Recipes by Vikki Carr: Arroz a la Catalana; Christmas Chicken; Ranch Salad

Vikki Carr's Arroz a la Catalana

1 cleaned broiler-fryer chicken, weighing about 3 pounds, cut into serving-size pieces
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 cup dry white wine (more if desired)
3 tbsps. olive oil
1 lb. squid
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup tomatoes, peeled and chopped
18 mussels, well-scrubbed to remove sand and seaweed
1 cup frozen green peas
2 cups uncooked long-grain rice
1/2 tsp. salt
3 small cloves of garlic
Pinch of saffron
1 pimiento

Saute chicken in vegetable oil until golden. Add thyme and wine. Cover and  continue cooking until almost done then remove chicken. Heat 2 tbsps. olive oil in separate pan. Clean and cut up squid; add to heated olive oil.

Cover and cook over low heat until soft. Add onions, cook slightly. Add tomatoes, then the mussels. Cover the pan and continue to cook until mussels open, shaking the pan from time to time.

In pan in which chicken was cooked, fry the rice for a few minutes in 1 tbsp. olive oil, stirring constantly. Add 4 cups boiling salted water and stir.

Combine chicken and squid-onion-tomato-mussel mixture with rice and water. Cook until rice is almost tender then add peas. Season with salt.

Pound garlic with saffron in a mortar. Add to pan and cook 20 minutes longer. Decorate with strips of pimiento and serve at once. Serves 4-6.

Thoughts: Miss Carr's chicken dish is a form of paella. If desired, substitute shrimp or crab for squid. If desired, the chicken broth in lieu of water.

Vikki Carr's Christmas Chicken

1 cleaned broiled-fryer chicken, weighing about 3 lbs.
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. rosemary
2-3 tbsps. butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup dry white wine

Wash bird, remove giblets. Season cavity well with 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper and 1/2 tsp. rosemary. Close cavity, securing with skewers or by sewing. Tie wings and legs in place.

Rub outside skin all over with melted butter or margarine. Season outside of bird evenly with remaining salt, pepper and rosemary. Place bird on rack, breast-side up, in roasting pan. Bake in preheated 400 degrees F. oven 40 minutes, basting often with wine and pan drippings.

Reduce heat to 300 degrees F. and roast 20 minutes longer or until bird is done (when drumstick moves easily in the socket). Let bird firm up a few minutes before carving. Make gravy as desired.

Delicious with steamed vegetables, a nice garden salad and fruit for dessert. Serves 3.

Vikki Carr's Ranch Salad

1/2 lb. small elbow macaroni
1/2 cup sliced celery
2 tbsps. sliced pimientos
1 green pepper, diced
1 cup cooked green peas
1/2 tsp. salt
1 can (7 ozs.) green chile salsa
1 cup dairy sour cream
1 cup diced cheddar cheese
Lettuce

Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain. Combine with celery, pimientos, green pepper, peas and salt. Pour green chile salsa over all.

Marinate several hours. Stir in sour cream and cheese. Mix thoroughly. Spoon into lettuce-lined bowl. Serves 6-8.

Karen Carpenter's Chewy Pie

Karen Carpenter's Chewy Pie

16 saltine crackers, crushed
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 egg whites
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 pint whipping cream
3/4 cup nuts, chopped
Chocolate shavings

Crush saltines. Mix sugar and baking powder together and add to saltines. Beat egg whites until stiff, and then fold in saltine mixture. Fold in nuts. Add vanilla and pour into well-buttered pie dish. Bake 35 minutes. Open oven door and let sit with the door open about 10 minutes. After it is completely cool, beat whipping cream and cover, sprinkle with chocolate shavings and refrigerate. Chill until ready to serve. Serves 8.

Recipes by Art Carney: Avocado-Grapefruit-Endive Salad; Chef Salad

Art Carney's Avocado-Grapefruit-Endive Salad

For the sour cream dressing:
7 tablespoons salad oil
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Add salad oil to sour cream one tablespoon at a time; mix well then add vinegar. Blend well. Add seasonings. Set aside.

