The European cookbook for American homes (from Italy, Spain, Portugal and France)

Slowly fry onion in oil until it begins to color, add garlic and fry golden. Add tomato and bouquet and simmer. Add broth and wine and simmer. Meat to be braised, or pot-roasted, is browned with the onion and garlic. Vegetables, or meat, to be boiled, are added after the broth. For roast meats, add this sauce, hot, to pan when basting begins. PORTUGUESE SAUCE FOR MEATS {Molho Portuguez) HOT 1 onion, sliced thin 1 garlic clove, minced 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 small green pepper, sliced thin 1 small tomato, sliced thin Hot pan gravy 14 teaspoon salt Tobasco sauce or cayenne (or fresh hot chili pepper) Yi teaspoon minced parsley 1 tablespoon vinegar Slowly fry onion and garlic in oil until it begins to color. Add green pepper and fry, but do not let it brown. Add remaining ingredients, cover and simmer 10 minutes. Slide out of pan on to meat platter, or into sauce boat, being careful not to break tomato slices. COLD Onion rings Thin tomato slices Green pepper rings Salt and pepper Vinegar thinned with water Place vegetables in a dish. Add salt, pepper and vinegar. Let stand 1 hour, and serve with cold meat. OLIVE SAUCE FOR MEATS (Molho de Azeitonas) 1 dozen olives 2 cups Portuguese cooking 1 cup Madeira wine sauce (see recipe) With sharp knife cut olives from the pits in spirals. If very salty, scald with boiling water and drain. Simmer in wine until nearly dry. Add Portuguese cooking sauce, or pan gravy. (Legumes) NOURISHING RICE (Arroz de Substantia) Strain rich highly-seasoned soup, made of meat and vegetables; and bring to a boil. Wash rice through many waters and drain. Add rice a little at a time to boiling soup, and boil rapidly until grains swell, and liquid is nearly absorbed. Reduce heat, or place over boiling water until rice is completely tender and dry. Uncover a few minutes before serving. Proportions are approximately i cup of rice to i quart of soup. SUMMER SQUASH (Abobora de Agua) i pound summer squash Salt and pepper i small onion, minced 54 teaspoon minced parsley i garlic clove, minced % cup tomato puree 2 tablespoons bacon fat i tablespoon vinegar 2 tablespoons meat broth Peel squash, remove seeds, and cut in i-inch cubes. Parboil in salted water and drain. Meanwhile to prepare the sauce: fry onion and garlic slowly in fat without browning. Add seasonings and parsley. Then tomato puree, vinegar, and meat broth. Simmer for a few minutes. Add the squash and mix well. Cover closely and simmer slowly until squash is tender and liquid nearly absorbed. It may be necessary to remove cover at the end in order to reduce sufficiently. The squash may be mashed lightly with a fork, or left in cubes. SHELLED GREEN BEANS (Favas) 4 slices bacon, chopped Salt and pepper 3 scallions, chopped 3 cups shelled green beans 1 garlic clove, minced or fresh lima beans 1 thin slice cooked ham, chopped Beef broth Fry bacon until crisp. Add scallions, garlic, ham and seasonings and continue frying, but do not brown. Add beans and mix together. Pour in sufficient beef broth to cover and cook until beans are done and sauce reduced. Serve with poached eggs and slices of sausage heated in butter. SPINACH WITH SARDINES (Espinafre con Sardinhas) 1 large tin sardines Juice of l/2 lemon