START MOTHER’S DAY RIGHT FOR EMPTY NESTERS

Last week’s posting was about Mother’s Day meals for young, active families. This week is about pleasing my group of mothers, those with older children; children in their late teens or out of the house, perhaps with families of their own. After a busy week, these moms like to sleep-in a bit and many are looking forward to dinner in a restaurant or with family. Planning three meals doesn’t really do for them, but a late morning brunch is perfect. It removes morning hunger and keeps it at bay until dinner.

The brunch doesn’t have to be elaborate, just something a bit different. The day’s honoree will usually pitch in and help, so long as the meal can be enjoyed in a leisurely way with good companionship and conversation. The following recipes are for dishes that can be dressed up with pastries, fruit and salads or simply served with coffee and toast. They require little effort, both to make and better still, to clean up. In short, they’re perfect for the occasion.

The first five recipes are from my book SOME RECIPES FOR MOTHER’S DAY. The last two are my favorites. One is my own Mother’s take on a classic, Creamed Chipped Beef. The Creamed Mushrooms on Toast is my own invention. Recipes for 2 can be doubled and those serving 4 easily halved.

Eggs Florentine: Serves 4
(1) 10 oz. box frozen chopped spinach
4 eggs
1tsp. salt OR 1 envelope bouillon powder-beef or chicken
Pinch nutmeg
Grated Parmesan cheese
Thaw and drain the spinach in a sieve until it is moist but not wet. Mix in the bouillon or salt and nutmeg then divide it between 4 greased custard cups or ramekins. Top with a raw egg and sprinkle with cheese. Place cups in a pan with ½ inch water and bake at 350 deg. 15 min. or until eggs are set.

Frittata; Serves 4
Count on using about 1 cup vegetables, leftovers or canned are perfect. If using frozen or raw, they must be sautéed or blanched first. Frittatas are also forgiving. If one sticks and won’t slide onto a plate, slice it in wedges and serve it in the pan.
4 large eggs
1 cup vegetables*
2 Tbs. oil
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/3 cup milk or water, or milk + water to equal this amount

Pinch salt
¼ tsp. curry powder
¼ tsp. paprika
Ground pepper to taste
Optional toppings- for example ¼ cup grated cheese or 1 cup tomato sauce.
Cut vegetables to ½ inch size or thin slice In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs, with all other ingredients except the oil and the vegetables. Heat the oil in an 8-9 inch skillet over medium. Turn on the broiler. Sauté the vegetables, or if cooked, turn them over in the oil to coat and warm. Reduce the burner heat to medium-low and pour in the eggs. Cook, gently pulling the eggs away from the sides of the pan, and tilting it to allow the uncooked portion to run into the spaces, until the eggs are fairly set, but still quiver in the center. Put the pan under the broiler, until the top begins to tan and all the eggs are cooked. Add the cheese, if using, before broiling and the sauce as serving. Be careful not to put the handle of the skillet in the oven, unless it is metal. Slide the frittata onto a plate to serve.

* If not using leftovers, substitute an equal amount of cooked fresh or frozen vegetables. Broccoli and green beans can be parboiled. Others, such as a zucchini and onion combination.

* ½ cup diced meat can replace ½ cup of the vegetables

Baked Eggs in a Cloud— Recipe for 4
4 large eggs separated
4 thin slices of ham or smoked turkey
2 drops of cider vinegar
Butter for the [an
Salt and pepper
Optional seasonings
Lightly butter a 7X7x1 ½ inch square ovenproof pan. Preheat oven to 350 deg. Lightly grease the bottom of the pan, and line the bottom and sides with a single layer of ham leaving a slight overhang all around. Whip the egg whites until they stand up in peaks, incorporating the vinegar half way through. Add seasonings. Spoon them over the ham. Using a spoon, make 4 dents in the whites, evenly spaced for portions. Put a yoke in each depression. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until whites are slightly brown and yokes are just set. Serve at once. I like a bit of curry powder or dry mustard in the whites. Alternately serve with Worcestershire sauce to top.

Eggs Adeline: Serves 2
2 eggs
2 slices Canadian bacon- cooked
2 Deli slices Swiss or Cheddar cheese
2 thick center slices of beefsteak or other large tomato
1 English muffin
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Split and toast the muffin. Layer equally on each half in order the bacon the tomato and then
cheese. Run under a hot broiler until the cheese just melts Meanwhile, poach the eggs. Top each muffin half with an egg and sprinkle with Worcestershire sauce.
Note: Substitute toasted slices of Italian bread for the muffin and put the topped slices in the microwave for 30 sec. instead of heating the broiler.

Classic Quiche Lorraine: Serves 4
Quiche is a dish that allows a lot of room for variety, yet is quite simple to prepare. If one of these won’t be enough for your family, make two and use different ingredients. Think of it as if you were making pizzas with different toppings.-but here it’s bottoms!
(1) 9 inch deep dish pie shell-store bought is fine—baked
1 Tbs. butter
4 oz. sliced mushrooms—(1/2) 8 oz. can will do
1 small onion diced
4 eggs
1 cup light cream or whole milk
½ tsp. dried mustard OR prepared Dijon mustard
1 cup shredded cheese -Swiss usually preferred
Salt and pepper.
8-10 slices bacon cooked and crumbled OR ¼ lb. sliced Deli smoked turkey
Dash of ground nutmeg
Paprika and dried parsley
Spray skillet with cooking spray and cook bacon until crisp or frizzle smoked turkey and dice. Melt butter in skillet add mushrooms and onion and cook until they render their juice.-about 3 min. Line a 9 inch pie plate with the crust. Put mushrooms, onion and bacon in the bottom of the pie shell and cover with the cheese. Then pour over the eggs beaten until frothy with the milk, mustard and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the nutmeg, garnish with the paprika and parsley and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15 min .Reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for 30 min. more. Allow to stand 5 min. before cutting.

Creamed Chipped Beef: Serves 4
(1) pkg. dried beef—about 6-8 oz.*
2 cups milk or 1 ½ cups milk and ½ cup heavy cream or half and half
4 Tbs. butter
4 Tbs. flour
4 oz. can sliced mushrooms
¾ cup peas or cut green beans cooked to crisp tender
Salt and pepper
¼ tsp. curry powder – optional
Parsley
Pull off any strands of fat and cut the meat into 1 inch squares. Prepare the cream sauce by heating the butter until it foams and stirring in the flour to form a roux or paste. Add the milk quickly and return to the heat, stirring constantly until a smooth, creamy sauce develops. Add the other ingredients and cook over warm, stirring until the mixture is heated through.
Serve hot, garnished with parsley over toast, in patty shells or in baked potatoes.
*Substitute and equal amount of Deli sliced ham or 2 cups cubed leftover ham.

Creamed Mushrooms on Toast: Serves 2
8 oz. button mushrooms-try to get large ones
¼ cup white wine
1 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. flour
1 cup half and half
¼ tsp. marjoram
Salt and pepper—optional-taste before adding
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley-for garnish
4 slices of toast—I like rye bread
Clean the mushrooms and coarsely chop the stems.
Briefly broil the caps on a foil covered sheet, turning once and reserving any juice that appears. Melt the butter in a skillet and gently toss the stem pieces until slightly wilted. Add the wine and flour and make a roux. Add the liquid, marjoram and any reserved mushroom juice; stir over medium heat until sauce thickens. Taste for salt and pepper. Divide the toast between the plates and arrange the caps on top, then spoon the sauce over. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

LET KIDS HELP COOK ON MOTHER’S DAY

I love cooking with children. It can be such fun. I learned this one spring, years ago, when I agreed to bake cakes for three events scheduled on three successive weeks. The first Saturday, I saw I had an audience of my daughter and friends, eager to lick the batter. The second Saturday, they were waiting for me and by the third, were perched on the counters asking questions. I realized I had a cake fan club when they showed up the fourth Saturday, though I had no cake to bake. I simply reached for a box of mix and got started cooking, thus beginning what was dubbed ‘Cake Saturdays’ that summer.

Our weekly project soon evolved from layer cakes into sheet cakes that were consumed at the pool over the weekend. By September, I had a rather accomplished crew of sous chefs who participated in the baking process. In fact, over the coming years, they anticipated when I would be contributing food to certain events, school fairs, community gatherings, bazaars and club occasions, and showed up to help. We baked many a cake or pie, made doughnuts, meatballs, and quantities of side and main dish salads and casseroles together. It’s interesting to note that each of these kids, at some point during their school years, worked in a restaurant.

