Recipes by Peter Ustinov: Cacik; Okroshka

Peter Ustinov' Cacik

3 cucumbers
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. chopped fresh dill (or sprigs, as taste dictates)
1 tsp. olive oil
1 1/2 cups yogurt
1 tsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. chopped mint leaves

1. Peel cucumbers, cut into quarters, slice thinly. Sprinkle with salt.

2. Combine vinegar with garlic salt, dill and yogurt. Mix until smooth. Pour over cucumbers, sprinkle with olive oil; garnish with mint. Serve cold, as appetizer, salad or accompaniment to a lamb rice dish.

Peter Ustinov's Okroshka

1 tbsp. each minced green and white parts of scallions
1/2 tsp. dried tarragon
10 radishes, minced
1/2 tsp. drted tarragon
1 tbsp. minced fresh dill (or 1 tsp. dried)
1 tbsp. each vinegar and lemon juice
1 1/2 tsps. of salt
1 tsp. of freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup sour cream
2 hard-cooked egg yolks, mashed
1 tsp. prepared mustard (or horseradish)
1/2 cup cooked mashed potatoes
1 No. 10 1/2 can undiluted chicken broth (or beef consomme)
1 1/2 cups dry white wine (or beer)
2 small cucumbers, peeled and very finely minced
2 hard-cooked egg whites, mashed
1/2 cup crushed ice

1. Combine scallions and radishes with herbs, vinegar, lemon juice and seasonings.

2. In a separate bowl blend sour cream, egg yolks, mustard, potatoes, chicken broth and wine. (If beer is used add just before serving.) Stir in scallion mixture, blend well. Cover tightly, refrigerate at least 3 hrs. Spoon into flat soup plates. Divide cucumbers, egg whites and crushed ice evenly in each plate. Serve with slices of sour rye bread or dark pumpernickel lightly spread with sweet butter. Serves 4.

Thoughts: Russian cooks traditionally chop the vegetables very finely but American cooks can accomplish the same with a blender.

Recipes by Liv Ullmann: Beef and Mushroom Teriyaki; Fiskesuppe med Fiskeboller

Liv Ullmann's Beef and Mushroom Teriyaki

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water
2 tbsps. sherry or sugar to taste
2 tbsps instant minced onion
1 tbsp. vinegar
3/4 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. ground ginger
2 lbs. round steak, cut into diagonal strips
1 lb. fresh mushrooms or 2 cans (6 to 8 oz.) sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup butter
2 cups finely shredded cabbage
1 can (1-lb.) bean sprouts, drained
1 can (8 1/2 oz.) bamboo shoots, drained
1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts, drained and sliced

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, water, sugar, minced onion, vinegar, garlic powder and ground ginger. Let stand 10 minutes. Place beef in a snug-fitting bowl. Add soy sauce mixture. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours. Clean and slice fresh mushrooms (or drain canned mushrooms). In a large wok or 12-inch skillet, heat butter. Add mushrooms and saute 3 minutes. Add cabbage and saute 2 minutes. Add beef and marinade, stir fry 5 minutes. Add bean sprouts, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts; stir fry 5 minutes longer. If desired, serve with rice. Serves 8.

Thoughts: Liv's teriyaki is soupy in texture, but in reality more closely resembles a stew. Serve with a chilled red wine, California or an imported Beaujolais.

Liv Ullmann's Fiskesuppe med Fiskeboller

For the fish stock:

1 1/2 lbs. fish (cod, mackerel)
2 qts. water
1 bay leaf
12 peppercorns
2 tsps. salt
1/2 cup celery leaves
3 sprigs fresh parsley
2 onions, quartered

Make fish stock of head, bones and meat of small fish of any kind. Place fish in water in large stock pot with remaining ingredients. Bring to slow simmer and cook slowly 1 1/2 hours. Skim occasionally to remove scum that forms on top. Strain, use for soup. If any meat remains in neat-looking pieces, remove and use in soup in place of fish balls.

For the fish soup:

6 cups fish stock
2 tbsps. butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
2/3 cup sweet or sour cream
I tbsp. chopped chives
1 can fish balls (available in Scandinavian food import houses)
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat fish stock. Rub softened butter into flour. Mix thoroughly with stock and milk. Allow to boil until thickened. Stir well, then add cream, chives and heated fish balls (or fish pieces from stock). Serves 8.

Thoughts: Liv's main dish soup is hearty, filling but still delicately flavored. Gefilte fish cut into large pieces is an excellent substitute for canned Norwegian fish balls.

Recipes by Leslie Uggams: Baked Stuffed Bluefish; Summer Potato Salad

Leslie Uggams' Baked Stuffed Bluefish

3 tablespoons soft sweet butter
1 tablespoon minced Bermuda onion
2 tablespoons minced celery
2 cups unseasoned bread cubes
1 1/2 teaspoons minced parsley
pinch poultry seasoning
pinch ground sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
few gratings freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup dried apricots
3/4 cup water
2 1/2 pounds cleaned bluefish
1/2 lemon

Melt one tablespoon butter over low heat. Saute onion and celery in butter until limp. Place in bowl with bread cubes, parsley, poultry seasoning, sage, salt and pepper.

