Recipes by Barbara Minkus: Rice with Mushrooms and Bell Peppers; Spinach Salad

Barbara Minkus' Rice with Mushrooms and Bell Peppers

3 tbsps. butter
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
About 1/2 cup mushroom stems, sliced
2 cups water
1 cup uncooked rice
1 envelope onion soup mix
2 tbsps. flour
1/2 cup beef broth
1 1/2 cups nonfat milk
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Saute green pepper, red pepper and mushroom stems in 1 tbsp. butter about one minute (or until vegetables start to soften); set aside. Combine water, rice and soup mix in saucepan. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat, simmer 15 minutes (or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed). In skillet, melt remaining butter; stir in flour, cook 2 minutes over low heat, stirring. Gradually add beef broth, milk, Worcestershire sauce and pepper to taste. Cook over low heat stirring until sauce is smooth and thick. Pour over hot rice. Garnish with cooked mushrooms and peppers forming attractive pattern on top. Service with veal scallops and spinach salad. Serves four.

Barbara Minkus' Spinach Salad

For the sweet and sour dressing:

1 egg yolk
Juice of 1 lemon
3/8 tsp. water (1/4 tsp. plus 1/8 tsp.)
Scant tbsp. flour
Dash Worcestershire sauce to taste
2 packets sugar substitute
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/16 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. olive oil

Beat egg yolk slightly in top of double boiler. Stir in lemon juice, water and Worcestershire sauce; blend well. Combine dry ingredients, add to yolk mixture, blending. Cook over boiling water, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Add olive oil a few drops at a time, stirring well after each addition. Serve hot over salad.

For the salad bowl:

1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms
1/8 lb. raw spinach leaves, well washed, dried and crispened
1 cup cooked drained soybeans (or garbanzo beans)
1/2 fresh lemon
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
4-5 slices lean bacon, cooked very crisp, well-drained, broken into bits

Remove stems from mushrooms; wash, dry caps, but do not peel. Slice caps thinly into large salad bowl (reserve stems for Barbara's rice recipe above). Add crispened spinach leaves and soybeans (or garbanzo beans). Coat spinach and mushroom slices well with lemon juice. Cover bowl; refrigerate one hour. Add pepper to taste. Toss lightly with hot sweet and sour dressing. Garnish With bacon bits. Serves 4.

Thoughts: Barbara's sweet and sour dressing can be made sharper with the addition of wine vinegar or more lemon juice. Same dressing makes a delightful dressing for fresh fruit with the addition of a 1/2 cup sour cream (or yogurt).