The E.F. Benson Cookbook

Recipes inspired by the Mapp & Lucia books and other novels of E.F. Benson
Contributed by members of the E.F. Benson Discussion List
With illustrations by the talented Mrs. Titus W. Trout



The Search for the Fabled Lobster á la Riseholme

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FOUND BEHIND A CUPBOARD

Note: The following recipe was found wedged behind a cupboard in the kitchen of Grebe, outside of Tilling, Sussex, as the house was being refurbished for sale. Though the recipe included lobster and shrimp, the paper itself smelled strangely of cod.

Wolgar & Pipstow
Estate Agents
Tilling, Sussex

Take 2 hen lobsters, 2 1/2 to 3 lbs, no larger.

Place in a heavy cook-pot enough water so the lobsters will be completely covered when you plunge them into it. Lightly salt the water, bring to the boil, and immerse the lobsters. Allow the water to return to the boil. Reduce to the simmer and cook about 11 minutes. Drain and plunge into cold water. Remove meat from the tail, body, and claws. Discard the lady, or sandbag, and the intestinal vein and lungs. Reserve the green tomalley and roe (coral.) Dice meat into small bite-sized pieces and combine with 1 lb small cooked shrimp.

Prepare a white sauce or bechamel: Belt over low heat 2 tbsp unsalted butter. Add and blend in 2 tbsp flour. Cook over low heat for 4 minutes, slowly stirring in 1 cup of milk. Add a small onion studded with 4 cloves plus 1/2 a small bay leaf. Cook stirring until thickened and smooth. Place in oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes then strain. Beat until blended 1 egg yolk and 2 tbsp cream. Add a little of the sauce to the egg yolk and cream, stirring constantly, then return the mixture to the sauce. Add 2 tbsp grated Parmesan and 2 tbsp grated Gruyere. Keep stirring with a small whisk until cheese has melted and blended. Season lightly with salt and a few grains of cayenne. Add 1 tsp prepared mustard, the sieved tomalley and coral, and 2 tbsp sherry.

You may serve in an oven-proof dish but, for a festive occasion, fill the tails with one-third of sauce, add seafood, cover it with the rest of the sauce. As a final, special touch, sprinkle top with a mixture of grated Parmesan and melted butter. Run under the salamander (or broiler) until the sauce is golden brown. Serves four. (note added: Nonsense, there should be enough for six or eight!)

Woolgar

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MRS. TROUT'S BRAVE LOBSTER À LA RISEHOLME EXPERIMENT

Take two hen lobsters. Remove the elastic bands from their claws so they have a fighting chance. Have a large pot on rapid boil with two inches or so of water. Have a friend who can sing lift the lid while you briskly throw both lobsters into the boiling cauldron.

Your friend should slam down the lid and begin high-pitched screaming while you laugh maniacally. ( There is a debate over whether lobsters scream while being cooked ; I say solve that problem by providing the sound effects yourself). Meanwhile, hold down the lid of the pot firmly; this is IMPORTANT! Cook the lobsters for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit covered for a minute or two while you hunt around for pot holders. Remove lobsters from pot and let cool completely. Save the water from the pot. After lobsters have cooled, remove all the meat. Cut or tear the meat into bite size pieces. Set the tamali aside.

The Sauce. I have strong feelings on this topic. No garlic. Though I love garlic in large quantities on most occasions, I believe that it does not have a place in this recipe. I am willing to consider a small amount of shallots. No cheddar cheese. Too heavy. I imagine this dish to be light and savory. A cream sauce, yes, but not one that is heavy and glutinous like Newburg. I also believe, no egg yolks in the sauce. Too yellow. Any pinkness would be more orange, again, like Newburg.

Melt 4 Tablespoons of butter in a saucepan. Add 2 Tablespoons of flour. Saute gently for a few minutes. Add 1 cup of broth from the lobster pot and one cup of heavy cream. (half and half works too). Stir constantly until thickened. Toss in 1/2 lb. of shelled, deveined raw shrimp, small ones but not salad shrimps. Simmer until shrimp have cooked, around 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup parmesan cheese. Stir until blended and smooth. Add a dash of nutmeg, salt and white pepper to taste.

