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April 34, 2002

from: Spike's and Jamie's Recipe Collection

http://www.spike-jamie.com/

Many of these recipes have not yet been added to the recipe web site, so 
you are getting a "sneak peek" of future additions. We hope you enjoy 
these recipes. Spike's comments are in []Brackets[].

Shalom, from 

Spike the Grate & Jamie the Webmistress

[] Spring has sprung; the grass has riz; I know where all the little 
boidies is – they are in my back yard, doing cute things. Our tomatoes 
and zucchini are planted, our tulips are blooming, our pink dogwood is 
in bloom (a miracle!), and my Spanish lavender and English lavender are 
both blooming. All our roses are blooming; even the lavender rose. 
It’s all so lovely! []


SPRING GREEN SALAD WITH SUGAR SNAP PEAS, ORANGES AND RED ONION
8 salads

For the vinaigrette:
4 large oranges
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon green pepper sauce

For the salad:
40 sugar snap peas, trimmed
8 cups mixed spring salad greens
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

To make the vinaigrette: Grate 1 teaspoon orange rind into large bowl. 
Add 1/3 cup juice from orange. Add olive oil, vinegar and green pepper 
sauce; stir to combine. Set aside. 

Using a knife, cut peel and white pith from remaining oranges. 

Cut between membranes to release segments; set aside. Heat water 
(salted) to boiling in large saucepan. Add sugar snap peas; cook three 
to four minutes or until crisp tender. Drain, transfer peas to bowl of 
ice water to cool. 

To make the salad: Arrange peas in sunburst pattern on salad plates. 
Place orange segments between peas. Mound greens. Sprinkle salad with 
tarragon. Top with red onion slices; drizzle with dressing. 

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[] This was in the San Jose Mercury News: []

JAMES BEARDS VEGETABLES A LA GRECQUE 
"As the vegetables are eaten cold, rather than hot, they can be made in 
quantity and kept in the refrigerator in containers, to be brought out 
when you want a simple first course or cold vegetables for a summer 
buffet. Serve the different vegetables in the small serving dishes 
called raviers, or in flat pottery or glass dishes. A sprinkling of 
chopped fresh parsley or, if you like the flavor, chopped fresh 
coriander, makes a pleasant garnish." 

Court bouillon: 
1/2 cup vegetable oil 
1/3 cup white wine vinegar 
1/3 cup dry white wine or vermouth 
1 teaspoon salt 
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
1 bay leaf 
1 or 2 cloves garlic, peeled 
Dash of hot pepper sauce 
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, tarragon, oregano, basil; or 1 
teaspoon each dried 

Select from the following vegetables: young, tender green beans, wax 
beans, whole green onions or tiny white onions, small and firm mushroom 
caps, whole or halved leeks, halved or quartered fennel bulbs, fingers 
or cubes of eggplant, small and firm zucchini halved or thickly sliced, 
halved celery hearts, buds of broccoli or cauliflower, tiny young 
carrots, tiny pattypan squash, artichoke bottoms, or trimmed and 
quartered artichokes with choke removed (see note). 

Put the oil, vinegar, wine, salt, pepper, bay leaf, garlic, hot pepper 
sauce, thyme, tarragon, oregano and basil in a large, shallow pan or 
deep skillet, then add a cleaned, trimmed vegetable and just enough 
water barely to cover. The court bouillon is sufficient for 1 pound of 
green beans or carrots, or 1 large eggplant, cubed, or 8 artichoke 
bottoms or a dozen mushroom caps. 

Bring the liquid to a boil very slowly over medium heat, then reduce the 
heat and poach until the vegetable is just crisply tender when pierced 
with a fork or the point of a small sharp knife. Do not overcook. 

Remove from the heat, taste the liquid for seasoning and add salt, if 
needed; then let the vegetable cool in the liquid. When cool, transfer 
to a refrigerator container or serving dish. Strain the poaching liquid 
and use again for other vegetables. If necessary, add more water. 

Note: Do not simmer vegetables together, as they will have different 
cooking times. Cook your selections separately. 
-- From "James Beard's Theory & Practice of Good Cooking" 

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[] A subscriber to Real Food 4 Real People sought the recipe for lemon 
pie which has no cream. I looked through my own index and found five 
lemon pies with cream (Eagle Brand milk and other forms of cream) and 
only one that has none. This recipe is the one that seasoned people 
think of as “lemon pie”. I believe I originally copied it from Joy of 
Cooking. []



LEMON MERINGUE PIE

one 9-inch pastry crust, baked 

Whisk thoroughly in a medium saucepan:
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt

Whisk in, blending well:
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup strained fresh lemon juice (from 2 to 3 lemons)
2 to 3 tsp grated lemon zest

Whisk in, until no yellow streaks remain:
4 large egg yolks

Add: 
2 to 3 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, bring the 
mixture to a simmer over medium heat, then cook for 1 minute. The 
filling should be very thick. Pour the filling into the pie crust and 
press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Immediately 
prepare:

Soft Meringue Topping:

In a very small saucepan or heatproof 1-cup measure, thoroughly mix:
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp sugar

