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

2 tablespoons butter, melted 4 tablespoons Calvados, % cup apple marmalade or aged applejack 1 cup thick cream, whipped Choose old potatoes which will be light and fluffy. When smoothly mashed add salt and pepper, butter, and marmalade which has been warmed over steam; mash together thoroughly. Cool potatoes somewhat; beat in cream, egg yolk and caramel; T FRENCH 347 fold in egg white stiffly beaten. Heap in a rough pile on a fireproof dish, and place in moderate oven (3500 F.) to heat and set egg, but do not brown. Pour the applejack over and flare. It makes a pretty ceremony to burn the applejack at the table. (Poor or new applejack will not give the proper results. And, of course, Calvados or Normandy apple brandy is best.) Serve with game, duck, or pork. MASHED POTATOES AND CHESTNUTS (Puree de Pommes et Matrons) An equal weight of potatoes and chestnuts. Pare the pota- toes; shell, blanch and peel chestnuts. Put the potatoes and chestnuts in boiling water in 2 separate pans. Cook until tender. Run together through potato ricer, add salt and pepper and a tablespoonful of butter. Mix thoroughly. Add 1 cup cream and beat until very light. Heat over steam and serve. Nwernais LETTUCE A LA NIVERNAISE (Laitues a la Nivernaise) Small heads young lettuce Salt and pepper Butter Young carrots Beef broth 1 teaspoon granulated sugar Wilt the lettuce in melted butter. Add beef broth to half cover, season, cover and simmer. Turn after 8 minutes. Un- cover, simmer and baste. Parboil carrots in salted water; drain; brown in butter with the sugar; add a little broth and simmer, covered, until tender. Uncover and reduce liquid to a glaze. Arrange lettuce on a hot platter, pour liquid over. Garnish with the glazed carrots. 348 THE EUROPEAN COOKBOOK Bordelais MUSHROOMS BORDELAISE (Cepes a la Bordelaise) Yi pound mushrooms 2 shallots, minced fine Ys pound butter 2 tablespoons lemon juice Salt and pepper 1 teaspoon minced parsley Cut off all but ]/2 inch of the mushroom stems. Let lie for a few minutes in plenty of cold water, first right side up, then upside down. Dry on a linen towel. Cut in thin slices through the stem. Heat butter to near smoking. Add part of the mush- room slices and toss and turn in the butter. Add the rest, season, fry for a moment, add shallots, and let fry 2 minutes. Cover closely, reduce heat and smother 2-4 minutes. Add lemon juice, and parsley, and serve at once in a hot dish. HOP SPROUTS (Jets de Houblons) Young hop sprouts, in the spring, are succulent and edible, resembling asparagus. They are imported to America in cans, although there is no reason why hop sprouts should not be a garden crop in the United States. They should be heated in their own liquid and served with hot butter, or with Hollandaise sauce. STUFFED SQUASH BLOSSOMS (Fleurs de Courge Farcie) The male, or false, blossoms which close and fall from squash and pumpkin vines are gathered up and sold by the bushel in French markets; to be prepared thus: Gently open flowers sufficiently to insert a stuffing of chicken or veal forcemeat (or simply chopped hard-boiled egg mixed with butter and bread crumbs). Lay stuffed flowers side by side in a baking tin, pouring into pan a little veal or chicken broth FRENCH 349