Lorne Greene's Pepper Steak

Lorne Greene's Pepper Steak

2 tbsps. whole black peppercorns, crushed
3 tbsps. brandy
4 club steaks, each weighing 1 lb.
6 tbsps. butter (or margarine)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsps. minced scallions
2 tbsps. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. fresh lemon Juice
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsps. chopped parsley

In a small bowl, combine black pepper with brandy; let stand 1 hour. With the heel of your hand, press some of the pepper mixture into both sides of the steaks. Place steaks in snug-fitting dish. Pour remaining brandy over all. Cover and refrigerate 8 to 12 hours. In a medium saucepan, melt butter (or margarine). Add garlic and scallions; saute 3 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, salt and parsley. Remove from heat, set aside. Place steaks on broiler rack, under a preheated hot broiler 3-5 minutes on each side (or until meat is broiled to desired doneness). Remove steaks to heated platter. Spoon heated sauce over steaks just before serving. Great served with thick slices of beefsteak tomatoes and-or huge tossed green salad, and asparagus spears sprinkled with buttered crumbs. Serves 4.

Lee Grant's Chicken Malibu

Lee Grant's Chicken Malibu

2 broiler-fryer chickens, each weighing 2 1/2 to 3 lbs., cut in pieces
8 chicken wings
1/2 cup olive oil
2 yellow onions, chopped
2 green peppers, chopped
1 clove garlic, pressed
3 small carrots, grated
1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced
1/4 stick sweet butter
2 tsps. salt
1/2 tsp. white pepper
2-3 tsps. curry powder (must be freshly opened can)
3 tbsps. parsley
1 bay leaf
Pinch of thyme
3 cans undiluted chicken stock
Flour to thicken
Hot cooked brown and wild rice

Wash chicken parts, pat pieces dry with paper towels. Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven (or deep stew pot); quickly brown chicken on both sides; remove to paper towel to drain off excessive fat. Add onions, green peppers, garlic and carrots to pan drippings. Saute vegetables over low heat until limp. On other burner, slowly cook mushrooms in butter, adding salt, white pepper and curry powder, until mushrooms are brown and seasonings are well-blended. Add mushroom-curry mixture to Dutch oven (or stock pot) along with chicken. Add parsley, bay leaf, thyme and chicken stock (enough liquid to cover vegetables and chicken pieces, adding water if necessary). Cover and cook in preheated 350 degrees F. oven about 40 minutes (or until chicken is tender).

Remove from oven, cool to room temperature, chill in refrigerator until fat congeals on top. Remove and discard fat. Make gravy using flour dissolved in a little chicken stock to form a smooth paste before adding to main pot. Reheat chicken, stirring to smooth and thicken gravy. Taste to correct seasonings. Serve over cooked brown and wild rice. Butter-browned slivered and candied kumquats make colorful, tasteful garnishing for chicken. Excellent served with a well-chilled white or rose wine. Serves 12.

Thoughts: Lazy cooks may use cream of mushroom soup (or cream of celery soup) mixed with cream of chicken soup, flavored with a hint of mace in lieu of thyme.

Cary Grant's Oven-Barbecued Chicken

Cary Grant's Oven-Barbecued Chicken

1 (4 1/2 pound) whole chicken (cut into pieces)
1/2 cup oil (vegetable oil, for frying)
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup A-1 sauce
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 (8 ounce) yellow onion, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons cornstarch (or more if needed)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium till hot. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Fry the chicken pieces in the hot oil in batches until browned. Place browned chicken pieces in a 9 x 13 baking dish.

In a saucepan, combine ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, water, A-1 sauce, sugar, cider vinegar, onion and garlic. Whisk together over medium heat until warm.

In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tbsps. cornstarch with 2 tbsps. cold water until smooth. Slowly add the cornstarch mixture to the barbecue sauce, whisking until incorporated. Continue to whisk over medium heat until the sauce is hot, bubbly, and thickened. Remove from heat. Pour the sauce evenly across the top of the chicken pieces.

Cover the roasting dish with foil. Bake the chicken for 60-75 minutes, or until the meat is tender and well cooked. Remove from the oven.

If you'd like to serve extra sauce with the chicken, skim the fat drippings from the top of the sauce.

To thicken the leftover sauce, pour it into a saucepan and heat over medium heat.

Mix together equal amounts of cornstarch and water, a half tablespoon at a time, and slowly whisk into the sauce. Heat and add the cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly, until desired consistency is reached.

Serve chicken warm with the thickened barbecue sauce on the side.

Virginia Graham's Coffee Toffee Pie

Virginia Graham's Coffee Toffee Pie

For the pastry shell:

1 package pie crust mix
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups walnuts, finely chopped
2 squares unsweetened chocolate, grated
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons water

For the filling:

1 cup soft butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 squares unsweetened chocolate (melted and cooled)
4 teaspoons instant coffee
4 eggs

For the topping:

3 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons instant coffee
3/4 cup powdered sugar

For the pastry, combine pastry ingredients and mix well with a fork. Turn into a well-greased 11-inch pie plate. Press firmly against bottom and sides of plate. Bake 15 minutes in a 375 degrees F. oven. Cool on rack.

For the filling, using electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter until creamy. Gradually add sugar. Beat until light. Blend in chocolate and instant coffee. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Then beat for five more minutes. Pour into the cool pie shell. Cover and put in refrigerator. Chill overnight.

For the topping, combine heavy cream, instant coffee, and powdered sugar. Chill in refrigerator for two hours. Then beat until stiff. Spread topping on pie. Chill for three hours before serving. Serves 8-10.

