A sure-fire way to cut the cost of food you buy is to have a plan. The 7 tips below may give you the insight to create a plan that fits your current situation and style as well as your pallet. The paragraphs below plots a path through your wants, needs, domicile and more.

There are a few ideas that act as an outline when it comes to reducing the cost of food. The short list below give us a quick overview of these ideas:

1. Cooking begins at the supermarket.
2. Never go to the supermarket hungry.
3. Different grocers do not employ the same discount strategy.
4. Coupons significantly cut the cost of food.
5. Save money through bulk buying.
6. Extend the life of food by freezing them.
7. Gas costs money; it is the hidden cost of food.

1) Cooking Begins At The Supermarket.

Old Time Supermarket

The smart shopper must plan for the trip to the supermarket. For example, if you like to shop once a week for your food, decide in advance what meals you will cook, the snacks you will serve, what the drinks are, and what deserts you will grace the table.

Then study that week’s menu and decide what you need to buy in order to cook your delicious dishes. This rule encourages you to buy what you need and not buy what you already have on hand. This is a great way to save the money that would otherwise be wasted.  Even Rachael Ray said on TV that she often buys poultry seasoning she doesn’t need because she can’t remember if she has any at home or not.

This rule also reduces the urge buy spontaneously. Grocers are not stupid. They will put items in your path and line their shelves in a way that encourages the average shopper to buy more than they need.

Now that the menu is planned, and you know what you need, have, and don’t have; you can go to the supermarket with confidence. Buy only what is on your list. If it is not on the list, don’t buy it no matter how tempting it is. It takes commitment, discipline, and the desire to shop smart. Big money savings here, try it.

2) Never Go To The Supermarket Hungry.

Producers, marketers, packagers, and grocery store analysts spend (and make) millions on advertising, packaging, shopping environment, and product placement all of which is aimed at separating you from your your money. When you go to supermarket hungry, many of your natural barriers to the visual barrage that you will face are down, or at least weakened. It makes rule #1 very tough if not impossible to follow.

3) Different grocers do not employ the same discount strategy.

Many supermarkets have loss leaders (sales where they make little or no profit) to lure buyers into their stores. Typically, shoppers do not buy just one item. Grocers know that whatever little they made or lost on the advertised special, they will be recovred with the sale of additional items. If this strategy didn’t work, the grocers wouldn’t do it.

The savvy shopper takes advantage of this and buys the special (only if it is on the list) and walk out. Then they go to the next store and do the same. Our savvy shopper finishes their shopping at the local discount store. Almost every community has one. Where I live, that would be Aldie’s™.

4) Coupons significantly cut the cost of food.

One Way To Organize Coupons

Coupons, like sales, can drastically reduce the cost of food. In this case the wise shopper trades time for savings. This is a great method if you have the time. There are two considerations to be aware of. First, use coupons only for those items you need. Second, use coupons only for those items you will actually use. A lot of books and tools are available that help organize and make couponing easier.

I frequently see sales and coupons for Apex* dish detergent, however, I am really like to use Dawn™. I tend to go through Apex twice as fast as Dawn™. In addition, Apex* doesn’t do as good a job for me, either. I don’t use it anymore. Even with the coupon, Apex* is not a bargain. (*Name has been changed.)

5) Save money through bulk buying.

Membership stores like  Sam’s Club and Cosco have been selling in bulk for years. Now, local supermarkets are doing the same. As an example, the difference in cost per pound between a package of chicken with 4 or 5 pieces in it vs. the family pack can be quite large thus, lowering the cost per meal.

6) Extend the life of food by freezing them.

Antique Refrigerator

Freezing food is the partner to bulk buying. For the one or two person household, there are a couple of things to consider – freezer space and freezer burn. As for freezer space, if you need more, consider buying a new or used freezer if you have the living space to accomodate it. Regarding freezer burn, a good vacuum sealing system like Food Saver™ will eliminate freezer burn and greatly extend the shelf life of freezable foods.

“Yeah, but I live alone” or “I live in a dorm and don’t have a refrigerator.”

If you live in a dorm-like atmosphere and are allowed to cook, bulk shopping will not be the answer. However, cooking is still cheaper and healthier than eating out. Here are a few ideas to help you save even more:

• Use powdered milk (not for drinking, but for cooking).
• Build up a small pantry of staples – spice blends, pasta, rice, soups, etc.
• Share the expense of perishables, and maybe the cooking, with friends.
• Volunteer to cook if your friends buy the food.

7) Gas costs money; it is the hidden cost of food.

All money spent to get get groceries goes into the cost per meal. Plan your grocery shopping rout. Don’t zigzag all over town; that just eats up gas. If the bargain, supermarket, or shopping club is 20 miles or more from home, it may be more cost effective to purchase locally and pay a slightly higher price. Just do the math when considering the round-trip time and cost. Obviously, if what you drive gets 35 mpg, you’ll do a lot better than if you drive a truck that gets 14 mpg.

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Lasagna is both a form of pasta in sheets (sometimes rippled, though seldom so in Northern Italy) and also a dish made with alternate layers of pasta, cheese, and often ragù (a meat sauce) or tomato sauce. The recipe below gives both pie and sauce ingredients as well as how to cook lasagna once the pie is assembled.

When you cook lasagna with sauce, there are four main processes: the noodles, the sauce, the cheeses, and the assembly and baking. The noodles can be store bought or freshly made (not discussed here). The sauces can be store bought or freshly made. A delicious meat sauce is provided below. The cheese mixture is highly recommended with no substitution of cottage cheese for ricotta cheese. Then once the noodles, sauce, and cheeses have been assembled, the work is done. Simply place the pie in a preheated 350˚F.

Ingredients:

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How To Cook Lasagna With Meat Sauce:

• Fill a large stock pot with 6 quarts of heavily salted water (3/4 full, max) and bring to a boil. While water is heating, heat a large skillet (11-12 inches) or large sauce pan over medium heat. And, while the skillet is heating, begin dicing onions and mincing garlic. When the frying pan is heated, add EVOO to the skillet. The pan will be ready to add the ground beef when the oil ripples and just begins to smoke. Brown the meat and season with salt and pepper.

• Finish dicing and mincing during the browning process. Add onions and garlic once the ground meat has been browned. Continue to sweat onions until they become soft and translucent.

