CHICKEN CURRY DINNER (continued)

I'm sorry to admit that in all my many cookbooks, including hundreds of recipes I've collected, I can't find the definitive recipe for the cardamom cake that completes my chicken curry dinner. But I remember it as a pound cake with cardamom flavor. So I'll provide here a basic recipe for pound cake and add the cardamom flavoring.

CARDAMOM POUND CAKE

serves 8

This should really be called a "half-pound" cake because the proportions are about half of the classic, which makes two loaves, or one huge one. The idea is the same: roughly equal amounts (by weight) of flour, eggs, butter, and sugar. It remains a delight, especially when toasted. It's worth using cake flour here for extra tenderness, but if oyu don't have cake flour, the usual all-purpose kind is just fine.

1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus some for greasing pan

2 C (9-oz) cake or all-purpose flour

1 t baking powder

1 t ground cardamom 

pinch salt

1 C sugar

5 eggs, separated (at room temperature)

2 t vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and cardamom in a bowl and set aside.

2. Use an electric mixer to cream the butter until it is smooth. Add about half the sugar and beat until it is well blended, then add the remaining sugar. Beat until the mixture is light in color and fluffy in texture, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl if necessary. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time.

3. Mix in the dry ingredients by hand just until smooth; do not overmix, and do not beat. Add the vanilla and stir until blended. Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until they hold soft peaks; fold them in gently but thoroughly.

4. Turn into the loaf pan and bake for about 1 1/4 hours, or until a toothpick inserted into the top comes out clean. Let the cake rest in the pan for 5 minutes before inverting onto a rack. Remove the pan, then turn the cake right side up. Cool before slicing. Store at room tmeperature, covered with waxed paper, for a day or two; you can gain a couple more days by wrapping in plastic, but at some loss of texture.

This now completes the menu for the chicken curry dinner. I'll be happy to respond to requests for what should come next. Stay tuned.

CHICKEN CURRY DINNER (continued)

The final elements of my chicken curry dinner, requested by one of my readers, are the beginning and the end, a dip and a dessert. Here's the dip.

ROASTED EGGPLANT DIP

makes at least 6 servings

Roasting eggplant gives it such a wonderful smoky flavor that even those who claim not to like eggplant often consume this dip with enthusiasm.

2 medium or 4 small eggplant, about 1 lb

1/4 C freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 C extra virgin olive oil

1/2 t minced garlic, or to taste

1/2 C freshly grated (finely) Parmesan cheese

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

minced fresh parsley leaves for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Pierce the eggplant in several places with a thin-bladed knife or skewer. Roast, turning occasionally until the eggpland collapses and the skin blackens, 15 to 20 minutes depending on size. Remove from oven and cool.

2. When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, part the skin (if it hasn't split on its own), scoop out the flesh and mince the meat finely. Mix it with the lemon juice, oil, garlic, cheese, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then garnish and serve with bread or crackers.

Coming up: Cardamom cake. Stay tuned.

CHICKEN CURRY DINNER (continued)

The other elements of my chicken curry dinner included raita, nann, an eggplant dip and for dessert, a cardamom cake. So here we go.

RAITA

about 1 1/2 cups

Raita, or Indian yogurt salad, is oven served alongside spicey meats, fish or vegetarian entrees. The yogurt helps cool down the mouth, and is the main source of protein in an Indian vegetarian meal. Raita is best made and served fresh but can be prepared ahead and refrigerated, covered, for up to 2 hours. The recipe below makes only about 1 1/2 cups; for the chicken curry dinner, I'd make a double recipe. If the rest of your meal contains elements with a lot of spice, I'd leave out the jalapeno pepper.

1 cucumber, halved, seeded, and finely chopped

1 C plain yogurt, or 1/2 C yogurt and 1/2 C sour cream

1 T finely chopped fresh mint

1/4 t ground cumin

1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded, ribs removed and diced (optional)

Stir all ingredients together in a small or medium bowl, depending on the amount you're making.

NANN

this recipe makes 4



Nann is a delicious soft Indian flatbread traditionally baked in a red-hot tandoor oven, but you can make it at home with a baking stone or inverted baking sheet. Or, like me, you can buy it already made in a grocery or health-food store. If you buy it, just heat it in the oven according to the manufacturer's directions (it should be warm when served). Or if you want to go to the trouble, here's the recipe, from Joy of Cooking.

Combine in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer:

2 C bread flour

1/2 t salt

1 1/4 t dry yeast

Add:

2 T melted butter or vegetable oil

3/4 C plain yogurt or buttermilk, at room temperature

1 t to 1 T water, as needed

1. Mix all by hand or on low speed until a soft ball of dough is formed. Knead for about 10 minutes -  yes, 10 minutes -  by hand or with the dough hook on low to medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and turn it over once to coat the surface. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for about 1 1/2 hours.

