CRAB IMPERIAL

The poor old, but still elegant-looking, Belvedere (which I can see from my apartment) has been through many incarnations, including hotel, school, and finally condominiums. (I remember when a one-bedroom cost only about $30,000.00, which I thought was a steal.) I stayed in the hotel once, about 1942, when my parents brought me to Baltimore so that a specialist could try to determine if I had tuberculosis. (I didn't.) And I have many fond memories of lunches, and dinners, in the Owl Bar and one famous dinner in the John Eager Howard Room, when the staff had to put a table in an aisle because I refused to wait more than an hour for a table. From that time comes this wonderful recipe from the Belvedere for Crab Imperial, from an old, Maryland seafood cookbook, published by the state Department of Economic and Community Development. The cookbook cost $2.95.

CRAB IMPERIAL

(from the old Hotel Belvedere)

serves 4

l lb Maryland crab meat, regular or backfin

1/4 C mayonnaise

1 t olive oil

1/4 C chopped fresh chives OR chopped onion OR chopped shallots

1 T lemon juice

5 drops oil from a can of anchovies (or 1/4 t anchovy paste)

1/2 t capers

3 dashes liquid hot pepper sauce

3 dashes Worcestershire sauce

cracker crumbs or seasoned bread crumbs for topping

paprika for topping

butter for topping

1. Pick over crab meat carefully, to remove any cartilage.

2. Mix mayonnaise and olive oil in a large bowl. Add chopped chives, lemon juice anchovy oil, capers, liquid hot pepper sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Add crabmeat to mayonnaise mixture and mix well.

3. Place crab mixture in individual crab shells or in a shallow baking dish. Cover with cracker crumbs or seasoned bread crumbs. Sprinkle with paprika and dot with butter. Bake in a 450 degree oven until brown and bubbly, about 10 minutes.

Note: this recipe can be stretched with one or two chopped hard boiled eggs plus 1/4 C chopped black olives.

To prepare ahead: prepare and chill, covered, until ready to heat.



SABLEUSE

This is a French version of our traditional pound cake although it is much lighter and rather fragile. It's wonderful served with fruit or a light ice, like green apple, or basil-lemon sorbet. The recipe comes from Jean Georges Vongerichten and Mark Bittman. They say that once you've tried this, you'll never make pound cake again. I'm not so sure about that. I like pound cake too much to give it up. But this cake is much lighter, and very, very good.

SABLEUSE

serves 4-6

9 egg yolks

1 whole egg

14 T sugar (7/8 C)

1/2 C flour

1/2 C cornstarch

1. Combine the egg yolks, whole egg and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed for 20 minutes (yes, 20 minutes). The mixture will become almost white and will be very thick.

2. Meanwhile, melt the butter and let it cool a bit. Butter a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan; cut pieces of parchment or wax paper and fit them into the bottom of the pan in both directions. Butter the paper. Preheat the oven to 375.

3. When you've mixed the eggs for 20 minutes, beat in the flour and cornstarch at low speed, just until combined. Add the butter and beat again, just until combined. Turn the speed up for 10 seconds, then turn off the machine.

4. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and wrap completely and tightly in 1 layer of aluminum foil - do not make the foil too thick on the bottom. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Unwrap. When the cake is done, the top will be nicely browned but quite light and tender.

5. Immediately invert the pan onto a piece of parchment paper or a flat platter. Lift the pan, and remove the parchment or wax paper covering carefully (the cake is very tender). Cover cake with plastic wrap and cool. Slice carefully with a very sharp knife.

INDEX

Since there are now almost 100 recipes on this blog, I'm publishing here an index of them, by category and date posted. I hope this will help those of you who may wonder if I've posted one for something you may want to cook or remember a recipe and want to find it on the blog. My apologies for the zigging and zagging of the dates. My computer has its own will and personality.