Today they are all food knowledgeable, nutrition conscious adults. One is a professional in the food industry, holding two degrees from The Culinary Institute of America. Perhaps it was a trend of the times, and I’m sure a lot of family influence was involved, but I like to believe that early positive kitchen experience was partially responsible for their healthy attitude toward and appreciation of food.

The key phrase is ‘early positive kitchen experience’. Children are different in the kitchen. They’re curious, interested, perhaps because they’re reward oriented, and so enthusiastic it’s contagious. Their eagerness to learn lowers their defenses. They look to you to teach them tasks for which they will be responsible, and recognized as such. In doing so, you gain their trust and they begin to open up to you. It’s the best bonding opportunity ever, but only if you give them a skill or responsibility they can take away with them. Chastise them, or relegate them to being spectators and the door shuts.

So what can children safely do in the kitchen, especially those in the first years of grade school? Actually plenty! They can spread bread and fill sandwiches, stir and mix, particularly if it involves squishing things with their hands, like meat balls, rinse and drain, or strain and sieve. They can spray oil on pans, shake items in bags to flour coat them, sprinkle herbs for flavor or garnish and they love forming patties, cutting dough shapes, chopping nuts with the bottom of a can and stringing skewers. Older children can measure ingredients, even combine them in to a recipe, open cans, use a grater or chopper, with supervision run a blender or processer and many other tasks.

The trick is to give a child a job that requires they pay attention and then more difficult jobs as they progress. Keep an eye on them but don’t hover. Play up their pride in accomplishment but don’t overly praise, especially the older ones and treat them as colleagues achieving peer status in the kitchen.

The person in charge of cooking for the family on a regular basis usually does these things instinctively, because they welcome help on a regular basis. However, for other family members, they are tips to help get to know a child and what better time to try them out than Mother’s Day, when the object is to keep Mother out of the kitchen?

To help achieve both goals, I’ve written a book, RECIPE SUGGESTIONS FOR MOTHER’S DAY. It contains lots of delicious recipes for all three meals, plus desserts, which can easily be made with the help of children. Also included are two full days of menus, which I worked out for neighbors. In the first, the father was away and the children wanted to make Mother’s Day special. In the second, the family was packing to move and only had limited equipment to work with. They may offer some suggestions or pointers. In addition, I’m including recipes from each meal category, showing how simple it is to involve children in your kitchen plans.

Yogurt with Bananas and Nuts: Serves 4
3 large, ripe bananas –or 3 very ripe bananas (the brown won’t show when they’re mashed)
16 oz. Greek yogurt
4 Tbs. toasted chopped nuts, walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts
Using a fork, mash the ripe bananas or peel the fresh bananas, wrap separately in plastic wrap and microwave 1 min. on high. Cool, unwrap and mash. Gently mix with the yogurt and spoon into 4 dessert dishes. Chill briefly to cool and sprinkle nuts equally over the tops as garnish. Serve chilled with baked goods, buns, biscuits, muffins or croissants. To chop nuts, put them in a plastic bag and pound with the bottom of a tin can. Children can mash, mix and chop.

Tuna and Bean Salad: Serves 4
6 oz. can solid white tuna in water- drained
16 oz. can cannellini or other white beans
4 plum tomatoes quartered OR 16 grape tomatoes (optionally,the tomatoes can be diced and mixed in)
2 tsp. dried basil
Ground black pepper
Salt to taste
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. powdered garlic
1 Tbs. oil
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Mix the last 5 ingredients well and set aside to let the flavors form a dressing. Gently toss the first 5 ingredients, then add the dressing. Allow the whole to chill for 30 min. at least to meld flavors. Serve on lettuce lined plates garnished with a sprinkle of basil and the tomatoes fanned on top. Excellent with a loaf of artesian bread. Children can prepare almost if not all of this dish.

Beef Kabobs This is calculated for 5 skewers but 4 servings, so that the excess can be shared.
A crowd pleaser! Marinate the meat the night before or early in the day and the meal comes together quickly.
2 lbs. Top round London broil 20 cherry tomatoes
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar 2 large green bell peppers
1/3 cup oil 2 large onions
1 Tbs. Worcestershire Sauce 25 button mushroom caps
2 tsp. dried thyme – divided
2 tsp. dried oregano – divided 1 box long grain and wild rice mix
1 tsp. paprika – divided
2 tsp. dried rosemary – divided 5 skewers 12” long
2 tsp. garlic powder – divided
2 tsp. dry mustard powder – divided
Trim any fat off the meat. Place in an oblong glass dish; pour on the vinegar, oil and Worcestershire Sauce. Sprinkle half the given quantity of each of the herbs over it.
Allow to marinate for 2 hours, turn it over and sprinkle the rest of the herbs on the other side .Keep turning the meat every few hours for about 6 hours, or overnight. This is to give both sides of the meat equal time in the marinade. When ready to cook, cut meat into 25 large pieces. Reserve marinade.
Cut the peppers into 20 large pieces, and cut each onion in 8ths, then separate those pieces to make a total of 20 segments. Wash the mushrooms, saving the caps and slicing the stems. Thread 5 skewers, alternating meat and vegetables, starting and ending with meat. I find the vegetables hold better during cooking if the natural curved shape of the pepper and onion pieces is used to form parentheses enclosing the tomato and mushroom caps. Use a mushroom cap as a ‘stopper ‘ on the end of each skewer. Grill as per your usual routine but don’t overcook. If broiling, I like to do it on a lower shelf, for 8-10 min. That way the vegetables have a chance to cook through without burned skins. Do not cook kabobs until rice is ready.

Cook the rice according to package directions, substituting the marinade for an equal amount of the water required, and adding the sliced mushroom stems. Hold on warm while meat cooks.
This only needs a simple green salad

Children can mix and marinate the meat. Once the items are prepared, they love stringing the skewers.

Easy Berry Angel Cake
(1) 1lb. purchased pound cake
(2) 8 oz. tubs of Whipped Topping
1 pt. box of strawberries
Save several nice berries for decoration. Slice the rest and sprinkle with sugar. Allow to rest a
few hours for the juice to extract itself. Just before serving, cut the cake into 3 layers. Spread first with 1/3^rd of the whipped topping, spoon ½ the sliced berries over it allowing the juice to drip down the sides. Repeat with 2^nd layer. Finish with 3^rd layer topped with the rest of the whipped topping and the reserved decorative berries.

Children can sort and marinate the berries and assemble the cake.

AN OLD FAVORITE RETURNS

There’s a prediction circulating in the food industry that the next big topic of interest will be lamb. It’s about to reappear on our menus and in our diets in major ways for strategic reasons I’ll discuss in a bit, but first, some basic facts about the meat as we’ve known it in the U.S.

When I was little, we always had leg of lamb for Easter. Though it was my favorite roast, I really preferred the stew, made with fresh spring potatoes, carrots, peas and onions, that came a few days later, but best of all was the lunch I carried to school Easter Monday; thin slices of lamb between slices of Jewish rye, one spread with mint jelly and the other with a veneer of home-made mayonnaise. (Post 4/20/17). Yum!

By the time I reached high school, our family, sadly, had shrunk, and Easter had become a far more social day. The only meal we had at home was brunch after church. The roast lamb had become a memory. Even that faded, as lamb in general, all but disappeared from the market and, except for an occasional special featuring rack of lamb, from restaurant menus as well.

Lamb was a staple of the American diet, especially in spring, until the West opened and focused on the cattle industry, which put a halt to the expansion of sheep herding. Cattlemen were possessive of the grass lands, because the two animals can’t coexist in the same areas. Cattle yank high grass out by the roots and leave a barren area to re-seed itself. Sheep nibble the grass down to the ground. They leave a field looking like a mowed lawn. It needs only to re-grow; great ecologically, but impossible for cattle.

By the 1920s beef was more plentiful than lamb, and far less expensive. It became the “What’s for dinner?” meat. In the ‘30s and ‘40s that was important. The ‘flower-power’ attitude of the ‘60s did a number on lamb too. ‘Lamb’ was depicted not as the full gown sheep it is in reality, but as an innocent, defenseless baby and considered politically incorrect to eat. In the late ‘70s or early ‘80s lamb made a brief comeback in the form of frozen legs from New Zealand, but they disappeared as well.