2. Punch the dough down and divide equally into 4 pieces. Roll into balls, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes.

3. Place a baking stone or inverted baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 475 degrees. Roll out each ball of dough into an oval 8 to 10 inches long and 1/4 inch thick. Brush the tops with 1 to 2 tablespoons of melted butter and if desired, 2 tablespoons minced scallions or 2 teaspoons sesame or poppy seeds.

4. Place the dough topping side up with as many ovals as will fit without touching directly onto the baking stone or sheet and bake until each oval gets puffy and just begins to turn golden, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and bake the remaining dough. Drizzle over the baked bread, 1 tablespoon of melted butter (optional).

5. Fold the nann in half and place in a cloth-lined basket. Keep covered and serve warm.

After reading all that, you now know why I buy mine!

CHICKEN CURRY DINNER (continued)

The chicken curry posted yesterday is best served over patna or basmati rice. You can find ersatz basmati rice in your grocery store and if you use that, just follow the directions on the package. This is much simpler (and what I would do). But if you use the real stuff, usually found in a health-food store, here's a recipe for cooking it.

BASMATI RICE

for the chicken curry dinner

Jack would have used a "real" basmati rice due to the better shape of the grain. Wash it thoroughly in several changes of water until all loose starch is gone and the water is no longer cloudy.

1. To one cup of uncooked rice, allow 3 quarts briskly boiling water to which has been added the juice of 1/2 lemon and 3 t salt. (Lemon juice keeps the rice white in hard water.)

2. Put the rice into the boiling water a little at a time. Never stir with a spoon. Use a wooden fork (like a salad fork) and lift the grains if they tend to stick. After 10-12 minutes, test a grain between thumb and finger to see if it is soft all the way through. Cooking takes from about 12 to 20 minutes.

3. When this point is reached, stop the boiling of the water by adding 1 pint of cold water to the pot.

4. Pour the rice into a colander or fine sieve and when drained, turn into a shallow pan very lightly greased with butter. Place the pan in a warm, not hot, oven. In this way, the grains of rice will dry nicely, swell and remain separated.

SUGGESTED CONDIMENTS

for the chicken curry dinner

The quantity and variety of condimants for the chicken curry are only limited by your imagination but I'm giving here what is reasonably available in the usual grocery store and what I would probably serve. Place each of these in its own bowl - giving you, like Jack Larsen, a chance to choose whatever effect pleases you; they don't have to match - around the table with the rice and curry, allowing your guests to choose those condiments that appeal to them. Use all of these or select whatever suits your fancy, budget and timetable.

1. Mango chutney, 2 kinds (if you can find them): hot and hotter. Be sure to tell your guests which is which.

2. Diced eggplant, fried in oil and highly seasoned to taste

3. Chopped hard-boiled eggs

4. Plain, freshly grated, ripe coconut (the recipe from the 1920"s says, "not the shredded, tasteless species Aunt Clutie-Belle uses on her birthday cakes!"). But, in a pinch, that's what I use.

5. Finely chopped orange peel, without the white pith (which is bitter)

6. Finely chopped grapefruit peel, likewise

7. Finely chopped sweet onion, like Vidalia

8. Finely chopped green or red bell pepper

9. Shredded, sun-ripe pineapple

10. Chopped, blanched nuts: cashews, almonds or peanuts, roasted until they're almost black and really dry

11. Small raisins or currants plumped by immersion in boiling water or a combination of water and rum or bourbon

12. Fried bananas, cut in crosswise diagonal slices, and dusted with brown sugar, powdered cloves and cinnamon.

Wow! That should be enough. I told you this dinner was a production. Tomorrow (or as soon as I can find the recipes), other parts of the meal. Stay tuned.

CHICKEN CURRY DINNER

I've had a request from a friend who came for dinner one night some time ago when I prepared a meal of chicken curry with other appropriate Indian tastes. The menu included an eggplant yogurt dip, chicken curry over rice (with many accompaniments), a cucumber raita, nann, a salad of baby spinach with radishes and clementines, and for dessert, a cardomom cake. If I can find all the recipes, I'll post the whole menu here, starting with the chicken curry.

