Gourmet Foods

• 1 cup dried lima beans
• 4 pounds chuck or brisket
• 2 onions, sliced
• 2 tablespoons fat
• 1 tablespoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 5 cups boiling water
• 1 cup kasha

Soak the beans in water to cover for 12 hours. Drain.

Brown the meat and the onions in the fat. Add the salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, water and the beans.

Cover loosely and cook over low heat 2 hours. Add the kasha and a little more water if necessary.

Cook ½ hour longer or until meat is tender. Slice the meat and serve with the beans and kasha. Serves 8 to 10.

• Large head cabbage
• 2 tablespoons fat
• 2 onions, sliced
• 3 cups canned tomatoes
• 3 teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• Beef bones
• 1 pound ground beef
• 3 tablespoons uncooked rice
• 4 tablespoons grated onion
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons cold water
• 3 tablespoons honey
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ¼ cup seedless raisins

Pour boiling water over cabbage to cover and let soak for 15 minutes. Remove 12 leaves carefully; if leaves are small, use 18.

Heat the fat in a deep, heavy saucepan. Lightly brown the onions in it. Add the tomatoes, half of the salt and pepper and all the bones. Cook over low heat 30 minutes.

Mix together the beef, rice, grated onion, egg and water.

Place some of the meat mixture on each cabbage leaf. Tuck in the sides and roll up carefully. Add to the sauce. Cover and cook over low heat 1 ½ hours. Add the honey, lemon juice and raisins. Cook 30 minutes longer. Serves 6 as a main course, 12 as a first course.

Prelinary cooking or blanching

• 3 pounds of fresh spinach
• A large kettle containing 7 to 8 quarts of rapidly boiling water
• 3 ½ tablespoons salt
• A good chopping knife

Trim and wash the spinach. Drop it into the boiling water a handful at a time, add salt, and boil slowly, uncovered, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until spinach is limp. Drain spinach, run cold water into kettle for a minute or two, drain again. By handfuls, squeeze out as much water from the spinach as possible. Chop. Set aside until ready to use.
Serving

• 2 tablespoons butter
• A heavy-bottomed 8 inch non-stick skillet
• 1 ½ tablespoons of sifted flour
• 1 cup beef stock, beef bouillon, or heavy cream
• Salt and pepper
• 1 to 2 tablespoons soft butter

Melt the butter in the skillet. When bubbling, add the chopped spinach and stir over moderately high heat for 2 to 3 minutes to evaporate moisture. When the spinach just begins to adhere to bottom of pan, Lower heat to medium and stir in the flour. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and blend in the stock, bouillon or cream. Season lightly, bring to the simmer, cover, and cook very slowly for 10 to 15 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent scorching. Correct seasonings, stir in softened butter, and serve.

Preliminary cooking or blanching

• 3 pounds fresh green beans
• A large kettle containing 7 to 8 quarts of rapidly boiling water
• 3 ½ tablespoons salt

Snap ends off beans. Just before cooking, wash under hot water. Drop beans into kettle, add salt, and bring rapidly to boil. Boil uncovered for 8 minutes, then test a bean by eating it. Beans are done when they are tender but still retain a suggestion of crunchiness. As soon as they are done, place a colander over the kettle and drain the water off the beans. Then run cold water into kettle for several minutes to cool the beans and to set the color and texture. Drain. Set aside until ready to use.
Serving

• A heavy 8 to 10 inch non stick pan or skillet
• Salt and pepper
• 3 to 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 to 3 tablespoons minced, fresh parsley

To serve, toss beans in the saucepan or skillet over moderately high heat to evaporate all their moisture. Then toss with salt, pepper, and butter until well heated- about 2 minutes or so. Toss again with a teaspoon of lemon juice and the minced parsley. Serve immediately.