• Now, add the tomato paste. Add nothing else yet. Break up the tomato paste and cook for several minutes until the tomato paste caramelizes and becomes brown. Then add the Crushed Tomatoes, Oregano, Basil, Worcestershire sauce, Red Pepper flakes. Adjust salt and pepper for taste. Bring rapidly to a simmer and reduce heat as necessary. Do not allow to boil. The longer the simmer, the more the flavors will be developed. (Optional: 1/2 to 1 cup of rich red wine may be added to the sauce for a extra layer of flavor.) Final sauce should be thick and not runny.

• As the ingredients are simmering and the water has come to a boil, add lasagna noodles to the boiling water. Do NOT add any oil to the water. The oil has a tendency to keep the noodles from sticking together, but the downside is that the sauce will have a tendency to slide off the noodles. Return the water to a boil and reduce the heat as necessary to keep the water at a slow boil or simmer. Cook lasagna noodles until they are just short of al dente. It will finish cooking in the oven. Then, drain and rinse the lasagna noodles in cold water so they will remain separate and easy to handle.

Assembling Your Lasagna:

Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Use enough sauce to coat the bottom of the baking dish. Lay 3-4 lasagna noodles lengthwise in the baking dish overlapping slightly. Cover the noodles with another layer of sauce. Dollop small deposits of ricotta cheese like tiny cookies over the sauced noodles. Spread a layer of mozzarella cheese and then a thin layer of the Parmesan cheese.

NOTE: For layer #2, lay the noodles crosswise and trim. Use the trimmed excess pasta noodles to fill in for a row of pasta. Layer #3 of pasta is again aligned lengthwise.

Repeat sauce and cheese application for layers #2 and #3: noodles, then sauce then cheeses. After the 3^rd layer is complete, spread the remaining sauce over the pie using the sauce to seal the sides and corners. Top lasagna with a final layer of Parmesan cheese. It may be helpful to use a pastry bag or a plastic bag with a corner cut out for the ricotta cheese.

Place lasagna pie in a 350˚F preheated oven for about 40 to 45 minutes until the top is a golden brown and the lasagna is bubbling hot. Remove the lasagna and allow to sit for 10 to 20 minutes. This allows the pie to cool and the cheeses to set.

Serve with a side salad, tomato-garlic green beans, and a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, Burgundy, or other favorite red wine.

Sauce Ingredient Variations:

The recipe and method above describes a more classic approach. Many recipes have you mix the cheeses before assembling the pie. While this process works, it doesn’t quite taste the same.

Also, Instead of ground beef in the sauce, try ground Italian sausage, ground chicken, diced mushrooms, or plain marinara sauce with Italian sausage links on the side. Lasagna with white sauce is also a possibility.

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Will The Real Mint Julip Please stand Up.

When we stumble upon a nugget of information that sheds light on common misconceptions, we get excited. The mint julep is no exception. The origins of the mint julep are clouded and may never be definitively known. The term ‘julep’ is generally defined as a sweet drink, particularly one used as a vehicle for medicine. The word itself is derived from Arabic and Persian meaning rose water.

The first appearance of a mint julep in print came in a book by John Davis published in London in 1803, where it was described as “a dram of spirituous liquor that has mint steeped in it, taken by Virginians of a morning.” However, Davis did not specify that bourbon was the spirit to be used.

The mint julep associated with the southern United States, was probably created during the eighteenth century. U.S. Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky introduced the drink to Washington, D.C., at the Round Robin Bar in the famous Willard Hotel during his residence in the city.

Those who claim to know the history of the “real” mint julep use a large clear glass into which is put a level teaspoon of powdered sugar dissolved in a little water. Then, shaved ice is used to fill the glass along with sprigs of mint. The mint is not crushed. Equal portions of cognac and peach brandy are added until the liquid fills the glass. Gently stir and one has the so-called “real” mint julep.

Our take on the matter is: If you like your mint julep made with bourbon (or Southern Comfort) and crushed mint, by all means, enjoy it. Don’t let those whose noses act as rain gutters dissuade you. However, if the mix looks interesting, it’s worth a try.

An Archeological Food Find

The following Turkey and Chayote recipe was discovered among the ruins of a monument in a forest in the Mexican state of Tabasco. Evidence indicates that the recipe dates back to around 291 B.C. That ancient state was then known as the Olmecas and preceded the Mayan civilization.

Chayote is an edible plant that belongs to the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae, along with melons, cucumbers and squash. The plant has large leaves that form a canopy over the fruit, and the vine is grown on the ground or, more commonly, on trellises.

Turkey and Chayotes

Place 3 pealed and quartered chayotes, or mango-squash, in a basin and pour 1 pint water mixed with 1 cup pear vinegar and some salt over them. Let them stand for 2 hours.

Cut one wild hen turkey (choose a 6- to 8-pound hen if you are not lucky enough to get a wild turkey) into 8 parts, and sauté the pieces with 1 onion, sliced, in 2 tablespoons butter for about 10 minutes. Now pour 1 cup soup stock into the pan and add 1 clove of garlic, minced, and 5 bay leaves, broken into tiny pieces.

Stew all this gently until the turkey is tender and then add the drained chayotes. Cook the chayotes with the turkey until they are tender and slip off the fork. Serve with any green vegetable.

Sounds very much like a traditional American holiday dinner, doesn’t it? Hmm, not so original, are we?

Tasty Substitute For Sour Cream

Ever start cooking and reach for an ingredient that you know you have and discover it isn’t there? Well, here is a quick and tasty substitute for sour cream. However, a side effect of this substitute is fewer calories.

Place 1 cup of cottage or ricotta cheese and ¾ cup of buttermilk into a blender and blend thoroughly. This mixture has many less calories than the commercial sour cream and may even taste better.

Try it on shrimp with slivered onions or cucumbers dressed with capers and watercress for a lunch or late snack. It can also be used in any recipe calling for sour cream.

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Last week I discussed some bread dishes. This week highlights some fresh cooking ideas (main dish, side dish, and appetizer). Before cooking dinner, let your imagination run wild. Do these homemade recipes remind you of something else you would like to try or does one of these strike a chord? Either way, enjoy your own brand of cooking kitchen magic.