Recently, I heard a woman in her 40s admit she’d never tasted lamb, and her friend remarked that it had too strong a flavor for her. Apparently, it’s been absent from the American table long enough to become an acquired taste and from the American kitchen to have a few facts of prepping it forgotten. It does have more flavor than beef but the strong taste comes from leaving too much fat on the cut to cook with the meat. Another reason to remove the fat is that lamb meat is protected by a thin silvery membrane called ‘the fell’ which must be removed or the cut will resist carving. My family also rubbed the lamb with cider vinegar, which mellows the flavor

There are several misconceptions about the terms applied to lamb. First, the ‘lamb’ on the plate, despite its label, is not technically a ‘lamb’; it’s a full grown sheep. ‘Baby lamb’ is an oxymoron, but the only places you’ll find that served are, occasionally in Europe, and in the Middle East. Another misconception is the definition of ‘mutton’. Mutton is not an old, tough sheep on its way to the glue factory. Mutton is a cut, usually a leg that has been allowed to hang long enough to become well ‘aged’. Sometimes it’s rubbed down with wine during the process, but it’s always quite fatty, which accounts for its distinctive flavor. Any of the recipes for lamb can be used to cook mutton.

As to why lamb is about to make a reappearance on our tables, the answer is simple. It’s a more sustainable meat source than beef and with current cattle raising and slaughtering practices, a safer one as well. Most of all, with the current situation, depletion of natural resources, global warming, climate change, loss of grazing land and extreme, disruptive weather patterns, sheep appear to be a solution.

• They take up far less area, are less labor intensive and leave no footprint.
• They mature faster
• They produce meat and hides as do steers but also milk and an annual supply of wool, which has kept sheep farmers in business.
• Sheep don’t naturally produce E.coli
• Sheep can thrive in many terrains, including mountains and marshes, surviving on the native foliage, weeds, reeds, lichen, and moss. It doesn’t affect the texture of the meat but gives it nuances in flavor, much as flowers do honey.
• With beef so high, the price is competitive

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The very best thing about cooking with lamb is the wide range of recipes in different cuisines globally. Open any ethnic cookbook and you’ll find numerous ways to serve it. Lamb is an ancient meat, probably the earliest, domesticated herbivore. It’s a shame the American kitchen has neglected it for so long, because we too, in our comparatively short history, have a tradition in preparing it. An excellent collection of American recipes, many based on Continental classics is to be found in James Beard’s American Cookery. It was written in 1972, but its informative material is timeless.

Because of the sheer number of ways to prepare lamb, and the various ethnic interpretations, I can’t begin to select a mere 5 or 6 to relate here. So, instead I’m going to pass on the methods my Grandmother and Mother taught me for handling cuts of lamb. This will cover the basics, and then you can take off in any direction(s) you choose.

Roast Leg of Lamb or Mutton: 5-8 lb.
Trim the leg well and remove the fell (see above).Rub with cider vinegar, and drizzle a little over the leg after it’s in the roasting pan. Roast in a 325 deg. oven for 25-30 min. per pound, until the internal temperature is 165-170 deg. for rare and 175-180 deg. for medium.

NOTE: French and Jewish chefs make slits about 1 inch long and ½ inch deep, 3-5 inches apart, over the surface of the meat and stuff them with mashed garlic and/or butter and/or rosemary to infuse flavor while cooking.
Traditionally, peeled potatoes and onions are added to the pan 1hr. before it’s done. Another choice would be to add the onion stuffed potatoes I described in my post of 4/6 / 17. Be sure to baste them frequently. If the juice in the pan evaporates, maintain its level by adding beef broth. New potatoes in a variety of colors, with a strip peeled around the middle, are another attractive option.
GRAVY: Allow ¼-1/3 cup per serving. Measure quantity of beef broth needed, allow 1 tsp. mint sauce* and 1 Tbs. flour for each ½ cup fluid. If pan drippings are ½ cup or more, add one extra Tbs. flour. Remove roast to rest and add drippings to the pan. 1 tsp. of rosemary can add flavor too. Whisk the flour in the liquid to dissolve, place pan over medium high heat and continue stirring until sauce thickens, about 3 min. Add salt and pepper if needed, and I like a few drops of Kitchen Bouquet for color. Serve hot with the meat and pass mint jelly.
*MINT SAUCE: Per 1 bunch of mint; make as much as you want. Remove the leaves from a bunch of mint; cover with cider vinegar and add sugar until the taste is sweet-tart. Bring to a boil; simmer for about 5 min. correct taste cool and blend. Pour into bottles and seal tightly. Keeps for months in a cool dark place.

Lamb Stew
The quantities here depend on the amount of lamb leftover, but allow at least 1 ½ -2 cups of solids and ½ cup gravy per serving.
Calculate: 1 new potato, 1 small onion, ½ a large carrot sliced in 4, 1/3 cup tiny spring peas per serving. Quarter the onion and potato, and cook them, with the carrot, in beef broth to cover until tender. Remove from pot and make the correct amount of gravy, using the recipe for the roast. Include any leftover roast gravy. A pinch of rosemary may add flavor. When gravy is ready, return vegetables to pot, with peas and meat. Correct seasonings and heat through. Serve hot as soon as peas are tender.

Crown Roast of Lamb: 4-6 lb. Serves 6-7-Bake at 325 deg. 35-45 min. per lb.

A Crown Roast is double loins, with the chine bones split, attached end-to-end and tied into a circle by a butcher. To serve, cut between the bones into chops, allowing 2 chops per portion. The bones should be ‘Frenched’ or stripped of tissue, and can be decorated for presentation with grapes, grape tomatoes or paper ’panties’. Traditionally this roast doesn’t have gravy but is served with mint jelly or mint sauce. The center is usually filled with a choice of stuffings; the most popular being
1) 2 lb. potatoes, ½ lb. onions, both thinly sliced, 3 Tbs. butter, salt and pepper. Parboil the vegetables and layer alternately, dotting each with butter, pressing down to pack tightly. Begin and end with potatoes. Garnish the center with ¾ cup lightly cooked new peas and decorate the bones as suggested above before serving.
2) Substitute quartered new potatoes, tiny pearl onions and baby carrots for the sliced vegetables, in optional quantities. Parboil about 2 min. Drain well and sprinkle with 1 tsp. rosemary. Proceed as directed above, dotting with 2 Tbs. butter. Garnish with 1 cup peas and suggested decorations.
3) Mashed potatoes, flavored with sautéed, diced onion, salt and pepper

Rack of Lamb: Serves 4-6
2 racks of lamb called a French Rack, because the bone ends are stripped and interlocked-about 12 chops
½ cup mint jelly
2 Tbs. orange or pineapple juice
SAUCE
2 Tbs. red currant jelly
2 Tbs. hot water
1/3 cup mint sauce
For sauce mix all the ingredients together and cook over low until warm through.
Place the racks bone side up in a pan. Mix the mint jelly and juice, using a microwave for a few seconds if necessary to dissolve and brush ¾ of the mixture over the racks. Bake at 375 deg. for 45-65 min. until internal temperature is 140 deg. for rare or150-155 for medium. Baste with the rest of the mint mixture and allow to stand for 10 min. keeping warm. Serve with sauce.

Shepard’s Pie: Serves 4-6
it’s claimed the colonial settlers brought this dish with them. Long regarded as a way to
use leftover roast lamb, its popularity with children has surely also contributed to its
endurance. In modernized form it’s an easy casserole to make, even without leftovers!
1 lb. ground or minced leftover lamb*
2 large onions each in 8 pieces
(1) 10 oz. box frozen peas thawed
¼ cup mint sauce – See recipe above but Lea & Perrins and Hampshire House are good
1 envelope beef bouillon granules
½ envelope chicken bouillon granules
2 cups water – divided
2 Tbs. cornstarch

Kitchen Bouquet – as needed @ ½ tsp.
Cooking spray
1 box instant mashed potatoes – enough for 2 cups
Milk – as per box directions
1 egg
1 Tbs. butter
Pepper to taste
¼ cup grated Parmesan
Dried parsley and paprika to garnish
Spray a skillet with cooking oil, and over medium heat cook the meat until no longer
pink, with the onions until soft. Add 1 ½ cups water, bouillons and mint sauce. Dissolve cornstarch in ½ cup water, mix in and stir until gravy thickens. Remove from heat and add enough Kitchen Bouquet to turn the gravy deep brown. Stir in peas, and pour the mixture into an oiled ovenproof casserole. Make mashed potatoes according to directions, remove from heat and stir in egg. Spread the potatoes over the meat mixture, covering completely. Top with parmesan, paprika and parsley. Bake 350 degrees for 30 min.or until top is golden brown.
* This can also be made using ½ lb. ground lamb and ½ lb. ground beef OR ½ lb. ground beef and ½ lb. ground turkey

Lamb Burgers: Serves 4
1-1 ½ lb. ground lamb –I like the larger amount for 4. I lb. Meat handles 3 servings well
½ cup mint sauce (see above)
2 large onions – thinly sliced
1 Tbs. oil
Home-made mayonnaise(see above)
4 hamburger, or other favorite rolls –split and toasted
Saute the onions in the oil until soft and golden, keep warm; split and toast the rolls.
Mix the meat with the egg and form into 4 patties which will comfortably fit the rolls. Place the patties on an aluminum covered sheet; pour 1 Tbs. mint sauce on each. Turn patties and repeat with the other side. Bake in a 350 deg. preheated oven until cooked through, about 15-20 min.
Assembly: Optionally spread one side of the rolls with mayonnaise. Place a patty on each roll; top with onions and serve warm.
NOTE: The meat can be served as a regular dinner entrée, with sides. For this presentation, don’t flatten the patties.

