Recipes by Mike Douglas: Buttermilk Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Butter Cream Icing; Caesar Douglas Salad; Irish Stew Pie

Mike Douglas' Buttermilk Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Butter Cream Icing

1 cup butter
2 cups white sugar
5 eggs, beaten separately
4 squares unsweetened chocolate (melted and cooled)
2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 tsp. soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream together butter and sugar. Add beaten yolks and melted chocolate. Beat well.

Sift together flour, soda and salt. Add alternately to creamed mixture with the buttermilk. Add vanilla. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites; pour into a large oblong baking pan that has been greased and floured.

Bake in preheated 350 degrees F. oven until done (about 25 minutes). Test with toothpick. When it comes out clean, cake is done.

Chocolate Butter Cream Icing:
1/2 stick butter, melted
3 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
4 tbsps. half-and-half
1 tsp. vanilla
1 beaten egg yolk
1 lb. confectioners sugar

Combine melted butter and chocolate. Add remaining ingredients blending until smooth and of spreading consistency. Spread on cake while still warm. Cut cake in squares to serve.

Mike Douglas' Caesar Douglas Salad

1 clove garlic, quartered
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2/3 cup olive oil
2 eggs, coddled
2 heads romaine lettuce
1 head iceberg lettuce
1 large ripe avocado
2 tablespoons anchovy paste
Juice of two lemons
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2/3 cup croutons
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Put garlic, salt and pepper in the olive oil and let it marinate several hours or overnight. Remove garlic. Coddle eggs by placing two room temperature eggs into boiling water for one minute and then removing and setting aside until needed. Wash and dry lettuce, tear into bite-size pieces, and refrigerate until needed. Cut avocado in half, remove pit, spoon out pulp and mash in a large wooden salad bowl. Add anchovy paste,
lemon juice, vinegar and oil mixture. Mix well. Add greens and toss. Garnish with croutons, cheese and coddled eggs; toss lightly again and serve. Serves 8.

Mike Douglas' Irish Stew Pie

4 lbs. beef, chuck or round cut in 2-inch squares
Seasoned flour
4 tbsps. shortening
2 qts. boiling water
Juice of one lemon
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 large onion, minced
4 bay leaves
2 tsps. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. paprika
2 dashes of ground cloves
2 tsps. sugar
2 bunches carrots, quartered
2 large cans Irish potatoes, drained
2 small cans white onions, drained
2 pkgs. pie crust mix

1. Dredge meat in flour. Melt shortening until it is smoking hot. Brown meat in hot shortening. Add water, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Add garlic, onions and bay leaves. Add dry ingredients.

2. Add carrots. Cook 20 mins. at high heat. Add canned potatoes and onions. Cook 10 more mins. or until carrots are tender.

3. Make crust as directed on package. Pour stew into one huge (or two small) casseroles. Add crust on top. Brown in preheated 400 degree F. oven until crust is brown. Serves 8 to 10.