Leek and Watercress soup

  This recipe is from Gourmet 1976. Serves 6.

Ingredients

1/2 stick butter

1.5 cups washed and minced leeks

1 cup minced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

salt and pepper

2 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

2 bunches watercress, but 1 and 3/4 coarsely chopped reserving the rest for garnish

3 cups chicken broth

1 cup milk

1 cup cream

Process

1. In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 stick butter and sweat the leeks, onion, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. 

2. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes until the veggies are very soft. 

3. Add potatoes, watercress, and chicken broth and simmer for 25 minutes. 

4. Puree the mixture in a blender or food processor. 

5. Return puree to the pan and add the milk and cream and bring to a simmer. 

6. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

7. Divide the soup among 6 heated bowls and garnish with watercress leaves.

Shrimp in Beer Creole with Rice Pilaf Mold (link to recipe in this one)

 This recipe is interesting as it's 100% in Hi-Ho's handwriting on a sheet of lined paper. It's the only one in the box really like that and she typically would clip her recipes. The internet tells me it is from 1976.

Ingredients

1/2 cup sliced blanched almonds

1 Tablespoon butter plus 1/2 stick plus 2 Tablespoons

1 Tablespoon oil 

salt and pepper

2 lbs shrimp, shelled and de-veined

waxed paper

1/4 cup minced scallions 

1 green pepper, cut into strips

1/2 lb small mushrooms

1 Tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika

1 teaspoon tomato paste

1 cup light beer

1 cup creme fraiche or 3/4 cup heavy cream combined with 1/4 cup sour cream

Process

1. In a small skillet, saute 1/2 cup sliced blanched almonds in 1 Tablespoon eacg of butter and oil, tossing them until they are golden. 

2. Drain the almonds, sprinkle them with salt, and set aside. 

3. In a saucepan, cook 2 lbs shrimp in 1/2 stick of butter over a moderate heat, tossing until they just turn pink. 

4. Transfer the shrimp and the pan juice to a bowl and reserve them, covering with waxed paper. 

5. Add 2 Tablespoons butter to the pan and in it saute minced scallion and green pepper until they are softened.

6. Add mushrooms, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. 

7. Cook the mixture, tossing, until the mushrooms are tender. 

8. Stir in tomato paste, beer, and the reserved juices from the pan, and reduce the liquid over high heat until it measures about 1/2 cup. 

9. Reduce the heat to low and add 1 cup creme fraiche or the heavy cream combined with the sour cream, stirring. 

10. Add the reserved shrimp and simmer the mixture until it is hot. 

11. Arrange the shrimp on a heated platter with rice pilaf mold. Garnish with the reserved almonds.

Rice Pilaf Mold

 I found this recipe on Uncle Phaedrus. 

Rice Pilaf Mold (Gourmet February, 1976)

   In an ovenproof 7-inch saucepan, sauté 1/4 cup minced onion in 
2 tablespoons each of butter  and oil until it is soft but not 
colored. Add 2 cups Carolina rice, well rinsed, stirring it until 
it is coated with butter. Pour in enough chicken stock or chicken 
broth to cover the rice by 1/2 inch, bring it to a boil, and bake 
the rice, covered, in a preheated moderate oven (350° F.) for 25 
minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and add 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) 
butter, softened and cut into slices, and 2 tablespoons freshly 
grated Parmesan cheese. Pack the rice firmly into a buttered 3-cup 
smooth-sided mold, invert the mold onto the platter, rapping the 
mold to release the rice, and remove the mold.

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Seasoned Lentil Stew from Gourmet

We are making Tandoori meatballs tonight and I thought this would make the perfect accompaniment. I saw it on my Gourmet app.
Seasoned Lentil Stew with Vegetables

Oven Fried Chicken Fingers

Ripped from the pages of Gourmet, SP style!
























It's really hard to read that isn't it? Well I will write it out. We made this last night. We made this all the time when our daughter was in the throws of colic. It was soothing comforting finger food that sustained me through many long nights. We serve it with ranch dressing. Kids love it!

Ingredients
2.5 pounds boneless chicken breast halves
1.5 sticks butter, melted
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
7 cups cornflakes, coarsely crushed

Process
1. Put over racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 425 degrees.
2. Grease or butter 2 large shallow pans - cookie sheets work fine!
3. Gently pound chicken between sheets of plastic with a meat pounder or a rolling pin until 1/3 inch thick.
4. Cut chicken into 1/2 inch wide strips
5. Stir together melted butter, salt and pepper in shallow dish.
6. Put cornflakes in another dish.
7. Working one chicken strip at a time, dip in butter and then dredge in cornflakes, pressing flakes firmly to adhere, and transfer strips to pans.
8. Bake, switching positions of pans half way through baking, until chicken is golden and cooked through, about 15 minutes total.
9. Cool chicken on racks. Crust will firm up when closer to room temp, but you can eat it as soon as you want!
YUM!