Watermelon-Rind Preserves

Cut the green skin and red flesh from a watermelon and cut the rind into uniform pieces. Soak the pieces overnight in a solution of 10 tablespoons slaked lime (calcium hydroxide to your druggist) dissolved in 8 quarts cold water.

In the morning drain the watermelon rind and rinse it thoroughly in several changes of cold water. Cover it with fresh cold water; soak it for 3 hours, and drain.

Stir 2 tablespoons ground ginger into 4 quarts cold water and add the rind. Bring the water to a boil, cook the rind for 20 minutes, and drain again.

In a preserving kettle, combine 8 cups sugar and 3 quarts cold water. Add 2 lemons, sliced, and bring the syrup to a boil. Add the watermelon rind and simmer until the rind is clear and tender and the syrup is thick. Pack the rind into hot, sterilized canning jars, cover with the syrup, and seal at once.

Sweet and Sour Cabbage

Remove the outer leaves from 1 large head of red or green cabbage. Cut it into sections and remove the hard core. Shred the cabbage and rinse it in cold water. Drain, but do not dry.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan, add 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion, and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the cabbage, cover the pan, and cook for 10 minutes.

Peel and core 2 tart apples, cut them into thin slices, and add them to the cabbage with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup boiling water. Stir, cover, and simmer over a very low flame for about 50 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender, adding a little more water if necessary. Add 4 tablespoons brown sugar and 4 tablespoons red wine or 2 tablespoons vinegar. Simmer for 10 minutes longer, and serve hot.

Ragout of Beef á Anglaise

(aka a beef stew)

Cut 3 pounds of the top of the rump into slices about 1/8 inch thick and season the slices with salt and pepper. In a large skillet sauté the slices in hot beef fat or butter until they are golden brown on both sides. Arrange the slices side by side in a casserole.

To the juices in the skillet add 1 cup brown sauce and 1 cup brown stock. lf no brown sauce is on hand, use 1 cup tomato juice or sauce and 1 teaspoon beef extract. Bring the sauce to a boil, correct the seasoning, and add 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce. Pour the sauce over the meat.

Parboil 2 cups carrots, diced, for 5 minutes. Drain and add them to the casserole. Add.1 cup small white onions, browned in butter, and a fagot made up of 4 sprigs of parsley, 1 small bay leaf, a little thyme, and 1 branch of celery. Cover the casserole and cook in a moderate oven (4OO° F) for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the meat is tender. Remove the casserole from the oven, let it stand for 10 minutes, and carefully remove the fat that rises to the surface of the ragout.

Arrange the slices of meat in a ring on a warm serving platter, put the vegetables in the center and pour the sauce over all. Sprinkle with 1 cup cooked green peas.

Crab Meat Canapé Swiss Chalet

(Appetizer Dip)

In an electric mixer whip 3/4 pound cream cheese and 1/2 cup heavy cream until the mixture is smooth. Add a pinch of salt and beat in 1/2 cup homemade mayonnaise. Add 1 tablespoon minced onion, 1 teaspoon finely chopped chives, and 1 clove of garlic, minced, and blend well. Fold into the sauce 1/2 pound shredded back-fin crab meat, which has been marinated in a little lemon juice for 1 hour. Add a few drops of Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce and serve on toast or crackers.

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These great homemade recipes are presented to spark the imagination. Not only can they become family recipe favorites for cooking dinner, they may remind you of something else you want to cook or try. Of course, as I keep repeating, don’t be afraid to experiment with these recipes. a spice added or substituted here and there can produce dramatic results that may become a favorite personal family classic recipe.

Florentine Bread

Note: This bread has nothing to do with spinach and everything to do with the method of preparation.

Soften 2 yeast cakes in 1/2 cup lukewarm water. In a mixing bowl combine 1 cup lukewarm water, 1 cup soft butter, and 2 cups flour. Add 9 beaten egg yolks, the softened yeast, and 6 stiffly beaten egg whites and mix thoroughly. Add about 8 cups flour, or enough to make a soft dough. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured board and knead until it is smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a smooth ball and put it in a lightly buttered bowl. Brush the dough with melted butter, cover, and let rise in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until it is double in bulk. Punch down, cover, and let rise again for about 1 hour, or until double in bulk.

Punch the dough down, divide it into 4 parts, and let rest for 10 minutes. Shape each part into a loaf, cover the loaves, and let them rise in a warm place for about 1 1/2 hours, or until double in bulk. Bake the loaves in a moderate oven (375° F) for about 50 minutes.

Pizza

Despite reader interest, I hesitated to add this, but what the heck. The true beauty of a great pizza is in the crust, which is basically a yeast bread. The toppings one might use are infinite both in varieties and combinations. To say that this is the only way to prepare pizza (or a pizza dough) would be a bit short minded. But, this way works very nicely.

Soften 1 package granulated yeast or 1 yeast cake in 1 cup lukewarm water. Sift 4 cups flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt onto a pastry board and make a well in the center. Pour the softened yeast into the well and gradually work in the flour, adding a little more lukewarm water, if necessary, to make a soft dough. Knead the dough vigorously for 15 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and continue to knead the dough until it can be formed into a smooth ball. Cover it with a cloth and set it in a warm place until it is double in bulk. Punch the dough down on a lightly floured board and divide it in half. Shape each half into a smooth ball and let rise in a warm spot until double in bulk.

Again punch the dough down and roll each ball of dough into a large circle 1/8 inch thick in the center and a little thicker at the edges, or stretch the dough with the hands to fit an oiled pie plate about 18 inches in diameter.

Cover the surface of each circle with tomato sauce to within 1/2 to 1 inch of the edge. Top with 1/8-inch-thick slices of Mozzarella cheese, sprinkle the cheese with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and cover with tomato slices. Well-drained canned tomatoes may be used. Sprinkle the filling with finely chopped orégano, thyme or marjoram, and pepper to taste. Cut 8 anchovy fillets into small pieces, scatter them over the tomato slices, and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Bake the pizza: in a hot oven (400° F) for 20 minutes, or until the tomatoes are cooked and the dough is golden brown.

Henrici’s Apple or Blueberry Pancake

Combine 1 cup sifted flour, a pinch each of salt and sugar, and 1 cup milk. Beat 4 eggs and stir them slowly into the batter. Add 1 cup grated apple or blueberries.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet over a slow fire. Pour the pancake batter into the hot pan, and cook until the underside is brown. Turn the pancake over, flatten it with a spatula, and brown the other side.

