Category: Food

A collection of recipes, recollections about food and old cookbooks.

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Mrs. Rasmussen’s Book of One Arm Cookery

Among my old cookbooks is “Mrs. Rasmussen’s Book of One Arm Cookery“, which if Mom reads this, will probably want back. Published in 1946 with terrific “Decorations” by George Price, it is written by Mary Lasswell who had written “Suds in Your Eyes“. Mrs. Rasmussen was the cook in that book. Mom said she and Daddy loved it.

The recipes are very simple with a surprising number of Mexican ones using Mexene which I think means chili powder. I liked this one for Corn Bread though I don’t think there is any modern source for Clabber.

Corn Bread

1 cup clabber; if not available, use buttermilk
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon soda
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups yellow water-ground cornmeal

Beat the clabber, eggs, salt and soda together in a bowl using a rotary egg-beater. Pour into a pre-heated pan, well greased with any unsalted fat. Let the pan get smoking hot. This forms a crisp brown crust on the outside of the cornmeal and leaves a moist middle. Put the fat in the pan and swish it around to cover the sides. Let it heat in the oven. Have the oven hot.

Amazon still carries the book and you can “look inside” to get the index and some recipes.

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Cheesy Almond Bacon Dip

From Mom, who has people over all the time who need a little something to nibble on.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped
1 pound bacon, fried until crispy and crumbled
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 cup scallions, chopped
8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoons chili sauce
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
ground pepper

Prepare the first 4 ingredients. In a food processor, combine the remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Pour into a bowl and stir in the almonds, bacon, cheddar and scallions. (Or, for a smoother dip, all ingredients can be processed together.) Refrigerate until ready to be used. Can be garnished with almonds, bacon, cheese or scallions.

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Real Chicken Liver Pate

PateI tried to make this the other day for a party on New Year’s Eve but did not have the recipe. It is very good, very fattening, and when I bring it to a party, there is never any left to take home. I am putting it up here so I can find it again wherever I am.

Basically from Julie Dannenbaum’s “Creative Cooking School”.

Ingredients:

1 lb. chicken livers
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups finely chopped Bermuda onions
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons brandy
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon Spice Parisienne or allspice
1 tablespoon Benedictine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped black truffles or crushed pistachios

(I have never bothered with the Benedictine, truffles or pistachios. However, flaming the brandy is fun.)

Wash the chicken livers and pat dry. Melt 1/4 cup butter in large skillet over high heat, when foaming stops, add the chicken livers and brown. When turning over, add the onions and cook until the onion is wilted. Remove from heat, add salt and pepper and flame with brandy. (I use a long handled buttermelter, warmed, to pour from.)

Then stir in sour cream, spices and Benedictine. Puree nicely and chill at least 30 minutes. Beat 1 cup butter in mixer until light and creamy. Add chilled chicken liver mixture and continue beating until smooth. Season for taste and add in lemon juice and truffles or pistachios if you are using them. Chill in refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Keeps well, but you need to put Saran wrap, aspic or butter on top to keep it from darkening. Let stand a while at room temperature before serving.

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Savory Cheese Dollars

I made these for Wowie when she was sick and she seemed to like them, at least she ate them. Somewhat similar to cheese straws, though easier to make. Can be served warm or cold.

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
sprinkle of black pepper, freshly ground
pinch of cayenne pepper
4 ounces (or 1 cup) grated sharp Cheddar cheese
8 tablespoons unsalted butter

Can be made in the food processor or electric mixer. In the food processor, first mix the flour, salt and peppers in a small bowl. Process the butter and the cheese cut into small chunks until well mixed, add flour mixture and pulse until well blended.

Refrigerate dough for about an hour. Cut dough into 3 pieces and roll into 1 inch rolls. Can be refrigerated for 3 days at this stage, or well-wrapped, frozen for 3 months.

Pre heat oven to 425 degrees. Slice dough into 1/4 inch slices. Place on cookie sheets and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned.

(From “Rose’s Christmas Cookies” by Rose Levy Beranbaum)

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How Mom Cooks Her Turkey, and sets off the fire alarm


Mom tried a new method (or really an old method) of cooking the turkey this year. See the November Gourmet Magazine, page 180 for the whys and wherefores. They cooked 40 turkeys. Mom only had to do one to know that it was perfect.