CHICKEN CURRY

serves 6-8

This recipe came from my then-boss and now friend, Jack Lenor Larsen, who used to serve it at casual dinner parties for clientas and associates. Of course, Jack had all the perfect containers to present the meal, usually on a table laid with one of his famous fabrics and puctuated with parts of his beautiful collection of crafts. When I asked him for the recipe, he photo-copied it from the pages of a very old cookbook, written by someone in East Africa in the 1920's. The directions were laced with pungent comments about the preferred ingredients and how to use them correctly. It might be called a "pedantic" recipe, if there is such a thing, and therefore much like the personality of Jack himself. This is a production but well worth it. You can use just chicken breasts if you prefer but using a whole chicken increases the flavor and richness of the dish. If there is enough else gong on with your dinner, this recipe will serve 10.

1 plump, tender fowl, meat only (or use 4-6 large, boneless chicken breasts, halves, not wholes)

3 average onions, minced

2 t sugar

salt to taste

2 T mango (or other) chutney, chopped

1 handful of small raisins

1/4 C blanched almonds

1/2 C cream (or whole milk)

flour for dredging chicken

1/2 galic clove, well crushed

8 whole, black pepper corns

1/2 t powdered ginger

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 " cubes

1 1/2 C chicken stock

1 1/4 T curry powder

1 lemon

serve with patna or basmati rice and assorted condiments

1. Melt butter, roll boned bits of chicken in flour and brown lightly in a skillet. Remove the chicken from the skillet and put it into a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Without cleaning the skillet, gently saute the onion and garlic in the same butter and reserve.

2. Work the curry powder smooth in some melted butter, and stir into the curry pot. Add chicken stock, chutney, raisins, peppercorns, ginger, the cucumbers and salt to taste. Cover the pot and simmer gently..

3. Meanwhile, saute finely chopped almonds in a little additional butter and when light brown, turn out into a stout bowl and pound to a paste. In another saucepan, heat the cream and add almonds, stirring constantly for 5 minutes, being careful not to let the mixture burn.

4. After the curry has simmered for 1/2 hour, add the almond/cream combination and the reserved onions and garlic to the curry. Uncover the curry pot and simmer gently until gravy is thick and rich, bearing in mind that East Indian curry does not depend on flour or other thickening agent for the density of its sauce, but on thorough reduction by the heat of cooking.

5. Finally, squeeze in the juice of 1/2 lemon. If the mixture dries out too much, add a little chicken or veal stock. The curry strength can be rasied or lowered to individual preference.

6. Serve with patna or basmati rice and condiments, coming up in my next post. Stay tuned.

CHICKEN CUTLETS

I've been asked for a recipe for turkey cutlets, which I've never made. But I have made chicken cutlets so I'll provide that recipe with the hope that it suffices.

This first recipe comes from the sister of a friend who made this version of chicken cutlets for me when I visited him some months ago. I begged the recipe from him.

CHICKEN A LA YORK

Mix some mayonnaise with grated parmesan cheese and dried or fresh herbs of choice. Split boneless breasts of chicken horizontally so that each half breast yields two pieces. Place the chicken pieces on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread mayonnaise mixture on breasts. Mix Panko (Japanese) breadcrumbs with a little olive oil and sprinkle over chicken. Bake at 425 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

MY ALTERED VERSION

When making this myself, I altered the recipe in this way. I cut the tenderlloin away from the breasts and pounded them until they were the same thickness all over, in order to insure even cooking. Then I slathered the breasts with mayonnaise and dipped them in a combination of Panko bread crumbs and finely grated parmesan cheese. I baked the breasts for about 25 minutes, or until they looked done and had turned a golden brown.

FROM COOK'S ILLUSTRATED

Cook's Illustrated, a source I go to for more esoteric recipes, likes its chicken brined to preserve moisture and flavor. And they cook their chicken cutlets on top of the stove  instead of in the oven. Mindful  of keeping the breading on the chicken instead of its falling off, they offered the following recipe, which serves 4.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, tenderloins removed and reserved for another use, fat trimmed

1/4 C table salt

ground black pepper

1 1/2 C homemade bread crumbs (but you can use Panko)

3/4 C all purpose flour

2 large eggs

1 T plus 3/4 C olive oil

lemon wedges for serving

1. Use a meat pounder, rubber mallet or rolling pin to pound the chicken breasts to an even 1/2 inch thickness. Dissolve the salt in 1 quart cold water in a gallon-size zipper-lock plastic bag. Add the cutlets and seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Refrigerate until the cutlets are fully seasoned, 30 minutes. Line a baking sheet with a triple layer of paper towels.

2. Remove the cutlets and lay them in a single layer on the baking sheet. Cover with another triple layer of paper towels and press firmly to absorb the moistture. Allow the cutlets to dry for 10 minutes. Carefully peel the paper towels off the chicken; sprinkle the cutlets with salt and pepper to taste and set them aside.

3. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle  position, set a large heatproof plate on the rack, and heat the oven to 200 degrees. Place the bread crumbs in a shallow dish or pie plate. Spread the flour in a second shallow dish. Beat the eggs with one tablespoon olive oil in a third shallow dish. Place a wire rack over the baking sheet.

4. Working with one at a time, dredge the cutlets thoroughly in the flour, shaking off the excess. Using tongs, dip both sides of the cutlets in the egg mixture, taking care to coat them thoroughly and allowing the excess to drip back into the dish to ensure a very thin coating. Dip both sides of the cutlets in the bread crumbs, pressing the crumbs with your fingers to form an even, cohesive coat. Place the breaded cutlets in a single layer on the wire rack and allow the coating to dry for about 5 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, heat 6 tablespoons of the remaining oil in a heavy bottomed 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Lay two cutlets gently in the skillet and cook until deep golden brown and crisp on the first side, gently pressing down on the cutlets with a wide metal spatula to ensure even browning, about 2 1/2 minutes. Using tongs turn the cutlets, reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook until the meat feels firm when pressed gently and the second side is deep golden brown and crisp, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Line the warmed plate with a double layer of paper towels and set the cutlets on top; return the plate to the oven.

6. Discard the oil in the skillet and wipe the skiller clean using tongs and a large wad of paper towels. Repeat step 5, using the remaining 6 tablesppons oil and now-clean skillet to cook the remaining cutlets. After draining on paper towels, serve the cutlets with lemon wedges.

Note: Panko bread crumbs are softer and smaller than the usual bread crumbs or any you can make at home in your food processor. They are to bread crumbs what kosher salt is to table salt. Labeled "Panko," you should be able to find them in your grocery store.

Note: If you use the Cook's Illustrated version, you can go on from the end of their recipe to make Chcken Marsala or Parmesan Chicken.

VINAIGRETTE DRESSING

This post will be a riff on vinaigrette dressing, sometimes called French dressing but which bears no relationship to that awful orange glop grocery stores label as "French." A vinaigrette dressing is, instead, and at its most basic, a combination of an acid - vinegar or lemon juice - with an oil of some kind, flavored or not. It also needs an ingredient that acts as an emulsifier, to hold the combination together. The most common emulsifier is mustard. My earliest version of vinaigrette was simply a one to three ratio of vinegar to oil, with a little mustard and a hint of sugar to help defray the sting of the acid, in a recipe like this: 1 T vinegar, 1 t mustard, a pinch of sugar, some salt and pepper, and 3 T oil. Mix all ingredients except the oil together in a small bowl with a whisk or dinner fork and then, continuing to whisk, add the oil in a slow but steady stream. I used this recipe for vinaigrette dressing for years and it remains a perfectly good, if somewhat bland, dressing for salads.

As I became more interested in the actual taste of food (rather than just eating it for sustenance), I branched out to a more complicated vinaigrette. Several versions are shown here.

VINAIGRETTE DRESSING

makes about 1/2 cup

The French Version

3 T white wine vinegar

1 t Dijon mustard

1/2 t salt

1/8 t freshly ground black pepper

2 t finely chopped shallot

6 T extra-virgin olive oil

The Italian Version

2 T red wine vinegar

1/2 t salt

1/8 t freshly ground black pepper

5 T extra-virgin olive oil

Mix all ingredients except the oil together in a bowl, then add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly, until an emulsion is formed. Since the Italian version has no emulsifier, it won't hold, so if you prepare it some time before dressing your salad, you'll have to mix it again just before serving.

Lately I've discovered a recipe from Ina Garten that I use more frequently, particularly if I'm serving a simple green salad after the entree. It uses both a raw egg and mustard as the emulsifiers, but if you're nervous about a raw egg, just leave it out. This has plenty of pep to jazz up a plain green salad.

INA GARTEN'S GREEN SALAD VINAIGRETTE

serves 6 to 8

3 T  champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar

1/2 t Dijon mustard

1/2 t minced fresh garlic

1 extra large egg yolk, at room temperature

3/4 t kosher salt

1/4 t freshly ground black pepper

1/2 C good olive oil

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, garlic, egg yolk, salt and pepper. While continuing to whisk, slowly add the olive oil until the combination is emulsified.

Please don't over dress your salad. The leaves should all have some dressing but not be dripping with it. If you want to make this ahead, you can put the dressing in the bottom of your salad bowl and put the greens on top. Mix at the last minute, just before serving.

I welcome suggestions now, and always, for recipes you'd like to see. Stay tuned for those.