Place the skillet and pancake in a hot oven (450° F) for 10 minutes. The edges will curl as the cake bakes.

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The vegetables used in pickling should be fresh. Vegetables fresh from the garden, and in order of their ripening, are prepared and dropped into great crocks of malt-brown vinegar. The preparations often become so rich that only a seal of paper is necessary to preserve them. However, much better to use a sealed jar.

Senf Gurken

The Gherkin is typically a small cucumber type vegetable (cucumber). They are usually picked when 3 to 8 cm (1 to 3 in) in length and pickled or cans with vinegar (often flavored with herbs, particularly dill; hence, ‘dill pickle’) or brine to become a pickled cucumber.

Peel 12 large cucumbers, slice them in half lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds. Cut the halves into strips or wedges 1 inch thick and 2 inches long and soak them overnight in a brine made of 1/2 cup pickling salt and 4 1/2 cups cold water.

In the morning drain the cucumbers and put them in a preserving kettle with 6 cups cider vinegar and 3 cups brown sugar. Bring the vinegar to a boil and simmer the cucumbers for 5 to 8 minutes, or until tender. Pack the strips into sterilized pint jars and add to each jar 1 clove of garlic, 2 teaspoons grated horseradish, 1 teaspoon mustard seed, and 1 small hot red pepper. Bring the vinegar syrup to a boil, fill the jars to overflowing, and seal immediately. Makes about 6 pints.

Sweet Pickled Gherkins

Wash 2 quarts gherkins and soak them overnight in brine made of 1/2 cup pickling salt and 2 quarts water. In the morning, drain the gherkins, rinse them in hot water, and drain again.

In a preserving kettle bring to a boil 6 cups brown sugar and 1 quart cider vinegar. Add the gherkins and a spice bag containing 1 tablespoon each of whole allspice and cloves, 1/2 tablespoon celery seed, and 1 stick of cinnamon. Remove the kettle from the heat and cool the gherkins in the pickling syrup. Arrange the pickles compactly in pint or quart jars and to each jar add 1 bay leaf and a few mustard seeds. A small hot red pepper may also be added. Heat the syrup to the boiling point, fill the jars to overflowing with the liquid, and seal

Garlic, the Italians claim, strengthens the sight and brings a sparkle to the eye. It is the center of garlic that gives sparkle to these treasures.

Pickled Stuffed Peppers

Slice a top from the stem end of 24 green peppers and set the tops aside. Discard the seeds and white membranes from the peppers and pack the peppers firmly with 2 quarts finely shredded cabbage mixed with 2 cucumbers, 4 red peppers, and 4 onions, all finely chopped, 1/2 cup grated horseradish, and 1/4 cup each of salt, mustard seed, and celery seed. Press a clove of garlic into the center of each pepper, replace the tops of the peppers. Fasten the tops securely with toothpicks. Pack the stuffed peppers into sterilized 2-quart jars, and fill the jars to overflowing with vinegar. Seal the jars and store the peppers in a cool, dark place for a month or more before using them.

Garlic Dill Pickles

In the bottom of sterilized quart jars put 1 large spray of dill, 1 clove of garlic, and 1 small hot red pepper. Pack washed and dried firm cucumbers in the jars. Fill the jars with a brine made of 7/8 cup salt, 14 cups water, and 1 cup cider vinegar. Top each jar with a spray of dill and a clove of garlic and seal. Store the cucumbers in a dark, cool spot and they will be ready to eat in about 6 weeks.

Mustard Pickles

Prepare the following vegetables and put each in a separate bowl: Wash and chop finely 2 quarts cucumbers. Peel and chop finely 1 quart onions. Stem, seed, and coarsely chop 6 sweet red peppers. Scrub 2 quarts tiny cucumbers, or gherkins. Peel 2 quarts small onions. Cut 2 heads of cauliflower into bite-sized flowerets. Sprinkle each vegetable separately with about 1/4 cup pickling salt, using 1 1/2 cups in all. Cover the gherkins, small onions, and cauliflower with cold water and let all the vegetables stand overnight.

In the morning drain the chopped vegetables in a colander. Drain the whole vegetables and dry them on a towel. Mix all the vegetables in a preserving kettle. Stir in 8 cups sugar and 6 cups cider vinegar and bring the mixture to a boil. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup dry mustard, 3 tablespoons turmeric, and 2 tablespoons powdered celery salt and mix to a paste with 2 cups vinegar. Stir the paste gradually into the vegetables, continue to stir until the sauce is slightly thickened, and turn the mustard pickles into sterilized jars. Makes about 16 pints.

Crisp Bread-and-Butter Pickles

Wash and thinly slice 4 quarts medium-sized firm cucumbers and 8 white onions, peeled. Mix the vegetables with 1/2 cup pickling salt and 2 quarts cracked ice and let them stand, covered with a weighted lid, for 3 hours. Drain the vegetables thoroughly and put them in a large preserving kettle.

Combine 5 cups sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric, 1 teaspoon celery seed, 2 tablespoons mustard seed, and 5 cups cider vinegar. One-half teaspoon ground cloves may be added. Pour the spiced vinegar over the vegetables and bring the mixture slowly to a boil, stirring often with a wooden spoon, but do not let it boil. Pack the pickles into hot sterilized jars and seal at once.

Pickled Onions

Country folk in Italy christened this small onion zmio, because the bulb was all one, instead of the many cloves that form the garlic bulb. In time zmio became the common name for the small white onion. Appropriately enough, zmio is also the name for pearl.

Peel 1 quart small pearl onions, cover them with boiling water, and boil for 2 minutes. Drain the onions and turn them into ice water to cool and crisp. Pack them in sterilized jars with a few thin strips of sweet red pepper in each jar. Bring to a boil 1 pint white vinegar, I tablespoon pickling salt, 2 teaspoons sugar, and 1 cup water and cool. Fill the jars to overflowing with the pickling liquid and seal.

The origin is East Indian, but the appeal is universal.