Phil’s Favorite Food

Blog Entries

Index by Category (as of April 15, 2013)

This is a list of recipes posted on Phil’s blog, Phil’s Favorite Food. Each recipe shows the date of posting so it will be easier to find. These can all be accessed and downloaded at philsfavoritefood.blogspot.com

Drinks

Bloody Marys                                                              Feb 5

Creamsicles                                                               Feb 5

Hors d’Oeuvres

Bar Nuts (Phil’s Nuts)                                                 Jan 16

Roasted Eggplant Dip (for Chicken Curry)                 Jan 30

Artichoke Squares                                                      Feb 1

Jim’s Olive Tapenade                                                 Feb 24

Curried Cheese Spread                                              Mar 3

Rice Krispie Squares                                                  Mar 5

Soup and First Courses

Cold Curried Apple Soup                                            Jan 17

Corn Chowder                                                                        Feb 3

Melon Carpaccio                                                         Mar 4

Tomato Aspic                                                              Mar 13

Cold Tomato Soup with Cucumber and Melon          Mar 15

Easy Oysters Rockefeller                                           Mar 20

Minted Pea Soup                                                         Mar 22

Nancy Hernke’s Onion Soup                                      Mar 24

Salads and Dressings

Vinaigrette Dressing                                                   Jan 24

Ina Garten’s Green Salad Vinaigrette             Jan 24

Raita (for Chicken Curry Dinner)                                Jan 29

Sweetheart Salad                                                       Feb 14

The Best Caesar Salad Ever, No Kidding                  Mar 8

Chicken Salad Veronique                                           Mar 10

Aunt Nola’s Boiled Dressing                                       Mar 11

Chicken Salad a la Danny Kaye                                 Mar 12

Peggy’s Sweet and Sour Dressing                            Mar 16

Cobb Salad                                                                 Mar 28

Meat

Beef Stew                                                                   Jan 19

Bill Blass’s Meatloaf                                                    Jan 20

Meatloaf, Maple Glazed                                               Jan 21

Country Style Sausage and Fried Apples                   Feb 7

Moroccan Lamb Stew with Prunes                            Feb 11

Lemon and Ginger Pork Roast                                   Feb 12

Beef Bourguignon                                                       Feb 16

Sauteed Pork Chops                                                  Feb 21

Veal Marsala                                                               Feb 28

Saltimbocca                                                                Mar 1

Pineapple and Molasses Spareribs                            Mar 2

Roasted Pork Loin with Fig Sauce                             Mar 6

Choucroute a l’Alsacienne                                          Mar 23

Dinah Shore’s Meatloaf                                               Apr 2

Chili                                                                             Apr 7

Chicken and Turkey

Chicken Cutlets                                                          Jan 25

Chicken Curry                                                             Jan 26

Chicken Stew with Italian Sausage                            Feb 1

Chicken Cacciatore                                                    Feb 25

Chicken with White Wine and Tarragon                     Feb 25

Turkey Tetrazzini                                                        Feb 27

Chicken Marsala                                                         Feb 28

How to Cook Chicken, Roasting, Poaching               Mar 9

Chicken Marengo                                                        Mar 25

Curried Chicken and Shrimp                                      Mar 26

Grilled Chicken Breasts                                              Apr 9

Seafood

Curried Chicken and Shrimp                                      Mar 26

Salmon Mousse with Dill Sauce                                 Apr 9

Mussels with Parsley and Garlic                                Apr 13

Eggs

M & J Egg Casserole                                                  Feb 6

Side Dishes and Vegetables

Corn Pudding                                                              Jan 22

Asparagus                                                                   Jan 23

Hashed Browns                                                          Feb 8

Tomato Pudding                                                         Feb 13

Haricots Verts in Mustard Sauce                                Feb 14

A Riff on Side Dishes                                                  Mar 14

Scalloped Potatoes (Gratin)                                       Mar 19

Fennel Potato Gratin                                                   Mar 19

Chunky Applesauce                                                    Mar 21

Comfort Carrots                                                          Mar 29

Barb’s Baked Mushrooms                                          Mar 30

Succotash                                                                   Mar 31