Simmer apricots in water 5 minutes; drain, retaining cooking juice. Chop apricots slightly and add to seasoned bread cubes. Heat 1/2 cup apricot juice to boiling, pour over stuffing in bowl. Toss lightly to blend well.

Line shallow baking dish with aluminum foil. Rub fish inside and out with butter. Stuff cavity of fists, press top and bottom together to close (or secure with skewers). Bake in preheated 350 degrees F. oven 15 minutes or until fish starts to flake. Pour lemon juice over fish during baking. Run under broiler to brown skin. Serve at once with parslied potatoes and cooked string beans. Serves 2.

Leslie Uggams' Summer Potato Salad

1 pound small white new potatoes
Boiling salted water
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
1 tablespoon melted hydrogenated fat (or salad oil)
1 teaspoon salt
2 sweet gherkins, chopped
1/4 cup minced celery
1 hard-cooked egg, chopped
1 tablespoon minced white onion
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
few gratings freshly ground pepper

Cook potatoes in jacket in boiling salted water until tender; drain, peel, dice, place in bowl. Mix together vinegar, melted fat (or salad oil), salt and pepper; stir to dissolve salt; pour over potatoes in bowl, mix well. Cover, refrigerate several hours.

Add gherkins, celery, egg, onion and mayonnaise to potatoes. Mix well. Serve chilled on lettuce cups with chicken salad, sliced garden-ripe tomatoes, crackers and tall glasses of iced tea. Serves 2-3.

Leslie suggests: "Make chicken salad from left-over chicken. Prepare sauce by using mustard thinned with a little milk, boil to reduce. Add vinegar (white), seasonings to taste, put over chicken pieces with diced pickles, celery and mayonnaise. Chill well before serving."

Twiggy's Boiled Pork and Pease Pudding

Twiggy's Boiled Pork and Pease Pudding

For the pork:

3/4 lb. piece breast of salt pork (or corn belly)
6 large carrots
2 yellow onions, each stuck with 1 clove
4 small leeks
4 parsnips (or turnips)

Place salt pork in water to cover. Bring to boil, then simmer slowly 1 hour. Remove scum as it rises. Add vegetables and cook until tender. Place meat on serving platter, surrounding pork with vegetables and pease pudding.

For the pudding:

2 cups split peas
Water
1 yellow onion, sliced
1/2 stick of butter
2 large eggs, beaten
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Soak peas overnight in cold water to cover. Discard any peas that are discolored. Tie peas loosely in clean cloth, allowing room for peas to swell. Cover with water and simmer gently about 2 1/2 hours (or until tender). Remove from water and cloth, place in colander. Push through colander, rubbing with wooden spoon. Add butter, beaten eggs and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Mix well and place in a well-buttered pudding mold (or tie tightly in buttered, well-floured pudding cloth). Cook 1 hour in stockpot with pork. Serve very hot. Serves 4 to 6.

Thoughts: Twiggy's Cockney favorite traditionally is made with boiled pork leg or boiled beef. Breast of salt pork is available in pork stores (corn belly in many butcher shops and some supermarkets).

Recipes by Ron Turcotte: Pan-Broiled Steak with Mushroom Sauce; Shish Kebab

Ron Turcotte's Pan-Broiled Steak with Mushroom Sauce

1 1/2 lbs. small steaks (sandwich or top boneless round)
Meat tenderizer
Vegetable spray (or tiny bit of diet margarine)
1 cup beef bouillon (or 2 bouillon cubes dissolved in 1 cup boiling water)
1/2 yellow onion, peeled, chopped
1 cup cleaned mushrooms, sliced
1 small green pepper, cleaned, cut into strips
Salt and pepper to taste

Trim off any visible fat from steaks; use tenderizer, pricking meat with fork if using less tender cut of steak. Spray cast-iron skillet with vegetable spray (or use small amount of diet margarine). Heat skillet until very hot (if using margarine, wipe out excess with paper towel). Sear meat quickly on both sides.

Lower heat, add beef bouillon, onion, mushrooms, green pepper, salt and pepper to taste. Cook down until sauce has reduced in volume. Serve with mushroom sauce spooned over the meat. Serves 6.

Thoughts: Pepper, onion and mushrooms can be browned first in a small amount of diet margarine, then drained on absorbent paper to take away most of the fat before adding to bouillon. If desired, meat can be broiled and sauce prepared separately.

Ron Turcotte's Shish Kebab

3 tbsps. olive oil
3 tbsps. fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tsps. ground ginger
1 tsp. coriander
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 pound leg of lamb cut into 2-inch cubes
4 small tomatoes
2 medium-sized green peppers cut into 2 1/2-inch squares
1 cup mushroom caps (fresh or canned)

Combine olive oil, lemon juice, ginger, coriander, garlic, curry powder, salt and garlic salt; mix well. Add lamb. Chill 2-3 hours, turning lamb occasionally. Arrange lamb on 4 skewers. Reserve olive oil mixture. Broil lamb 3 or 4 inches from source of heat or cook on grill 5 to 7 minutes, turn.