Piccalilli

In a preserving kettle combine 1 quart chopped green tomatoes, 2 sweet red peppers, 2 sweet green peppers, 2 large onions, and 1 small head of cabbage, all cleaned and chopped, and 1/2 cup pickling salt and let the mixture stand overnight. In the morning drain the vegetables and press out the juice. Add 3 cups cider vinegar, 2 cups dark brown sugar, and a spice bag containing a 3-inch stick of cinnamon and 1 tablespoon each of cloves, allspice, and white mustard seed. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer gently for about 3 hours, or until the vegetables are clear and thickened. Discard the spice bag; pour the piccalilli into hot sterilized jars, and seal. Makes about 3 pints.

These Spice-Herb Blends Make A Great One-Stop Go-To When Cooking.

Why buy expensive spice blends at the store when you can make your own for a lot less money. There are several advantages to this approach; not the least of which is the cost. Spice blends more closely match our pallet’s desires.

When we start to decide what’s for dinner, do we ever think, ‘Gee, I’d like something with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme in it.’ I think not. More likely, our thoughts resemble, ‘Hmm, I think I’ll make some thick chicken noodle soup,’ or ‘I think I’m in the mood for barbeque chicken, tonight.” First we paint the picture of the meal in our minds based on what we have a taste for. Then we figure out how to make it (or if we can).

I often ponder whether I have a taste for Chinese, Spanish, Jamaican, Mexican, Cajon – that’s it; I want some Gumbo over a nice bed of saffron rice. This is a good-news bad-news approach, because I may not have all the main ingredients like the sausage, chicken, or shrimp. In fact, the ingredient I am usually lacking from this off-the-hip decision is the shrimp.

By the way, when it is -5°F outside, I am likely not going to make a special trip to my local grocer for the shrimp. That’s okay. I can still get my fix because I have my Cajun spice mix already blended, and I can do everything but the shrimp. I’m just going to make it, anyway, without the shrimp.

I keep my spice blends close at hand and keep most of my individual spices in the pantry out of the way. When I reach for a spice seasoning, I don’t have to worry about whether I forgot the rosemary or basil or cumin. It really does make my life in the kitchen easier.

It may be helpful to try to think of what flavors come to mind when you think of a regional cuisine. This approach may guide you to recreating your spice mixture when no recipe is available. In the following guidelines, I use the word “part” because you can use a tablespoon or a cup. And, they can be adjusted to your taste. Below are some handy conversions followed by my top spice seasoning mix blends from around the world:

Conversion Table
3 teaspoons (tsp) = 1 tablespoon (Tbs)
2Tbs = 1/8 Cup (C) = 1 Coffee Measure
4Tbs = ¼ C

Spice Blend Foundation
I call this my “House Blend. “This mixture can stand on it’s own or be the foundation for all the spice ingredients that follow.

1 part salt
1 part black pepper
1 part garlic powder
2 parts onion powder

European – English Blend
This is a mild blend great for stews and soups

1 part salt
1 part black pepper
1 part garlic powder
2 parts onion powder
1 part parsley
1 part sage
1 part rosemary
1 part thyme

French Blend (Southern France-Northern Italy)

1 part salt
1 part black pepper
1 part garlic powder
2 parts onion powder
1 part parsley
1 part lavender
1 part rosemary
1 part thyme
¼ part nutmeg

Italian Spice Blend

1 part salt
1 part black pepper
1 part garlic powder
2 parts onion powder
1 part oregano
1 part basil
¼ part nutmeg
¼ part ground cayenne (red pepper)

Chinese Spice Blend

1 part salt
1 part lemon pepper
1 part garlic powder
2 parts onion powder
1 part Chinese five-spice
¼ part ginger
1 part allspice
1 part ground cloves

Cajun Spice Blend

1 part salt
1 part black pepper
2 parts garlic powder
2 parts onion powder
2 parts paprika (smoky, mild, or hot)
2 part ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 part dried oregano
1 part dried thyme

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Jerk Spice Blend (Jamaican)

1 part salt
1 part black pepper
1 part garlic powder
2 parts onion powder
1/3 part ground red pepper (cayenne)
1/3 part ground cloves
1/3 part ground thyme
1/3 part ground allspice
1/3 part ground cinnamon

My Texas Chili Spice Blend (not my recipe for chili)

1 part House Blend +
2 parts chili powder
1-2 parts ground cumin

Obviously, these aren’t all the spice blend possibilities. If you have a favorite, don’t be shy; share it in the comments. If you try one of these blends, let us know how it came out for you.

***** Happy Blending *****

Here are the classic recipes I promised. The list of pasta dishes is endless and there is only so much space I can devote to this. The recipes I included are, as near as I can tell, truly “old world” authentic recipes. They have been around for generations and have since been messed with by chefs and us normals alike. So much so, they may not be recognizable in its original form.

These great recipes are obviously not cast in concrete. You can adjust them and let the store help you as much as you like. Until I started this article, I would never have called lasagna a stuffed noodle. But then, that is why cooksalot.com was created. Visit it to have more fun learning about the cooking world. Bon Appétit

Lasagna Imbottite
(Stuffed Noodles

In a skillet sauté 1 onion and 1 clove of garlic, both chopped, in 4 tablespoons olive oil until they are golden. Add 1 stalk celery, finely chopped, 4 cups stewed tomatoes, ½ cup tomato paste mixed with ½ cup hot water, and ½ teaspoon sugar, cover the skillet, and simmer gently for about 1 hour, stirring frequently. Adjust the seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook 1 pound of broad noodles (dry lasagna noodles) in 5 quarts rapidly boiling salted water for about 15 minutes, or until just tender, stirring frequently to prevent the noodles from sticking together. Drain the noodles and arrange them in layers in a baking dish. Cover each layer of noodles with some of the tomato sauce. Cover the sauce with thin slices of Mozzarella cheese and sprinkle the Mozzarella with grated Parmesan cheese. Bake the Lasagna in a moderate oven (350° F) for 20 minutes. Cut into serving portions and serve on individual heated plates, each portion topped with more sauce and grated Parmesan.

Lasagna di Carnevale alla Nappolitana
(Stuffed Noodles with Meat Sauce)

In a skillet sauté a 1-pound pork shoulder in 1 tablespoon olive oil until the meat is brown on all sides. Add 1 small onion and 1 clove of garlic, both chopped, and cook until the onion is golden. Add 1 tablespoon minced parsley, a little salt and pepper, and 1½ cans Italian-style tomato paste mixed with 2 cups of hot water. Cover the skillet and simmer for 2 hours, adding a little water from time to time, if needed. Remove the pork from the sauce and serve it as a separate course or reserve it for another meal.