SIMPLE RECIPES THAT MAKE SPRING PRODUCE SHINE

As a foodie, living in Italy, I loved watching the delight with which Italians greeted fresh produce every season. The arrival was treated as a news item and considered a topic for discussion from boardroom to bus stop. I remember a bleak March day when I was caught in a sudden downpour and hailed a cab. The driver sympathized with my sodden state, but immediately remarked that the rain was good for the crops and began to rave about the green beans his wife grew on the balcony railing of their city apartment.

Then there was a sunny day in late April; I had been invited for luncheon and the races, but when I opened my door, there were my friends, arms full of grocery bags, wearing huge grins exclaiming; ”The Peas are in!” as if it were a holiday greeting. Enroute to my apartment, they passed a greengrocer’s and a sign in the window changed the day. They bought the ingredients for a traditional meal, Peas and Ham (recipe below) at nearby stores. We set to work shelling, prepping and cooking; then spent hours savoring the meal and the company, just like a holiday feast. After all, the peas were in, weren’t they?

The point is you don’t have to be a farmer, chef or gourmet to appreciate seasonal produce, especially in spring. It’s young and hasn’t had time to become damaged so it doesn’t require much prepping. It’s crisp tender and doesn’t need long cooking, if any, and the taste is fresh and bright, with a subtle appeal to our taste buds after the full flavors of winter, even for children. What’s not to like?

The recipes below illustrate the appeal of spring produce. They are simple, yet different enough to be elegant, showcasing, not exotic items, but everyday ones. Items we may eat all year, transported or frozen, but prepared in these ways, they take on a new life. Using fresh produce makes a world of difference. Give it a try!

Peas with Ham: (Serves 4)
2 lb. peas—the tiny springs ones, fresh are best
2 cups ham in ½ inch cubes OR 8 oz. cubed, sliced Deli ham
4 cloves garlic
2 Tbs. oil
½ Tbs. butter
Water
Salt and pepper
Grated or shaved Parmesan for garnish.

Heat the oil in a skillet large and deep enough to hold all the ingredients. Saute the garlic cloves until brown but not burnt and remove. Turn the ham over in the pan to coat and warm a bit, then add the peas and stir to coat, adding a bit of water to prevent sticking to the pan. Cover and cook for 5-8 min. until the peas are just tender. Serve at once with cheese garnish. Be sure there’s some good, crusty bread on the side.

Asparagus with Ham Bechamel Serves 4
1 lb. fresh asparagus spears- if using slender young ones allow about 12 per portion-gage according to size of stalks
1 lb. deli sliced ham – allow 4 slices per portion.
2 cups milk
4 Tbs. butter
4 Tbs. flour
salt and pepper
½ cup shredded sharp cheese
Paprika and parsley for garnish
Break off the woody part of the stems and put the spears in a microwave proof dish in one layer, if possible, no more than two, or cook in batches. Microwave on high 3 to 9 min. depending on the thickness of the stems. If saucing, shock spears with cold water.
Make a Bechamel or white sauce by melting the butter until it foams, remove from heat, stir in flour to make a smooth paste and quickly add milk. Stir over medium heat until sauce is silky and thick. Do not allow to boil. Season.
Separate the asparagus into 16 equal portions. Wrap each in a slice of ham. Place seam side down in an oven proof dish. Cover with the sauce, sprinkle with cheese and garnish with paprika and parsley. Bake in a preheated 350 deg. For 15 to 20 min. until cheese melts and sauce bubbles.
NOTE: To marinate asparagus put drained, warm spears on a serving plate, pour marinade over and allow to infuse as the asparagus cools, then refrigerate or serve.
For Marinating: Vinaigrette of choice is best

French Onion Tart: Serves 4-6
Crust
1 cup flour
½ tsp. salt
¼ cup butter in small pieces
1 egg
2 Tbs. cold water
Filling
6 medium onions cut into thin rings – or equivalent amount of spring onions
3 Tbs. butter
3egg yolks
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2/3 cup heavy cream
Dash nutmeg
Blend the flour, butter and salt in a bowl. Stir in egg and water with a fork until well mixed and form
pastry into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill 1 hr. Rollout and place in an 8 inch pie tin or flan pan.
Sautee onions in butter until well coated and beginning to soften. Cover and cook over medium-low for 30 min. stirring occasionally. Add salt pepper and nutmeg. Whisk eggs and cream and add to onions, then pour mixture into the pie shell. Bake at 400 deg. 30 min. Serve hot.

Italian Onion Tart: Serves 4-6
Crust
(1) 8 inch partially cooked pie shell, or(1) 10 inch pizza round on a flat baking sheet
Filling
2 lb. diced onions- spring ones preferably
4 Tbs. olive oil
Pinch of ground cloves
2 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper
Herb bouquet=1/2 bay leaf, ¼ tsp. thyme, 5 parsley sprigs- tied in a piece of cloth*
8 anchovy fillets
16 black, pitted, oil cured Greek olives- halved
1 Tbs. olive oil
Cook the onions slowly in the oil with the garlic, herbs and salt until tender, about 45 min. Remove the garlic and herbs and add the pepper and cloves. Test taste and adjust. Arrange cooked onions in pie shell or on pizza round. Place the anchovies in a sunburst pattern on top and sprinkle the olives decoratively between. Drizzle with oil. Bake in upper 1/3 of a preheated 400 deg. oven for 12-15 min. until bubbly. Serve at once.

Hot Boiled Dressing
This dressing is an old, favorite family recipe. It’s wonderful cold in place of mayonnaise for sandwiches and salads like potato, chicken, tuna and salmon. Hot it gives a new dimension to spinach and, if you can get them, dandelions. Young spring spinach is best but the “baby” found pre-packed in bags all year is acceptable. Just make sure all greens are well washed and the hard part of the stems is snapped off. Either salad can be garnished with crumbled bacon. Used cold with the addition of quartered hard boiled eggs it can make a meal of the spinach version.
Recipe: Makes about 2 cups
3 Tbs. sugar
½ tsp. dry mustard
1/8 tsp. paprika
1 Tbs. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. butter
½ cup cider vinegar
½ cup water
2 eggs – well beaten
Using the top of a Bain Marie or double boiler, whisk together the first 5 ingredients. Whisk in the next 3 and place top pot over bottom in which the required amount of water is boiling. Cook, constantly stirring, until smooth and butter is melted. Pour a little into the beaten eggs, stirring to prevent curdling, pour the rest of the hot liquid into the eggs. Then return the mixture to the top of the double boiler and cook constantly stirring until mixture is thick and smooth.
Serve hot over chosen cleaned greens. Do not use over lettuces. All greens will wilt with the heat and lettuces don’t stand up well.
NOTE: Chill leftover and use as mayonnaise or a salad dressing.

Spring Spinach Salad: Serves 6-8—depending on size of bag OR
7-12 oz. fresh, spring spinach
4-6 red radishes= 1 per serving
¼ cup toasted, chopped walnuts
4-5 fresh strawberries per serving – halved if large
½ cup crumbled feta cheese—optional for garnish
Vinaigrette dressing of choice—Raspberry suggested
Wash greens snap off hard stems, wash and hull berries, wash and thinly slice radishes, discarding greens. Chill all ingredients, in water if necessary. Drain and divide the spinach among plates, scatter radish slices, then berries, nuts and cheese over. Drizzle with dressing

EGGS AND SPRING-THE PERFECT PAIR

This article has made me think of the how Easter celebrations have changed and become subdued. Gone are the parades, the new outfits, fancy hats and corsages but the egg hunt has survived and thrived, graduating from the backyard to an event sponsored by towns and organizations. In fact, nowadays the egg not only symbolizes the holidays but, crossing cultures, is an icon of spring. The bright yellow and white colors suit the season, and the wide variety of ways they can be prepared reflects all the options of spring. It’s the perfect time to enjoy them.

Of course, the days of using real eggs in hunts or as decorations has long passed; the ones for fun and decorating are mostly plastic, wood and ceramic. Real eggs are potentially messy, and can be truly dangerous when eaten if improperly stored. Children used to love coloring them, but I don’t recall seeing displays of coloring kits in markets recently, and most families I know have only dyed them once period. So I guess that tradition has fallen too.