Place tomatoes, green peppers and mushrooms on skewers. Brush lamb and vegetables with remaining olive oil mixture. Cook 5 minutes longer, or until lamb is desired degree of doneness. Serve on a bed of hot cooked white or brown rice. Serves 4.

Thoughts: For the sake of food safety, substitute a good bottled low-calorie Italian dressing for oil and lemon juice.

Recipes by Richard Tucker: Potato Kugel; Stuffed Breast of Veal

Richard Tucker's Potato Kugel

6 large potatoes, peeled and grated
1 small yellow onion, peeled and grated
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup matzo meal
1 1/2 tsps. salt
1/3 cup chicken fat
Pepper to taste

1. Mix together potatoes, onion, eggs, matzo meal, and the seasonings.

2. Melt the chicken fat in bottom of a 1 1/2-quart baking dish in 350 degrees F. oven. Pour off the fat, mixing most of it into the potato mixture. Pour potato-fat mixture into the same baking dish. Cook uncovered in 350 degrees F. oven until done (about one hour). Serve piping hot as side dish with roast (potted beef brisket) or fowl (roast capon or Rock Cornish hens). Serves 6.

Richard Tucker's Stuffed Breast of Veal

3 lb. breast of veal
1 medium-sized yellow onion, diced
1/3 cup chicken fat
Paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups dry (uncooked) oatmeal
1 small yellow onion, peeled and sliced
About 1 cup catsup
1/2 cup water

1. Have butcher cut a pocket in the veal. Remove any excess fat or skin. Rub cavity inside and out wrth paprika, salt and pepper.

2. Saute diced onion in chicken fat until golden. Add salt and pepper to taste with dry (uncooked) oatmeal in a mixing bowl, tossing lightly with a fork.

3. Fill pocket evenly with stuffing. Do not pack tightly, as stuffing swells during cooking. Secure closing with skewers (or cord). Season with additional salt, pepper and paprika, if desired. Place on rack in roasting pan. Top with sliced onion. Dilute catsup with water, mixing well. Spoon over roast. Cover, bake in preheated 350 degrees F. oven for 2 hours. Uncover, roast about 1 1/2 hrs. longer, basting often, or until meat is fork-tender.

4. Remove roast to a warm platter, remove skewers (or cord). Serve piping hot with side dish of drained, crushed pineapple, mixed with coarsely grated carrot. Serves 6. 

Recipes by Larry Tucker: Apple Pie; Brisket in-the-Pot; Diet Ice Cream

Larry Tucker's Apple Pie

4 large apples, sliced, skin left on
2 tbsps. fresh lemon (or lime) juice
2/3 cup low-calorie soda (lemon-lime)
2 pkgs. gelatin
Powdered non-fat dry milk
Ground cinnamon (or clove)

1. Soften gelatin with half the soda. Heat remaining soda to the boiling point. Stir into softened gelatin to dissolve mixture.

2. Place sliced apples in baking dish. Sprinkle with lemon (or lime) juice. Pour gelatin mixture over top; sprinkle with powdered milk and cinnamon (or clove) to form a "light" crust. Bake in preheated 350 degrees F. oven about 45 minutes. Serves 4.

Larry Tucker's Brisket-in-the-Pot

3 1/2 lbs. lean brisket of beef
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Seasonings to suit your taste (thyme, oregano, parsley, celery)
2-3 small yellow onions, sliced

1. Use waterless cooker (or Dutch oven). Put on heat and get very hot. Trim excess fat from brisket, drop into pot and brown slowly on all sides. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Slice 2 or 3 onions over browned roast (add other seasonings as desired).

2. Do not add liquid. Pour off any excess fat. Cover pot tightly. Cook about 2 1/2 hours (or until meat is fork-tender). Serves 6-8.

Thoughts: If desired, potatoes and carrots may be added during last 45 minutes for a meal-in-one.

Larry Tucker's Diet Ice Cream

2/3 cup nonfat milk
2/3 cup water
1/2 tsp. sugar substitute
3 ice cubes
1 capful vanilla (or any other flavoring you wish--rum, orange, lemon, almond or chocolate syrup)

1. Put mixture into blender and whip to a froth. Put mixture in tray of ice cream freezer (or old-fashioned crank ice cream freezer). When it starts to freeze (or until freezer is hard to crank), stir with a spoon. Freeze to firm texture. Eat as you would any other ice cream. Serves 4.

Thoughts: Larry's diet ice cream has the advantage of not adding many calories while giving you the illusion of enjoying forbidden fruit. Vary the basic formula using coffee or low-calorie fruit-flavored beverages (wild cherry, cream soda, orange). Garnish with grated fresh fruit peel (lime, lemon or orange).