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

Slit the peppers on one side, but leave the stems intact and carefully take out the seeds and cores. Cook in salted boiling water, then drain, and remove the skins. Stuff each with 1 tablespoon of grated cheese to two of minced ham, season lightly with salt and paprika, mixed half and half. Roll them in beaten egg and fine, sifted bread crumbs. Dip again in egg and in bread crumbs. Fry in butter. Prepare a sauce with tomato juice, chopped onion and pimento. Have this simmering while you fry the peppers. Fry till a light brown. Put them into the tomato mixture, season to taste and simmer for ½ hour before serving. FRIED STUFFED ARTICHOKES (Alcachofas Rellenas Fritas) 6 artichokes Juice 1 lemon 2 tablespoons vinegar 1 tablespoon butter Water 1 cup crumbs, toasted Salt 1 cup minced cooked ham 1 gariic clove, crushed !/2 cup white wine Select 6 artichokes of uniform size. Cut the stalks close and remove some of the tough bottom leaves. Soak in cold, acidulated water for an hour. Drain, cover with boiling salted water and add a crushed clove of garlic, the lemon juice, and butter. Cook artichokes until a leaf can be easily pulled out. Remove from water and turn upside down to drain. Spread the outer leaves of the artichoke apart and remove the chokes, the fuzzy portion in the center. Make a stuffing with bread crumbs and minced ham. Moisten with white wine. Stuff the centers of the artichokes and the spaces between the leaves. Fasten a piece of muslin around each to hold the stuffing in and fry 10 minutes in deep fat. Serve hot. FROSTED ARTICHOKES (Alcachofas Escardiadas) 6 young artichokes 1 onion, minced 1 teaspoon butter l/2 cup beef broth 6 thin slices bacon 2 tablespoons powdered sugar Cut off the tops of the outer leaves of the artichokes and cook in boiling salted water. Drain and place in a buttered saucepan. In a frying pan fry bacon to a crisp. Remove and discard all but 2 tablespoons of the fat and fry the onion. Crush bacon and lay it on the cooked artichokes. Add broth to the fried onion. Heat and pour over the bacon. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and bake in the oven just long enough for the artichokes to absorb the liquid. n SPANISH BEANS (Habas Espanas) 3 cups dried lima beans Y2 bay leaf 3 pints boiling water 2 cupfuls tomatoes, chopped *4 pound bacon Salt and pepper 2 green peppers, shredded 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese Wash and soak the beans over night. Then cover with boiling water and cook till nearly tender, about 13/2 hours. Fry bacon crisp, remove it from the pan, pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat and fry the green peppers. When they are tender, but not browned, add the beans, bay leaf and tomatoes. Cover well and leave on a low flame for 45 minutes. Then season with salt and pepper to taste and add the sugar. Serve on a hot platter, well sprinkled with a cupful of grated Parmesan. Reheat the crisp bacon and lay around the edge. POTATO PUDDING (Pudin de Patatas) 2 cups hot mashed potatoes 1 tablespoon hot milk Salt 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan 2 teaspoons meat juice cheese 1 tablespoon butter, melted Beat mashed potatoes with salt, meat juice, butter and hot milk together. Pile lightly into a hot serving dish, powder with the cheese and brown in a quick oven. Serve hot with a meat