Although this eliminates the old problem of what to do with all the hard boiled eggs, I still like to have a few on hand over the holidays, to serve deviled or in a dip as a snack or appetizer. It seems fittingly seasonal. It’s also seasonal to take advantage of the fact that eggs are usually on sale during the spring and are perfect for the lighter meals we begin to crave as the weather warms.

People complain that the price of eggs has risen steeply in the past few years, but that’s all the more reason to enjoy them now. Actually, the recommended amount is 2 eggs per adult serving, so even at $3.00 per dozen, one serving is $0.50—still a bargain, but even more so at a sale price.

So think eggs and consider the recipes below. I’ve included a few for hard-boiled eggs and the rest are for fresh egg dishes, either way, appropriate for any meal of the day.

HARD BOILED EGGS

Pickled Eggs
I do have to admit, my favorite treatment for hard-boiled eggs is the one I described 2 weeks ago in the posting on Cabbage and Beets, marinating them in pickled beet juice. It turns them a lovely color, gives them an interesting taste, allowing them optionally, to be served alone, without other seasonings and preserves them for several weeks, eliminating the need to use them or lose them.

Simply place cooled hard-boiled eggs in a lidded container, covered with the juice of pickled red beets. Turn occasionally to keep the color even and they keep for 2 or so weeks.

To Pickle Beets: This can be made using freshly cooked beets or canned
Place cooked, peeled and//or sliced beets in a pot, covered in their juice. Add cider vinegar slowly to taste. Add sugar to taste. (Optionally other flavorings are added according to ethnic recipes, also to taste, cloves, caraway, peppercorns, allspice and sliced onions.)
Bring to a simmer, reduce heat and cook until the sugar dissolves and beets are heated through. Remove and cool. Store covered in a cold place and marinate for at least 36 hrs. These will keep for weeks properly stored. Serve well drained
To Pickle Eggs: After the beets are eaten the juice is a wonderful marinade to devil hard-boiled eggs. Put the eggs in a jar, covered with the juice and allow to pickle for at least 5 days. At full flavor, they should be burgandy color. They are eaten whole, deviled and/or chopped into a salad. Don’t worry if they feel a bit tough, that’s to be expected.

Egg Dip: Yield about 2/3 cup—increase recipe to yield desired amount
2 hard-boiled eggs—chopped fine
1 Tbs. mayonnaise
½ tsp. Dijon mustard
Pinch cayenne pepper- optional
Mix all ingredients gently and chill. The dip may seem dry at first, but the egg yolks dissolve in the mayonnaise and it becomes more fluid with time. The consistency can be adjusted before serving, Best made one day in advance. Garnish with parsley or chives to serve.

Vegetable and Egg Dinner Salad – Serves 4
4 hard-boiled eggs cut in 8ths
1 lb. spring vegetables cooked to crisp tender—asparagus, green beans for example*
4 cups lettuce leaves—red or green leaf, Romaine, Bibb or spinach for example
2-3 Tbs. mixed chopped spring herbs – -Parsley, lemon thyme, tarragon, cilantro for example
Salt and Pepper
½ -3/4 cup fresh vinaigrette dressing.
1/3 cup toasted nuts for garnish-optional
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
Artesian bread for serving
Line plates with the lettuce and layer with the vegetables , then the eggs. Scatter the herbs over them and then pour over the dressing, finally add the cheese and nuts as garnish. For dressing suggestions please see the site Archives for 7/31/15 and 8/21/15.
*Thinly sliced radishes and onions add to the flavor and texture

Eggs a la King: Serves 4 – A vegetarian option as an entrée
8 hard-boiled eggs-halved lengthwise -at room temperature*
2 cups milk
4 Tbs. butter
4Tbs. Flour
¼ tsp. curry powder
1 jarred red pepper in julienne
4 oz. can of sliced mushrooms -drained
12 ripe olives-halved lengthwise
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped or dried parsley for garnish
4 English muffins split and toasted OR 4 slices of toast (artesian bread preferred)
Make a white sauce by bringing the butter to a simmer, then remove the pan from the heat and add the flour stirring to make a paste. Add the milk all at once, return the pan to a medium heat and stir constantly until sauce is smooth and thick. Add olives, red pepper, mushrooms and seasonings. Stir to incorporate and heat through. Divide the bread among 4 plates; place 4 egg halves on each, cover equally with the hot sauce, garnish with parsley and serve at once.
* 2 cups chicken pieces can be substituted for the eggs. Stir in and heat through before serving
NOTE: To up the taste, add 1 envelope chicken bouillon granules to the white sauce

FRESH EGGS
Frittata; Serves 2
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4 large eggs
1 cup vegetables*
2 Tbs. oil
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/3 cup milk or water, or milk + water to equal this amount
¼ tsp. curry powder
¼ tsp. paprika
Ground pepper to taste
Optional toppings- for example ¼ cup grated cheese or 1 cup tomato sauce.
Cut vegetables to ½ inch size or thin slice *
In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs, with all other ingredients except the oil and the vegetables. Heat the oil in an 8-9 inch skillet over medium. Turn on the broiler. Sauté the vegetables, or if cooked, turn them over in the oil to coat and warm. Reduce the burner heat to medium-low and pour in the eggs. Cook, gently pulling the eggs away from the sides of the pan, and tilting it to allow the uncooked portion to run into the spaces, until the eggs are fairly set, but still quiver in the center. Put the pan under the broiler, until the top begins to tan and all the eggs are cooked. Add the cheese, if using, before broiling and the sauce as serving. Be careful not to put the handle of the skillet in the oven, unless it is metal. Slide the frittata onto a plate to serve.

* If not using leftovers, substitute an equal amount of cooked fresh or frozen vegetables. Broccoli and green beans can be parboiled. Others, such as a zucchini and onion combination don’t needpre-cooking.
* ½ cup diced meat can replace ½ cup of the vegetables
NOTE: Recipe can be doubled or tripled.

Eggs Florentine: Serves 4 or 2 for a main meal
(1) 10 oz. box frozen chopped spinach- or (2) 10 oz. boxes for an 8 inch pie plate
4 eggs
1 tsp. salt OR 1 envelope bouillon powder-beef or chicken
Pinch nutmeg
Grated Parmesan cheese
Thaw and drain the spinach in a sieve until it is moist but not wet. Mix in the bouillon or salt and nutmeg then divide one box between 4 greased custard cups or ramekins or two boxes in a greased 8 inch pie plate. Top custard cups with a raw egg or make 4 indentations the top of the spinach and break an egg into each; sprinkle with cheese. Place containers in a pan with ½ inch water and bake at 350 deg. 15 min. or until eggs are set.
Serve with sliced meat, bread or other vegetables such as sliced tomatoes.

Eggs Parmesan: Serves 4—Custard cups are needed for this
4 slices Deli ham—optional
8 large eggs
8 Tbs. heavy cream, half-and-half, or evaporated milk
4 Tbs. Grated Parmesan cheese
Line each custard cup with a slice of ham. Break 2 eggs into each cup. Cover with 2 Tbs. milk or cream. Top each with 1 Tbs. cheese. Place cups on a cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 350 deg. oven until set about 12-15 min. Serve hot with rolls or toast and/or a salad

Classic Quiche Lorraine: Serves 4
Quiche is a dish that allows a lot of room for variety, yet is quite simple to prepare. If one of these won’t be enough for your family, make two and use different ingredients. Think of it as if you were making pizzas with different toppings.-but here it’s bottoms!
(1) 9 inch deep dish pie shell-store bought is fine—baked

1 Tbs. butter
4 oz. sliced mushrooms—(1/2) 4 oz. can will do –optional
1 small onion diced
4 eggs
1 cup light cream or whole milk
½ tsp. dried mustard OR prepared Dijon mustard
1 cup shredded cheese -Swiss usually preferred
Salt and pepper.
8-10 slices bacon cooked and crumbled OR ¼ lb. sliced Deli smoked turkey
Dash of ground nutmeg
Paprika and dried parsley
Spray skillet with cooking spray and cook bacon until crisp or frizzle smoked turkey and dice. Melt butter in skillet add mushrooms and onion and cook until they render their juice.-about 3 min. Line a 9 inch pie plate with the crust. Put mushrooms, onion and bacon in the bottom of the pie shell and cover with the cheese. Then pour over the eggs beaten until frothy with the milk, mustard and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the nutmeg, garnish with the paprika and parsley and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15 min .Reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for 30 min. more. Allow to stand 5 min. before cutting.
NOTE: Quiche can be made with a large variety of ingredients. Actually, the above recipe works with chicken, ham, sausage and most firm fish, shellfish and mollusks in equal quantities, in place of the bacon.

