Vegetables
Ham & Baked Beans
There is nothing better for buffet home entertaining than a big casserole of home-made baked beans. Blend economical ham shank with the beans and there is a wonderful main dish for your guests, particularly men who like robust fare. These beans are made with unsulphured molasses, the genuine flavor sweetener that has been making the best baked beans since Colonial days.
4 cups (2 lbs.) dried beans
cold water
2 medium onions, sliced
4 teaspoons salt
½ cup catsup
½ cup unsulphured molasses
2 tablespoons vinegar
½ teaspoon Tabasco
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 4-lb. ham shank
Wash beans. Cover generously with cold water; soak overnight. Add onions, salt and if necessary, additional water to cover beans, bring to boiling point in covered saucepan. Simmer 1 hour. Drain and save 3 cups bean liquid, adding water to make 3 cups if necessary. Mix bean liquid with catsup, unsulphured molasses, vinegar, Tabasco and dry mustard. Place ham in pan or large earthenware casserole which can be covered. Put beans around ham; add liquid mixture. Bake in slow oven (325 degrees) 1 hour and 2o minutes. Uncover; remove ham. Remove rind from ham, cut ham into medium size pieces; reserve. Bake beans uncovered 1 hour and 40 minutes longer. Add ham pieces during last 30 minutes of baking. Yields 12 servings.
Savory Baked Tomatoes
8 firm but ripe tomatoes
1 bunch well-washed, well-drained parsley
¼ teaspoon dried thyme or ¾ teaspoons fresh chopped leaves
¼ cup butter
salt
pepper
Wash tomatoes well. Trim blossom and stem if necessary. Cut in half, crosswise. Squeeze a bit, to remove larger seeds. Scoop a bit of pulp from the center of each. Place in a baking pan. Remove long stems from parsley and chop tips very fine. You should have about 1 and one-third cups. Add thyme. Melt butter in skillet. Add seasoning and parsley. Pat a generous spoonful on each tomato, and bake in a moderately slow oven, 325 degrees, 30 minutes. Makes 8 servings.
Sweet Sour Green Beans
1½ lbs. green beans
6 bacon slices, diced
½ vinegar
½ sugar
1 tablespoon flour
Break off ends of green beans; rinse in cold running water. If desired, cut in 1-inch pieces or julienne strips. Cook in boiling salt water until tender, 20-30 minutes. Drain. Fry bacon until crisp. Add remaining ingredients and cook until bubbling, stirring constantly. Pour sauce over beans. Heat thoroughly before serving. Serves 6.
Green Beans with Olive Oil
4 1 lb.s French-cut green beans - fresh or frozen (thawed)
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 tomatoes (or 1 tablespoon tomato paste)
1 small onion (chopped)
1 chopped green pepper (optional)
salt
pepper
1 level teaspoon sugar
Place green beans in saucepan with olive oil, tomatoes, onion, green pepper (optional), salt, pepper and sugar. (If fresh beans are used, add ½ cup of water). Cover and cook until tender. Add a little hot water as needed to keep from scorching (up to ½ cup at a time). Serve cold.
“Fortune may knock once at every gate, but frequently it is not to enter, but only to inquire who lives next door.” The NCR, October 15, 1895
Fiesta Peppers
6 medium green peppers
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup chopped onion
½ chopped celery
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
2½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 egg
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1½ lbs. ground beef
2 cups seasoned croutons
2 cans tomato sauce with mushrooms
¾ cup crumbled American blue cheese (about 4 oz.)
Cut off tops of peppers, remove ribs and seeds. Chop edible portions of tops, set aside. Wash peppers.
Place peppers in salted boiling water and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain peppers and set aside.
In hot butter, sauté chopped green pepper, onion and celery until tender. Add garlic, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Preheat oven 350 degrees. Combine egg, worcestershire sauce, beef, croutons and ¾ cup tomato sauce. Stir in American blue cheese. Add green pepper mixture. Pour remaining tomato sauce over peppers and bake uncovered for 1 hour.
“When we help others, we lift ourselves up, all mankind being so mysteriously linked together that what we give out returns to us again as surely as the echo comes back from the rock.” The NCR, June 15, 1897
Mushrooms Risotto
The following recipe was specially prepared for Lenten use by Lea & Perrins, Inc. Treat mushrooms with love and gentleness, and they will reward you with dishes to delight the palate.
½ lb. lean bacon
2 tablespoons butter
2 onions, sliced
½ lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 lb. rice
salt
parsley
1 teaspoon L & P Worcestershire sauce
2 cups chicken or beef stock
grated Parmesan cheese
Cut bacon into small pieces and place in heavy skillet with butter. Heat, then add sliced onions and stir until they begin to brown. Add mushrooms and cook for a few minutes. Add the rice and stir until it is thoroughly mixed. Season with salt, parsley, and Worcestershire. Add stock and simmer ½ hour. (If rice absorbs stock before it is completely cooked, add more stock. Rice should be dry and fluffy when done. Serve on a hot platter, dot with butter and sprinkle generously with grated Parmesan.
“If wisdom’s ways you’d wisely seek,
Five things observe with care:
Of whom you speak, to whom you speak,
And how and when and where”
The NCR, December 15, 1895
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