Victoria’s Sunday Gravy
INGREDIENTS
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Cups Chopped Onion
3 Cloves Minced Garlic
¼ Cup Minced Parsley
3 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
3 Sprigs Fresh Oregano
1 Bay Leaf
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/3 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
28 Ounces Crushed Tomatoes (1 Can)
28 Ounces Whole Peeled Tomatoes (3 Cans)
6 Ounces Tomato Paste (1 Can)
In a large cooking pot heat the olive oil over medium flame. Add the onions, garlic, parsley, thyme and oregano. On medium heat sauté for 2 minutes until translucent, but not brown. Add tomatoes and tomato paste along with the salt and pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes and then add the meatballs. Simmer for 2 hours. Remove herb stems and serve. Serves 8
Victoria’s Italian Meatballs
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Ground Sirloin
1 Pound Ground Pork
1 Pound Ground Veal
5 Slices Italian White Bread
1 Cup Whole Milk
¼ Cup Fresh Chopped Parsley
2 Cloves Minced Garlic
2 Teaspoons Salt
1 ½ Teaspoons Fresh Ground Black Pepper
3 Eggs
½ Cup Olive Oil
Combine sirloin, pork and veal in a large bowl. Soak the bread and milk together in a separate bowl. When the milk is absorbed add the bread mixture to the meat mixture. Next add the parsley, garlic, salt, pepper and eggs. Mix well and roll into 2 inch balls. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and fry over medium heat. Make sure to cook about 10 meatballs at a time so not to overcrowd the pan. Repeat as many times as necessary until all meatballs are cooked to browned and cooked all through. Serve over Victoria’s Sunday Gravy. Serves 8
White Bean Salad
INGREDIENTS
14 ½ Ounces of White Beans (If You Use Canned Drain, But Do Not Rinse)
2 Tablespoons Chopped Red Onion
2 Tablespoons Chopped Green Onion
1 Finely Chopped Carrot
3 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
2 Teaspoons Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Chop the onions and carrots. Squeeze the lemon juice over the chopped onions and carrots and set it aside. Combine all ingredients into a serving dish. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours and the flavors will combine. Serves 4
Welsh Rarebit
The first recorded use of the term Welsh Rabbit was in 1725. It is said to be an ironic name coined in the days when the Welsh were notoriously poor and only well-to-do people could afford meat from the butcher. In England rabbit was the poor man’s meat, but in Wales cheese was the poor man’s meat. The slur against the Welsh was, “if a Welshman went rabbit hunting then this would be his supper.”
INGREDIENTS
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Flour
1 Tablespoon Mustard Powder
½ Teaspoon Cayenne
¾ Cup Dark Beer (Guinness)
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 Pound Grated Semi-Hard Cheese (Cheddar, Double Gloucester, Comte, Gruyere)
4 to 8 Pieces Light Toasted Bread
Put the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When the butter melts stir in the flour. Continue to cook for 5 minutes (stir occasionally) until golden brown and very fragrant. Stir in the mustard and cayenne and then whisk in the beer & Worcestershire sauce. When the mixture is uniform, turn heat to low and stir in the grated cheese. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl to set. You can refrigerate for up to a day. Spread the mixture thickly on toast and put under the broiler until bubbly and edges of the toast are crisp. Serve immediately. Serves 4
Rhubarb Fool
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Fresh Rhubarb (Trimmed & Cut Into 6” Lengths)
3 Tablespoons Fresh Orange Juice
½ Cup Plus 1 Tablespoons Sugar
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
Soak the rhubarb in 9 cups of cold water for 25 minutes. Drain the rhubarb and pat dry. Cut crosswise into ½ inch slices. In a medium saucepan combine the orange juice, ½ cup sugar and salt. Bring to a boil. Add the prepared rhubarb to the saucepan. Bring mixture back to a boil and then reduce heat to a medium-low. Simmer gently for 10 minutes until rhubarb is tender and starts to break apart. Rhubarb pieces should be remaining and not a total puree. Transfer rhubarb to a bowl and let cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate from 2 to 24 hours. When ready to assemble, beat the whipping cream and 1 tablespoon of sugar together until cream forms soft peaks. To assemble, spoon ¼ cup of the rhubarb mixture in 8 ounce glasses. Top with ¼ cup of the whipped cream. Repeat with another layer of rhubarb and whipped cream. Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 6 hours. Serves 4
Vegetable Curry
INGREDIENTS
½ Medium Eggplant (Aubergine)
2 Small Carrots
1 Cup Peas
1 Cup French Beans
1 Medium Potato
½ Cup Freshly Grated Coconut
2 Tablespoons White Poppy Seeds
4 Fresh Hot Green Chilies
1 ¼ Teaspoon Salt
3 Medium Tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Plain Yogurt
1 Teaspoon Garam Masala
2 Tablespoons Fresh Green Coriander
Place cut eggplant, carrots, peas, beans and potato in a medium saucepan. Add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Cover and turn heat to medium. Cook for 5 minutes or until vegetables are just tender. Do not overcook. Put the coconut, chilies, poppy seeds and salt in a food processor. Add 5 ounces of water and grind to a fine paste and set aside. When the vegetables are cooked, add the spice paste and another 5 ounces of water. Stir and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, yogurt and garam masala. Stir gently to mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 3 minutes. Turn into a serving dish and garnish with fresh coriander. Serves 4
Salmon Mousse
Up until the 18th century, salmon was one of the most commonly eaten fish in Europe. With the Industrial Revolution came the pollution of many of the rivers which effectively eliminated wild salmon. These days most of the salmon sold in the U. S. and Europe is produced on fish farms. I usually prefer to consume wild salmon and make a point to ask the origin when I am purchasing my fish. This salmon mousse recipe is extremely versatile. It can be used as an appetizer (sliced and served as is on small squares of toasts with a squirt of lemon juice); as a main course; served with cold asparagus; served with a tossed salad; and a “make-ahead” spread that can be served with crackers or toasted rye bread.