Untried theory: after sauteeing the roue, add the red roe from the lobster. Stir until blended, then add the liquids. You see, I ask myself, "Why a hen lobster?" Here we eat male and female lobsters, no difference. But a hen lobster may have the roe, which some people do eat, and which would give the sauce a pinkish hue (more than what you will get from the shrimp alone).

Another untried theory: possibly a small amount of sherry in the sauce. Sherry is a commonly used ingredient in lobster dishes. Add the lobster pieces to the sauce and simmer until just warm. Do not overcook, as the lobster and shrimps will get tough. Serve over rice. I have made the above dish, without the untried theories, and was quite pleased with the results. How can you go wrong with those ingredients?! The question is really how to go right.

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DRESSED CRAB



DRESSED CRAB

1 large crab, cooked and meat extracted
Juice of a large lemon
1 tablespoon fresh white breadcrumbs
1/2 to 1 tablespoon mustard
2 tablespoons home-made Mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
Paprika

Place white crabmeat in a bowl. Flake gently and check for small pieces of shell. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Add sufficient mayonnaise to make a creamy mixture.

Mix brown crabmeat well. Add salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste. Add mustard, 1 tablespoon mayonnaise and breadcrumbs. Mix well. If using crab shell to serve dressed crab, wash the shell well and rub with a little oil. Arrange brown crabmeat mixture at each side of the shell and fill centre space with white crabmeat mixture. Sprinkle with paprika. Serve with salad greens and arrange crab legs around dressed crab.

Pug

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A PROPER YORKSHIRE PUDDING

1/2 tsp salt
1/2 pint milk
4 tablespoons flour
1 egg
½ tsp salt

Sift 2 tbs flour in bowl. Thoroughly beat egg and add to flour. Mix these two ingredients together; then add remaining 2 tbs flour and the salt. Add the milk and beat thoroughly with rotary beater until well combined. Into a 9-inch, deep pie dish, or similar utensil, pour 6 tbs of hot beef drippings. Place dish into oven under the meat and allow it to become so hot that the drippings sizzle. Just before pouring batter into dish, beat it once more with rotary beater. Place in oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes in hot oven.

This mixture makes a pudding with crispy outside and creamy soft center. If more consistency is desired, increase the amount of flour by 2 tablespoons.

Major Benjy

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YORKSHIRE PUDDING

Yorkshire pudding was originally served as a first course, to temper the appetite and to make the beef go further. But crisply made Yorkshire pud is now something of a delicacy. There are just a few rules: for a successful pudding you must: 1. have the oven very hot; 2. use a flameproof metal container, and 3. always use plain flour rather than self raising. Use an 11x7 inch roasting tin.

Sift 3oz plain flour into a bowl, make a well in the centre, break an egg into it and beat it, gradually incorporating 3 fl oz of milk, 2 fl oz of water, some salt and pepper (an electric whisk will do this in seconds). About 15 minutes before the beef is due to come out of the oven, increase the heat to 220C or 425F and place the roasting tin in the oven, adding 2 tablespoons of beef dripping. After 15 minutes remove the tin from the oven and place over direct heat while you pour the batter into the

sizzling hot fat. Return the dish to the highest shelf (or second highest if you have roast potatoes on that one). The pudding will take about 25-30 minutes to rise and become crisp and golden. Serve as soon as possible, as it loses its crunchiness if it has to wait around too long.

Miles O’Connor

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BAKED MACARONI

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook and drain 4 ounces (1 cup) of MACARONI. Place layers of macaroni in a buttered baking dish, alternating with layers of GRATED CHEESE (1 cup). Beat until blended 1 or 2 EGGS, 2/3 cup of MILK, 1/4 tsp SALT, 1/8 tsp of PAPRIKA, and a few grains of CAYENNE. Pour this mixture over the macaroni and bake for 40 to 50 minutes.

Optional: top with Au Gratin topping of dry bread crumbs mixed with butter and grated cheese.