Cook 1 pound of broad noodles in 5 quarts rapidly boiling salted water for about 15 minutes, or until just tender, stirring frequently to prevent the noodles from sticking together, and drain.

Mix 1 pound ricotta cheese with about 1 tablespoon warm water to make a soft paste.

Arrange the noodles in layers in a baking dish. Cover each layer of noodles with some of the sauce, cover the sauce with a layer of the ricotta paste, and sprinkle the ricotta with grated Parmesan cheese. Bake the Lasagna in a moderate oven (350° F) for 20 minutes. Serve the remaining sauce separately.

Ravioli

Sift 5 cups flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt onto a pastry board and make a well in the center. Put into the well 2 beaten eggs and 1 tablespoon melted butter. Mix the flour into the liquid ingredients, adding enough warm water to make a medium—soft dough. Knead the dough for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it is smooth, divide it in half, and roll out each half on a lightly floured board into identical, thin rectangles.

Combine 1 cup minced cooked chicken, 1 cup chopped cooked spinach, ½-cup dry bread crumbs, 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 1 clove of garlic, minced, and 2 beaten eggs. Season the filling with salt and pepper to taste.

Drop the filling by teaspoons 2 inches apart on one sheet of dough. Cover the mounds of filling with the other sheet of dough and press the two sheets gently together around each mound. With a pastry cutter, cut between the mounds to form 2-inch filled squares.

Cook the ravioli in a large quantity of rapidly boiling salted water for about 10 minutes, or until the dough is tender. Remove them carefully with a skimmer, drain and serve in individual heated plates with a spaghetti sauce. Serve grated Parmesan on the side.

Agnolotti

Combine 1 cup minced cooked lamb or pork, 1 cup chopped cooked spinach, 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese, 1 egg yolk, 2 slices each of prosciutto and Italian salami, both chopped, and salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste.

Roll out ravioli dough on a lightly floured board into two thin, identical. sheets. Drop the filling by teaspoons 2 inches apart on one of the sheets, cover with the other sheet, and press gently around each mound, forming small filled squares. With a pastry cutter, cut the dough between the mounds.

Cook the agnolotti in rapidly boiling salted water for about 10 minutes, or until the dough is tender. Drain and serve in individual heated plates with melted butter and grated Parmesan.

One is tempted to wonder, but never to doubt, whether Italian cookery would be itself if the tomato, the pommaruola as it is often called, had never been combined with pasta. Cappelletti, “little hats,” satisfy the diner, if not the doubt.

Cappelletti alla Romana

Sauté 1 chicken breast gently in 5 tablespoons butter until it is lightly browned on both sides. Season the meat with salt and pepper and cook until it is tender. Chop the chicken breast very finely and mix it thoroughly with ½ pound ricotta cheese, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, 1 egg and 1 egg yolk, a pinch of nutmeg, a grating of lemon peel, and salt to taste.

Roll out ravioli dough on a lightly floured board into thin sheets and cut the sheets into circles 2½ inches in diameter. Place 1 teaspoon of the filling in the center of each circle and fold in half, pressing the edges firmly together. Join the two extreme ends of each half circle to form a “little hat,” or cappelletto. Cook the capelletti in 5 quarts rapidly boiling salted water for about 10 minutes, or until the dough is tender, drain, and serve with a spaghetti sauce and grated Parmesan.

Conchiglie Ripiene
(Stuffed Shells)

Mix thoroughly 1 pound of ricotta cheese, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, ½-teaspoon salt, and 1 beaten egg.

Cook 1 pound of conchiglie in rapidly boiling salted water for about 15 minutes, or until the shells are tender. Drain the shells, cool, and stuff them with the ricotta filling.

Arrange the stuffed shells in a buttered baking dish, pour over them 2 cups tomato sauce or ½-cup melted butter, and sprinkle generously with grated Parmesan. Bake the conchiglie in a moderate oven (350° F) for 20 minutes.

Tomato Sauce

Sauté 2 onions, sliced, and 1 clove of garlic, chopped, in 4 tablespoons olive oil for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are golden. Add 4 cups canned or freshly stewed tomatoes, pressed through a fine sieve, and 3 leaves of sweet basil, shredded, and simmer for about 35 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened, stirring frequently. Add ½ teaspoon sugar and salt and pepper to taste and simmer for 15 minutes longer.

Manicotti
(“Little Muffs”)
(Note: Sometimes confused with cannelloni)

Sift 4 cups Hour and ½ teaspoon salt onto a pastry board and make a well in the center. A In the well put 1 tablespoon soft butter and 3 beaten eggs and gradually work the flour into the center ingredients, adding enough warm water to make a medium-soft dough. Knead the dough for about 3 minutes, or until it is smooth. Roll the dough out thinly on a lightly floured board and cut it into rectangles 4 by 6 inches. Spread 1½ tablespoons ricotta cheese on each rectangle and roll it up like a jelly roll. Moisten the edges of the dough and seal the rolls securely along the seam and ends to prevent the filling seeping out.

Cook the manicotti in a large quantity of rapidly boiling salted water for about 10 minutes, or until the dough is tender. Remove the “little rnuffs” carefully with a flat skimmer and arrange several side by side on individual serving plates. Cover the manicotti with a spaghetti sauce, sprinkle with a little finely chopped sweet basil, and bake in a hot oven (4OO° F) for 10 minutes. Serve with grated Romano cheese.

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Contrary to popular belief , Italians did not invent pasta. The history books claim that pasta is the culinary child not of one, but of many, countries. It is possible that sometime in the last 5,000 years, the Chinese – or their neighbors the Japanese – may have invented pasta. And, much later, the Nudel-eating countries of Europe, more particularly Germany, may have produced a Western counterpart.

Macaroni is mentioned in Boccaccio’s Decameron, at the beginning of the fourteenth century. In it, the Florentine writer describes the imaginary land of Bengodi, “Enjoy-yourself-well,” where cooks stand on mounds of Parmesan cheese and ladle macaroni and ravioli into pots of capon broth. One may not have mounds of Parmesan to stand on, but there should be mounds of Parmesan to sprinkle on the ravioli. Feast on!

