Sally Ann Howes' Sole Poached in Wine

Sally Ann Howes' Sole Poached in Wine

4 fillets of lemon sole, weighing about 1 1/2 lbs.
2 shallots, peeled and minced
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tbsps. sweet butter
Pinch of white pepper
1/2 cup Chablis
1/16 tsp. ground thyme
1/2 cup water (or clam juice)
6 large green shrimp, cleaned and deveined
3 tbsps. lemon juice
2 large lobster tails, removed from shells
Chopped fresh parsley

1. Wipe fillets with damp cloth; place in fireproof baking dish.

2. Saute shallot lightly in butter; scatter over fillets in baking dish. Blend wine, water, salt, white pepper and thyme. Pour over fillets. Bake in preheated 350 degree F. oven until fish is barely tender (about 10 minutes). Remove fillets carefully to warm place. Pour liquid into saucepan; reduce slightly over medium heat.

3. Saute shrimp and lobster in butter about 4 mins. Return fillets to baking dish; pour reduced liquid over fillets; garnish with shrimp and lobster. Run under broiler. Garnish with minced fresh parsley. Serves 4.

Sally's Thoughts: My recipe can be made into party fare by creating an enriched sauce from the reduced fish stock. Beat 2 egg yolks with 1/2 cup cream. Strain reduced fish liquid, add to egg-cream mixture, cook sauce over double boiler stirring constantly until slightly thickened, correct seasonings. Spoon sauce over poached fillets in baking dish with shrimp and lobster. Prepare well-seasoned whipped potatoes; fill pastry tube with mashed potatoes, pipe around sides and across the edges of baking dish. Run under broiler to brown potatoes lightly.

Trevor Howard's Fillet of Beef with Mushrooms

Trevor Howard's Fillet of Beef with Mushrooms

1 lb. fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup sweet Madeira wine
1 1/2 tsps. salt
2 tsps. basil leaves
1 small bay leaf
2-3 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped
1 carrot peeled, finely chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
3 lbs. trimmed, rolled and tied fillet of beef
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. salad oil

Clean and chop mushrooms. Place mushrooms in bowl and add wine, 1/2 tsp. salt, basil leaves, bay leaf, parsley, carrot and onion. Sprinkle beef with remaining tsp. salt and black pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil. Add beef and brown on all sides (about 10 minutes). Place beef on a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Fish out mushrooms with a slotted spoon and arrange on top of meat. Drain rest of vegetables and reserve wine. Brown drained vegetables in pan drippings, mix with reserved wine and pour over meat. Seal aluminum foil tightly. Place in a shallow baking pan. Bake in preheated 375 degrees F. oven 45 minutes for medium-rare (or until beef is done as desired). Thinly slice beef and serve au jus with minted peas (or asparagus spears) and small butter parslied potatoes. Serves 6.

Barbara Howar's Chicken and Pasta

Barbara Howar's Chicken and Pasta

1 lb. small link sausages
6 chicken thighs and 6 boned chicken breasts, split (or about 5 lbs. chicken pieces)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large onion, peeled and cut into rings
2 large green peppers, cut into strips
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 can (8 1/2 ozs.) water chestnuts, drained and sliced
About 2 tbsps. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2-3 drops Tabasco
12 ozs. linguini
4 to 5 qts. boiling water
1/4 cup butter

Brown sausages in very large skillet (or Dutch oven). Remove sausages with slotted spoon, set aside. Fry chicken in drippings until browned on all sides. Cover skillet and cook chicken for about 25 minutes (or until tender). Pour off and discard all but about 1/4 tbsp. of the pan drippings. Move chicken to side of skillet; add garlic, onion, green peppers, mushrooms, water chestnuts, 1 tsp. salt, pepper and Tabasco. Toss vegetables until combined. Fry for about 5 minutes, uncovered or just until vegetables are tender. Stir occasionally. Add reserved sausages; cook just until all ingredients are hot. About 15 minutes before chicken-vegetable mixture is done, gradually add linguini and about 1 1/2 tbsps. salt to rapidly boiling water. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender. Drain in colander. Toss linguini with butter; add salt and pepper to taste. Place linguini on serving platter and top with chicken-vegetable mixture. Serves 6-8.

John Houseman's Herbed Leg of Lamb

John Houseman's Herbed Leg of Lamb

Leg of lamb, weighing about 6 lbs.
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
2 tbsps. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. ground rosemary (or tarragon)
Pinch of ground ginger
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Place leg of lamb on rack in roasting pan. (Lamb should be room temperature before applying the glaze.) Blend together mustard, soy sauce, rosemary (or tarragon), ginger and pepper to form a smooth paste. Paint the glaze over the entire surface of the lamb. Let the meat sit several hours before roasting. Roast in preheated 350 degrees F. oven for about 1 3/4 hours (medium well done). Remove to platter and let lamb firm about 10 minutes before carving. It's excellent when garnished with vegetables: little carrots, peas, cauliflower and small potatoes. Serves 6.

Thoughts: If desired, garlic slivers may be inserted into the roast before applying the glaze (or 1 small clove mashed into the glaze). The lamb comes out with a beautiful golden color. A small amount of olive oil mixed with the glaze makes the roast take on an even deeper color. The results are delicious!

Harry Houdini's Bread and Butter Custard

Harry Houdini's Bread and Butter Custard

Three large slices buttered white bread, cut in quarters
2 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 qt. milk

Line a pie dish with buttered bread quarters. Prepare custard by mixing eggs, sugar, and milk; beat well. Pour custard over bread and butter. Bake in preheated 350 degrees F. oven for 45 minutes.

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.

Phillips Holmes' Turkish Coffee

Phillips Holmes' Turkish Coffee

The recipe calls for half a cupful of finely-powdered coffee to two cupfuls of boiling water for each cup of finished coffee. The mixture is sweetened and poured into a copper pot. The coffee is brought to a boil three times before the flame is turned off and the liquid is permitted to settle two minutes before serving.