Summer stock
,,,Ortt,J0L .0%6JY ..ortfk., rot I HAVE been going to weddings every week this month, all those children of what seems yesterday have turned into ravishing lasses and strapping great lads all marching down the aisles and plighting their troths in beautiful churches with glorious music and singing, though what half of them make of the rows of divorced parents behind them as they are taking their vows heaven alone knows; it must be rather confusing. They all took place at different times and the eats were universally excellent, adding greatly to the very joyous festivities. Now, more food for summer occasions: Chicken Veronica
1 4-lb boiling fowl 5 carrots, 2 onions 1 stick of celery, 1 fat clove of garlic Parsley stalks, tarragon The rind of a lemon thinly pared For the sauce: '12 pint of double cream 4 tablespoons medium sherry
4 egg yolks and 1/4 pint of the stock
A little brandy or the like
I think I got this receipt from Jilly Virgin, and as she herself declared it is extremely good. Start it the day before you need it. Rub the bird all over with lemon juice, place in a heavy saucepan with the vegetables, herbs and lemon peel. Just cover with water adding two tablespoons of maiden salt, bring to simmering point then cook very gently until tender, about 21/2 hours. (If by chance you choose to use a roaster it will barely need an hour but the flavour is not as good.) When ready and cooled a bit, carve into suitably sized pieces removing all skin and bone; put these all back in the stock with the giblets and cook for another three quarters of an hour to enrich the stock for the sauce. Chill then remove the fat.
For the sauce beat the egg yolks, the cream and the sherry together vigorously. Bring the 1/4 pint of stock to the boil and pour into the mixture stirring with a wooden spoon. Transfer the lot into a frying pan set on a low heat and an asbestos mat; keep stirring all the time to avoid curdling until it is the consistency of cream and just coats the back of the spoon. Check the seasoning, adding ground pep- per, a little lemon juice and a touch of brandy, take off the heat but continue stirring for a few minutes then pour over the chicken, leave to cool, then chill until set. Serve sprinkled with chives and tarra- gon and, if you like, some little seedless grapes.
I think everyone has come across the pasta salad made with the bigger pastas, tuna, etc. This one is made with spaghetti and comes from a Roman receipt, but is originally from Ischia.
Spaghetti Estivi Freddi 11/2 lbs spaghetti
5 tablespoons of best olive oil 3 fat cloves of garlic chopped finely A handful of mint or spearmint chopped finely 5 tablespoons of fresh orange juice 12 black olives 6 anchovy fillets
1/4 lb button mushrooms preserved in oil Put the oil and the garlic in a frying pan, cook gently until the garlic is golden, add the mint and take off the heat. Pour in the orange juice. Chop the olives and ancho- vies roughly, stir them into the pan then add the mushrooms. (You can get these mushrooms in an Italian delicatessen or marinade them yourself overnight.) Season all with salt and mix together. Cook the spaghetti in plenty of boiling salted water keeping them slightly more al dente than usual, drain and pour onto a wide charger, mix in the sauce and spread the spaghetti all over the charger to cool. When cold transfer to a nice rustic dish. Enough for six hearty eaters.
Here is a delicious and strange cake: Walnut and coffee cake
4 eggs 6 oz icing sugar 1 tablespoon each of cocoa and fine ground coffee 1 tablespoon fresh breadcrumbs
Separate yolks from whites. Cream yolks and sugar. Add breadcrumbs, coffee, cocoa and walnuts, mix well. Fold in the whites of egg beaten stiff. Have ready a greased and lined cake tin 8 inches in diameter, 2 inches high. Pour in mixture, bake in a preheated oven Gas 4, 350F fat- 45 minutes. Cool and turn out onto a rack-- When cold ice with 1/4lb unsalted butter creamed with 1/4lb icing sugar and one egg yolk. Add a heaped tablespoon of instant coffee dissolved in two tablespoons of boiling water. Mix well and spread over the cake. So good!
Jennifer Paterson
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