Mallards Cottage

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OEUFS FRANCIS PICABIA

Break eight eggs into a bowl and mix them well with a fork, add salt but no pepper. Pour into a saucepan - yes into a saucepan, no, not a frying pan. Put the saucepan over a very, very low flame, keep turning them with a fork while very slowly adding in very small quantities 1/2 pound of butter - not a speck less, rather more if you can bring yourself to it. It should take 1/2 hour to prepare this dish. The eggs of course are not scrambled but with the butter, no substitute admitted, produce a suave consistency that perhaps only gourmets will appreciate.

Bibelot

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PESTO GENOVESE

2 cups fresh basil
½ cup oil oil (extra virgin)
2 tablespoons pinenuts*
2 cloves garlic (or one big honkin’ spoonful of minced, that’s what Cook says)
Salt to taste
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons grated Pecorino romano cheese (or increase Parmesan)
3 tablespoons butter, room temperature

Blend all ingredients, except butter, in food processor, to desired texture (could be smooth, could be chunky). Beat in softened butter.

*We have asked Cook to omit the pinenuts. After so many years in the West and Southwest, Titus simply cannot abide the pignoli. I feel the lack, from time to time, but the recipe sans pignoli is still excellent.

Mrs. Titus W. Trout

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FOOLISH RECIPES



MASTER RECIPE FOR FRUIT FOOL

A fool is cooked fruit layered or folded together with whipped cream. After testing many different recipes, I found it best to add a teaspoon of gelatin to the hot berries in order to thicken them slightly when they cooled. Otherwise the mixture is a bit too loose. I prefer not to layer the fruit with whipped cream. It is easier and I think more appealing to simply top the fruit with the cream. The rhubarb version of this recipe is outstanding. It makes a tart and refreshing dessert.

Fruit mixture:

4 cups berries or rhubarb cut into 1-inch lengths
1/2 cup unfiltered apple juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon unflavoured gelatin
1/2 teaspoon minced lemon zest

Whipped cream:

1 cup heavy (double) cream
2 tablespoons superfine sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Combine berries or rhubarb with apple juice, sugar, and vanilla in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle the gelatinover the fruit and cook another 5 minutes. Mash about 1/3 of the berries or rhubarb into the syrup. Remove from heat, add lemon zest, and chill.

2. Chill bowl and beaters of an electric mixer in the freezer for at least 10 minutes. Place heavy cream in the chilled bowl. Beat with chilled beaters until cream just starts to take shape. Add sugar and vanilla and beat until stiff.

3. Place chilled fruit into goblets or large wineglasses. Top with whipped cream. Chill.

Serves 6.

Woolgar

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MRS. TITUS W. TROUT’S FAUX FOOL

 16 oz. frozen strawberries
1 cup light cream
4 tablespoons confectioner's sugar (or to taste)
1 egg yolk
1 cup ice cubes
1 shot creme de cassis (liqueur of black currant)

Blend all in a blender capable of pulverizing ice. Serve in a clear glass cup with a spoon.

Note: I tried very hard to abide by the clues found in "Miss Mapp". This concoction is red and creamy and at first must be eaten with a spoon. The dregs can definitely be drunk. The addition of champagne (not yet tried by this adventurer as I do have to go to work tonight!) would certainly add the bubbles and a lightness that would be nice. The major problem to overcome was the lack of red currants. Can't be had for love or money. But strawberry was mentioned as a popular fool ingredient, so that's what I used. I'm also not convinced that ice blended into the drink is authentic; I think that perhaps the amount of juice was higher than in my strawberries and that the ice was only for chilling. But, hey, it works nicely in this recipe. The creme de cassis was my attempt to bring the faux closer to the original and I must say that it adds a heavenly, subtle, "what IS that?" quality, which I enjoyed very much! I recommend this treat highly. Quick and easy. I can imagine that several cups of the above could easily liven up a bridge party.

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RASPBERRY FOOL

Yield: Two servings

2 c pureed raspberries, sweetened to taste
1 tb Kirsch or rum
1 c Heavy cream, whipped

Combine fruit and kirsch and fold into the whipped cream. Chill well. Other berries or fruits may be substituted for the raspberries.