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Fresh Salmon
Bunch of Fresh Herbs
½ Pint Double Cream
2 Ounces Softened Butter
4 Ounces Dry Sherry
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
½ Ounce Powdered Gelatin
Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly oil a 1 pound loaf pan or a salmon mould. Place the salmon in a buttered, ovenproof dish with the fresh herbs and cover with water. Cover the dish with foil and cook for 20 minutes. Leave the salmon to cook in the liquid, and then remove the skin and bones. Reserve the liquid. Pound the salmon flesh until smooth. Lightly whip the cream and fold into the salmon. Soften the butter and stir into the mixture together with the sherry and lemon juice. Add the salt and pepper. Measure 6 tablespoons of the reserved fish liquid into a bowl and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Set over a pan of hot water until the gelatin has dissolved. Cool slightly and then beat into the mousse. Spoon the mousse into the loaf pan or the mould and leave to set in the refrigerator overnight. Turn out onto a serving plate to serve. Serves 8
Meringue
There are several types of meringue. The sweetened, uncooked beaten egg whites that form the “islands” of Floating Island (also known in French as Ile flottante), the partly cooked toppings of lemon meringue pie and other meringue pie and other meringue-topped desserts, and the classic dry featherweight meringue. Different preparation techniques produce these results. French meringue is the method best known to home cooks. Fine white sugar is beaten into egg whites. Italian meringue is made with boiling sugar syrup, instead of white sugar. This leads to a much more stable soft meringue which can be used in various pastries without collapsing. In an Italian meringue, a hot sugar syrup is whipped into softly whipped egg whites until stiff. This type of meringue is safe to use without cooking. It will not deflate for a long while and can be either used on pies and Baked Alaska, or spread on a sheet and baked for meringues. Swiss meringue is whisked over a bain-marie (water bath) to warm the egg whites, and then whisked steadily until it cools. Then it is baked.
INGREDIENTS
2 Egg Whites
¼ Teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1 Pinch Salt
½ Cup Sugar
½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Preheat oven to 375° F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In medium bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat egg whites until frothy. Add cream of tartar and salt. Beat on high speed until stiff. Beat in sugar one tablespoon at a time. Fold in vanilla. Drop batter by heaping teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Place in oven and turn oven off. Leave in the oven for 5 hours. Makes 12
Victoria Sponge
The Victoria Sponge Cake was named after Queen Victoria, who favored a slice of the sponge cake with her afternoon tea. A traditional Victoria Sponge consists of raspberry jam and whipped double cream or vanilla cream. The jam and cream are sandwiched between two sponge cakes. The top of the cake is not iced or decorated.
INGREDIENTS
8 Ounces Unbleached Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
8 Ounces Sugar
8 Ounces of Soft Butter
4 Large Eggs
½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Filling:
4 Ounces Raspberry Jam
5 Ounces Double Cream – Whipped
Preheat the oven to 375° F. Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. In a small whisk the eggs just to mix. Slowly add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture. Make sure that each addition is well mixed in before adding more. Sift the flour and baking powder, then gently fold into the egg mixture with a spatula. Use baking parchment to line a 9 inch round cake pan with a removable bottom. Line the side of the pan with a separate strip of parchment. Pour in the cake mixture. Bake for 30 minutes or until done. Cool on a wire rack. Remove the cake from the pan and cut into two equal layers using a bread knife. Spread jam on the cut surface of one layer and whipped cream on the other cut surface. Sandwich together. Serve sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar is you like. Serves 8
Tandoori Chicken
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Boneless Chicken
2 Sliced Onions
2 Lemons
5 Whole Green Chilies
3 Tablespoons Onion Paste
½ Teaspoon Ginger Paste
½ Teaspoon Garlic Paste
1 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1 Teaspoon Red Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon Coriander Powder
1 Teaspoon Cumin Powder
½ Cup Plain Yogurt
¼ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Tablespoon Cinnamon Powder
¼ Tablespoon Clove Powder
2 Tablespoons Oil
Wash and pat dry the chicken pieces. Mix onion paste, ginger, garlic, turmeric, red chili powder, coriander, cumin, yogurt, salt, cinnamon, 1 tablespoon oil and clove powder into a medium sized bowl. Mix well. In a large bowl place all of the chicken pieces and pour the spice mixture over the chicken. I like to use the zip lock bags for marinating. Make certain that all of the chicken pieces are covered with the marinade. Chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours. When ready to cook preheat the oven to 450° F. Oil a large flat baking sheet. Place the chicken on prepared baking sheet one by one in a single layer. Bake for 45 minutes. Turn chicken pieces over and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from oven and garnish with sliced onions and sliced lemons. Serves 4