Easy Cheese Souffle: Serves 4- This is a truly never-fail recipe*
3 eggs separated
2 Tbs. butter
3 Tbs. flour
½ cup evaporated milk
½ cup grated cheddar cheese
½ tsp. salt
Beat the egg yolks until pale yellow. Make the cream sauce as described above in Eggs a la King by melting the butter, adding the flour to make a paste and adding the milk, stirring constantly to make a smooth sauce. Add the cheese, yolks and salt. Cool slightly. With clean beaters and bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold whites into yolk mixture. Pour into an ungreased 1 quart soufflé dish. Bake in a 350 deg. oven for 30 min.
* Anyone who’s ever tried to make a soufflé will see this recipe is simplified, but it does work and is great practice for more complex and grand recipes.

SPRING CARBS FOR HOLIDAY DINNERS

With the first signs of spring, our spirits perk up. Our moods, like the days, are sunnier and we opt for lighter and brighter choices in everything from clothes to food. Because of this attitude, I put together the book SPRING ROASTS FOR EASTER AND PASSOVER. The hardy stars of winter holiday feasts are out of place now. Spring holiday dinners need a more delicate approach. Instead of a large stuffed turkey, for example, smaller birds, even multiples are more suitable. The same is true of roasts; whole loins are often carved into crowns or in racks for a more ‘open’ presentation.

The sides for spring holiday dinners reflect the new outlook too. Fresh seasonal produce is a must and if the local crops aren’t in yet, transported items, or frozen ones, are available in markets. The same holds true for the carbohydrate part of the menus. Dense bread stuffings and creamy potato dishes are replaced by simply prepared new potatoes, light herbed pastas and more frequently, as they gain popularity, grain presentations.

If you’re looking for suggestions for serving spring produce, there are several articles in the site Archives. Just click on the Table of Contents button on the Home Page header. In addition, there are several articles still featured on the panorama at the top of the Home Page. Just click on any of those to see the recipes. It’s the carbohydrate portion of the meal that I want to talk about this week.

The grain and pasta recipes below are really more outlines than written in stone. The add-ins and flavorings can be changed to better compliment the rest of the menu, even so far as substituting fruits for vegetables. The grains can be altered to fit your preference, so long as you calculate the cooking times to avoid overdoing the additions. Brown rice is preferable to white due to its higher fiber and protein content but be aware of the difference in types of rice. The choice can result in big changes in the appearance and texture of the finished dish.
1. Long grain rice cooks up fluffy and separates easily
2. Medium grain rice is more moist and tender, but becomes stickier the longer it cools
3. Short grain rice is almost round. Moist and tender, it has a high starch content and becomes very
sticky when cooked.

The pasta choices should be small sizes, orzo or couscous. In fact, packaged couscous is an excellent time saver. Fast cooking, it comes flavored and is open to any amount of add-ins, which can be stirred into the pot after cooking and before fluffing. Rice and pasta are inter-changeable in most recipes but be sure of the cooking times of all the ingredients.

The grain, potato and stuffing recipes are more set, but they too are open to altering. It’s simply a matter of following a preparation formula while changing the ingredients to better compliment the entrée and of course, staying with appropriate and/or seasonal items.

Rice, Spinach and Peas with Almonds: Serves 4**
1 cup long grain rice
3 cups water
1 envelope beef or chicken bouillon granules
1 small bunch spinach
4 Tbs. butter OR 2 Tbs. butter and 2 Tbs. oil
2 cloves garlic minced
2/3 cup fresh or frozen peas thawed
Salt and pepper
¼ cup toasted sliced almonds
Cook rice in water with bouillon until tender, about 14 min.; rinse in cold water and drain well. Remove tough stems from spinach and cut leaves in 1 inch strips. Heat 1 Tbs. butter and 1Tbs. oil, if using, or 2 Tbs. butter, in a skillet over medium low heat. Add spinach and garlic and sauté until spinach wilts about 1 min. Add peas, rice and seasonings and toss. Add remaining butter and oil, cover and allow butter to melt, about 5 min. Toss again gently with almonds and serve.
NOTE: This can be made a few days ahead and kept chilled, covered, without the almonds. Reheat in the microwave and toss with the nuts before serving.

Scented Rice: Serves 4
1 cup long grain rice
2 cups broth-chicken or beef
1 Tbs. butter
¾ tsp. flavoring spice or herb*
¼ tsp. other herbs or spices*
1 large onion diced—preferably red
1 bell pepper diced
½ cup peas- thawed if frozen
1 Tbs. oil
Salt to taste
Saute the rice in the butter until it’s shiny and a bit golden. Add the flavorings and/or spices with the broth, bring to a broil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed, about 20 min. Saute the onion, peas and peppers in the oil, then add to the cooked rice. Adjust seasonings. Serve hot, but can be made ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator for several days and reheated in the microwave.
*This rice dish can be altered to fit any ethnic menu by altering the spices, herbs and flavoring in quoted amounts or to taste. For example: Mexican=3/4 tsp. cumin + ¼ tsp. EACH oregano and chili powder; French=substitute powdered rosemary for the cumin and marjoram and thyme for the oregano and chili powder; Italian –use basil, oregano and garlic. A simpler, but tasty combination is to forget all the herbs etc. and add 1-2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice and 2 Tbs. fresh chopped parsley to the cooked rice.

Taboule: Serves 4 — This is a traditional dish and though the basic preparation is the same, the optional choice of add-ins can change its presentation. I’ve had it with only tomatoes and lemon juice, although mint is usually present as well. I marked the optional add-ins in this recipe (*) but feel free to add any others you like.
½ cup bugler
1 medium tomato –diced
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/8 tsp. dried oregano
½ cup chopped fresh mint
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
½ cucumber-diced*
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½ green bell pepper –diced*
¾ cup chopped fresh parsley*
¼ cup fennel- diced*
Cover the bugler with water and soak for 45 min. Drain well and squeeze in a towel to be sure it’s dry. Drain the tomato, and cucumber, if using, and pat dry if needed. Gently toss the bugler with the chosen vegetables and herbs and store covered in the refrigerator until ready to use. Mix lemon juice, oil, oregano, salt and pepper in a small jar and store chilled. When ready to serve, gently toss bugler, vegetables and herbs with dressing. Can be served cold or at room temperature.

Bugler with Mushrooms: Serves 4 – This is excellent with all roasts
1 cup beef broth
1 cup bugler
3 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. oil
12 button mushrooms- caps and stems sliced
1 large shallot-diced
1 Tbs. thyme-fresh minced or 2 tsp. dried
Salt and pepper
Combine bugler and broth in a bowl and soak about 45 min. until tender then drain in a sieve to lose excess broth. Saute mushrooms in oil and 1 Tbs. butter until starting to brown, about 8 min. add the rest of the butter and the shallot and sauté 5 min. more. Add bugler and thyme, seasonings and heat through. Serve at once or cover and freeze. To reheat thaw and use the microwave.
NOTE: With the addition of 1/3 cup thinly sliced celery sautéed in 2 Tbs. butter and 2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley, this can be used as a stuffing.

NOTE: Any of 4 recipes above can be made with cooked orzo or couscous following the same directions for preparation, storing and reheating.

New Potatoes and Asparagus: Serves 4**
6 new potatoes—red or other colors preferred over brown
2 lb. asparagus—fresh preferred
1 roasted red bell pepper slivered-jarred is O.K.
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
½ cup olive oil
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1 small shallot in fine dice
4 Tbs. chopped chives
Salt and pepper
Boil potatoes until tender, drain cool and quarter. Cook the asparagus in 1/2 cup water in the microwave until crisp tender about 4-8 min. depending on thickness, drain and cut in 1 ½ inch pieces. Toss potatoes, asparagus and pepper together. Whisk mustard, oil, lemon juice and shallot in a small bowl and pour over the vegetables; toss gently. Serve at room temperature garnished with chives.
Note: Can be kept for a few days covered in the fridge. Lightly microwave to warm for serving.

Stuffed Potatoes: Serves 4–If the new potatoes aren’t in regular ones can be used. I like to peel brown skins, but redskins or other colors are decorative if left on.
4 potatoes
1 medium onion
4 slivers of butter—depending on roast and size of potatoes
Wash and prepare potatoes if peeling. Cut a sliver off the bottom so they stand up. Using an apple corer or vegetable peeler, scoop out the center of the potatoes, leaving at least ½ inch margin. Grate the onion (I use a mini-chopper) and stuff the potatoes making sure they are packed solid. If the roast is quick cooking and the potatoes are large, bake the potatoes, topping each with a sliver of butter, in a pre-heated 375 deg. oven until beginning to brown but be sure they have at least 30 min. in the pan with the roast being basted to finish. Otherwise, simply bake the potatoes with the roast.

