|
Roberta was a proficient and thrifty cook and
she cooked a delicious meal for Muir at Buchanan on the night that they went to the play. Below is Roberta's dinner menu.
Since this menu is so typical of what Essie's heroines often made, I decided to include a few recipes from it here.
From "New Zealand Inheritance".
Menu
A mixture of orange and grapefruit juice, served
with soda water
Roast leg of mutton with gravy
Mint sauce
Roasted pumpkin
Oven roasted potatoes
Mashed
potatoes
Asparagus with dutch sauce
Broad beans
Coffee
Cheese scones
Roberta's Robust Roast Leg Of Mutton
( Lamb ) with Gravy
Using a sharp knife, make deep slashes over the surface
of the joint. Season as desired.
Heat oven to 450 F and roast for 5 or 10 minutes, then
reduce heat to 325 F and roast
for a total of 20 minutes per pound and 20 minutes over, for a total of not less than 90 minutes.
Spoon fat from meat
over the roast ( baste ) at least twice during the cooking period. Drain fat and reserve the drippings in the bottom of the
pot for the gravy.
Put the roasting pan on the stove burner on high and heat, while scraping the drippings from bottom
of pan. This is important to use as it gives the delicious flavour you want to the gravy. Add 2 cups of mutton or beef stock
and keep stirring. Turn heat to med. high. Make a slurry of flour and water and slowly pour into the hot liquid in a steady
stream, stirring as you pour. Season as desired.
Marvelous Mint Sauce
Ingredients:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup beef broth
1/3 cup minced onions
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Procedure:
Combine 1 cup mint, broth, onions, and sugar in heavy small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer
2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 2 hours. Strain sauce into large glass measuring cup. Place cornstarch in
same saucepan. Gradually whisk in sauce. Bring to simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly. Stir until sauce thickens
slightly and turns translucent, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.
Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before continuing.) Stir in the vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoon mint.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes about 1 cup.
Serves 6.
Delicious Dutch Sauce (Hollandaise)
Ingredients:
4 teaspoons of vinegar
2 egg yolks
juice of half a lemon
Procedure:
Put six spoonfuls of water, and four of vinegar, into a sauce-pan; warm it through, and thicken it with the yolks of two
eggs.
Make it quite hot, but do not boil it.
Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon, and strain it through a sieve.
Julia prepared this dish for Adam and his family using Phemy's offering from the sea.
( From South Island Stowaway )
Noel's Favourite Fish Dish
Ingredients:
fish fillets or steaks (I would use
haddock or sole,
Julia used groper)
milk
butter (or margarine)
1 cup finely ground breadcrumbs
seasonings
(use your favourites, dill is nice)
1/2 cup grated cheese (I would use Canadian cheddar)
Procedure:
Lay fillets
separately in a shallow baking pan.
Add enough milk to cover bottom of the pan.
Dot with butter.
Mix breadcrumbs
with seasonings of your choice.
Rub with about a tbsp. of butter and the grated cheese.
Spread over the fish.
Bake
at 350 degrees till fish is flaky and tender (not too long, fish fillets cook quickly and should not be overcooked or will
be dry).
The suggestion for this recipe came from Michael. Thank you, Michael!
Tamsin's North Of England roots helped her to score points with Luke when she agreed to prepare this simple but delicious
dish.
( From Through All The Years )
Luke's Personal Panhaggeldy
Ingredients:
5 strips of bacon ( or more, if you
like it )
1 lb. of potatoes ( use firm-fleshed potatoes so that they retain their shape ), peeled and thinly sliced
2
medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste
Procedure:
Fry the bacon in a large, heavy,
oven-proof frying pan till done as you like it.
Remove bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and
drain on paper towels.
Remove the pan from the heat and layer the potatoes
and onions in the bacon drippings, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper.
Cover and gently cook about 30 to 40 minutes or until
tender to the fork.
Crumble the bacon over the vegetables and let it heat
through before serving.
This can be a vegetarian dish by using cooking oil
instead of bacon.
A common variation is to use cheese: 4 oz. of grated
cheddar cheese layered with the vegetables. When potatoes are almost done, uncover the pan and brown under the broiler.
This is a common dish in my family, though I didn't know it by this name until I read "Through All The Years". It
is delicious!
Mr. Anthony and Dinah prepared and shared an impromptu mixed grill one evening, much to Russell's chagrin.
( From The Smoke And The Fire )
Mr. Anthony's Mixed-Up Grill
A mixed grill is a traditional meal of British origin.
The old chop houses, taverns and grill rooms earned their reputations by serving the Englishman's favourite meats quickly
grilled over charcoal and garnished with tomato, mushrooms and watercress. This tasty, hot assortment included different meats
such as small chops (lamb or pork) or steak, kidney, liver, gammon and bacon or sausage, all grilled or broiled and often
served with a broiled tomato. Monty Python noted the addition of Spam in a certain kind of English restaurant!
Here's
what Mr. Anthony and Dinah prepared:
Ingredients:
pork chops
sausages
tomatoes
eggs
melted butter
salt and pepper
Procedure:
Prepare a charcoal grill, or pre-heat a grill to it's hottest. Brush the meat with
melted butter and season with salt and pepper.
Place the meat on the grill and cook for about 5-7 minutes each side, depending
on how you like it.
Add the eggs to the grill when the meat is nearly done and cook as you like them.
Remove to a
very hot plate and keep warm.
