Recipes by Juliet Mills: Osso Bucco; Oxtail Stew

Juliet Mills' Osso Bucco

3 lbs. veal knuckles sawed into 2-inch pieces
4 tbsps. Spanish olive oil
2 cups beef bouillon
1 can (14-oz.) plum tomatoes with liquid
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 tbsp. lemon zest slivers
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp. basil leaves
1/2 tsp. oregano leaves
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup sliced celery
Hot cooked parslied rice

Cook veal in olive oil in large skillet until well-browned. Add bouillon, tomatoes, wine, lemon zest slivers and garlic; mix well. Stir in parsley, basil and oregano. Bring to boil, reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 1 1/2 hours (or until veal is tender). Add mushrooms, carrots and celery. Cook until vegetables are tender (about 15 minutes). Serve with parslied rice or risotto Milanese. Serves 6.

Juliet Mills' Oxtail Stew

2 lbs. oxtails
1 lb. stewing beef, cut in cubes
2 tbsps. Spanish olive oil
1 cup water
1 can (14-oz.) plum tomatoes with liquid
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 whole bay leaves
2 onions, peeled
2 whole carrots, scraped
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, cut in halves
1 cup peas
4 cups hot cooked rice

Cook oxtails and beef cubes in olive oil until well-browned. Add water, tomatoes, celery, salt, pepper and bay leaves. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 2 hours. Add carrots and onions, cover and simmer 30 minutes longer. Add mushrooms, cook 30 minutes; stir in peas and cook until peas are just tender (about 10-15 minutes). Serve over hotcooked rice. Makes eight servings.

Recipes by John Mills: Carrot Cake; Kedgeree

John Mills' Carrot Cake

For the cake:

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 cups raw sugar (or 1 cup white plus 1/2 cup light brown sugar)
4 eggs
2 cups unbleached flour (1 cup white flour, 1 cup whole wheat)
2 tsps. baking soda
2 tsps. baking powder
2 tsps. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
3 cups finely shredded carrots
1 cup chopped nuts

1. Combine vegetable oil and sugar, beating until well blended. Add 1 egg at a time, mix well after each addition.

2. Sift together all the dry ingredients. Add to cake batter, beating until smooth. Stir in carrots and nuts. Beat batter 30 seconds.

3. Pour mixture into 3 well-greased, lightly floured, round 9-inch layer tins. Bake in preheated 300 degrees F. oven for 45 minutes (or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean). Cool in pans 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks to finish cooling.

For the frosting:

One 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 stick margarine
1 box powdered sugar
4 tsps. vanilla extract

1. Cream together cream cheese and margarine until fluffy. Add vanilla extract. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until very smooth. Put layers together with frosting; frost outside of cake. Makes one 9-inch layer cake.

Thoughts: Whole wheat flour and raw sugar are available at health food shops. For a delicious variation, make a two-layer cake. Frost layers with date nut filling; frost outside with brown sugar icing flavored with ground mace.

John Mills' Kedgeree

1 cup cooked rice
3/4 lb.cooked finnan haddie (or haddock or salmon)
1/2 lb. cold boiled ham
2 hard-cooked eggs
1/2 stick of butter, melted
1 to 3 tbsps. chopped watercress or parsley
1/2 cup raisins (plumped in brandy)
1/2 cup salted pecans or cashews
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Cook rice until tender but not mushy. Remove skin and bones from fish and flake. Dice ham and finely chop egg whites. Sieve egg yolks.

2. Toss hot rice with melted butter. Add fish, ham, raisins, nuts, salt and pepper to taste. Toss lightly over heat until piping hot. Garnish with chopped watercress (or parsley), chopped egg whites and sieved egg yolks. Serve at once with fruit salad. Serves 4.

Thoughts: A more highly-flavored kedgeree can be made by using curry, Worcestershire sauce or a few drops of lemon juice. Serve with fried toast or split English muffins for luncheon or supper dish. Other delicious variations include finely grated lemon rind, crushed bay leaf or ground thyme. If rice seems tasteless, cook rice in fumet (white wine flavored with bouquet garni and a sprig of parsley and small piece of grated carrot) or a gently-flavored lemon infusion or clam juice. Cooked small fresh shrimp, fresh lobster meat make excellent choices for fish zipped up with a dash of Tabasco or cayenne.

Ray Milland's Bouillabaisse

Ray Milland's Bouillabaisse

To prepare the fish:

3 pounds assorted fish (preferably Lake Superior white fish, bass, cod, red
snapper or sunnies)
12 raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 lb. uncooked lobster meat
12 clams in the shell
12 mussels in the shell

Cut fish into 2-inch pieces, reserving fish heads and tails for court bouillon. Peel and shell shrimp, reserve shrimp shells for stock. Rinse and vigorously scrub clams and mussels under running water to thoroughly clean.