Gradually stir in, making a smooth, runny paste:
1/2 cup water

Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring briskly all the while, then 
boil for 15 seconds. Remove this thick, translucent paste from the heat 
and cover with a lid or saucer. In a clean, grease-free glass or metal 
bowl, beat on medium speed until foamy:
4 large egg whites (1/2 cup) at room temperature

Add and beat until soft but definite peaks form:
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Very gradually beat in:
1/2 cup sugar, preferably superfine
Beat on high speed until the peaks are very stiff and glossy but not 
dry. Reduce the speed to very low and beat in the cornstarch paste 1 
tablespoon at a time. When all the paste is incorporated, increase the 
speed to medium and beat for 10 seconds. Remove the plastic wrap from 
the pie and spread the meringue on top, anchoring it to the edge of the 
crust at all points. Bake for 20 minutes at 325 deg. Let cool 
completely on a rack, then refrigerate. Store the pie in the fridge for 
up to three days. Serve at room temperature or cold.

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[] This would not be the entrée for a meal at which you are serving the 
Spring Green Salad (above). []


SHRIMP WITH CUMIN AND ORANGE 
Makes 4 to 6 servings 

Serve this colorful, zesty shrimp dish with pilaf or plain steamed rice. 


2 seedless oranges 
1/4 cup olive oil 
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 
1 medium red onion, sliced, separated into rings 
Salt 
1 cup Nicoise olives, drained 
Freshly ground pepper 

Peel 1 orange and divide into sections. Squeeze and reserve juice from 
the other orange. 

In sauté pan, heat olive oil. Add cumin, then immediately add shrimp. 
Sauté until shrimp just begin to turn pink, 2 to 3 minutes. 

Add onion rings to pan; sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt, add 
orange juice and olives, and heat through. 

Turn out onto serving plate. Garnish with orange segments and sprinkle 
with pepper before serving. 

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[] Pancetta is very dry, very expensive, Italian style bacon. I’m too 
frugal to use it. I use center-cut bacon, and avoid using portions that 
are mostly fat, such as the ends of each rasher. The fat ends can be 
trimmed off and rendered out for the wonderful drippings to use for 
frying potatoes (or something else that probably isn’t good for us). []

PANCETTA STUDDED BEEF TENDERLOIN 
Makes 8 servings 

Beef: 
1 3-pound trimmed and tied beef tenderloin, at room temperature 
1 ounce thinly sliced pancetta (Italian unsmoked cured bacon), cut into 
1/3-inch pieces 
2 teaspoons kosher salt 
2 teaspoons black pepper 
1 tablespoon vegetable oil 

Sauce: 
1/4 cup finely chopped shallot 
1/2 cup dry red wine 
1/4 cup dry Marsala wine 
3/4 cup beef or veal demi-glace 
2 tablespoons red currant jelly 
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into bits 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1/8 teaspoon black pepper 

To make beef: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

Pat beef dry and cut 1/2-inch-deep slits at 1-inch intervals all over 
roast, then insert 1 piece of pancetta into each slit. Sprinkle beef 
with kosher salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over 
high heat until just smoking, then brown beef on all sides, about 5 
minutes per side. 

Transfer beef to a small roasting pan. set skillet aside. 

Roast beef in middle of oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted 
diagonally 2 inches into center registers 120 degrees F, about 25 
minutes. Transfer beef to a cutting board and let stand, loosely covered 
with foil. (Beef will continue to cook as it stands, reaching 130 
degrees for medium-rare.) 

To make sauce: Meanwhile, heat same skillet over moderately high heat 
until oil is hot but not smoking, then saute shallot until golden, about 
2 minutes. Add red wine and Marsala and deglaze skillet by boiling, 
stirring and scraping up brown bits, until liquid is reduced by about 
one third. Add demi-glace and jelly and briskly simmer, whisking, until 
jelly is incorporated, about 2 minutes. Add butter, 1 bit at time, 
whisking until incorporated, then remove from heat. Whisk in salt and 
pepper. Pour sauce through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing on solids. 
Pour sauce over roast and serve.

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[] This is a wonderful dessert to finish almost any meal: []

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

[] We all have our preferences with regard to the “cake” part of this 
dessert. I
prefer sponge cake that we make; those things for sale in the grocery 
store that look like the clay ash trays children make in kindergarten do 
not suffice. []

Hot Milk Sponge Cake

1 cup sifted flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp butter
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Heat milk and butter 
until butter melts; keep hot. Beet eggs until thick and lemon-colored, 
about 3 minutes on high speed of electric mixer. Gradually add sugar, 
beating constantly at medium speed for 4 to 5 minutes. Add sifted dry 
ingredients to egg mixture; stir just until blended. Stir in hot milk 
mixture and vanilla; blend well. Turn batter into greased and floured 9 
x 9 x 2 pan. Bake at 350 deg. for 25 to 30 minutes. Don’t invert; cool 
in pan. (Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book) 

When cake is thoroughly cooled, turn out onto board and cut into squares 
andmserve in bowls. 

Cover with sliced strawberries and sweetened whipped cream. 

[] Speaking of which, when you use powdered sugar to sweeten your 
whipped cream, it does not thin it – it goes in very nicely, and it 
doesn’t take much. []

[] Enjoy the bounty of Spring! []

Shalom, from Spike and Jamie

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