Brush the tomatoes and any other vegetables used with melted butter and grill for about
5 minutes.
Arrange on hot plates and garnish as desired.
Mr. Anthony and Dinah served their grill with coffee, applesauce,
mustard, bread and butter, and pickled onions.
Veronica and Stephie had to improvise with what was on hand to prepare an elegant meal for Veronica's mother. They both came
up trumps!
( From MacBride of Tordarroch )
Stephie's Superb Stuffed Pancakes
Cream Sauce:
Ingredients:
1/4 cup clarified
butter
2 oz. flour
1 qt. milk
1/4 cup of chopped onion
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp.
thyme
1/4 tsp. basil
salt
pepper
2 oz. heavy cream, heated
2 tsp. vegetable oil
3/4 of a pound of
mushrooms, coarsely chopped
Procedure:
Heat butter in a large skillet, on low heat.
Add the flour and whisk
to make a white roux.
Remove from heat to cool slightly.
Scald the milk in a saucepan, over medium heat.
Remove
from heat
Gradually beat the scalded milk into the roux.
Place over medium heat.
Heat and stir to a boil, reduce
heat to maintain a simmer. Add thyme, basil, garlic and onions to the sauce.
Simmer for 15-30 minutes, stirring often.
Add hot cream.
Season very lightly with salt and pepper. Strain.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tsp. of vegetable oil in a
large skillet. Add the mushrooms and saute till mushrooms are cooked.
Remove from oil and drain on paper towel.
Stir
into the cream sauce.
Top with melted butter to keep a skin from forming.
Keep warm in a bain marie. ( If you don't
have a bain marie you can make your own by putting the sauce in a metal mixing bowl over a pot of simmering water. )
Stir
often till ready till serve.
Serve hot or warm.
This recipe makes lots, so if you like, you can reserve some
sauce before adding the mushrooms, to use for another dish.
These pancakes are similar to crepes, which are more appropriate for the dish.
Pancakes:
Ingredients:
4 egg yolks
1/2
c milk
1/2 cup water
3 tbs. butter or margarine, melted
3/4 cup flour, all-purpose
1/2 tsp. salt
butter,
melted
Procedure:
In a mixing bowl, combine egg yolks, milk, water and 3 tablespoons melted butter; beat until
well blended.
Add flour and salt; beat until smooth.
Heat 10-inch omelet or crepe pan ( can use a non-stick frying
pan ) over medium-high heat, until just hot enough to sizzle a drop of water.
Brush pan lightly with melted butter.
For
each crepe, pour in 1/4 cup batter, tipping and tilting pan to move batter quickly over bottom.
Cook until lightly browned
on bottom and dry on top.
Remove pancake from pan or, if desired, turn and brown other side.
Brush pan lightly with
melted butter as needed to prevent sticking.
Stack pancakes between layers of wax paper until ready to fill.
To Assemble:
Spoon some cream filling down the centre of the pancake and roll the sides up and around, overlapping.
Place
in a deep casserole dish, side by side, and spoon extra sauce over them.
Heat in the oven at 250 degrees F. till heated
through.
This can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated till ready to heat.
Alternatively, the pancakes can be
kept warm on a heat-proof plate and filled just before serving.
VERONICA'S IMPROV BEEF STROGANOFF
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. beef sirloin, cut into
strips
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. of flour
1/2 cup of butter or margarine
1 cup of sliced onion
1 1/2 cups of fresh
or canned sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 cups of water
1 cup of beef broth, home-made or canned
1/2 cup of cooking sherry
( if desired )
1 clove of garlic
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. of thyme
1/2 cup of sour cream
paprika
Procedure:
Coat meat with 1/4 cup of flour and brown in 2 tbsp. of melted butter.
Remove from pan.
Melt remaining butter
in pan.
Saute garlic clove, onions and mushrooms.
Add meat, water, broth, sherry, bay leaf and thyme to vegetables.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and cover and simmer gently for 25 minutes.
Remove bay leaf and garlic clove.
Whisk
2 tbsp. of flour with 1/2 cup of water till smooth and
and stir into the mixture, keep stirring till smooth and thickened.
Keep warm until ready to serve, then add a dollop of sour cream to each serving and sprinkle withh paprika. Serves four.
VERONICA'S DEMI-DUCHESS POTATOES
Ingredients:
7 cups potatoes, peeled and cut into
1-1/2 inch chunks
3/4 cup of half & half, warmed
7 tbsp. butter or margarine, room temperature
2 egg yolks
1-1/2 tsp. salt
Procedure:
1. Cover potatoes with cold water in a large stock pot. Boil for 15 to 20 minutes
or until easily pierced with a fork.
2. Drain potatoes and return them to the stock pot. Put them back on the hot burner
for a few seconds to dry. Keep stirring.
3. "Mash" potatoes in a food mill or ricer over a large mixing bowl. Then mix
in the half & half, butter, egg yolks, and salt.
4. Place a large star-tip in a pastry bag, and fill the bag with
potato mixture. Pipe circular shapes onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
5. Alternately, pipe potatoes into rectangles,
backing potato mixture into itself. Continue piping until baking sheet is full.
6. Place baking sheet in a 450 degree
F. oven on the middle rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tops are lightly browned.
Note: Veronica used left-over
mashed potatoes for her dish. Since they have already been mashed with butter and milk, just add the egg yolk. Then follow
the recipe from step # 4.
The suggestion for the above four recipes came from Michael.
Thank you, Michael!
|