Historically, the earliest authentic reference to macaroni, and hence to pasta, appears in an eighth-century version of the works of Hesychius, a Greek lexicographer, in which a food called makaria, “blessed things” or “food of the blessed,” is described as a dish made of dough and served with a sauce.

There is probably as much fiction as fact regarding the accuracy of the legends about the origins of pasta. The scholars of the pasta myth may one day abandon their heated discussions and give the appropriate countries their due. There can be little doubt though that Italy deserves credit for having done the most for it. No matter, Italy today is the undisputed champion of culinary pasta delights.

It took ingenious curiosity and courage to develop a crude mess of flour, egg, and water into supernal pasta. And, these qualities the Renaissance man – Italian peasant or prince – had in full measure. He must have felt that “what doesn’t kill you fattens you.”

Accordingly, he took the hard, glutinous wheat that southern Italy produces so abundantly, milled it, mixed it with water, and dried it in extravagant shapes and forms of translucent amber.

However, unlike his peers in centuries past, he could not leave well enough alone and proceeded to complicate pasta by stuffing it. He literally put all of Italy into his pasta; the tomato, that the seafaring Spaniards had brought to Italy, the prosciutto of Bologna and the North, the onions and bacon of the Roman countryside, the meats of Puglia, the fresh cheeses and hot sausages of Calabria, and the succulent fish of the Tyrrhenian coast.

No monument in Rome exalts this enlightened making and mixing, but succeeding generations have given pasta an imperishable place in the national life by bringing it to table at least once a day. And, many Italians dispense altogether with antipasto (before the pasta) and begin the meal and comradship with friends and family with pasta.

This is the mealtime order in the South – in Naples and Sicily – the region of pasta-lovers, but not necessarily that in the North, where rice-lovers predominate, or in the Center, where soup-lovers hold forth. The Italians are probably far wiser and more economical than we in their use of pasta, for, with creditable logic, they seldom serve pasta as a main course. It is intended, and succeeds in its intention far better than antipasto, to take a considerable edge off the diner’s hunger thus inclining one to be a bit lenient toward the consumption of vast quantities of meat. A good thing, I think.

The first step in cooking pasta is as simple as boiling water. As a matter of fact, this is just what it is, but for some reason this has caused the downfall of many an aspiring cook. Pasta, whether the “moist,” freshly made, or the packaged dry variety, should be cooked in a pot large enough to give it room to move about.

Lower the pasta into briskly boiling salted water, a little at a time, so that the long or curly strands or the crimped layers of filled pasta do not break. The water should continue boiling while the pasta cooks.

The connoisseur believes that the peak of pasta perfection is the el dente stage, when the glutinous morsels are tender, yet just a bit resistant to the tooth. Once the pasta is well-drained, it is ready to be liberally sauced.

Stuffed pasta can be as elaborate as the concoction of the nineteenth-century Italian composer Rossini, who, with a syringe, filled the holes of macaroni tubes with beef marrow, and then cooked them with foie gras, filets of game, and truffles. Autres temps, autres moeurs. Lasagne, al magro and al grasso, involves half the effort, none of the hassle, and tastes twice as good.

Making your own pasta is as simple as 1-2-3. You don’t even need a bowl; you can use what chefs call, “the well method.” Let me explain.

For every serving, put 1 cup of flour on your work surface. Then create a well in the center creating a circular wall of flour. Into the center crack one egg for every cup of flour used and beat it with a fork. Add a touch of water, and mix it again. Then, working out from the center, begin to incorporate the wet ingredients into the flour with the same fork until a dough is formed.

Don’t overwork the dough, but knead in enough to get the glutin working. Finally, take your dough and roll it out to within 1/8-inch thick. Fold it over and roll it out again and even a third or fourth time. You can use a rolling pin or a pasta maker (manual or electric) for this step. The final step it to cut the pasta into the desired shapes.

Classic pasta based recipes will be posted to Cooksalot.com in future weeks. These recipes have been around for a very long time, and they’re just as delicious now as they were in days long gone.

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Also, to take the mystery out of the Croquettes, it is just a small fried food roll containing mashed potatoes, and/or minced meat, shell fish, vegetables, and soaked white bread, egg, milk or any of the combination of them. Then a handful is rolled into a cone, cylinder, or ball. Rolled in bread crumbs and fried.

Fried Chicken

Cut a young, tender chicken into serving pieces, coat the pieces à l’anglaise, and cook them in hot deep fat (370° F.) for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until they come to the surface of the fat and are a golden brown. Drain the chicken on absorbent paper and serve on a paper doily with fried parsley. Serve tomato sauce or cream sauce on the side. The dish may be garnished with fried bananas and sprinkling of apple or corn. (Southern Fried Chicken Video below.)

Breast: of Chicken Xenia

Remove the breast from a chicken weighing about 3 to 3 1/2 pounds. Cut the breast away from the bone, splitting the meat in half, and discard the skin. Pound the filers until they spread into. very thin slices. Season the slices with a little salt and pepper and spread the center with 1 teaspoon maitre d’hotel butter. Place a piece of pate de foie gras containing a bit of truffle on the butter, fold the meat around the filling, and secure the rolls with toothpicks. Coat the filers à l’anglaise and store them in the refrigerator. When the filets are ready to serve, fry them in hot deep fat (370° F) for about 4 minutes, or until they rise to the surface and are golden brown. Remove the toothpicks and serve immediately, so quickly, in fact, that when the rolls are cut with the fork, the butter and foie gras will not be melted, but just creamy. Garnish with slices of canned pineapple and peeled apple quarters sautéed in butter, sprinkled with powdered sugar, and glazed under the broiler. The garnish must be ready before the chicken is put in the fat to cook. Serve with sauce suprême or allemande. Serves two.

Chicken Croquettes

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small heavy saucepan, add 5 tablespoons flour, and cook until the roux starts to turn golden. Add gradually 1 cup boiling milk, stirring constantly with a whip or wooden spoon, and cook for about 12 to 15 minutes, or until the sauce is very thick, stirring to keep it smooth. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and a little white pepper and stir in 2 eggs lightly beaten with a little of the hot sauce. Add 2 cups diced cooked chicken and 6 cooked mushrooms, diced, and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture cleans the sides of the pan. Correct the seasoning with salt and spread the mixture on a buttered platter to cool. Shape the croquettes in cylinders, cones, or balls, coat them à l’anglaise, and cook in hot deep fat (390° F) until they are golden brown. Serve with suprême or tomato sauce.

