Recipes by Nina van Pallandt: Mushroom-Seafood Salad; Nina's Pears

Nina van Pallandt's Mushroom-Seafood Salad

1 pound fresh mushrooms (or 2 cans, 6 to 8 ozs. each) sliced mushrooms
1 pound cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp, halved
2 cups cooked corn kernels
2 cups cooked elbow macaroni
2 cups sliced raw cauliflowerettes
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup pine nuts
4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
6 tbsps. lemon juice
1/4 cup catsup
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsps. pickle relish
1/4 cup fresh dill (or parsley)
1 tbsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
black pepper
1 cup heavy cream, whipped

Rinse, pat dry and slice fresh mushrooms (or drained canned mushrooms); place in a large bowl. Add shrimp, corn, macaroni, cauliflowerettes, celery, pine nuts and eggs; toss lightly. In a medium bowl, mix lemon juice, catsup, mayonnaise, pickle relish, dill (or parsley), salt and black pepper. Fold in heavy cream. Add to mushroom mixture and mix well. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Serves 8-10.

Nina van Pallandt's Pears

6 California Bartlett pears
Lemon juice
3 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 vanilla bean, minced
1/2 cinnamon stick
1 tsp. anise seed (or 1/4 cup anisette liqueur)
1/2 cup honey
2 tbsps. lemon juice
2 tbsps. pear brandy (or other brandy)
1 cup almond macaroons (or cake crumbs)
6 two-inch rounds of pound cake, sliced 1/2-inch thick
8 egg whites
1 cup sugar

Core and peel pears; brush with lemon juice. Simmer water, 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and anise seed together 15 minutes. (If using anisette liqueur, add later with brandy.) Add honey and 2 tbsps. lemon juice; stand pears upright in pan. Cover and simmer 20-30 minutes or until just tender, depending upon ripeness of pears. Add brandy and anisette, if used. Cool pears in liquid. Remove pears, dry well. Coat with crumbs. Stand on cake rounds on baking sheet.

Whip egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 1 cup sugar; whip until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue (or pipe with pastry bag with star tube) over pears and cake. Bake in preheated 450 degrees F. oven until lightly browned, or use broiler, watching carefully to avoid burning. If desired for stems, insert strip of candied peel or gum drop on top of each pear. Serves 6.