Brussels Sprouts                                                        Apr  1

Another Corn Pudding                                                Apr 12

Broiled Tomatoes                                                       Apr 15

Bread, Rice and Pasta

Basmati Rice (for Chicken Curry)                              Jan 28

Nann (for Chicken Curry)                                            Jan 29

Classic Macaroni and Cheese                                   Feb 17

Barb’s Mac and Cheese                                             Feb 17

Ina Garten’s Mac and Cheese                                    Feb 17

Mark Bittman’s Mac and Cheese                                Feb 17

Giada de Laurentiis’s Mac and Cheese                      Feb 17

The Ultimate Mac and  Cheese                                  Feb 17

Lasagna with Sausage                                               Feb 18

Easy Cheese Lasagna (Weight Watchers)               Feb 19

Bert’s Vegetable Lasagna                                           Feb 19

Bert’s Tomato Basil Sauce                                         Feb 19

Nick and Tony’s Penne with Vodka                            Feb 22

Spaghetti Carbonara                                                   Feb 23

Noodles with Carrots and  Dill                                    Mar 27

Wild Mushroom Lasagna                                            Apr 3

Pasta with Four Cheeses                                           Apr 10

Jenny’s Keugel                                                            Apr 11

                                                           

Dessert

Macaroons with Ice Cream                                         Jan 24

Cardamom Pound Cake (for Chicken Curry)             Jan 31

Fresh Fruit                                                                  Feb 9

Tiramisu                                                                      Feb 26

Pistachio-Crusted Cheesecake                                 Mar 18

Warm Fruit Compote                                                  Apr 4

Alexander’s Apple Cake                                              Apr 5

Apple Brown Betty                                                      Apr 6

Chocolate Amaretti Cake                                            Apr 8

Sweet Potato Pie                                                        Apr 12

Ginger Pound Cake                                                    Apr 14

Other

Condiments for Chicken Curry Dinner                       Jan 28

How to Hard Boil Eggs                                                Feb 6

How to Segment Fruit                                                 Feb 9

Hints for Making Brunch Easier                                  Feb 10

Giada’s Bechemal Sauce                                           Feb 17

To Do Ahead                                                               Mar 8

BROILED TOMATOES

This is a really great way to serve tomatoes, even if they're not the wonderful, summery, juicy ones. (I often use the hydropnic ones that always look ripe but never are.) They can be prepared with many different toppings and can be done at the last minute. They also make a nice presentation on the plate.

BROILED TOMATOES

serves 4-6

Set the oven rack in top third of oven, then preheat the broiler. Cut 4 medium, ripe tomatoes in half crosswise and arrange in a baking dish, cut side up. Thinly slice 2-3 peeled garlic cloves and set aside. Strip leaves from 2 sprigs fresh rosemary and set aside. Stud cut side of tomatoes with the garlic slices and most of the rosemary leaves, sprinkling the remaining rosemary on top. Drizzle tomatoes with 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Broil tomatoes until garlic begins to brown and tomatoes render juice, about 15 minutes. Set aside to let cool to room temperature, if you like, or serve them hot. Spoon rendered juices over tomatoes before serving.

Note: Also try 1.) some plum tomatoes with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar, 2.) garlic and a handful of parsley leaves, 3.) tjyme, or even 4.) herbs de Provence.

GINGER POUND CAKE

I'm fortunate to have many friends who are really good cooks. One couple among them divides the responsiblities; one cooks dinner and the other creates bread and dessert. At a dinner party I attended some years ago, the pastry chef brought this wonderful ginger pound cake, served with fresh fruit. Everyone at the table remarked about how good it was and wondered about the "secret" ingredient. No one could guess that it was fresh ginger, a strong flavor but not one that a lot of people readily recognize. It's the perfect addition to the sweet, buttery taste of this cake. My hearty thanks to the chef. For the occasion, and for the recipe.