Wild Rice Croquettes

Follow the recipe for chicken croquettes, substituting cooked wild rice for the diced chicken and using 1/2 cup cooked diced mushrooms.

Corn Croquettes

Follow the recipe for chicken croquettes, substituting corn kernels for the diced chicken. The mushrooms may be omitted.

Skewered Chicken

Cut cooked chicken into large dice and cook as many medium-sized mushrooms as there are dice of chicken. Alternate on a small skewer a mushroom, a piece of chicken, and a piece of truffle until the skewer is filled. Roll the whole in thick, lukewarm Villeroy sauce, coat them à l’anglaise, and cook the skewers in hot deep fat (390° F) until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper and serve on a paper doily accompanied by suprême or tomato sauce and any desired vegetable.

Sweetbread and Chicken Croquettes

Follow the recipe for chicken croquettes, substituting cooked, diced sweetbreads for half the chicken. Two tablespoons chopped cooked ham or smoked ox tongue may be added, and 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped truffles will give the croquettes a very special flavor.

Skewered Sweetbreads

Follow the recipe for skewered chicken, substituting cooked diced sweetbreads for the chicken and omitting the truffles. Serve with suprême or tomato sauce.

Croquettes of Game

Dice finely enough cooked game to make 2 cups. Add 6 cooked mushrooms, finely chopped, and 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped truffles. Reduce 1 cup of Madeira sauce or brown sauce until it is very thick and mix it with the other ingredients. Cool. Shape the mixture into croquettes, coat the croquettes à l’anglaise, and cook them in hot deep fat (390° F) until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper and serve with any desired sauce.

Croquettes of Lobster

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy saucepan, add 3 tablespoons flour, and cook until the roux starts to turn golden. Add gradually 1 cup boiling milk, stirring constantly with a wire whip or wooden spoon, and cook for about 12 to 15 minutes until the sauce is very thick, stirring often to keep it smooth. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and a little pepper and stir in 2 eggs, lightly beaten with a little of the hot sauce. Add 2 cups cooked lobster, 6 cooked mushrooms, both finely diced, and 1 tablespoon chopped truffles. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture cleans the sides of the pan. Correct the seasoning with salt and spread the mixture on a buttered dish to cool. Shape into croquettes, coat the croquettes à l’anglaise, and cook them in hot deep fat (390° F) until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper and serve with white wine sauce.

Fried of Gudgeon, Whitebait, or Smelts

Clean and dry the fish well. Dip them in milk and then in flour. Shake off the surplus flour and cook the fish in hot deep fat (370° F) for 2 to 3 minutes (2 minutes for gudgeons or white bait, 3 for smelts). Drain the fish on absorbent paper and sprinkle them with fine salt. Serve with lemon slices and tartare mayonnaise or sauce rémoulade.

Filets of Sole à la Mode de Goujons (Gudgeons)

Cut filets of any good white-fleshed fish into pieces about the size of the little finger. Dry them well and dip in milk and then in Hour. Shake off the surplus flour and cook the filers in hot deep fat (370° F) until they are golden brown. Drain the fish on absorbent paper and serve with lemon slices and tartare mayonnaise or sauce rémoulade.

Fried Fish Filets

Dry the filers well, and if they are large, cut them into serving pieces. Dip the fish in milk, then in flour. Shake off the surplus flour and fry the filets in hot deep fat (370° F) until they are golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper. Serve with slices of lemon, fried parsley, and tartare mayonnaise or sauce rémoulade.

Fried Oysters Orly

Dry raw oysters well, dip them in flour, and coat à l’anglaise, using fresh bread crumbs. Fry in hot deep oil (390° F) for not more than 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on absorbent paper.

Fried Oysters Villeroy

Poach raw oysters for about 1 minute. Trim off the fringe, dry the oysters well, and roll them in flour. Cover the oysters very thoroughly with Villeroy mixture and cool. When the oysters are ready to serve, coat them. à l’anglaise and fry them in hot deep fat (390° F) until they are golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper.

Fried Scallops

Rinse scallops to remove any sand and dry them well. Dip them in milk and then in flour. Shake off the surplus flour and cook the scallops in hot deep fat (390° F) for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they are golden brown. They will rise to the surface when done. Drain the scallops on absorbent paper and sprinkle them with a little salt. Serve on a paper doily accompanied by tartare mayonnaise. Fried parsley and broiled bacon are often served with them.

French-Fried Potatoes

Peel potatoes and cut them into pieces about as long and thick as the little finger. Dry them thoroughly on a towel. Put the potatoes into a frying basket and lower them slowly into hot deep fat (370° F), Raise them out of the fat if it tends to bubble up too much, return them, and cook for about 7 to 8 minutes, or until they are brown.

Remove the potatoes from the fat and drain. When ready to serve, return them to the fat which has been heated to 390° F. and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. The potatoes will rise to the surface when they are done. Drain them well on absorbent paper, sprinkle with fine salt, and serve immediately. Do not cover the serving dish. For straw or shoe-string potatoes, cut potatoes into julienne, or very thin, strips, and for potato chips, cut in very thin slices and cook as above.

Fried Sweet Potatoes

Cook unpeeled sweet potatoes in boiling water for about 30 minutes or until they are tender, but not too soft. Drain, cool, and peel them. Cut the potatoes in pieces about as big as the little finger or in 1/4-inch slices and cook them in hot deep fat (390° F) until golden brown. Drain the potatoes on absorbent paper and sprinkle them with a little salt.

Potato Croquettes

Prepare potatoes duchesse as follows: Peel and boil 1 pound of potatoes in salted water until they are soft. Drain the potatoes, dry them well over the heat, and rub them through a sieve into a hot saucepan. Work the purée with a wooden spoon until it is very smooth and add 1 tablespoon butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt, a little white pepper, a bit of ground nutmeg, and 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk. Mix well and cool. Shape the mixture into croquettes, coat the croquettes à l’anglaise, and fry them in hot deep fat (370° F) until they are golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper.