Culinary Muse

Mom’s Recipe Box, Part Two: Summer Entertaining

I have recently inherited my Mom’s recipe box. It is the box that sat on top of the refrigerator in the kitchen of every house we lived in. The decoration on the outside of this metal box looks like a 1960's MOD interpretation of an Art Deco floral pattern. The background is black, the flowers are red, blue, orange, yellow and white. The inside holds the larger sized index cards. I can tell that my Mom must have bought it in a fit of organization as the very back of the box is packed full of extra, blank cards.
Most of the cards are in either her handwriting or my sister’s. I think that I have identified the very last recipe card she ever wrote. It is stuffed into the front of the box, out of order. Extra large cursive letters reveal that she was losing her eye site at the end. Only the name of the recipe, a list of ingredients, time and temperature are listed. It is for her favorite dessert, custard, the ultimate nursery comfort food.

As I continue to search through the box I realize that its contents reflect the many phases of her life. There are diet recipes, party recipes, recipes from aunts, recipes that I can remember her making (mostly cookies or gooey desserts) and recipes that I can’t imagine her ever attempting - crepes? I study each card carefully to see if it reveals anything about the occasion she made it for but I can’t find any comments beyond ‘very good’ or ‘from Pat’s Party’.

It seems time to give her recipes an airing and to give them the attention they deserve. The recipes below are all appropriate for the warm summer months ahead. As all of the recipes that bear my sister’s signature suggest: Enjoy!

SWEET AND SOUR BEAN SALAD
2 cans green beans
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can pimento, diced
1 red onion, peeled and sliced into rings
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. Salt
One half cup cider vinegar
One half cup tarragon vinegar
Two thirds cup sugar
One half cup vegetable oil
Black pepper to taste

Drain and rinse beans. Combine with pimento and red onion. Crush garlic into salt. Combine with vinegars, sugar, vegetable oil and black pepper in glass jar. Cover and shake until well blended. Pour over salad and marinate overnight.
KM NOTE: Try this with fresh green beans that have been blanched. Use a really large jar and add the salad ingredients into the dressing. Cover and refrigerate. Great for a picnic.

ASIAN SALAD DRESSING
1 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Pour ingredients into pint size jar. Cover and shake thoroughly.
KM NOTE: This would be great to toss with grilled vegetables. Serve room temp.

BAR B QUE SAUCE
One half cup Karo syrup
2 tablespoon prepared mustard
One third cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
One fourth cup onion, minced
One teaspoon Tabasco sauce
2 - 8 ounce cans tomato sauce
Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil for two minutes. Great as a basting sauce for chicken.

AUNT ELSIE’S TERIYAKI SAUCE
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup sugar
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 inch fresh ginger root, chopped
3 green onions (scallions), chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Mix well. Use as a marinade for chicken.

COLD CHICKEN AND RICE SALAD
1 package chicken flavored Rice-A-Roni, prepared and cooled
3 green onions, sliced
One half cup mayonnaise
1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained (reserve marinade), and chopped
1 small can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
One half teaspoon curry powder.

Stir together mayonnaise, reserved artichoke marinade and curry powder. Combine with Rice-A-Roni and green onions. Serve cold. KM NOTE: Be careful with salads that contain mayonnaise.They must be kept cold at all times.

CORN FRITTERS
One and one-half cups whole corn kernels
One half cup flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2/3 cup vegetable oil

Add vegetable oil to a large frying pan. When hot, add a few tablespoons of corn mixture to oil. Fry 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly brown.

Mom’s Recipe Box, Potatoes and Her Cast Iron Skillet

I have inherited my mom’s recipe box. As I go through it I find it startling just how similar our idea of what makes a good recipe.  That is, a recipe worth clipping out of a magazine or newspaper and worth keeping for years. My recipe box spills over with these clippings So does hers.  I will be sharing several with you in the next few months.  They are recipes that recall my childhood, maybe your childhood as well. They range from old New York Times Magazine recipes by Molly O’Neill to the ones from utility companies, like Pacific Gas & Electric, which were included in the newsletter that accompanies the monthly bill. We will begin with the following potato recipes.  I always wondered who developed the newsletter recipes.  Did they have a home economist on staff whose sole purpose it was to come up with recipes that used a lot of fuel to prepare? Was there a set of guidelines that established that no recipe would be acceptable unless it took at least an hour to bake at 350 degrees? Perhaps that is how ‘Potato Wedges’ was born. I remember my mom preparing them several times a week.  This is a typical mom recipe.  She always had potatoes (bought by the ten pound bag) and a few yellow onions in the house.  So easy, so delicious, so inexpensive. I remember her serving them with meat loaf.  I prepared them in the same oven that last night’s chicken was roasting in.  I plan to prepare them again next week to serve along side a pan fried steak.   I find them most comforting these days. 
POTATO AND ONION WEDGES
1 red onion, peeled and cut into quarters
4 large Russet potatoes, washed, dried and cut into quarters lengthwise
Canola oil
Seasoned Salt (Schillings Brand)*
Garlic powder*
Freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, toss together onion, potatoes and enough canola oil to coat well. Sprinkle with plenty of seasoned salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Sprinkle with plenty of seasoned salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Toss and pour onto a large baking sheet. Bake for one hour. Check at 30 minutes to flip over wedges. The potatoes are done when they are slightly puffy and golden. The onions will be a deep caramel color. Yield: 2 – 3 big servings
*Food Snobs Note: Ingredients like seasoned salt and garlic powder have been around for a long time for a reason. They are tasty and they are convenient. Just think of them as ‘rubs’.

More Mom’s Kitchen Musings: For a very long time it lived in the dark, tucked away in the back of the cupboard that holds all of the seldom used cookware. Once in a while it would get unearthed for baking a Pineapple Upside Down Cake. But lately it has held forth front and center in the kitchen. The ten-inch cast iron skillet. Seasoned to a shiny black by my grandmother it is the kitchen workhorse of the hour. Need to dry out a few slices of bread for breadcrumbs? Place them in the skillet in a 400-degree oven for about 10 minutes. Feeling guilty about wasting the last quarter loaf of that a day old baguette? Cut it into 2" squares, place in the skillet in a 400-degree oven for about 15 minutes, tossing every five minutes. But what has really kept the skillet front and center this week is the recipe below. This is a deeply satisfying and easy meal to make after a long day at work. It also fits into the category that we can all relate to: The Budget Meal. Maybe you need to eat home all this week. Your next paycheck doesn't arrive until next Friday and you can't quite justify or afford a 'cheap' $20 meal out every night this week. The solution is a pantry stocked with Russet potatoes, good olive oil, kosher salt, Spanish Smoked Paprika and eggs.
SPANISH ROASTED POTATOES
Preheat oven to 400-degrees.
4 Russet potatoes, washed, dried and cut into 1-inch chunks
Place potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Add about 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, 1 teaspoon Spanish Smoked Paprika (sweet), 1/2-teaspoon garlic powder.
Toss well until the mixture turns a deep mahogany red.
Place in cast iron pan. Roast for 30 minutes. Using a metal spatula carefully turn the potatoes over being sure to scrape the great crust that is forming on the bottom. Return to oven for at least 30 more minutes or until they are nice and crisp. Remove from oven. Poach 4 eggs. Place roasted potatoes on plate. Top with poached eggs. Sprinkle with chopped Italian parsley.  Also good served on a bed of fresh spinach.
Yield: two servings

THE WELL STOCKED DESSERT PANTRY

In the next few months I plan to give you an idea of what the New Pantry of the 21st Century should look like. Some of it will seem exotic (hearts of palm), some of it is a matter of personal choice (only Tellicherry black peppercorns, please) but all of it will enable you to fix something delicious fast.  Let's be honest - life in the kitchen is mostly about 'I am so hungry right now I could eat that tuna right out of the can with my bare hands' and 'Have I really spent $100 on take-out food this week?'.  You need a PAR list of foods that have a long shelf life and can be combined to serve up something delicious on short notice.
I am inspired by my long time friend, NA, who has always said we should write a cookbook together.  She and I have had hour long conversations on the phone about what a well stocked pantry must contain. She speaks from experience. She is the first person I had ever met that always had heavy cream in her refrigerator ‘just in case’.  A little background: NA came of age in New York City during the Swingin’ Sixties.  With a husband in advertising and her job as a booker for one of the top modeling agencies in the country, every evening held the potential of a party and she was always prepared. I imagine her hosting many an impromptu cocktail party at their apartment on Riverside Drive before departing for dinner at La Pavilion.  In her honor we are going to start with the Dessert Pantry for two reasons.  NA and I are both confirmed Chocoholics and who couldn’t use a little sweetness during tax week?

The Dessert Pantry: Even the most basic cookbook will tell you that you need basic ingredients like flour, salt, sugar, baking powder in your pantry if you plan on baking.  We agree.  But you also need some ready-made ingredients that can be combined to create last minute desserts.  This list of ingredients will give you the tools to create something sweet that is more than a candy bar but not as elaborate as a four layer cake.
Non-perishable:
Sweetened condensed milk , 2 cans (makes fudge fast and easy.  See recipe below)
Dark chocolate chips, 2 - 12 ounce packages or at least 1 ½ pounds Purchase the best quality you can afford and as far as we are concerned, the darker, the better! Chips come in handy for eating out of hand or for topping ice cream.  Sometimes I just melt a quarter cup in the microwave and pour on top of a scoop of plain vanilla ice cream.
Lemon curd (can be spread on or sandwiched between shortbread cookies for a quick treat)
Shortbread cookies (good dipped in melted chocolate)
Raspberry jam (can be warmed up to use as a topping for premium vanilla ice cream)
Unsweetened chocolate
Cake flour
Baking powder, baking soda, salt
Sugar
Vanilla extract, Bourbon or Tahitian
The recipe for Bittersweet Chocolate Cake from the first Silver Palate cookbook, page 291.
Perishable: (you will note that even these perishables have a long refrigerator life)
Eggs       
Heavy Cream (at least 8 ounces)
Vanilla ice cream
Butter, sweet (no salt)
Nuts (shelled whole walnuts are the most versatile, store in freezer).  It is a nice touch to toast nuts before using.  Spread nuts on a baking sheet, place in pre-heated 400 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring every five minutes.  When nicely toasted (not burnt), immediately turn out into a shallow bowl to cool.

Favorite Easy Recipe:
During times of high stress I can be found, late at night, standing over the sink with a spoon in one hand and a can of sweetened condensed milk in the other muttering to myself ‘Why in the world don't they put pull tops on these f%*$! cans?!?!’. I am not suggesting that YOU eat sweetened condensed milk right out of the can. Nor should you consider serving it to your guests. Just know that it is a great staple for your pantry and the short cut to this ultra creamy fudge.  This very adult fudge is the just the post-tax treat you are looking for. And for those of you who have filed an extension, keep this recipe handy for July 15th!

ESPRESSO FUDGE
16 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips, MELTED
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons freshly ground espresso
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Stir together all of the above. Pour into a buttered 8" x 8" pan. Chill one hour. Cut into any size square you want. Or just cut it in half and dig in. No one is watching and you have our blessing!

SKINNY SOUP

This recipe first appeared on Culinary Muse over two years ago.  It continues to receive hits every single day.  Amazing?  Not really.  It is the perfect soup.  Hearty, healthy, delicious. 

SKINNY SOUP

1 pound French lentils (green)
2 large leeks, white part only, chopped
2 large onions, chopped
2 T garlic, minced
3 T olive oil
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 cups celery, diced (more if you would like)
2 cups carrots, diced (more if you would like)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper (I prefer Tellicherry, freshly ground)
3 T tomato paste
1 T port, sherry or Madeira
3 quarts good quality chicken stock

Prepare lentils: Place lentils in a bowl. Cover with boiling water.
Set aside for 15 minutes. Drain.

Get out your largest soup pot that has a lid. Pour in the olive oil. Place over medium heat. Allow oil to heat through. Add leeks, onions, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, cumin and coriander. Saute until vegetables are limp. Add celery, carrots and saute for five more minutes. Add chicken stock, tomato paste and lentils. Cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for one hour, with lid slightly ajar. Stir occasionally. Soup is done when lentils are just soft. (Do not cook too long or they will get mushy).

Adjust seasonings. Add the port, sherry or Madeira. Serve.

Warm Apple Crisp

In the September 26, 2001 New York Times, Stephen Jay Gould wrote a wonderful editorial entitled "A Time of Gifts". He talks about the rescue effort at the World Trade Center and the power of "Twelve, warm, apple brown bettys". Here is our recipe for a warm apple crisp:

3 pounds green apples (Granny Smith), peeled and sliced
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1 cup flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats, uncooked
1 cube unsalted butter, cold, cut into slices

1) Place sliced apples in a buttered 9 x 13 baking dish. Set aside.

2) To make crisp topping: In a bowl, stir together all remaining ingredients, except butter.

3) Add butter and with your fingers, rub together with the dry ingredients until butter pieces are the size of peas

4) Cover apples with crisp topping. Bake 350, 45-50 minutes or until mixture is bubbling and browned on top. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or heavy cream poured on each serving.

Serves 6-8

This is a reprint of a posting from the October issue of Enokiworld on-line Magazine, October 2001. I have been unable to find a link to Mr. Gould's wonderful editorial.

UPDATE: Mr. Gould's widow kindly shares the link to his article in comment section below.

It reminded me, yet again, of the power of food. The power to comfort and the power to connect. I encourage you to have a meal with family and friends this week. And be sure to eat out at least once. Our colleagues in the food biz need your help right now. If you want your favorite restaurant to be around next month, you need to visit them tonight. And leave a big tip - they will love you for it.