Pug

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STRAWBERRY OR RASPBERRY FOOL

 1 pint strawberries or raspberries
1 tbs orange juice
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream

Combine fruit with orange juice and sugar in a saucepan and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until soft. Allow to cool. Press through a fine sieve and chill. Just before serving combine mixture with whipped cream in a glass bowl. Serves 4.

Pug

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RASPBERRY FOOL

 1/4 cup raspberry flavor liqueur
1 container (12-oz) dry pack frozen whole raspberries thawed
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
Chocolate cookies

In a small bowl, stir liqueur into raspberries. In large bowl with electric mixer at high, beat cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold in raspberries and liquid. Spoon into 6 stemmed dessert glasses. Chill until serving time. Serve with cookies.

Pug

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RASPBERRY FOOL

You Will Need: (For 4 servings)

200g (7oz) raspberries
40g (1.5 oz) icing sugar (confectioner's)
2 tbsp cherry brandy
3 tsp powdered gelatin
125ml (4fl oz) double cream (heavy cream)
2 egg whites

Preparation:

Reserve 4 raspberries for decoration and put remainder in a food processor. Add icing sugar and blend to a puree. Sieve to remove seeds. Mix cherry brandy with 1 tbsp cold water. Sprinkle gelatin on top. Put bowl over pan of hot water and stir until gelatin dissolves. Stir into puree.

Whisk cream until it forms soft peaks. Fold into puree. Chill for 5-10 minutes until mixture thickens. Whisk egg whites until stiff and fold into puree.

Spoon mixture into individual dishes. Chill for about 1 hr until set. Decorate and serve.

Pug

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RECIPES FOR "CUP"


CUP

In regards to the "Fool" recipe, I suspect that Benson slipped a bit when he called it that. It is more likely to have been a strong version of what the Victorians called a "Cup".

A Champagne Cup for example was made with one bottle of Champagne, one quart bottle of German Seltzer water, one pint of Vichy water, two oranges sliced, a bunch of balm, ditto of burrage, one ounce of bruised sugar candy. Process: - place these ingredients in a covered jug embedded in ice for an hour and a quarter previously to the cup being required for use, and then decanter it free from the herbs. This from a cookbook by Queen Victoria's Chef - Charles Elmé Francatelli. Benson described the red current fool as giving off bubbles and I think this would easily do that. And the addition of a quantity of fine brandy would do to make the Major appreciative and Mapp tipsy.

Blue Birdie

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CUP

 1-1/2 ponies of brandy (a pony = 1 ounce)
1 pony Cointreau
1 pony maraschino
1 quart bottle white wine
1 large piece ice

Pour ingredients into large glass pitcher. Decorate with slices or orange, lemon, maraschino cherry, fresh pineapple sticks or slices, strawberries (when in season), and sprig of fresh mint. Top the cup with half a bottle of soda water.

The Padre

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CLARET CUP WALDORF

(as served at the old Waldorf-Astoria)

1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 ponies brandy
1 pony benedictine
1 pony maraschino

Put into mixing glass and fill with seltzer. Stir and pour into pitcher. Add large block of ice, a bottle of claret, and fruit. Decorate with frosted mint.

The Padre

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HOMESTEAD CLARET CUP

Courtesy, The Homestead, Hot Springs, Virginia

1 lb. fresh strawberries
4 teaspoons powdered sugar
Juice 1 lemon
1 pt. claret
1 pt. whipped cream
1 bottle soda

Crush and strain strawberries with sugar and lemon juice. Add claret, whipped cream, and soda. Mix, sweeten to taste. Serve in claret cup

I’ve the distinct feeling that these concoctions, when ingested to excess, could produce a memorable morning after. We used to call it sneaky punch when I was in Seminary. It would however, be a delicious addition to moonlit suppers in a friends pergola or at your famous shilling teas, I dare say.

The Padre

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MRS. TROUT'S ORIGINAL COCKTAIL: A "SOFT THUD"

My dears,

I find that I can just reach the keyboard from my supine position on the chaise longue. Such fatigue! I've hardly lifted a finger all day. While I lay here all day, I remembered something -- ickle recipe -- I wanted to share with the List. It's rather late to put this in the Cookbook, but perhaps our dear Pug would consider it. It is a recipe for a drinky-poo that I had yesterday -- a lovely, refreshing concoction, given its name by Blumenfelt who is a very clever man and inspired by one of the masterful haikus that Pug received during an automatic writing session:


The door springs open
     the soft thud of apricots
falling to the floor.

