Monday, September 12, 2016

Recipes by Edith Head: Chicken Casa Ladera; Corn Cakes and Tomato Sauce; Filet Mignon Deluxe; Pears Framboise with Raspberry Sauce; Salad Verde for Six



Edith Head's Chicken Casa Ladera

2 broiler fryers, cut in serving-size pieces
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
About 1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, chopped
About 1/3 cup flour
2 cups chicken stock (homemade or canned)
1/2 cup pitted black olives
3 tbsps. dry sherry
1 tbsp. chopped chives

Season chicken pieces well with salt, pepper and paprika. Saute in melted butter or margarine until golden brown on all sides. Cover and cook until tender. When chicken is done, remove from pan to heated platter. Saute mushrooms in pan drippings; lift out mushrooms.

Stir in flour. Cook over low heat, stirring, about 2 minutes. Gradually stir in chicken stock. Stir and cook over high heat until sauce is thickened and smooth.

Add olives, sherry and mushrooms; cook 5 minutes, stirring. Taste to correct seasonings. Pour sauce over hot chicken. Garnish with chives. Wonderful alone or served with rice. Serves 6-8.

Edith Head's Corn Cakes and Tomato Sauce

For tomato sauce:

2 tbsps. olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 can tomato puree
1/2 clove garlic, mashed
1 tsp. oregano
3 tbsps. green chili peppers, mashed
Salt to taste
1/2 cup seeded, diced black olives
1/2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms

Saute onion in oil; add remaining ingredients except olives and mushrooms.

Reduce over medium heat cooking about 10 minutes, stirring. Reheat before serving, adding olives and mushrooms.

For corn cakes:

1 1/3 cups white cornmeal
1 tbsp. flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 tsps. salt
2 cups sour milk
1/4 cup melted sweet butter
Softened sweet butter
1/2 cup julienne strips baked ham (turkey or grated cheddar)

Mix together cornmeal, flour, baking soda, salt, sour milk and melted butter; beat well. Brush griddle lightly with softened butter, heat until sizzling. Pour batter by spoonful on griddle; cook until bubbles form, turn. Serve by stacking layers of cakes spread with sauce. Top with ham (other leftovers, or butter-fried or poached eggs). To complete menu, start with chilled papayas sprinkled with fresh lime juice and finish with coffee espresso (made with half espresso, half regular coffee diluted with hot milk).

Edith Head's Filet Mignon Deluxe

Filet of beef (weighing 6 to 7 lbs.)
1 bottle dry red wine
1 yellow onion, sliced
2 bay leaves
2 cups chopped chicken livers
2 cups chopped mushroom caps
1/2 cup sweet butter
1 tsp. salt
1/16 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 tbsps. brandy
1 egg, lightly beaten

For crust:
1/3 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup cold water
Egg yolk mixed with a little water

Have butcher prepare filet as follows: Trim well, lard lightly, tie with 3 or 4 strings. (Filet mignon should weigh about 4 1/2 lbs. when oven-ready.) Place in glass (or enameled) pan. Pour wine over meat, add onion and bay leaves. Marinate at least 6 hours, turning often. Discard marinade; dry off meat, flatten top slightly with meat cleaver to form brick. Wash pan, place meat in pan, fat side up.

Saute chicken livers and mushrooms lightly in butter; remove from heat. Cool slightly, add salt, pepper, brandy and egg, mix well to form loose paste. Spread thickly on top of filet.

Use prepared pie crust or prepare pastry as follows:

Cut shortening into flour-salt mixture in mixing bowl with pastry blender. Gradually add enough cold water, mixing with fork, to form ball; turn out on lightly floured pastry cloth. Roll out in oblong shape of 1/4-inch thickness. Cover top, sides and ends of filet with pastry forming a blanket. Roast in preheated 425 degree F. oven until desired doneness (allow 3/4 hr. for rare, 1 hr. for medium well). Brush pastry lightly with egg yolk to brown pastry during last 15 minutes roasting time.

To serve, arrange filet on heated platter; slice through pastry and meat with sharp knife (or electric knife). Serve with Bearnaise (or Bordelaise) sauce. Serves 8-10.

Edith Head's Pears Framboise with Raspberry Sauce

Raspberry sauce (recipe below)
6 to 8 fresh Bartlett pears
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups water or 1 cup water and 1 cup sherry
1/2 of a cinnamon stick
Small Piece of lemon peel

Prepare raspberry sauce (recipe below). Peel pears, leaving stems on, if you wish.

Remove cores from bottoms using the small end of melon ball cutter or an apple corer. If necessary, remove a slice from bottom so that pear will stand straight.

Poach upright covered in sugar-water-cinnamon-lemon mixture, basting frequently until tender but still firm (about 20 minutes). Remove lemon peel and cinnamon stick, and cool pears in liquid.

At serving time, drain and place pears on serving dish. Top with raspberry sauce. Serves 6-8.

Raspberry Sauce

2 tbsps. cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen raspberries, thawed and not drained
1/3 cup framboise or sherry

Combine cornstarch and sugar in saucepan; stir in water. Cook, stirring
constantly until thickened and clear. Stir in raspberries and cool.

Add framboise or sherry. Chill covered, 1 to 2 hours. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Thoughts: If necessary, add a few drops of red food coloring to sauce to give it a deep raspberry color. If desired, serve with whipped cream. A smashingly beautiful dessert.

Edith Head's Salad Verde for Six

2/3 cup olive or salad oil
1/3 cup wine vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. sugar
1 head iceberg lettuce
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup chopped green onion

Combine olive oil (or salad oil), vinegar, salt, mustard, pepper and sugar in small jar or blender. Cover and shake to blend. Put aside until ready to use (makes about 1 cup).

Core, rinse and thoroughly drain lettuce; refrigerate in disposable plastic
bag or lettuce crisper. At serving time, tear lettuce into bite-size pieces and place in chilled salad bowl.

Add avocado slices and green onion; toss gently with dressing.

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