Recipes by Bob Hope: Favorite Chicken Hash; Kidney Lamb Chops; Lemon Pie; Roast Leg of Lamb with Mint Sauce

Bob Hope's Favorite Chicken Hash

2 chicken breasts, broiled
2 slices bacon, crisply fried and crumbled
1/2 small onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon dry sherry
2 tablespoons sour cream

Cut chicken into thin strips. Combine chicken, bacon, onion, salt, pepper, lemon juice and butter in skillet. Cook until onion is tender. Stir in sherry and sour cream. Cook just until heated. Serve immediately.

Bob Hope's Kidney Lamb Chops

4 lamb rib chops, cut 3/4 to 1-inch thick
4 lamb kidneys
1 clove garlic, cut
Lemon rind
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Split kidneys almost in two; remove white tubes and fat. Cover with cold water and let stand for 10 minutes. Attach kidneys to chops by wrapping a kidney around the extended tail of chop; secure with pick. Rub each chop first with cut garlic, then with lemon rind. Heat heavy skillet over low heat. Rub skillet with piece of trimmed fat and discard. Increase heat to medium and add chops to skillet. Cook for about 6 or 7 minutes on each side, until well-browned. Remove chops and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with scrambled eggs and hot crumpets (or toast). Serves 2-4.

Bob Hope's Lemon Pie

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup boiling water
4 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter
4 egg yolks
Pinch of salt
Grated rind of 1 lemon
3 egg whites
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 baked pie shell

Combine cornstarch and sugar. Add water slowly, stirring constantly until thick and smooth. Add slightly beaten egg yolks, butter, lemon rind, juice and salt. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour into baked pie shell. Cover with meringue made with egg whites and sugar stiffly beaten. Bake at 325 degrees F. for 15 minutes or until meringue is light brown. Cool to room temperature before refrigerating to keep meringue from weeping.

Bob Hope's Roast Leg of Lamb with Mint Sauce

For the sauce:

3 tbsps. vinegar
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsps. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt

In saucepan combine vinegar, 1/3 cup water and 2 tbsps. mint. Heat; simmer for 5 minutes. Strain the mixture, discarding mint leaves. Add remaining water, lemon juice, sugar and salt. Heat to boiling. Pour over remaining mint; stir. Refrigerate for several hours (or overnight). Sauce may be reheated to serve. Makes about 3/4 cup.

For the leg of lamb:

8-lb. leg of lamb
Salt and freshly ground pepper
10 large butter-browned mushrooms caps (fresh, preferably)
Strips of pimento
Cooked fresh peas (fresh or frozen
Butter to taste

Have butcher "french" leg of lamb, trimming meat and fat from main leg bone. Place lamb on rack in shallow roasting pan. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Bake in preheated 300 degrees F. oven about 3 1/2 hours (or until meat thermometer registers 170 degrees for medium rare, longer for well-done). Remove to heated platter. Let roast stand a few minutes to firm up before carving. Garnish leg with paper frill. Season cooked peas to taste with butter, salt and pepper. Form mound of peas around roast on serving platter. Garnish with mushrooms topped with strips of pimento. Pass heated mint sauce as side dish. Serves 8-10.