Dessert

Maybe it was Ina Garten who said that dinner guests will only remember the first thing served and the last, so make them special. I don't know about what's served first but I do remember what's served last. That's because I like sweets - a meal without sugar is like a day without sunshine - and have collected a large quantity of dessert recipes. As a matter of fact, the dessert section in my cookbooks is always larger than all the other sections combined.

MACAROONS WITH ICE CREAM

Here's a simple dessert, easy to get together and always good, even for a fancy meal. I use it often, especially when I don't want to slave over a hot stove making something more complicated. Buy, yes, buy some coconut macaroons. (Or make them yourself if you insist.) Crumble them in the bottom of an old fashioned glass and put a scoop of premium ice cream over the top. You can use an ice cream of your choice but I usually use the coffee flavored variety. That's it. Your guests will dip into the ice cream and gradually get to the bottom where they'll find the macaroons, which will be flavored by the ice cream. What a nice surprise! If you're feeling expansive (and don't care about the calories), you could dribble some chocolate syrup on top but, to mix my metaphores, that's like gilding the lily.

Although I've never tried it, I'm sure you could crumble some flavor of cookie in the bottom of the glass, maybe even chocolate chip, and then fill the glass with chocolate ice cream. Sounds good to me. But use your imagination. And you don't have to use an old-fashioned glass. Just use something not too big. For a really fancy dinner (with this unfancy dessert) I use bird-bath-shaped Art Deco champagne glasses from Heisey (a maker of quality glass in the 1920's and 30's. It was intended for sale in ten cent stores but is now collectable, a little like this dessert...simple but elegant). 

Next: vinaigrette dressing. Stay tuned.

ASPARAGUS

If you're  not going to cook asparagus the minute you bring it home from the market, a good way to keep it fresh until you're ready to prepare it is to cut a little off the stem ends (like flower stems) and bunch the asparagus in a water glass with a little water in the bottom. Not too much water; just enough so the asparagus can get a little drink. Then tent the whole thing with a baggie and stick the tower into the refrigerator. Leave the baggie open at the bottom so the asparagus can breathe.

When you're ready to cook asparagus, bend each stalk with your fingers and it will break at a natural point where the asparagus is between coarse and tender. I throw the coarse stem ends away but you could use those ends to make asparagus soup. And about peeling it? I'm of the Julia Child school on that. A little peel never hurt anyone. To me, peeling asparagus is just a fancy waste of time. But, if you do want to peel it, lay each stalk down on a cutting board or some other flat surface and peel it with a vegetable peeler. If you hold the stalk up in the air while peeling it, the peeler with break the stalk

The big thing about asparagus is the timing. No one wants to eat it when its tough and stringy. Nor is it very good when limp and slimy and gray. And since it comes in different thicknesses, no simple, set timing is an accurate guide to the best result. And there are, of course, several ways to cook aspargus - steaming, boiling, roasting - each creating a finished product slightly different from the other. Each is interesting (especially rubbed with some olive oil and a smattered with parmesan cheese and roasted in the oven at a high temperature). 

But I prefer mine cooked in a wide, deep skillet of hot water. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Then just plonk the asparagus all at once down into the madly boiling water. Then, every few minutes, I poke a stalk with a fork. If the fork goes in relatively easily, it's done. Or, if you prefer, just take a stalk out of the water with tongs and bite off a piece. This way, you can grow accustomed to cooking asparagus just the way you like it. I like mine when it's still a little crisp. But remember: dont cook it too long. it's far better to undercook asparagus than to cook it too much.

There's nothing more tasty than asparagus hot, with just a little melted butter. But if you want to cook it beforehand, especially for a group, and serve it cold with a vinaigrette dressing, the
recipe here gives asparagus a dressed-up, special quality. After the asparagus is cooked, dry it thoroughly and wrap it with paper towels. I then put mine in a plastic bag (along with the paper towels) and stick the whole bundle into the refrigerator.

This recipe is actually meant as an appetizer to a fancy dinner. But I often use it to prepare asparagus as a side dish, especially when I'm serving my dinner as a buffet. I buy several bunches and double the recipe for the dressing. But use it as you like. It's always good

ASPARAGUS WITH PICKLED GINGER AND SHALLOTS

serves 4

2 1/2 lbs asparagus, trimmed and peeled, if dersired

2 T white wine vinegar

1 t Dijon style mustard

1 1/2 T drained pickled ginger slices, plus 4 t julienne strips

1/4 C vegetable oil (non-flavored, like Mazola)

2 T finely chopped shallots

2 t snipped fresh chives

1. In a large deep skillet of boiling salted water, cook the asparagus for 3 to 7 minutes, or until the stalks are done to your liking. They should be tender, but not limp. Transfer the asparagus to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop the cooking and hold the color, which should be a rich green. Drain the asparagus and pat it dry. (At this point, you can hold it in the refrigerator wrapped in paper towels until you're ready to use it.)