Recipes by Billy Graham: Chinese Cabbage; Chinese Eggs; Lazy Man's Rice; Steak and Potatoes

Billy Graham's Chinese Cabbage

1 lb. Chinese cabbage, sliced in 1-inch lengths
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
A little salt (to taste)

1. Heat skillet with oil and salt for about 2 minutes. Add cabbage and stir. Cover pan, simmer 3 minutes or until cabbage is barely tender. Makes 4 servings. Complete menu by serving cabbage alone with rice or with sweet-sour ribs. Serve with quantities of hot green tea.

Thoughts: If desired vary the formula with additions of small quantities of chopped green scallions. dried shrimp, chopped ginger root, hot red pepper; or rotate vegetables using Chinese pea pods (fresh or frozen), spinach, bean sprouts, Chinese mushrooms or mustard greens in combination.

Billy Graham's Chinese Eggs

6 eggs
4-6 spring onions, finely chopped (white part only)
1/4 head of lettuce (iceberg), chopped fine
2 tbsps. soy sauce
1 tbsp. sugar
Dash of ground ginger (or a few scrapings of fresh ginger root if available)
Dash of garlic powder (or few drops pressed garlic)
Vegetable oil

1. Combine all ingredients in bowl except vegetable oil. Heat skillet with just enough vegetable oil to cover bottom of skillet. Pour mixture into skillet. Cook quickly but do not burn. Cook on one side only; top will cook enough to become firm. Remove from skillet; roll up jelly-roll fashion. Serve with rice. Makes about 4 servings.

Billy Graham's Lazy Man's Rice

Prepared in a pressure cooker:

Put even amounts long-grained rice and water in a pressure saucepan. Allow rice to cook according to the package instructions, or allow pressure to rise to 10 pounds, time for 5 minutes, then allow the steam to go down on its own without forcing pressure down by running under cold water.

Billy Graham's Steak and Potatoes

For the potatoes:

One hour before you plan to serve dinner, dig holes in the bed of a good wood fire that's been going all day long, bury scrubbed Irish potatoes in the coals and allow 1 hour roasting time. Note: It is unnecessary to wrap the potatoes in anything. At serving time, remove from coals with tongs, brush off outside, split, fill with butter, salt and pepper.

For the steak:

Select your favorite cut of steak -- Porterhouse, sirloin, etc. -- but have it cut at least two inches thick. If desired, rub both sides of steak with cut garlic. Place on grill over coals cooking to degree of rareness according to one's taste. Serve with your favorite tossed green salad and bread (preferably French or Italian) toasted over the coals.

Thoughts: Billy Graham advises, "This menu is best on a cold winter day when you would have a wood fire going all day long." She was inspired by a small restaurant in the south of France.

Frank Gorshin's Pepper Steak

Frank Gorshin's Pepper Steak

1 1/2 pounds top sirloin
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons bacon fat
1 medium onion, minced
1 small clove garlic, finely minced
2 teaspoons sweet Hungarian paprika
Pinch of cayenne
1 cup beef stock
1/4 cup tomato puree
2 Italian frying peppers, cut in 1/4-inch strips
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cut the beef on the diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place the beef between sheets of waxed paper and pound with a kitchen mallet until 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle lightly with flour and salt. Heat the bacon fat in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add beef and brown well on all sides. Remove and keep warm. Add the onion to the skillet and sauté over medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic, stir, and cook for less than a minute. Add the paprika and pinch of cayenne pepper; cook for a few seconds. Stir in the beef stock and the tomato puree, scraping up the bottom of the pan. As the mixture begins to simmer, return the beef to the pan. Partially cover and cook until the beef is tender, about 45 minutes. Add the Italian frying peppers, re-cover partially and simmer until the peppers are softened, about 15-20 minutes. Serve with sour cream on a bed of caraway-seeded wide egg noodles. Serves 4.

Eydie Gorme's Spinach Frittata

Eydie Gorme's Spinach Frittata

1/3 cup salad oil
1 cup matzo meal
Two 10 1/2-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
8 ounces pot cheese (or large curd, cream-style cottage cheese)
6 large eggs
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan (or Romano cheese)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/16 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
Plain yogurt

Grease 8 x 12 x 2-inch layer pan generously with some of the oil; sprinkle matzo meal evenly over the bottom of the pan.

Squeeze excess water from frozen thawed spinach, place in mixing bowl with pot (or cottage) cheese. In separate bowl, beat 5 eggs until lemon-colored. Stir into spinach-cheese mixture. Add Parmesan (or Romano) cheese, remaining vegetable oil, salt and pepper. Stir lightly to blend. Pour over matzo crust distributing evenly throughout.

Add feta cheese to spinach-egg layer, distributing evenly. Beat remaining egg until light, pour in a thin stream over the entire surface forming top custard crust.

Bake in preheated 425 degree oven, cooking about 30 minutes or until top is golden brown and filling is puffy. Remove from oven, cut in squares, remove from pan with spatula. Serve at once with a mixed green salad and chilled yogurt. Serves 4.

Thoughts: The Gorme frittata is similar to the traditional Turkish pastry called borek (means pastry in Turkish). The Middle Eastern version is made by preparing an egg-butter pastry to line a pie plate and filling with a spinach-onion-feta cheese mixture, sealed with pastry top and baked in a hot oven. The dairy dish is thought to have been brought to Turkey by the Sephardic (Spanish) Jews during the time of the Inquisition.