To complete the bouillabaisse:

1/3 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 leeks (white part only), chopped
1/2 cup drained, canned tomatoes (or several large ripe fresh tomatoes, skinned and chopped)
3 tbsps. minced parsley
Pinch of thyme
1 small bay leaf, broken
1/4 tsp. fennel seeds
1/2 tsp. Spanish saffron, crushed
1 tbsp. salt
3 cups dry white wine
1/4 cup California brandy
About 5 cups water
Fish heads, bones, shrimp shells
Chopped fresh parsley
French bread

In olive oil, saute garlic and leeks until soft. Add tomatoes, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, fennel seeds, saffron (soaked in small amount of hot water), salt, wine, brandy, fish trimmings and shrimp shells. Bring to a .
boil and simmer uncovered 30 minutes. Strain and press solids with a wooden spoon to extract all liquid. There should be about 6 cups of liquid. Add more water (or wine) if necessary to make up the difference. Taste to correct seasonings. Pour this court bouillon into a large stock pot. Heat; then add fish fillets and lobster. Cover, bring to a simmer and cook about 10 minutes. Add shrimp, clams and mussels, cooking briskly for 7 minutes. Serve at once, spooning bouillabaisse into soup plates. Garnish each serving with parsley. Serve with crusty slices of French bread. Serves 8-10.

Thoughts: Ray Milland's bouillabaisse is a sensational meal-in-one! Serve with a well-chilled dry white wine, followed by a tossed green salad and an assortment of cheese and fruit for dessert.

Dina Merrill's Mussels Mariniere

Dina Merrill's Mussels Mariniere

4 pints mussels
1 cup dry white American wine
1 tablespoon chopped scallions
Sprig of parsley
1/2 clove of garlic
1/4 of a bay leaf
1/16 teaspoon thyme
Grating of freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons butter
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Scrub mussel shells thoroughly with a stiff brush and wash in several waters. Place shells in a kettle with the wine, scallions, parsley, garlic, bay leaf, thyme and pepper. Cover kettle tightly, cook over high heat until the shells open (about 5 minutes). (Clams may be substituted for mussels though flavor may vary slightly.)

Remove the mussels from the kettle, take off the top shell and place mussels in a deep heated dish or tureen. Strain the stock, reduce it over high flame by 1/3 its original quantity. Add butter and salt to taste, heat through, pour over the mussels in tureen. Add chopped parsley for garnish. Serve in deep soup plates or small casseroles and eat the mussels directly from the shell. Serve with thick slices of crusty French bread.

Recipes by Lee Meriwether: Pilaf; Tortilla Chicken

Lee Meriwether's Pilaf

1/2 cup egg noodles, broken in pieces
2 tablespoons butter (or margarine)
1 can (13 3/4 fluid ozs.) chicken broth
1/2 cup raw regular rice

In saucepan brown noodles in butter (or margarine). Stir often, add remaining ingredients. Stir well while bringing to boil. Cover and cook over low heat 20-25 minutes (or until broth is absorbed). Serves 4.

Lee Meriwether's Tortilla Chicken

To prepare the chicken:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

About 1 pound chicken breasts (2 whole, boneless)
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/4 teaspoon ground thyme (or marjoram)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground sage
A little olive oil (or melted butter)
Two 12-inch pieces of aluminum foil

Place chicken in center of each square of aluminum foil. Sprinkle each breast on all sides with seasonings and herbs. Drizzle a small amount of oil (or butter) on each breast. Close each packet; seal tightly. Put packets in baking pan and bake 35 to 40 minutes (just until chicken is tender). Remove packets from oven; open and allow chicken to cool slightly. Cut chicken in julienne strips; reserve juice in packets.

To assemble casserole:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1 can hot salsa verde (green sauce made with chilies)
1 can (10 3/4-ounces) cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup chicken soup (fresh or canned)
6 corn tortillas
1/2 pound grated mozzarella (or Armenian string cheese)
1 small yellow onion, peeled and grated

Spoon a few tbsps. of drippings from cooked chicken in the bottom of a greased casserole. Combine salsa verde with both soups; beat over low heat, stirring until ingredients are well-blended. Put a few tbsps. of hot pepper-soup mixture in bottom of casserole. Line casserole with 3 tortillas, overlapping edges; top with a few tablespoons pepper-soup mixture.

Arrange layer of chicken strips, top with grated cheese and onion. Continue making layers of food until all the ingredients have been used up, ending with layer of cheese on top. Bake uncovered about 45 minutes (or until cheese is bubbly and well-browned.) Serve at once with tossed green salad. Serves 4.