2. In a blender (or food processor), blend together the vinegar, the mustard, the 1 1/2 tablesppons ginger slices, and salt and pepper to taste and with the motor running, add the oil in a slow stream, blending the dressing until emulsified.

3. If you're preparing this as an appetizer for dinner, spread a little dressing on each plate and spread each evenly with shallots and chives. Divide the asparagus among the plates and garnish with the julienne ginger. If you're serving this for a buffet, spread the asparagus out evenly on a platter and slather it lightly with the dressing. Sprinkle with the shallots and chives and garnish with the juliennne ginger.

Note: pickled ginger is available in jars, usually found in the gourmet or ethnic food section of your grocery store.

CORN PUDDING

In my first recipe for meatloaf several days ago, I referred to corn pudding and asparagus as good accompaniments to the main course. So it's logical (and practical) that those recipes should follow.

This recipe came from our national sales manager when I worked at Larsen. She brought it to a Christmas party and it was gone long before whatever it was that I contributed to the evening. (Mine couldn't have been very good; I can't even remember what it was.) So I begged the recipe from her.

I have several recipes for corn pudding, including one from Vanity Fair and featured at a party in Palm Beach, but none is better, or easier to make, that Ellie's, which is always a hit. If you want to feed an army, don't  be afraid to double the recipe. Just because it's easy doesn't mean it isn't spectacular. You can feel confident serving this to your most discerning guests.

ELLIE'S CORN PUDDING

serves 8-10

2 cans creamed corn, with juice from can

1 can niblets corn, drained of liquid

1 16-oz. container of low fat sour cream

1 stick of unsalted buttter or margarine, melted and cooled

4 eggs

2 boxes of Jiffy brand cornbread mix

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Beat the eggs and then mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.

3. Put the pudding in a 9" x 13" pan or glass casserole dish and bake for 45 minute to an hour.

Next will come my recipe for asparagus with ginger dressing. Stay tuned.

MEATLOAF

Because meatloaf is one of my favorite things, I've collected many recipes for it and my last post was a version credited to Bill Blass. And his is no slouch. But I think this one is even better, probably because since I like sweet things, this one has a crust of maple syrup on top. Both recipes make a great meatloaf; choosing between them is now up to you.

MAPLE GLAZED MEATLOAF

3/4 lb sliced, smoked bacon, separated

1 C finely chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

1/4 C whole milk

1/4 C sour cream of plain yogurt (you can use the low fat kind)

2 large eggs (I use only extra large eggs so don't buy large eggs just for this recipe)

1 T dry mustard (Coleman's if you can find it)

2 t kosher salt

3/4 t dried thyme

1 t Worchestershire sauce (I usually just dump some in, like a couple of squirts)

1/2 t freshly ground black pepper

dash hot pepper sauce (whatever you have; tabasco is fine)

1 lb ground beef (I use sirloin)

1 lb ground pork

1 lb ground veal

1/2 C crushed saltines (just put them in a plastic bag and bang it with something heavy)

1/3 C finely chopped parsley (use either kind but flat-leafed has more flavor)

1/4 C maple syrup

3 T Dijon mustard (don't use the ballpark kind; it has a different flavor)

1. Chop 1/4 pound bacon; saute until browned but not crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer cooked bacon to paper towels to drain. Add onion and garlic to pan. Cover, and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Heat oven to 375. In a medium bowl, whisk toghether the milk, sour cream, eggs, dry mustard, salt, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, ground pepper and hot pepper sauce.

3. In a large bowl, combine beef, pork, veal, cooked bacon, onion mxture and milk mixture. Using your hands (a cook's best tool), toss lightly to mix (or mix with a fork, trying to keep the mixture light). Add saltines and parsley, and toss lightly again until thoroughly combined. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with foil; on it, form meat into a domed loaf about 5 inches by 12. Drape remaining bacon lengthwisde over loaf to cover completely.

4. In a small bowl, combine maple syrup and Dijon mustard. Paint a thick coat over bacon. Bake uncovered, until an instant read thermometer inserted into center registers 165 degrees, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. If desired, baste occasionally with remaining maple syrup mixture. Let meatloaf rest about 10 minutes, tented with aluminum foil. Slice and serve.

