First Course

Little Patti Tomatoes

Skin 8 medium tomatoes. Peel 1 garlic clove. Measure 3/4 cup olive oil and 1 cup tarragon wine vinegar. Finely dice 1 medium onion.

Mix 1/4 tsp dry mustard, 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper, onion, garlic, 1 oz sugar and olive oil. Add vinegar and shake sauce well.

Place tomatoes in a bowl. Scatter top with 2 tbsp chopped parsley stalks and cover with dressing. Place in refrigerator and leave overnight.

Serve with crisp hearts of lettuce.

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Second Course

Farmhouse Vegetable Soup

Peel chilled vegetables (2 medium carrots, 1 small parsnip, 1/2 small turnip and 1 medium onion). Measure out 13/4 chicken stock and 1/2 cup cream. Tie herbs (3 bay leaves, 4 parsley stalks and 3 lemon thyme sprigs) together.

Add to sliced vegetables a collection of vegetable peelings, keep in plastic bag in fridge. Melt 4 tbsp clarified butter in a frying pan and add chilled sliced vegetables, cooking gently for 4 minutes.

Add chicken stock and herbs and simmer for 20 minutes until vegetables are tender. Remove herbs.

Place liquid and vegetables in blender or mixer. Whip and finish with cream. Season to taste with salt and peppercorns.

Main Course

Chicken Pepper Pot

Peel 1 small onion and stick with 3 cloves. Peel and finely slice 1 small carrot. Shred 1 stalk celery and 1 green pepper very finely.

Cover 1 roasting chicken with 10 cups of water, add onion and herbs (1 sprig of lemon thyme, 1 bay leaf and cloves) and simmer for four hours. Boil down to 21/2 cups; remove fat.

Clarify with 1 whipped egg white. Add shredded vegetables and simmer until just tender. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve with hot wheat rolls and butter.

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Creamed Spinach

Wash 2 lbs spinach and remove stalks. Place in saucepan with 2 tbsp water and 2 tbsp butter. Season with salt and black pepper. Cover and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Drain and puree in blender. Heat puree and add 1 tbsp sugar and 1/4 cup cream. Season if necessary.

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Dessert

Flavored coffee or hot apple cider and sherbet

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This month’s borrowed recipes are from The Graham Kerr Cookbook written by The Galloping Gourmet. This copy of the book was published by Doubleday in 1969.