For the salad:
2 white grapefruit
2 avocados, ripe but firm
Wedge lemon (or lime)
2 endives
Several sprigs fresh dill

Peel and section grapefruit, removing all the white skin and fibers. Peel avocados, cut in small pieces, squeeze with fresh lemon to prevent fruit from turning brown. Clean endive well, shake well in salad basket and dry thoroughly. Discard any outer leaves that are discolored. Arrange grapefruit sections, avocados and endive leaves in large salad bowl. Pour sour cream dressing over all. Garnish with chopped fresh dill. Serve at once. Serves four.

Art Carney's Chef Salad

For the oil and vinegar dressing:
1/2 cup salad oil
1/4 cup wine vinegar
2 teaspoons paprika
2 garlic cloves
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Mix and marinate several hours, stirring occasionally. Remove garlic buds just before pouring over salad.

For the salad bowl:
Chilled dried Boston or Bibb lettuce
Spinach leaves
Watercress
Curly endive
Romaine
Cucumber slices or sticks
Carrot (grated or cut in curls)
Tomato wedges or cherry tomatoes
Red or white cabbage cut in julienne
Onion rings (sweet Bermuda or red Italian onion)
Mushrooms caps, cut in thin slices
Radishes, sliced or trimmed to form roses
Scraps of meats; bits of cold cooked tongue, slivers of boiled or baked ham, breast of chicken or turkey cut in julienne, matchsticks of cold cooked roast beef, shelled shrimp, hard cooked
Slivers of American or Cheddar cheese
Hard-cooked eggs, peeled, cut in quarters or cut in round slices

Arrange greens, vegetables, meat, poultry, eggs, etc. in individual (or large serving) bowl to form an attractive pattern. Serve dressing on the side. Season salad with salt and coarsely ground pepper. Include hot Italian or French bread and tall glasses of iced tea or coffee to complete menu.

Thoughts: Obviously, Art's chef salad is intended as a guideline for the salad chef. Use as few or as many ingredients as the individual tastes dictate, but be certain all ingredients, particularly the greens, are crunchy and well chilled. Serve salad very cold, using minimal amounts oil-vinegar dressing so as not to drown the salad. 

Recipes by Claudia Cardinale: Fettuccine alla Carcerata; Insalatina Rose

Claudia Cardinale's Fettuccine alla Carcerata

4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon minced shallots or green onions
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/3 cups milk
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/16 tablespoon white pepper
Pinch of ground nutmeg
8 mushrooms, chopped and sauteed in 1 tablespoon butter
1/2 pound egg noodles
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
8 slices cooked, drained, crumbled bacon (or 1/2 cup chopped, cooked prosciutto ham)

Melt butter, add minced shallots and cook aver low heat until tender. Stir In flour, cook 1 minute over low heat, stirring.

Slowly stir in milk, stock, white pepper and nutmeg. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring constantly over low heat. Strain, add cooked mushrooms.

Meanwhile cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse well with cool water then hot water.

Spoon sauce over hot cooked noodles. Top with Parmesan cheese, bacon (or prosciutto ham). Serve with chilled dry white wine (Soave or Orvieto) as first course. Serves 4 as appetizer.

Claudia Cardinale's Insalatina Rose

Red onion rings
Washed, drained, crisp bronze head (or escarole) lettuce
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon dried mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon minced Italian parsley
Garlic-flavored croutons

Combine onion rings in a small bowl with olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Mix well and let stand 5 minutes.

Break lettuce into bite-size pieces in large salad bowl. Add parsley, croutons, onion rings and dressing. Toss lightly. Serve at once.

Thoughts: California-grown bronze head or "red" lettuce closely resembles the red lettuce grown in Italy. The American variety, a loose-leaf head lettuce available in limited quantities in Suncoast markets or home gardens, closely compares to escarole in appearance and flavor.