BILL BLASS'S MEATLOAF

To me, meatloaf has always been comfort food. I suppose that comes from my childhoood when we often had meatloaf at home. Mom's version was pretty bland, however, because Dad would never eat anything flavored with onions, and garlic, in any amount, would have driven him from the house. So when I first came to Baltimore, meatloaf (along with tuna noodle casserole) was one of the first things I learned to make and I was eager to try it with onions and garlic, or anything else the recipe might call for.

After many years of experimentation, years in which I searched for the perfect meatloaf, I tried many versions and saved many recipes. Most of them were good....even Dinah Shore's version, rolled up with blue cheese...but none of them seemed to capture the flavor of my childhood married now to my understandably more experienced palette.

None, that is,  until a good friend gave me a cookbook from House Beautiful. In it I found a recipe for a mealoaf from Bill Blass who is quoted there as saying, "I will never be remembered for my clothes. I think my claim to immortality will be my meatloaf." I don't know about his clothes but this is surely a great meatloaf. (Although recently I've found another recipe I like even better; that will be my next post.)

According to the cookbook, Bill Blass served his meatloaf with succotash and mashed potatoes and it's great that way. But meatloaf goes with any good starch and some green vegetable. Try it with corn pudding or tomato pudding, both really easy to make, and asparagus with ginger shallot dressing, my favorite companions to this all-American staple.

Bill Blass's Meatloaf

2 lb ground sirloin

1/2 lb ground pork

1/2 lb ground veal

2 T butter

1 large onion, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 large egg

1 T Worchestershire sauce

1 1/2 C soft fresh, unflavored bread crumbs

1/2 C chopped fresh parsley

1/3 C sour cream

pinch dried thyme

pinch dried marjoram

salt and freshly groung black pepper to taste

1 bottle Heinz chili sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, gently combine the sirloin, veal and pork (or get your butcher to grind them together). Set aside.

2. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Saute the celery and onion for about 10 minutes until soft and translucent. Transfer to the bowl with the meat.

3. Beat together the egg and Worchestershire sauce and add to the meat along with the bread crumbs, parsley, sour cream, thyme, marjoran, salt and pepper. Combine well and form a loaf.

(It's best here to mix the combination with a fork, or with your hands, trying to keep the mixture light so the ultimate meatloaf will not be so dense.)

4. Place the meatloaf in a bakind dish or on a sheet pan and top with chili sauce. Bake for 1 1/2 hours or until cooked through.

5. Allow to rest for about 10 minutes, tented with aluminum foil. Cut into thick slices and serve.

I prefer to cook the meatloaf in a baking dish or sheet pan rather than in a traditional loaf pan. In this way, the whole meatloaf can come to the table on a pretty platter and there is far less chance that the meatloaf will sit in its own fat.

Adapted from

Bill Blass

via House Beautiful

BEEF STEW

There are times when a good, hearty stew just hits the spot; when it's cold outside in the fall or winter or even in the spring when the weather is damp and gloomy. I like stews because they're easy to make and satisfying to the palate, because the ingredients are not usually expensive and because they're a one-dish meal that makes entertaining a group easy as pie (which is a lot harder to make!). Rather than laboring away in my solitary kitchen while my guests are hooting it up in the living room, I can pop the stew into the oven or just leave it on top of the stove while I join in the fun.

Stews depend on slow braising of the main ingredients. This allows time for inexpensive cuts of meat to become succulent and tender and permits the ingredients to meld into a pleasing and not altogether recognizable whole. Unless they simmer until dry, or boil over, stews are almost fool-proof; you don't have to watch them every minute. An occasional stir is all they need. And they can be refrigerated and reheated the next day when they are often better than they were the night before.

Combined with a simple salad, maybe with some apples for crispness, a big hunk of peasant bread for dipping in the sauce, a hearty red wine, if you like, and a light dessert and there you have it. A whole meal. Done. Easy. Wholesome. Stew.

BEEF STEW

serves 6-8, with leftovers

This recipe calls for small, pearl-sized onions. If you don't have the time for peeling them (or just don't want to bother), you can easily substitute small onions already cooked and bottled. Just be sure to pour out all the juices from the bottle before adding the onions to the stew. And wait until the last half hour or so of cooking so the onions, already cooked, won't fall apart in the stew.

2 T olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

2 lbs beef bottom round or sirloin, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 8-oz can tomato sauce

2-3 C beef broth, preferably homemade (but canned is fine; use the unsalted kind)

2 t Worchester sauce

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

8 oz carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1-inch chunks

6 ribs celery, cut diagonally into 1-inch chunks

6 small onions, 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter, peeled and left whole (or substitue the bottled)

2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 box (10-oz) frozen peas

1. Heat the olive oil in a large stew pot of Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the large onion, the garlic and bay leaf; saute until soft and translucent, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside.

