GRfAT COOK/GRfAT

continued from page 108

PARTY

1 teaspoon ground cloves t teaspoon freshly ground pepper t teaspoon saltpeter* (optional) Yz teaspoon ground allspice Yz teaspoon sugar 6 ounces fresh pork fat, very thinly sliced 4 cups chicken stock or canned . broth J cups water flesh parsley sprigs Brown bread

2 tart green apples, peeled, cored and chopped % cup (or more) water % cup red currant jelly % cup cider vinegar t tablespoon sugar Freshly grated nutmeg Salt and freshly ground pepper J%-pound head red cabbage, cored, trimmed and finely shredded

wooden spoon until light and fluffy. Handling gently, form mixture into 2inch-diameter meatballs. Smooth balls between moistened palms. Place in baking pan. Refrigerate until firm. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs in batches (do not crowd) and cook until brown on all sides" shaking pan occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towers; reserve drippings in skillet . Layer meatballs in deep 4-quart ovenproof casserole or baking dish.

Bring first 4 ingredients to boil in medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cool brine. Open veal on work surface, boned side up. Mix cloves, pepper, 1 teaspoon saltpeter, allspice and Y2 teaspoon sugar. Sprinkle over veal. Cover veal with pork fat, leaving border. Roll up tightly jelly roll fashion, starting at one short side. Tie with string to hold shape. Transfer to nonaluminum baking dish or casserole. Add brine. Cover and refrigerate 5 days, turning occasionally. Bring stock and 3 cups water to boil in Dutch oven. Drain veal and add. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 2 hours. Drain well. Transfer veal to baking dish. Cover

Melt butter in heavy Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add apples, Y2 cup water, jelly, vinegar, sugar and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer until jelly melts. Add shredded cabbage and mix until well coated. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until cabbage is tender, stirring occasionally and adding more water if necessary to prevent sticking, about 45 minutes. (Can be prepared 3 days

For gravy: Measure pan drippings and return 3 tablespoons to skillet, adding butter if necessary. Add onion and cook over medium-low heat until tender, about 8 minutes. Add flour and stir 2 minutes. Gradually mix in consomme and cream. Simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally Season with pepper. Strain over meatballs. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring room temperature before continuing.)
to

ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.) Serve red cabbage hot.

Preheat oven to 275F. Bake casserole unrilrneatballs are heated through, about 45 minutes. Serve hot.

SCANDINAVIAN MEATBALLS A classic on smorgasbord tables throughout Scandinavia. Assemble the dish ahead, then just bake before serving. The other main course in this buffet is a big baked ham, which you can buy. 20 servings
Meatballs
1% % 1 2 2 cups fresh bread crumbs cup milk onion, finely chopped eggs, beaten to blend teaspoons salt teaspoon freshly ground pepper teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg teaspoon ground allspice pound ground beef pound ground veal pound ground lean pork

MIXED VEGETABLE SALAD WITH CREAMY DRESSING Make this one day ahead. Add a platter of assorted cheeses, breads and crackers to the buffet table, too. 20 servings
1 to-ounce package frozen baby lima beans to-ounce package frozen tiny peas 2 cups %-inch-thick slices peeled carrots 10 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces % cup cider vinegar % cup vegetable oil Salt and freshly ground pepper J celery stalks, diced 2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced medium cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and diced % cup chopped green onions

with plastic, then with board or tray

and several cans er bricks as weights. Refrigerate veal overnight. Remove weights. (Veal sausage can be prepared 1

week ahead up

to

this point.)

Slice veal sausage thinly. Arrange on platter. Garnish with parsley sprigs. Serve cold with brown bread.

*A preservative, also called potassium nitrate; available at pharmacies.

SWEET AND SOUR RED CABBAGE Another traditional recipe that can be prepared ahead. Bowls of cucumber salad, pickled beets and lingonberry sauce would make a perfect complement. For the sauce, Myrna buys frozen lingonberries,from a local Scandinavian market and prepares them like cranberry sauce (which is a fine substitute). Lingonberries in jars, available at some supermarkets, will work well as a sauce, too. 20 servings
J tablespoons butter Yz cup chopped onion

%
% % 1 t %

% cup (% stick) butter

Gravy
Butter (if necessary) 1 large onion, sliced 2Y2 tablespoons all purpose flour 2 cups canned beef consomme t cup whipping cream Freshly ground pepper

DreSSing
in % cup mayonnaise % cup sour cream 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons dry mustard
recipe continued on page 114

For meatballs: Soak breadcrumbs

milk in medium bowl 10 minutes. Mix in onion, eggs and meats and beat \

110

BON APPETIT/DECEMBER'l988

continued from page 110

GREAT COOK/GREAT
1 teaspoon salt

PARTY

% teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Chopped peeled carrot

Stack slices and arrange lengthwise in feed tube with slices perpendicular to slicing disc. Slice using medium pressure. (Or cut by hand into %x2-inch sticks.) Place potatoes in large bowl and cover with cold water. (Can be pre-

ALMOND WAFER.S Dainty little sandwich cookies. The individual wafers can also be eaten plain, without the filling or the icing. Makes about 3 dozen sandwich cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room
temperature % cup sugar % teaspoon vanilla extract Pinch of salt % cup ground blanched almonds 1% cups all purpose flour Currant jelly Powdered Sugar Icing*

pared 6 hours ahead.)