Recipes by Truman Capote: Fettuccine; Souffle Furstenberg

Truman Capote's Fettuccine

1 lb. fettuccine noodles
Few drops of vegetable oil
Boiling salted water
1/2 cup prosciutto ham, cut in 1-inch squares
1/2 cup lean bacon, cut in small pieces
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup hot heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup finely grated Gruyere (or Parmesan) cheese

Place noodles in boiling salted water (a few drops of oil prevents noodles from sticking). Cover. Cook al dente (8-9 minutes). Drain in colander, keep warm. Meanwhile, cook prosciutto and bacon over low heat until crisp and brown; pour off half the fat. Put noodles in lightly buttered chafing dish; add prosciutto ham-bacon mixture; toss lightly and quickly. Break in egg yolks, one at a time, toss quickly. Add hot cream, salt and pepper to taste, toss quickly. Serve at once on heated plates. Serve au natural or let guests add grated Gruyere (or Parmesan) at table. Serve with crisp arugula salad (dressed with lemon-oil dressing) and well-chilled white wine. Serves 6.

Thoughts: Success with this recipe is in having all ingredients ready and to serve within seconds after they are cooked. For a delightful variation, Truman suggests omitting eggs and substituting large garden-ripe tomato, peeled and crushed.

Truman Capote's Souffle Furstenberg

4 eggs, very lightly poached
3 tbsps. butter
3 tbsps. flour
1 cup milk
1/8 tsp. white pepper
1/8 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
4 egg yolks
5 egg whites
1 cup chopped fresh spinach
2 ozs. Gruyere cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Poach eggs very lightly; cool. Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in flour, cook until bubbly and smooth while stirring. Add milk all at once; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick and smooth. Season with white pepper and nutmeg. Remove from heat. Add egg yolks to sauce, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in finely chopped spinach and cheese. Beat egg whites in separate bowl until stiff, but not dry. Fold beaten egg whites into spinach-sauce mixture. Spoon 3 generous tbsps. souffle mixture into 4 individual well-greased souffle cups (each cup capacity). Gently slide one poached egg into each cup; cover with remaining souffle mixture. Divide cheese between each souffle. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Bake 18-20 minutes. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Recipes by Dyan Cannon: Gooiest, Stickiest Chinese Spareribs; Quiche Lorraine

Dyan Cannon's Gooiest, Stickiest Chinese Spare Ribs

4 lbs. spare ribs, cut into serving portions
2 scallions (white part only), chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed
4 tbsps. chili sauce
2 tbsps. tomato ketchup
3 tbsps. soy sauce
3 tbsps. brown sugar
1/2 cup honey (or corn syrup)
1/2 cup pineapple (or other sweet-sour) fruit juice
2 tsps. lemon juice (or vinegar to taste)
1/16 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. ground mustard
1 heaping tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. powdered ginger

1. Prepare marinade by heating all the ingredients (except the spare ribs) in saucepan to boiling. Pour over spare ribs in flat deep glass heatproof baking dish. Cover tightly, refrigerate, marinate overnight, turning several times.

2. Bake spare ribs in preheated 325 degree F. oven for about 2 hours (or until tender). Run under broiler to brown and crisp. Do not put ribs too close to flame or they will burn. Serves 6.

Thoughts: Following Dyan's cooking premise of adding extra bits and snatches, she suggests, "if you're in a hurry. use a good bottled barbecue sauce and improvise by adding, at will, such goodies as minced preserved kumquats, dry sherry (or Cointreau), spices (from ginger to mace), thin slices of lemon or orange.

Dyan Cannon's Quiche Lorraine

9-inch unbaked pie shell (homemade or use a prepared pie crust mix)
3/4 lb. lean bacon
1/4 cup strained bacon fat
2 tbsps. minced onion
1 tsp. butter
2 eggs, plus one extra yolk
2 cups light cream
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 heaping tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. white pepper (or cayenne)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 lb. grated Gruyere (or Swiss) cheese

1. Line deep 9-inch pie plate with the short pastry; prick several times. Partially bake in preheated 400 degree F. oven 10 minutes (or until shell begins to brown.