Thoughts: Lee's recipe is a cross between a lasagne and a tamale pie. Tortillas will soften as they bake. If desired, take several tortillas and fry lightly in oil until crisp. Break into bits and sprinkle over the top to give a crispy texture to the casserole.

Burgess Meredith's Grand Marnier Souffle; Nacho Salad

Burgess Meredith's Grand Marnier Souffle

Place half of Vanilla Souffle mixture, as below, into a greased mold. Cut a layer of sponge cake slices, dipping them into Grand Marnier liqueur. Line mold with slices, and cover with remaining half of Souffle. Bake in 325 degrees F. oven for one hour. When serving, stir some whipped cream into a vanilla custard, and arrange on top. Add more Grand Marnier.

Vanilla Souffle:

1/3 cup flour
7 tablespoons sugar
1 cup milk
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
4 eggs, separated

Combine flour, sugar, and salt in saucepan. Pour milk in gradually, stirring briskly. Cook over low heat until smooth and thick. Add beaten egg yolks. Cool. Whip egg whites until frothy. Sprinkle with cream of tartar and continue whipping until whites are stiff. Add vanilla, and combine with first mixture.

Burgess Meredith's Nacho Salad

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup canned yellow corn kernels, drained and rinsed
1 cup cooked rice
1 onion, chopped
1 bunch of fresh cilantro (leaves only), chopped
3 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
Juice of 1 lime
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 head of lettuce
1 large bag Of tortilla chips
Shredded cheese for garnish
Sour cream for garnish
Fresh salsa for garnish

Mix the beans, corn, rice, onion, cilantro and tomatoes in a large bowl. In a small bowl, stir together the lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour over the vegetable mixture and let it sit for a bit. Then toss and serve on a bed of lettuce and tortilla chips. Top with grated cheese, sour cream and salsa. Serves 4.

Recipes by Dorothy Mercer: Fondue Polaris; Meatloaf Mercer

Dorothy Mercer was a professional snowmobile racer.

Dorothy Mercer's Fondue Polaris

1/2 lb. Emmental cheese
1/2 lb. Gruyere cheese
3 tbsps. flour
2 loaves Italian (or French) bread
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 tbsp. lemon juice
Pepper, nutmeg to taste
3 tbsps. Kirschwasser

Grate, shred or dice cheese in advance. Store in tightly-closed plastic bag in refrigerator until ready to use. Dredge cheese with flour. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes. Each cube should have crust on one side. (Bread can
prepared in advance and kept in a closed plastic bag.) Rub inside of fondue pot with cut garlic clove. Discard garlic. Place pot on stove. Pour wine into pot. Heat over medium flame until wine is warm but not boiling.

Add lemon juice and cheese by handfuls, stirring constantly with wooden spoon until cheese is melted and cheese-wine mixture has the appearance of a light cream sauce. Add pepper and nutmeg to taste. Let boil once. Add Kirschwasser, stir briefly to blend. Remove pot from stove and place pot on lighted burner at serving table. Adjust flame of burner so fondue continues to bubble lightly.

Serve each guest a handful of bread cubes from bread plate (or bread basket). Spear prongs of fork through bread, crustless part first, securing prongs in crust. Dunk and stir well in bubbling sauce. Remove fork and twist over pot to remove surplus fondue on bread. Makes 4 servings or 15-20 snack servings.

For other dunkables: Bread is the traditional fondue dunkable; however, for delicious variations use cubed ham, smoked sausage (cut in chunks), shrimp, whole mushrooms or "fruity" tidbits: melon balls, apple and pear slices, and grapes. Adjust seasonings to complement dunkable -- for example, blend curry into bubbling fondue to complement smoked turkey or chicken.

Thoughts: Cheese combinations for fondué can be an art in itself. Dorothy prefers imported Swiss cheese (Emmental, Gruyere, Appenzeller, Raclette, Belsano) available in specialty cheese and gourmet shops. Good grade American Swiss or Gruyere make good substitutes for the fondue.

Dorothy Mercer's Meatloaf Mercer

1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
1/3 cup milk (or beef broth)
1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs (or herb-flavored Italian bread crumbs)
1 small yellow onion, peeled, chopped
1/2 tsp. ground sage (or oregano)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 egg, beaten
Worcestershire sauce to taste
1/2 cup chili sauce

Combine beef, milk (or beef broth), bread crumbs, onion and sage (or oregano). Mix well with fork (or hands). Add salt and pepper to taste. Blend in beaten egg and Worcestershire sauce. Shape into loaf in shallow baking dish lined with aluminum foil. Pour chili sauce over loaf. Bake in preheated 350 degrees F. oven for 1 hour (or until meat is done). Serve with baked potatoes and nice green vegetable (peas or beans). Serves 4.