GINGER POUND CAKE

serves 8-10

4 C sifted cake flour (not self-rising)

1 t double acting baking powder (most is double acting, but check the container to be sure)

1 1/2 t ground ginger (the kind bought in a bottle or tin)

1/4 t mace

1/3 t salt

4 sticks (1 lb; yes, I know, honey-lamb, but it is pound cake!) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 t freshly grated orange rind

3 C sugar

6 large eggs at room temperature

1/2 C packed minced peeled fresh gingerroot

3/4 C whole milk at room temperature

1. Butter and flour well a 10 inch tube pan, 4 inches deep. Set aside.

2. Into a bowl sift the flour twice with the baking powder, the ground ginger, the mace and the salt.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter with the zest at moderately high speed for 10 minutes, or until it is very light and fluffy. Add the sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the gingerroot and beat the batter until it is combine well. With the mixer at low speed, add the flour mixture, alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, using 6 additions for the flour and 5 for the milk and beating the batter after each addition until it is just combined.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the middle of a preheated 300 degree oven for 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours, or until a skewer comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes, and run a long thin knife aroudn the side. Invert the cake onto the rack and let it cool completely.

5. Serve with fruit and whipped cream.

Note: for garnish, you may want to try sliced peaches with fresh lemon juice and sugar to taste, fresh raspberries, whipped cream flavored with ginger, or chopped crystallized ginger on top or on the side.

MUSSELS WITH PARSLEY AND GARLIC

Despite growing up on Maryland's Eastern Shore where seafood is more or less a staple and an assumed part of one's heritage, I've never liked fish very well. My mother didn't like it either so I'm sure that was one reason why it was not often served at home. And when it was, Mom would always admonish us to be careful of the bones. We even had special little plates where we could put the bones when we found one in our mouuth. I guess I decided at that early age that eatting fish was just too much trouble.

Shellfish, however, was a completely different matter. I've always loved shrimp and crab and especially lobster, preparing them often for myself and my guests. I'd never tried mussels, however, until I found this recipe. It's simple and easy and the broth is very good. Serve this with crusty bread (one of my staples) for dunking in the broth, and a good, cold beer.

MUSSELS WITH PARSLEY AND GARLIC

serves 4 as a first course

serves 2 as a main course

2 lb mussels (preferably cultivated), cleaned and beards removed

3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 C fresh flat leaf parsley

1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/4 t salt

1/4 t freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450.

2. Spread mussels on a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Blend all remaining ingredients to a paste in a food processor. Spoon mixture over mussels. Cover tightly with foil and bake in middle of oven until all mussles open, 12 to 15 minutes. Discard any unopened mussles.

Note: After cleaning the mussels, you may want to immerse them in a little cold water with a little flour. This will help them expell any sand that may be in the shells. Also, you can add some tomato paste or chopped tomatoes to this recipe if you want it to be more Italian in flavor. Or some white wine wouldn't hurt. Serve the mussels in a bowl with their broth, or over pasta.

SWEET POTATO PIE

Posted for a friend who likes sweet things, this pie is easy to make and deee-licious.

Sweet Potato Pie

Makes one pie, serving 8

1 ¾ C flour

8 T unsalted butter, cubed and chilled, plus 8 T melted and cooled

1 t kosher salt

2 C boiled and mashed sweet potatoes

1 C sugar

½ C evaporated milk

1 t vanilla extract

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1.      Place flour, 8 T chilled butter and 1/1 t salt in a food processor, and pulse until pea size crumbles form. Add ¼ C ice water; pulse until dough forms. Form dough into a ball and transfer to floured work surface; form into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2.      Heat oven to 375. In a bowl, whisk together remaining melted butter and salt, sweet potatoes, sugar, milk, vanilla and eggs until smooth. Set filling aside.

3.      Unwrap dough and transfer to a floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll until 1/8” thick. Transfer to a 9” pie pan and trim excess dough from edges; crimp with a fork or your fingers, if you like. Our filling over crust and smooth top with a rubber spatula. Bake until crust is lightly browned and filling is set, about 1 hour. Let cool completely before serving.