A SOFT THUD: 

1 shot apricot brandy
1 shot gin
Juice of 1/2 an orange
Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass.

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JUMBLES

 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 egg yolks, beaten
1 1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons sherry
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream butter, gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk; mix well. Stir in flour until well blended. Add sherry and vanilla; stir well. Cover and chill 2 to 3 hours.

Shape dough into 3/4 inch balls; place 2 inches apart on lightly greased parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly on cookie sheet; remove from parchment, and cool completely on wire racks. Yield: about 4 dozen.

Note: Except for the sherry, this is very like my basic sugar cookie recipe. The sherry must make the cookies more acceptable at afternoon tea.

Ann Hilgeman

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JUMBLES

 2 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
grated rind of 1/2 an orange
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder

With mixer, beat eggs until light. Add sugar and orange rind and beat until fluffy. Blend in softened butter.

Sift flour, salt & baking powder all together into the first mixture and blend well.

Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheets. Leave ample room between cookies. There will be about 1-1/2 dozen.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Immediately after taking cookies from oven, sprinkle tops with granulated or brown sugar and let them cool on the rack.

Evie

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BOSWORTH JUMBLES

 6 oz. butter
1-1/4 oz. sugar
2 eggs
2-1/4 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Sift flour and add to mixture.

Shape dough into small S shapes and place them on a well-greased baking tray. Bake for 25 minutes or until they are golden brown.

Evie

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JUMBLES

Ingredients (for 10-15 biscuits):

2 1/2 oz. butter
2 1/2 oz. caster sugar
Half a beaten egg
5 oz. self-raising flour
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
1 oz. ground almonds

Grease two baking trays. Cream the butter with a wooden spoon until soft but not oily, then add the sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and add the sifted flour, lemon rind and almonds. Form the mixture into three rolls 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide; cut these into 4 inch long pieces and form them into S shapes.

Place on the baking trays, and bake in the centre of a pre-heated oven at 400F (mark 6) for about 12 minutes, or until risen and pale brown. Cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

The Venial Critic

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FAIRY CAKES

INGREDIENTS:

75g (3oz) margarine
75g (3oz) white sugar
100g (4oz) self raising flour
2 medium eggs
Milk
salt

Place the margarine and sugar into a bowl, mix together well until margarine is soft and no sugar remains in bowl. Place the eggs in a separate bowl, and beat well.

Add the beaten egg a little at a time to margarine and sugar, mix together well. Sieve the flour into the mixture, add the salt and fold well. Add enough milk to make mixture into a soft dropping consistency. Spoon into greaseproof baking cases and bake in a pre-heated oven at (160°C), (325°F),(Gas Mark 3) for 20-25 minutes. When golden remove from bake and place on wire tray to cool, do not remove from cases until cool.

Can be served plain, or topped with icing or chocolate, or served plain with fresh cream and strawberry Jam.

Pug

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FAIRY CAKES

 5oz. flour
4oz. sugar
2 eggs
4 oz. butter
1 tsp. baking powder (if normal flour is used)
dash of milk

Set oven to 350°F. Using a food processor, mix all the ingredients except the milk. If the mixture has a floury crumbly texture, add some milk so that it is creamy, yet still relatively thick. It should slowly roll off a spoon. Place cupcake cases in the appropriate tray and spoon the mixture in. There should be enough for twelve cakes. Place in the oven for about 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Variation: When the cakes are cooked, slice off the top and cut it in half. Take a spoon full of freshly whipped cream. and place it on top of the cake. Then stick the two halves of the top of the cake in the cream so that they stand up, and look like bird’s wings.

Pug

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CREAM WAFERS

 1 C. butter or margarine
1/3 c. whipping cream
2 c. all-purpose flour
granulated sugar

Mix butter, cream, and flour thoroughly. Chill 1 hour.