Basically, first clean out your oven and put away the smoke alarm. Then, salt and pepper the turkey, put it in a 450 degree oven and cook until the meat thermometer reaches 170 degrees. It took less than 2 hours for a 14 pound turkey. The results were lovely, crisp skin and moist white meat.

There is no basting, no need, if your oven heats evenly, to turn the bird, or even, because we didn’t have one the right size, the need for a rack.

The only problem was that the smoke, even from a fairly clean oven, turned on the smoke alarm and we had to wait until John Sweeney came to take it down.

Highly recommended.

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Nectarine Chutney

JamActually, this is the recipe I used for nectarine chutney. It can also be used for peaches, however, the nectarines do not need to be peeled so they are easier. The first time I made this, the temperature was about 100 degrees but it was worth it.

From Better Than Store-Bought by Helen Witty and Elizabeth Schneider Colchie, 1979.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds very firm peaches or nectarines (to make 7 cups when cut in 1/2 inch dice)
2 cups golden raisins
1 1/2 cups medium-finely chopped onion
1 cup cider vinegar, or more
1 cup water, or as needed
1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 cup sugar, more as desired
2 teaspoons very finely chopped garlic
3 tablespoons minced fresh gingerroot
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 sticks cinnamon (each about 2 inches long) broken in half
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoons turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine ingredients in kettle and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently until the fruit is translucent and the chutney is thick enough to mound up slightly on a spoon. May need to add more water.

Taste and add more sugar or vinegar if you wish. Remove cinnamon sticks. Can normally re Ball Blue Book instructions. Makes about 7 half-pint jars.

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Potato Lace

From a Jaques Pepin 1982 cookbook, “Everyday Cooking”, this is a thinner, crisper version of the typical potato pancake. Shredding and grating can be done with a food processor or a hand grater. The trick to getting airy, not starchy potatoes is to really squeeze out the liquid in a tea towel before mixing with the other ingredients.

Ingredients:

1 large or 2 medium onions (for 1/2 cup grated onions)
3 to 4 large potatoes, peeled (1 3/4 lb.)
3 eggs
2 tablespoons flour
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
vegetable oil for cooking

Grate the onions into a smooth puree. Shred the potatoes and squeeze out the liquid. Combine with the other ingredients and mix thoroughly in a non-reactive bowl.

Heat oil in skillet and put about 3 tablespoonsful of mixture in for each pancake, flattening and spreading out so that it is thin with holes showing through. Fry for about 2 minutes a side on medium high heat. Best when eaten as soon as possible. That is usually not a problem since they are very good. Applesauce is traditionally served with them.

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Lord Love a Duck


I have seen similar methods of defatting a duck in a number of cookbooks. This one works very well. Without first defatting a Long Island Duck, it is very easy to set the oven on fire (ask me how I know) because of the amazing amounts of fat that pours out.

From “Keeping Company” by Moira Hodgson –

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add a duck, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove and drain. Salt the duck. Using a hand-held hairdryer, dry the outside of the ducks for 8 minutes, wiping away the drops of fat that appear on the surface.

After this, you can cook the duck normally. Hodgson’s recipe uses a ginger, garlic and thyme mixture which is pretty good.

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Gastronomica – Julia Child Issue

Gastronomica – Summer 05

If you can find a copy of this magazine it is well worth reading. The entire issue is devoted to Julia Child and is mostly wonderful with exception of one young cook who wants cookbooks with shorter recipes and pictures. The younger generation may not get it. But Mommy, Jane, Barbara and I will. There are several articles that can be downloaded on the website.

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Indian Chutney


Finally found my chutney recipe in “Putting Food By” – 1979. The nice thing about this recipe is that you can use apples, peaches or pears depending what is in season. I think I actually used nectarines once. For directions re canning, use the latest Ball Blue Book method so as to not poison your family and friends.

Ingredients:
juice, pulp and peel of 1 lemon finely chopped
2 cups cider vinegar
2 1/2 cups dark brown sugar (1 lb.)
1 clove garlic, minced
pinch of cayenne pepper
pinch of chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
5 1/2 cups coarsely chopped firm apples, or peaches or pears
3/4 cup crystallized ginger, cut small
1 1/2 cups raisins, preferably seeded (1/2 lb.)

Boil all the ingredients except the fruit and ginger for about 30 minutes. Then add fruit, ginger and raisins and boil slowly until syrup is thick – about 30 to 45 minutes. Can in the normal way. A good thermometer helps. Makes 3 pints or 6 1/2 pints.