Melt 6 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

Cook Limabeans and peas according to package directions. Drain. Transfer to large bowl. Bring medium potof salted water to boil. Add carrots and cook until just crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Remove using slotted spoon. Add green beans to water and boil until just crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain. Add carrots and green beans to beans and peas. Cover and refrigerate. Place vinegar in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add to cooked vegetables. Refrigerate mixture for 2 hours. Drain marinade from cooked vegetables. Add celery, tomatoes, cucumber and green onions to salad.

(Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Let stand atroom temperature')

Preheat oven to 375F. Butter two 9xl3-inch gratin dishes or glass baking dishes; sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Drain potatoes. Divide V3 of potatoes between prepared dishes. Top each with % of anchovies and % of onions. Season with salt and pepper. Layer on half of remaining potatoes, remaining anchovies, onions, salt and pepper. Top with remaining potatoes. Combine cream and milk and pour over potatoes. Sprinkle 1 cup breadcrumbs over each dish. Dot surface of each with 2 tablespoons butter. Bake until tops are golden brown and potatoes are tender, about 1 hour. Serve hot.

Using electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla and salt, then almonds. Add flour and mix just until blended. Divide dough into 3 pieces. Form each into thin rectangle and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm. (Co(')kie dough can

be prepared up

to

I day ahead.)

For dressing: Combine mayonnaise,

sour cream, Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon dry mustard, salt and pepper. Add more dry mustard if desired. Mix dressing into salad. Refrigerate until well chilled. (Can be prepared I day ahead.) Garnish with chopped carrot. Serve well chilled.

MOTHER'S SPRITZ COOKIES It's a Scandinavian custom co present an uneven number of cookie varieties at Christmas, usually seven. ~ have included recipes for two of Myrna 's specialties. Bake several of your favorites and purchase some to round out the dessert table. This is Myrna's mother's recipe. The cookies are easy to make, delicate and buttery. The recipe makes so many that you can give some as holiday gifts. Makes about 1 (J dozen
2 cups (4 sticks) butter, room temperature 1 cup sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3% cups all purpose flour % cup cornstarch

JANSSON'S TEMPTATION (Potato, Anchovy and Onion

Casserole)

This traditional dish was supposedly a real temptation to a Swedish minister named Jansson, who was known for preaching penance and self-denial. To simplify preparation, shred potatoes by double-slicing them in the processor. 20 servings
6 pounds red new potatoes, peeled 10 tablespoons (1 'h sticks) butter 4 large onions, thinly sliced 2 Fresh breadcrumbs 2-ounce cans anchovy fillets, drained and minced Salt and freshly ground white pepper cups whipping cream cup milk cups fresh breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350F. Line baking sheets with parchment. Roll 1 dough piece out between sheets of floured plastic wrap to thickness of Yl6 to Va inch. Refrigerate briefly to firm if necessary. Remove top sheet of plastic. Cut out 2- to 2lf2-inch rounds using cookie cutter. Transfer to prepared sheet. Reserve scraps. Bake cookies until beginning to brown around edges, about 10 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool. Repeat rolling, cutting and baking With remaining dough pieces. Gather and roll scraps. Cut additional cookies and bake. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Store in airtight container') Spread jelly on top sides of half of cookies. Top with remaining cookies, forming sandwiches. Spread icing over.

(Can be prepared 5 hours ahead.)

* Powdered

Sugar Icing

Makes about liz cup

% cup powdered sugar

1% tablespoons (about) milk Place sugar in bowl. Mix in enough milk to form spreadable icing.

2% 1 2

Fit processor with medium or truck slicer. Arrange potatoes lengthwise in feed tube and slice using firm pressure.

Preheat oven to 350F. Using electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in egg and vanilla. Add flour and cornstarch and mix just until blended. Transfer dough to cookie press. Press onto ungreased baking sheets, forming 2-inch rounds or S shapes. Bake until light brown and firm to touch, about 10 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool. (Can be prepared' I w~ek ahead. Store in airtight container')

NORWEGIAN CHRISTMAS BREAD

(Julekake)

Myrna offers sweet butter alongside these festive, fruit-studded holiday loaves. Makes 2 loaves
2 cups milk
recipe continued on page 200

114

BON APPETITIDECEMBER1988

---

..

-_.