Heat oven to 375. Roll dough 1/8" thick on lightly floured board. Cut into 1-1/2 rounds. Transfer to waxed paper heavily sprinkled with sugar, turning to coat both sides. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Prick in 4 places with fork. Bake 7 - 9 min., or until slightly puffy. Put two cooled cookies together with Filling.

Creamy Butter Filling:

1/4 c. soft butter
3/4 C. pwd. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Blend all ingredients.

Pug

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FRESH FRUIT TARTLETS

(From the "Two Fat Ladies" show)

4 ounces shortcrust pastry
2 ounces dark chocolate, melted
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 tablespoon double cream
1/2 ounce caster sugar
Vanilla essence
Fresh fruit (strawberries, raspberries, sliced peaches, etc.)
Apricot jam or red currant jelly, melted and sieved, to glaze

Line tartlet tins with the pastry (use boat-shaped tins if you have them). Bake blind in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. When cold, brush the inside of the tartlet cases with the melted chocolate and leave to harden.

Mix together the cream cheese and double cream until very smooth, then add the sugar and vanilla essence. Fill the tartlet cases with the cream mixture and place fruit on top. Brush with apricot or red currant glaze, depending on the fruit used, and leave to set.

Pug

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STRAWBERRY TARLETS

Yield: 4 Servings

2 1/2 c quartered strawberries
1/4 c sugar
1 TB brandy
1 1/2 TB cornstarch
4 3" sweet pastry shells, fully baked
16 strawberry slices
1/2 c softly-whipped cream
4 mint sprigs

In a small saucepan combine strawberries and sugar, and cook at a hard boil for 6 minutes. Mix brandy and cornstarch to a smooth paste. Add to strawberry mixture, stirring constantly; it will thicken instantly. Cook for 2 more minutes. Pour into tart shells. Cool in refrigerator for 1 hour. Garnish with a few strawberry slices, a dollop of whipped cream and mint sprigs

Pug

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SMOKED TROUT TARLETS

(Sardine could easily be substituted, but who’d want to?)

Ingredients for 48 servings (or a busy afternoon at Diva’s Tea Shop):

Phyllo tart shells:

1 lg Egg white
2 tb Olive oil
1/4 tsp Salt
8 Phyllo dough sheets (14x18")

Smoked trout filling:

2 pk Cream cheese, low fat (8 oz)
1/2 lb Trout fillets; smoked, skin and pin bones removed
1/3 c Scallions; chopped (2 scallions)
4 tsp Horseradish; well drained
1 c Cucumber; shredded

Preparation:

To make phyllo tartlet shells: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly coat 2 mini muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray. In a small bowl, whisk together egg white, oil and salt. Lay a sheet of phyllo on a work surface and with a pastry brush, lightly coat it with the egg white mixture. Lay a second sheet smoothly on top, taking care to line up the edges before setting the sheet down. Brush with the egg white mixture and repeat with 1 more sheet. Lay a fourth sheet on top but do not brush it.

With a knife, cut the dough into 4 strips length wise and 5 strips crosswise, making 24 squares. Press squares into muffin cups and bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Transfer the tartlets to a rack and let cool. Repeat the procedure with the remaining 4 sheets of phyllo and egg white mixture. (The baked tartlet shells may be stored in a closed container at room temperature for 1 week or in the freezer for up to 2 months.)

To make smoked trout filling: In a food processor, combine cream cheese and smoked trout; process until fairly smooth. Add scallions and horseradish and pulse until just combined. (Alternatively, finely mince the smoked trout with a knife and combine with the cream cheese, scallion and horseradish in a small bowl.) (The smoked filling may be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 2 days.) Shortly before serving, spoon or pipe about 1 heaping tsp. of filling into each tartlet shell and garnish with shredded cucumber.

Pug

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SCONES

 2 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. margarine
1/2 c. golden raisins
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk

Sift dry ingredients together. With a pastry blender, mix in margarine until dough is crumb-like. Add raisins, 2 eggs, and milk. Mix briefly. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Do not overbake. (If desired, add a little extra flour until the dough can be rolled and cut into traditional triangle shape.) Serve warm with real butter and jam.