Raisin and Fruit Bread Stuffing: This is estimated for a 5-6 lb. bird and can be used with chicken or duck.
5-6 slices raisin bread-toasted and torn in ½ >1 inch pieces
½ small onion –diced
1 smaller inside rib of celery- stalk thinly sliced and leaves chopped
1 cooking apple, cored, peeled and sliced-slices cut in half
1 orange
1 tsp. sage
Salt and pepper
1 egg
milk
Put the bread, apple, onion and celery in a bowl with the seasonings. Cut the orange in half and add the meat from one half to the bowl and the juice from the other half. Mix in the egg and enough milk to keep the stuffing easy to toss but not wet or sticky. Fill bird, both neck and body cavities if there is enough stuffing. Any extra can be cooked covered in a dish, for half the time the bird roasts. Follow regular cooking directions, according to the size of the bird.
** Recipes adapted from ones in the U.S.P.C.A. files

GIVING BEETS AND CABBAGE A FRESH SPRING LOOK

Spring is officially here! We’re ready to put away the heavy coats and boots and begin contemplating the warm weather ahead and all the great produce it brings. Unfortunately, Nature doesn’t recognize March 21^st. It usually takes her another month or so to have the first spring crops ready in Northern climates. So here we are, with our appetites primed for spring, ready for fresh seasonal vegetables, forced to wait as the saying goes; “For nature to take her course.”

Or are we? Of course there’s always frozen and produce transported from a distance, but they don’t have the succulence of the fresh crop and, for me, kind of spoil the anticipation. My solution is to turn to new ways to present a few year ‘round favorites.

Cabbage, for example, is boiled or served as kraut in winter, yet coleslaw is a regular at summer meals, so it qualifies as a bridge between seasons. Serving it in some different ways to show off its freshness gives it a new appeal. I’m looking forward to making Pepper Hash (see description below with recipe) this weekend. I come from a seaside resort town, where fish was plentiful and every market had a large container at the fish counter. I hadn’t realized how much I missed it until I started this post and that I’ve never served it at home. It will be a spring treat, adding zip to a meal and giving my family a new fresh, taste experience.

Red beets are another vegetable that spans the seasons. Served hot in winter, they’re just as good cold, pickled beets really perk up summer meals. Once very popular, they’ve lagged for a few decades despite the introduction of new ‘heritage’ varieties. It’s a shame because beets are flavorful, versatile and full of nutrients. Moreover, the juice from pickled beets does wonders for hard boiled eggs, and preserves them for up to a month—good to know with Easter coming up! Pickle some beets and you won’t have to worry about how and how fast to use up those eggs from the hunt.

Actually cabbage and beets are great partners. There are several recipes for them together, and the other night, feeling creative, I made a salad of slivered cabbage wedges, pickled beets, sliced onion with toasted walnuts and feta cheese in a wasabi infused vinaigrette garnished with dill seeds. It was so good I plan to have it again this week, adding left-over roast pork and probably some bugler to make a full dinner. I’ve included some recipes combining them below.

So until Nature presents us with this year’s produce, try satisfying your craving for fresh seasonal food by putting new twists on standard fare. The recipes below are only a few suggestions but I’m sure you’ll like them and, hopefully, find some to build on to suit your personal choice.

Braised Cabbage: Serves 4
1 head cabbage -2-3 lb.
2 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. oil
½ cup white wine
2 tsp. chopped fresh dill or 1 tsp. dry dillweed
Salt and Pepper
Wash and drain the cabbage. Cut in large cubes. Saute over medium heat in the oil and melted butter, tossing with two spoons until slightly wilted and lightly browned. Add the wine and seasonings, cover, reduce heat and cook down until crisp tender, about 5-8 min. Uncover and allow liquid to cook down a bit. Serve hot.
VARIATIONS: Substitute tarragon for the dill. Saute 2 pkgs. Small sausages (like Brown and Serve) in pan first. Drain any fat in pan. Cut sausages in 4 pieces and reserve. Proceed as above and return sausages to pan when it’s uncovered for final heating.
OPTIONALLY: Microwave 3 medium potatoes until just tender, about 2 min. Cut in large pieces and brown in pan after sausages are done, adding extra butter and/or oil as needed. Remove and return to pan with sausages to heat through.

Stir-Fried Cabbage: Serves 4
1 ½ qts. shredded cabbage
1 onion thinly sliced
½ green bell pepper julienned
2 tsp. minced gingerroot or ½ tsp. powdered ginger
1 garlic clove-minced
½ cup any broth
Toss vegetables in a sauté pan over medium heat for 2 min. before adding broth and seasonings. Toss well then cover and steam 3-8 min. until just crisp tender.

Pepper Hash: Yield 6 cups
A nice change from creamy cole slaw, this vinegary hash tastes great with barbecued chicken, ribs, hamburgers, grilled steak…in other words. It’s a perfect addition to any summertime cookout. The recipe can be easily doubled to feed a crowd
½ medium green cabbage (about 1 ¼ pounds)
½ green bell pepper
½ red bell pepper
1 carrot, peeled
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
½ teaspoon celery seeds
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper.
Finely shred the cabbage, bell peppers, and carrot and combine in a large bowl. Combine the vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan and cook, stirring, over low heat until sugar is dissolved, about 5 min. Pour the hot mixture over the vegetables and toss well to coat. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least four hours (or overnight) for flavors to develop.

Cabbage and Beet Relish: Yield=1quart
2 qts. cooked beets peeled and chopped
2 qts. cabbage chopped
1 cup grated horseradish
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste
Vinegar to cover
Toss solid ingredients and place, well mixed in a gallon jar with a wide neck. Pour in vinegar to cover and store in a cool place. Test for taste frequently. Serving time is optional according to taste.

Cabbage and Beet Sandwiches: Yield 6
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 large cooked beet-chopped
½ green bell pepper-chopped
6 black olives – sliced
½ cup Russian dressing
12 slices pumpernickel bread or rye bread
Butter on side of each slice of bread. Mix other ingredients with dressing and spread on bread.

Pickled Beets: This can be made using freshly cooked beets or canned
Place cooked, peeled and/or sliced beets in a pot, covered in their juice. Remove half the juice and replace with vinegar. Add sugar and salt to taste. (Optionally other flavorings are added according to ethnic recipes, also to taste, cloves, caraway, peppercorns, allspice sliced onions and horseradish.)
Bring to a simmer, reduce heat and cook until the sugar dissolves and beets are heated through. Remove and allow to cool. Store covered in a cool place and allow to marinate for at least 36 hrs. These will keep for months properly stored. Serve well drained.
NOTE: After the beets are eaten the juice is a wonderful marinade to devil hard-boiled eggs. Put the eggs in a jar, covered with the juice and allow to pickle for at least 5 days. They should be a purple color. They are eaten whole, deviled and chopped into a salad. Don’t worry if they feel hardened, that’s to be expected.

Beets with Herbs: Serves 4
12 small cooked and peeled beets- canned-drained will do(save the juice to devil eggs)
4 Tbs. butter
½ cup sliced scallions
¼ cup chopped parsley
1 Tbs. fresh tarragon = 1 tsp. dried
1 ½ Tbs. sugar
¼ cup white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
Leave whole or slice the beets. Melt the butter in a saucepan; add the beets and the other ingredients and heat through. Serve hot.
OPTIONALLY: Add 1 cup sour cream at the end and just heat through.

Beet Baskets: Per portion
The amounts vary with the choice of ingredients and the size of the beets, depending on their intended use. Small ones make canapés, medium ones are for sides and large ones can be entrees.
Boil and peel the beets, slice off a sliver of the bottom so they stand upright. Then hollow out the center, leaving at least a ½ inch shell on the large ones.
For 6 Servings:
6 medium beets prepared hollowed out- pulp reserved and chopped
1 cup chopped cooked beet greens*
1 hardboiled egg-chopped
1 slice of cooked bacon-diced
1 Tbs. chopped onion
1 Tbs. melted butter
Salt and pepper
Parsley for garnish
Mix all the ingredients but the parsley and stuff the beets. Place them in a flat bottom pan in a preheated 350 deg. oven and heat them through. Garnish with parsley and serve hot.

