The Stag Cook Book: Written for Men by Men

Now put these pig's ears or Ushka into boiling water ; they will sink, but that should not distress you. Leave them there until they come to the surface. Put the Ushka on a platter and pour on them brown butter with crumbs and serve them as a side dish with barshck. BURACHKI {Beets a la Polonaise) Boil eight little beets, skin them and chop them (not too fine). Take one level tablespoonful of butter, and one tablespoonful of flour. Brown it until it is of a golden hue. Stir into this half a cupful of vinegar, two tablespoonsful of sugar, half a teaspoonful of salt and a little pepper. Bring it to boiling, then mix this with your beets. [117] Lvn Captain Edward A. Salisbury SAUCE FOR SPAGHETTI This sauce for spaghetti is a real Italian mixture — and wonderful. This is how I learned to make it in Italy: Place in a cup or bowl a half teacup full of dried mushrooms. Pour boiling water over them and just let them stand until thoroughly softened, say — about a half hour. In the meantime cover the bottom of your frying pan or skillet with butter or olive oil (I prefer the butter). Chop one big onion and cook slowly, stirring frequently. In another pan or kettle place two cans of tomatoes. Stew them for half an hour. Then make three small cakes of Hamburg steak or chopped beef and put them in to cook, with the onions. Cook thoroughly. Add at the same time the mushrooms which have been softened and chopped into fine particles. When the meat is cooked through mash the cakes up with a fork — ^mixing well with onions and mushrooms. Now add the stewed tomatoes and, in doing this, press them through a sieve or colander. Stir well. Place on back of stove and let steep for one hour after adding two teaspoons of Eagle Chili Powder (if available) [ii8] or two teaspoons of Lea & Perrins sauce with five dissolved cubes of beef or chicken bouillon. To cook the spaghetti, place it, unbroken, in well salted boiling water. Put it in end first. Boil exactly twentythree minutes. Drain. Hold under cold water tap for a second or two and drain again. Keep warm on stove until served. This cold water treatment is important. It removes all gumminess and leaves the spaghetti in perfect condition. Use the imported spaghetti if available. EGGS A LA SALISBURY Here is a dish that is easy to make and delicious. I poach the desired number of eggs until they are just solid. Then I place them on hot, crisp toast, covering the eggs with beautifully done bacon. Over the lot, I pour hot cream until the eggs arc floating. Salt, pepper and paprika to taste. Try this for breakfast. FISH A LA COMMODORE Say you are cooking a six pound bass or some similar fish — do it this way for a change: Rub the fish well with salt and pepper. Don't be afraid [119] to rub. Then open the flesh in three places and insert in each opening a clove of garlic. Next slice six large onions — six small green peppers — and six large tomatoes. Now take your Dutch oven or baking pan and cover the bottom with Mazola oil or olive oil — ^add a tablespoon of butter. When this is hot put in your fish and cover the fish with the sliced vegetables. Salt and pepper the vegetables. Cook until the vegetables are done or about one hour. Baste frequently to avoid scorching the vegetables. To the basting add two teaspoons of Lea & Perrins sauce and onehalf wine glass of cooking Sherry when half done. When serving put plenty of juice and sauce on each portion and make them come back for more. This recipe can be used for many kinds of large fish. V TO COOK TROUT