Mrs. Titus W. Trout

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POPOVERS

(Not a Tilling recipe, it’s true, but ideal to serve when a neighbor "pops" in.)

Makes 6 large Popovers

1 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 T melted butter

Preheat oven to 450° F. Grease a popover pan or large sized muffin pan. Beat eggs, milk and melted butter together. Beat in flour and salt. Fill greased muffin or popover pans to 1/2 full and bake at 450° F for twenty minutes. Serve immediately.

Pug

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BASIC POPOVER RECIPE

 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup milk

In a LARGE bowl, mix together the flour and the salt. In a SMALL bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Stir the milk mixture into the flour mixture, stirring the batter until just mixed. (Do not overbeat.)

In a preheated 450°F. oven, heat a six-cup popover pan for 5 minutes, or until it is hot. Brush the cups with melted butter, and fill them half full with the batter.

Bake the popovers in the middle of the 450°F oven for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375°F. Bake the popovers for 20 minutes more, or until they are golden brown and crisp.

Makes 6 popovers. Serve immediately.

Pug

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MARROW AND APPLE CHUTNEY À LA TILLING

(Certainly Mapp would approve of this use for marrows.)

4 lbs. marrow
2 lbs. cooking apples
1 lb soft brown sugar
1 lb shallots
3 pints vinegar
3 oz salt
1 oz crushed peppercorns, chilies and ginger (tied in muslin/cheesecloth)

Peel the marrow and chop into small pieces. Layer the pieces in a bowl with the salt and leave overnight. Drain well. Chop the shallots and apples finely and place in a preserving pan with the marrow and spices and cook gently until tender. Add the sugar and vinegar and cook until the mixture becomes jammy. Remove the bag of spices. Put the chutney into warm jars and cover with greaseprooof paper. Seal.

The Reverend Kenneth Bartlett

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MARRON GLACÉS

A popular delicacy, made from chestnuts treated with syrup, which is served as a dessert or used as decoration on sweets; marrons glacés may also be sieved and beaten into a meringue mixture or blended with cream as a sweet.

8oz granulated sugar
8oz glucose or dextrose
1/4 pint water
or 12oz canned chestnuts, drained
vanilla essence

Put the sugar, glucose and water into a pan and gently heat until the sugars are dissolved; bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, add the chestnuts and bring to the boil again. Remove from the heat, cover and leave overnight, preferably in a warm place. On the second day re-boil the chestnuts and syrup in the pan without the lid, remove from the heat, cover and again leave standing overnight. On the third day add 6 to 8 drops of vanilla essence and repeat the boiling process. Warm some bottling jars in the oven, fill with the chestnuts and cover

with the syrup. Seal in the usual way to make airtight.

Note: This recipe gives a delicious result, but the chestnuts are not exactly like the commercially prepared marrons glacés, which cannot be reproduced under home conditions.

The Venial Critic

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GORGONZOLA, FRESH, FIGS, AND SAUTÉED WALNUTS

 8 ounces Gorgonzola or other blue cheese, in one piece
4 ripe fresh figs, halved
4 small bunches ripe sweet grapes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
24 fresh walnut halves
Salt and ground black pepper

Bring the cheese to room temperature, removing it from the refrigerator four hours in advance. Do not unwrap.

When ready to serve, unwrap the cheese, cut into chunks and divide among the serving plates. Arrange the figs and grapes on the plates. At the last minute, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the walnuts and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted and fragrant. Turn off the heat and sprinkle with salt and a little bit of pepper to taste. Divide among the plates and serve immediately.

Serves four.

Pug

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HOW TO COOK AND EAT A LOBSTER WITHOUT INJURING YOURSELF
OR OTHERS

Rather than give a fancy lobster recipe, I thought you should have the classic and correct New England way to do lobster since people fall prey to bizarre and outdates information or don't know how to eat one, and then it's not nearly as good as it CAN be. So, here are a few basic tenets of the lobster faith:

1.) Lobsters should be boiled - NOT steamed - this keeps them moist and cooks them evenly.