2. Add the beef to the pot in two batches and sear until browned on all sides, 7 to 8 minutes per batch. (All the pieces of beef should be on the surface of the pot so they can all brown evenly. If you add too much at once, the beef will simply steam and you'll lose the nice crust from the searing that has so much flavor). When seared, take the first batch out, reserve, and put the second batch in. When the second batch is seared, return the first batch to the pot along with any juices that may have accumulated. Return the sauteed onion mixture to the pot along with the tomato sauce and just enough broth to cover the meat. Season with Worchestershire, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the carrots, celery, small onions and potatoes to the pot. Add enough beef broth to cover the vegetables. Cover and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender (smash a carrot against the side of the pot to test the tenderness), 1 to 1 1/2 hours. If the stew seems dry at any point, add more beef broth or even a splash of red wine. Add the frozen peas 5 minutes before serving and stir to incorporate and heat through.

Adapted from Cold Weather Cooking

by Sarah Chase

who is a friend of a friend of friends of mine

COLD CURRIED APPLE SOUP

I've made this unusual soup many times and it never fails and always becomes a big hit with my dinner guests whether for a special ocasion or just a casual Thursday night come-and-share-the-soup evening. I usually make a recipe and a half because my table seats six and there's always enough left over for me to enjoy again the next night. Be sure to use the recommended apples. The combination of Gala sweetness and the Granny Smith tartness helps both the taste and consistency. The recipe calls for two cups of heavy cream but the soup can be made with one cup if you're worried about calories. Or substitute  half and half. And this can be made ahead, a distinct advantage when you're alone in the kitchen.

2 T butter
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 T hot curry powder (Madras style)
2 chicken bouillon cubes, disssolved in 4 C hot water
2 medium eating apples, such as Gala, peeled, cored and chopped
2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped
sea salt
1 large lemon, juiced
2 C heavy cream
4 sprigs fresh mint, chopped for garnish
cayenne pepper to taste

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until pale golden, about 5 minutes. Add curry powder and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add bouillon broth, apples and 1/4 t salt. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and simmer, stirring often, until apples are completely soft, 30 to 40 minutes.

2. Working in batches, transfer soup into the jar of a blender (or food processor) and blend until soup is very smooth, then pour through a fine sieve. Whisk in half the lemon juice (adding more for a sharper taste) amd the cream. Adjust the seasonings and refrigerate until very cold. Serve soup sprinkled with chopped mint and a lttle cayenne pepper.

Serves 4

THE BEGINNING

Once I had a big box designed to hold recipes, with categories already assigned like meat, poultry, pastry, etc. As I collected recipes torn from magazines or begged from friends, I stuck them in the box in the appropriate category until the box so bulged with shreds of paper that it could hold no more and I still couldn't find that recipe for bloody marys that was essential to my coming brunch. So on a whim, I decided to copy out one category, like soup, to relieve the pressure. Although it took a while to type all those soup recipes, I was pleased with the result and continued on to other categories until many months later, the box was, voila, empty. Assembling all those typed pages led to my first two homemade cookbooks, "Phil's Favorite Food, Volumes I and II," which I gave as Christmas gifts to a very few friends. Over the years since, I've continued to collect recipes and created two more cookbooks, "Phil's Blue Plate Special Cookbook" and just recently, "Phil's Brunch Cookbook." Many of my friends have asked for numerous recipes from these efforts and even asked to buy one or more of the cookbooks. Making them in quantity is just not practical (and would be far too expensive) so I decided to create this blog where I can share recipes of general interest, like meatloaf, one of my favorite foods. I'll post here several times a week, or whenever I feel like it, depending on how popular the blog becomes. And I'll give hints about the preparation or describe how I got the recipe, whatever I think might be interesting or helpful. So here's the first recipe.

Bar Nuts

These are great nuts to serve with cocktails. They're easy to make and everyone goes crazy for them. I've probably shared this recipe more than any other. And I sometimes take it for a hostess gift. I usually make a quadruple recipe. The recipe was adapted from the Union Square Cafe in New York City.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put 1 1/2 cups each shelled unsalted cashews, pecans and walnuts onto a large baking sheet and toast them in the oven until golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and toss with 6 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves, 1 to 2 teaspoons of cayenne (the hot stuff; use it to your taste but no more than the 2 teaspoons), 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of coarse salt (like Kosher) and 3 tablespoons of melted butter.

While the nuts are becoming golden, I toss together the rosemary, the salt, brown sugar and cayenne, mixing the ingredients with my fingers. Then I add the nuts and pour the melted butter over them. Toss thoroughly.