2. Cook bacon slowly until crisp and brown; drain bacon on absorbent paper; break into bits. Strain bacon grease retaining 1/4 cup. Cool.

3. Saute onion in butter until transparent; set aside. Beat eggs until light. Add cream, powdered and Dijon mustard, salt, nutmeg, white pepper (or cayenne), bacon grease and all but 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Mix well.

4. Put remaining Parmesan cheese on bottom of partially baked crust. Top with onion, half the bacon bits, and Gruyere (or Swiss) cheese. Pour custard over all. Garnish with remaining bacon bits and a grating of nutmeg. Bake in 375 degrees F. oven until filling is golden and puffy (or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean).

5. Slice to serve, whether hot, at room temperature or cold. Serve as hors d'oeuvres or luncheon-supper main dish. Serves 6-8 for main course.

Recipes by Godfrey Cambridge: Filet of Beef in Pungent Marinade; Spaghetti Carbonara

Godfrey Cambridge's Filet of Beef in Pungent Marinade

1 1/2 lbs. boneless filet of beef
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. barbecue seasoning
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. unflavored meat tenderizer
1 1/2 cups teriyaki sauce
1 small yellow onion, sliced
1 tsp. onion flakes
1 small clove garlic, pressed
1 tsp. marjoram

1. Cut beef in thin strips across the grain. Combine chili powder, barbecue seasoning, paprika and meat tenderizer, blend well. Rub meat slices on both sides with the seasoned powder. Arrange meat in a shallow glass bowl. Combine teriyaki sauce, sliced onion, onion flakes, garlic and marjoram in bowl, mix. Spoon over meat strips.

2. ***Marinate uncovered at room temperature*** 8 hours, turning several times. Broil to desired doneness (or barbecue outdoors over coals). Serve with wild rice and a tray of "nibbles" (fresh vegetables) cut in bite-size pieces (carrots, cauliflowerettes, green pepper rings, cherry tomatoes, etc.). Serves 6.

*** Recipes is from 1970. Marinating at room temperature causes meat to enter the danger zone (between 40 degrees F. and 140 degrees F.) where bacteria multiply rapidly. If your recipe calls for marinating uncovered at room temperature, cover meat, increase the marinating time and marinate in the refrigerator.

Thoughts: The seasoned powder can be altered to suit the individual palate. For example, cayenne pepper or ground chili pepper (or red devil sauce) can be added for those who like a "hot steak." For a milder version, use sweet paprika and the sweeter spices (ginger or mace).

Godfrey Cambridge's Spaghetti Carbonara

6 slices lean bacon, diced
6 tbsps. butter
1 medium-sized onion, minced
1/2 cup light (or heavy) cream
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 egg yolks, beaten
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 lb. spaghetti
1 heaping tbsp. minced fresh parsley

1. Saute bacon, drain on paper, discarding fat. Set aside.

2. Melt 2 tbsps. butter in skillet, add minced onion, saute until tender; set aside.

3. Combine cream, wine, egg yolks, Parmesan cheese, remaining butter, salt and pepper in top of a double boiler; mix well. Cook over hot water, stirring until sauce is thick and smooth.

4. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente (firm but tender to the tooth). Drain. While spaghetti is very hot, toss lightly with cheese. Garnish with onion, bacon, parsley and additional grated cheese as desired. Serve with tossed green salad. Serves 4.

Thoughts: Sausage (link or bulk) mild to hot may be used. Cook link sausages separately, cut into rounds to garnish. Saute bulk sausage with onion, pouring off excess fat. For a Lenten offering, omit bacon, increase amount of grated Parmesan to 1 1/2 cups.