2.) 2 pounders are best - a MINIMUM of 1 3/4 pounds or just don't bother because there's no meat in the smaller ones - you'll just end up with a pile of shells and some cuts on your fingers, (there's also a PC element to this because they shouldn't be harvested so small). If you're having guests, buy a bunch of 2 lb-ers NOT an 8 or 10 pound one because they get tough and you have to use dynamite to get the shells open. They are also not nearly as sweet tasting.

3.) MAKE SURE THEY'RE ALIVE - NEVER COOK A DEAD LOBSTER. Furthermore, they should be active. A good test is to pick it up and if it's claws droop don't buy it, it won't last.

4.) If you're on the ocean, use sea water to cook them in, if you're not that lucky, use PLENTY of salt and make your fishmonger give you some seaweed to put in the water. Use a big enough pot and bring the water to a full rolling boil before you put them in. Don't crowd the pot because that reduces the water temperature too much. Plunge them in headfirst and then slam the cover on. They'll thrash around a bit, but they're lobsters not children so ignore it. Cook a 1 3/4 or 2 pound lobster for 12 minutes after the water boils again; 3 lbs should cook 16 minutes. They usually turn bright red but NOT ALWAYS. Do not use this as a guide; stick to timing them or you'll overcook them and they get tough. (NOTE - I've seen 20 minutes in cookbooks - that's nonsense. The meat will get like a pencil eraser). Remove them to a platter and let them sit for 5 minutes before you serve - that sets the flesh.

5.) Serve them whole, but do your guests a big favor and crack the claws before you serve them. Set a carving knife or cleaver against the claw just below the thumb joint and give it a tap with a hammer cutting in halfway. The claw says in one piece but your guest can snap it open by bending it with his hand instead of all that messy nutcracker stuff for which the claw is really too big.

6.) Serve your lobster with melted butter in a dish for dipping (this is NOT a low calorie meal) and maybe a wedge of lemon or some vinegar (although I don't really approve ..)

7.) Various wive's tales exist about some parts of the lobster being poisonous - this is absolute nonsense so don't be squeamish about eating the whole thing. The only things you don't want to eat are the "sand sack" in the head and the little intestinal tract which is easily removed from the tail meat. Female lobsters often have large amounts of eggs inside when you open them. Sometimes they are black and gelatinous, other times they are hard and bright red - they are delicious and edible either way. There is also the greenish "tamale" - this is NOT stomach contents, it is the lobster's liver and is also yummy.

8.) The tail should be extracted whole so that you can remove the intestinal tract (like a shrimp vein) before you eat it. Twist the tail free from the lobster body and then break off the flippers at the outer end. You can usually push the meat out in one piece by putting your thumb in the small end and shoving but this can have disastrous consequences to those seated near you if this operation is not performed with the requisite skill, so I recommend cutting the underside of the shell (it's very thin there) with scissors and then simply bending the shell open. When you get the tail meat out you will see that the large end is divided where the tamale and eggs are, and if you pull the two flaps apart all the way to the end, this neatly exposes the intestine which you can then discreetly remove. Follow it all the way to the vent at the end of the tail.

9.) The knuckles which connect the claws to the body are really the most tender, sweet and delicious part, so use your nutcrackers on them. Meat can be extracted from the legs by squeezing them between your front teeth and pulling them through.

10.) A good, extremely cold, French Chablis is best. An American style beer isn't bad either. Traditional accompaniments are steamer clams or clam chowder, a tossed salad and corn on the cob. Indian pudding with vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Yum, yum, yum.

Coplen

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HOW TO TELL LOBSTER FROM LOBSTERETTE

Re: the "hen" lobster question - actually it's quite easy to tell one from the other provided you are willing to manhandle them a bit. The male's - ahem - external genitalia can be located as follows. Holding the lobster on its back, look at the tail section and you will see pairs of little inch-long feathery looking flippers going down the underside of the tail. In the female, these are fairly uniform, but in the male, the pair closest to the upper body are larger, without the feathery appearance, and, umm. . . hard. If you don't want to get that up-close-and-personal, you can usually tell, assuming you have examples of both sexes in view, by the width of the tail, which is broader in females than in males. They are the same in taste and texture so my guess is that the requirement for "hen" lobsters for à la Riseholme is due to the fact that the roe is used as well.

Coplen

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