VARIATIONS:

• Cold peas and chopped celery mixed with mayonnaise, or another creamy or boiled dressing
• Chopped hard-boiled egg and chopped sweet pickle mixed with French dressing and a dash of mustard
• Chopped hard boiled eggs mixed with tarragon chives and mayonnaise
• The beet pulp chopped and mixed with chopped sautéed onions
• Cheese flavored rice
• Canned herring or mackerel can be combined with any of the above stuffings
• Horseradish can be added to any of the stuffings where acceptable and horseradish dressing can be substituted for any suggested ones.

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*NOTE: Beet greens are a wonderful vegetable by themselves, much like any other leafy green such as spinach and kale and like them 1lb. =2 servings.
1) Wash the greens well and briefly blanch them in boiling water. Drain them well and sauté them in melted butter with 1 Tbs. lemon juice and garnish with a pinch of nutmeg.
2) Wash and blanch them as above, then sauté in oil with chopped garlic.

6 GREAT PASTA RECIPES FOR LENT

Last week we discussed fish and this week it’s some pasta suggestions for Lent. Pasta is perhaps, globally, the most popular food. With over 100 varieties of noodles, it fits any cuisine and occasion depending on the sauce and sauces can be traditional or spur of the moment innovations with an infinite number of combinations depending on the ingredients available. Pasta dishes are always fresh, can be quick and easy, subject to the sauce, and constantly offer room for creativity. That’s part of the fun, and appeal, of pasta.

As an example, soon after I moved to Italy, I learned that the commercially bottled and labeled olive oil, sold in stores, used in hotels and large restaurants was different from the ‘house oil’ oil served in small trattorias and homes. That oil came from communal pressings in near-by towns or from family or friends who had groves, and it had enough body and flavor to stand alone. Within weeks I had worked out a favorite fast meal to make after a long day’s work; a steaming plate of capellini, tossed with oil salt, pepper and cheese.

Then a friend suggested I up the taste by adding spinach pasta and another advised I add tomato pasta as well and call it Pasta Bandiera or Flag Pasta because it was the color of the Italian flag. That led to a running game of devising sauces to use on the dish using only those three colors. The red was tomatoes or peppers, and the white fennel, onion, cheese, even chicken or fish but the green ran a whole range of vegetables and herbs, even pesto which counted as one ingredient. As for me, I stuck to my original combo for the most part, and still do as a favorite go-to after a busy day but the story illustrates the imaginative fun that working with pasta offers.

The only real guideline in using pasta is in pairing the sauce with the right one. Smooth sauces are best presented on long strands and flat surfaces while chunky ones are better topping shaped varieties because the crevices trap the morsels of food. Of course, the smaller the food bits, the smaller the pasta shapes needed, and the more delicate the sauce the more delicate the pasta, whereas chunkier or more rustic sauces require firmer gauges of pasta. Other than that, it’s up to the cook!

Of the following recipes the first two are traditional. The others are really versions of other presentations and open to experimentation or adjustment. Aside from the giant shell dish which is a given, I mention pasta types with each recipe but only as suggestions. If you want to see more sauce recipes, I have a series of them in the archives. Just go to the blog and select Sept. 30, 2015 and Oct. 7. 2015 from the drop down menu in the box labeled ‘Archives’ in the right margin of the page.

Recipes: * Try my favorite fast go-to as described above. There are no set measurements. It’s simply ‘to taste’ and if you decide to try your hand at making a sauce, you’ll probably want to add some garlic as well but it’s a great starting point to hone your pasta skills.

Pasta Puttanesca: Serves 4 (Spaghetti)
8 oz. pasta
4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped = 1 ½ lb. or (1) 28oz. can diced, drained, juice reserved
1 Tbs. oil
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
2/3 cups drained tomato juice + water to reach amount if needed
2 crushed garlic cloves
12 pitted ripe olives-sliced
8 anchovy fillets chopped
2 tsp. chopped capers
¼ cup chopped parsley
1 Tbs. chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried
In a large saucepan heat oil and cook garlic for 1 min. Add tomatoes, juice and/or water. Cover and simmer 10 min. for fresh, 5 min. for canned. Add water if needed to prevent sticking. Add remaining ingredients and simmer uncovered 5-8 min. Toss with cooked pasta. Serve hot garnished with parsley—NO Cheese Please!

Straw and Hay: Serves 6 (Fettucine)* –VERY child friendly
8oz. spinach pasta
8oz.regular pasta
½ cup butter
1½ cups heavy cream or half and half
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1¼ cups grated Parmesan
Cook pasta according to directions, drain and set aside. In pasta pot or a large skillet, melt butter over medium high heat and stir in cream. Keep stirring until cream thickens, lifting pot if cream starts to boil. Add pasta to pot and toss to mix with salt and pepper. Serve hot with cheese over top.
Note:* This is a mild flavored dish. For more zip, keeping it meatless, my favorite tip is to add ¼ cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese to the sauce as it cooks, and a bit of pasta water if needed, also consider adding capers, sliced green olives, anchovy paste or a few drops of hot sauce. Otherwise, 1 cup of cubed ham, turkey ham or corned beef or en evan envelope of bullion powder are good options.

Stuffed Shells: Serves 4
8oz. package giant shells
3 Tbs. butter
3 Tbs. flour
2 cups half and half or milk
½ lb. Gruyere cheese or 8 oz. bar Monterey Jack shredded
2 egg yolks
½ tsp. each nutmeg and salt
¼ cup melted butter
½ cup grated Parmesan
(1) 15 oz. can diced tomatoes (flavoring optional)or tomato sauce- optional*
Cook pasta and drain. Melt 3 Tbs. butter in a saucepan over medium, stir in flour to make a paste, remove from heat, stir in milk and return to heat stirring until thickened, about 3 min. Add shredded cheese, nutmeg and salt. Keep stirring until cheese melts. Whisk in eggs and mix well. Stuff shells and place in a greased 9X 13 inch pan, drizzle with melted butter and top with Parmesan. Bake in a preheated 400 deg. oven 15 min. until golden.
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Stir-Fry Primavera: Serves 4 (Rigatoni) “Primavera” means Spring in Italian and this is the truest form of the dish, using all spring vegetables not even summer tomatoes.
1 lb. pasta, cooked and drained
1 medium onion in large dice
1 medium carrot, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 zucchini cut in ¼ inch slices
1 lb. asparagus cut diagonally in ¼ inch slices-tips set aside
1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced and slices cut in ½ inch pieces
1 cup peas
½ lb. sliced mushrooms
6 scallions thinly sliced
6 small or 4 large red radishes, thinly sliced – optional
2 large garlic cloves minced
½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup white wine
½ tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
2 Tbs. parsley
Salt and pepper
½ cup grated Parmesan

Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and sauté garlic and onions until tender. Stir in fennel, carrot, zucchini, asparagus stems and mushrooms and cook for 2 min. Add broth, wine, basil and oregano, bring to a boil and boil until liquid is slightly reduced, about 3 min. Add peas, scallions, radish slices and asparagus tips, salt, pepper and parsley. Stir gently for 2 min. add pasta and cheese. Toss gently until well mixed. Serve with shaved Parmesan as a garnish.

Pasta with Pea Pods and Goat Cheese: Serves 8 (Bow ties or Penne)
16 oz. pasta
9 oz. pea pods- frozen is fine-large ones cut in half
1 onion halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 large red bell peppers julienned or 2 roasted jarred peppers thinly sliced
5 Tbs. butter
1 ½ cups light cream
1 Tbs. basil
6 oz. goat cheese-shredded
1 cup chopped toasted pecans
Cook pasta and have ready. Melt 2 Tbs. of the butter, sauté the onion, and pepper if using raw, until tender, about 3 min. add pea pods and cook ½ -1 min. more until bright green. In a saucepan, heat cream until ready to simmer and add to vegetables, off stove, along with basil and goat cheese. Add remaining 3 Tbs. butter to hot pasta in a serving bowl and top with vegetable mixture. Toss gently and serve at once garnished with pecans.

Pasta with Artichoke Hearts: Serves 6 (Small Shells)
1 lb. pasta
(2)9 oz. boxes frozen artichoke hearts or (3) 6 oz. jars marinated artichoke hearts
1 onion halved lengthwise and sliced
1 ½ lb. tomatoes, peeled and chopped or 15 oz. can diced
¼ cup oil
½ tsp. each salt, pepper and garlic powder
1 Tbs. capers
Salt and pepper
¼ cup chopped parsley
Cook pasta according to directions. If using frozen artichokes, cook according to directions and cut in half if large. If using marinated hearts, drain, cut in half if large and use oil to replace some of that required for cooking. Saute onion in a large skillet until tender; stir in artichokes and sauté for 3 min. Add tomatoes, capers and seasonings and heat through. Toss with pasta and serve hot.