemon juice. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until it thickens and coats the spoon, but do not boil it. Remove from heat and stir in 1 stick plus 1 tablespoon butter, softened.

1. Strain the lemon cream into a bowl and let it cool, covered with a buttered round of wax paper. Pour the cream into the shell and bake the tart on the lowest rack of a preheated (400(F) oven for 40 minutes. Remove tart from pan, transfer to a rack, and let it cool.

23 Meringue

Ingredients

4 Egg whites

5 Tblsp. Fine sugar

¼ tsp. Vanilla

⅛ tsp. Cream of tartar

A few grains Salt

Procedure

Combine everything in a gooey mess. Beat until soft peaks form. Put on the cool tart and cook at 425 degrees for 5 minutes.

Menus

Sometimes it's the ideas that are the hardest part. I'm including some menu thoughts; many of the recipes required aren't in this cookbook, of course, but quite a few are. Those that aren't are probably readily available in standard cookbooks or on the internet.

1 12.1 Appetizer Buffet

This was a collection of appetizers I did as a buffet-style dinner. It was just sort of what I felt like at the time.

Smoked Oysters

Ossetra Caviar

Russian Cold Marinated Fish

Caviar eggs with tomatoes

Carpaccio

Hummus in Red Pepper

Scallops wrapped in bacon

Kalamata Olives

Brie

Salmon with lemon, pumpernickel, horseradish sauce

Papaya with salmon and lime

Avocado with bacon on curried mayonnaise toast

Sauteed shrimp (Cajun)

Japanese cucumber salad

Baked garlic and French bread

Chicken wings

2 12.2 Menus In Bad Taste

For some time I've been thinking of writing a brief cookbook for the holidays, with a slightly more humorous twist. Here are some of the dishes I'm thinking of:

Christmas Eve - Grilled reindeer steaks

The Ides of March - Caesar salad

Valentine's Day - Beef heart

Easter - (Bunny) Rabbit stew

Fourth of July - Lobsterbacks (grilled lobster tails)

Bastille Day - Cake

Attributions

Harry’s Bar Martini

As reported in Gourmet magazine

Sausage & Cheese Strata

Best of Gourmet for some year.

Smoken Salmon, Avocado, and Horseradish Spirals

Probably from Gourmet

Barbecued Shrimp This recipe is from one of my cooking classes.

Salmon, Scallop, & Pea Terrine

Gourmet publication

Stuffed Mussels

One of my italian cookbooks

Marinovanaya Riba v Tomatiye

My Russian cookbook

Chilled Melon, Champagne, and Lime Soup: This recipe appeared on the cover of a magazine, I believe on Country Inns. I saw it at an Inn in Sharpsburg, MD.

Bermuda Fish Chowder

This recipe is from "What's Cooking ... in Bermuda" by Betsy Ross. I usually modify it to use pre-made fish stock.

Smoked Fish Chowder Best of Gourmet

Mexican Fish Romero’s cookbook

Onion, Raisin, and Cranberry Confit Gourmet

Grapefruit Alaska: This recipe is from Betsy Ross's book "What's Cooking... in Bermuda".

Poached Haddock with Brocolli Gourmet

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