Recipes by Yvette Mimieux: Indian Curry and Chicken; Shrimp Haitian-Style

Yvette Mimieux's Indian Curry and Chicken

3 lb. cleaned fryer, cut in pieces
1 cup Bisquick
2 tsps. curry powder
2 tsps. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup shortening

1. Wash and pat chicken dry. Put all ingredients except shortening in a paper bag. Shake two or three pieces of chicken in the bag until thoroughly coated.

2. Melt shortening in 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Place chicken pieces, skin side down, in hot shortening. Bake in preheated 425 degrees F. oven for 40 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F., turn chicken, bake 20 minutes longer. Serve with hot peach halves with chutney with noodles almondine (or saffron rice). Serves 4.

For the peach halves:

Drain 1-pound can peach halves. Put in 9-inch pie plate. Spoon 1/2 tsp. chopped chutney (good grade mango or lime) in each peach half. Bake in oven (375 degrees F.) during last 10 minutes while chicken is cooking.

Thoughts: Yvette's Indian curry is a quick, easy curry that eliminates the usual array of chutneys and condiments (raisins, sieved hard-cooked eggs, sliced bananas, chopped onions, cashew nuts, candied ginger, crisp bacon bits, pickles, chopped mint or watercress leaves, or shredded coconut). A quick version of her favorite coconut chutney can be made by putting 4 tbsps. grated, unsweetened coconut, 1 tsp. crushed red pepper, 1-inch piece minced fresh ginger root, small clove pressed garlic, a good squeeze of lemon or lime juice (about 2 tbsps.) and salt to taste through blender.

Yvette Mimieux's Shrimp Haitian-Style

1/2 cup minced onion
2 tbsps. butter
1 bay leaf, crushed
1/4 cup diced celery
1 tsp. minced parsley
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
Dash of cayenne pepper
1 tsp. salt
One 6-oz. can tomato paste
2 1/2 cups water
2 cups cooked, deveined shrimp

1. Saute onion in butter, blend in rest of ingredients except the shrimp. Cook slowly stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes. Stir in shrimp, heat to serve over hot cooked rice along with black beans. Serves 4.

Thoughts: Although haricots rouges et riz (red beans and rice) are more indigenous to Haiti, Yvette prefers black beans (feijões pretos) more typical of Brazilian fare. Black beans are prepared by soaking the beans overnight and cooking until tender to a stew-like consistency. Season with onion and garlic sauteed in fat. Served alone or with rice. Some typical Haitian desserts: bananas in rum, papayas, or fruit ice.