St. Patty's Potato Cabbage Bundles

3 out of 5 people in my family have birthdays on a holiday. My Irish SP was born on St. Patrick's day so you can imagine the celebration. In March of 2004, we found this recipe in Gourmet, and it has been a St. Patrick's Day tradition for our family tradition ever since. While making the actual bundles is a high maintenance presentation, the leaves do end up to be quite scrumptious. But hands down, these are the best mashed potatoes ever, so feel free to omit the special equipment and head right for the good stuff!

Potato Cabbage Bundles

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, halved lengthwise, then sliced crosswise (1 cup)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 large head leafy green cabbage (3 pounds)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2/3 cup water
• 2 lb large boiling potatoes
• 1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
• 3 oz extra-sharp white Cheddar, coarsely grated (1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons drained bottled horseradish
• 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs from a country-style loaf

• Special equipment: a nonstick muffin tin with 6 (1-cup) muffin cups; 12 (10- by 2-inch) strips of parchment paper
• Accompaniment: Irish bacon

Preparation

Cook onion in oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, 6 to 8 minutes.

Bring a 6- to 8-quart pot of salted water to a boil. Discard any discolored or damaged tough outer leaves from cabbage, then core cabbage and carefully lower into boiling water using a slotted spoon.

Boil cabbage, pulling off 6 large leaves (to be used as decorative wrappers and eaten if desired) with tongs as they soften and leaving them with remaining cabbage, 5 minutes. Transfer large leaves to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Transfer remaining cabbage to a colander to drain. Transfer large leaves to paper towels to drain, then pat dry.

Lightly butter muffin cups, then put 2 parchment strips in a crisscross pattern in each cup. (You will have a 2-inch overhang.) Line each cup with a large cabbage leaf. Coarsely chop enough remaining cabbage to measure 3 cups, then add to onion along with garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and water and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender and browned, about 10 minutes.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes, then cover with cold salted water by 1 inch in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain in a colander, then set potatoes in colander over saucepan to steam-dry, uncovered, 5 minutes. Mash potatoes in a large bowl, then stir in buttermilk, cheese, horseradish, 1/2 stick butter, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper until combined well.

Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides, then cook bread crumbs, stirring frequently, until golden, 5 to 7 minutes.

Fill each cabbage leaf with about 1/2 cup potato mixture, then divide cabbage mixture among leaves. Top with remaining potato mixture, then sprinkle evenly with bread crumbs. Fold edges of cabbage in toward filling (do not completely cover).

Bake until heated through and edges of cabbage are well browned, 25 to 30 minutes.

Transfer stuffed leaves to plates using parchment overhangs.

Cooks' note: Stuffed cabbage leaves can be assembled, but not baked, 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before baking.

Ham and Rice Croquettes

I found this yummy recipe (for using leftover ham) in this month's Gourmet. I tinkered with the proportions - actually I pretty much ignored them. I doubled up on the cheese (of course) and used both white and wild rice! We are serving them with a side of our favorite whole grain mustard and some leftover creamed onions. My favorite part, is the the kids commented on how great the house smells and these cakes will fit perfectly into their lunch boxes! Cheers to leftovers!

Ham and Rice Croquettes
Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked white rice, cooled
• 3/4 cup finely chopped cooked ham (about 1/4 pound)
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 large eggs, divided - and lightly beaten
  
• 1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs
• About 3 cups vegetable oil
• Equipment: a deep-fat thermometer

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, stir together rice, ham, cheese, 1 egg, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
   
2. Put remaining egg (lightly beaten) and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls.
3. Heat 1 to 1 1/2 inches oil to 350°F in a 10-inch skillet over high heat.
   
4. Meanwhile, dampen your hands and form 1/4-cup amounts of rice mixture into 2 1/2-inch cakes.
   
5. Lightly coat cake with egg, then with bread crumbs.
   
6. Fry croquettes in 2 batches, turning once or twice, until golden-brown, 2 to 3 minutes per batch.

Pate Mold

While the notion of pate makes me cringe, I know that many people out there love it. I have already blogged Baba's pate recipe . HiHo also left a note that 2 of her favorite pate recipes were p. 56 of Fannie Farmer, and p. 34 of December 1963 edition of Gourmet. This recipe however is special for me to blog, particularly today, because it came from Aunt Julie - a dear chum of HiHo's from her days at MPS, but Aunt Julie was also my brother's God mother. So in memory of another dear woman, here is Julie's pate recipe.

Ingredients
2 cans Sell's Liver Pate
1 rectangle Philadelphia Cream Cheese with chives
1/2 box Knox Gelatin
2/3 can Campbell's consomme
bit of brandy
minces scallions (added by HiHo)

Process

1. Chill one mold
2. Melt consomme and gelatin over low flame, until gelatin is dissolved.
3. Pour into cold mold and put into icebox until set.
   
4. Mix together cream cheese, liver paste, scallions and a dash of brandy, and chill.
   
5. 1/2 hour later, spread this on top of set gelatin and leave over night in icebox.
   
6. To un-mold us a HOT dish towel. Serve on platter with crackers.