The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Sixties Cookbook (24 page)
Read The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Sixties Cookbook Online
Authors: Rick Rodgers
1.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 1½-quart casserole.
2.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the macaroni and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain well.
3.
Return the pot to the stove. Add 3 tablespoons of butter and melt over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Let bubble for 1 minute without browning. Whisk in the milk and bring to a simmer, whisking often. Remove from the heat and add the cheese and dry mustard. Let stand for a minute or so, then whisk until the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper.
4.
Transfer to the casserole. Sprinkle with the crumbs and dot with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Bake until bubbly and the top is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Serve hot.
KITCHEN TIME MACHINE
For a milder macaroni and cheese, substitute 8 ounces of processed cheese product, such as Velveeta, for the Cheddar cheese, and use crushed saltine crackers instead of the bread crumbs.
A Mint Julep Jamboree
When you have a hankerin’ for country music and fried chicken, this menu will go down nice and easy. A “Best Beehive Contest” would be a great added attraction.
Mint Juleps (
page 193
)
Lemonade
Pimiento and Walnut Cheese Ball (
page 32
)
Deviled Eggs (
page 24
)
Soulful Fried Chicken (
page 100
)
Creamed Corn (
page 126
)
Not-from-a-Box Macaroni and Cheese (
page 130
)
Sliced tomatoes with Red French Dressing (
page 55
)
Homemade Biscuits (
page 139
)
Southern Caramel Cake (
page 155
)
Coffee and tea
Southern Comfort
CD PLayList
Patsy Cline,
The Definitive Collection
Various,
Classic Country 1960-1964
Various,
Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? Soundtrack
GRANDMOTHER’S NOODLES WITH SOUR CREAM AND POPPY SEEDS
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
Carb counting was not a fad in the Sixties, as evidenced by the popularity of creamy sauces served over pasta as a side dish. This classic midcentury noodle recipe, which sometimes goes by the name Noodles Romanoff, is decidedly European and positively delicious. Sitting on a phone book while eating it is not required, but it will help conjure up memories of Grandmother’s house.
8 ounces wide egg noodles
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup chopped yellow onion
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
½ cup sour cream, at room temperature
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1.
Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and cook according to the package directions until tender. Drain, rinse under cold running water, and drain well.
2.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the poppy seeds. Add the noodles and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low. Add the sour cream and stir until melted and hot, but not boiling, about 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
These scalloped potatoes are just the thing to serve with baked ham or meat loaf. But, set aside a good chunk of time to bake the potatoes into creamy, tender submission. Parboiling them before baking helps—skip this step, and the potatoes could take two hours to cook.
3 pounds baking (russet or Burbank) potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch rounds
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2½ cups whole milk, heated
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup chopped yellow onion
1.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish.
2.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and cook until they are beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Drain.
3.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour. Let bubble without browning for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk. Cook, whisking often, until the sauce is simmering and thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in 1½ cups of the Cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
4.
Spread half of the potatoes in the baking dish. Pour in half of the sauce, spread evenly, and sprinkle with the onions. Repeat with the remaining onions and sauce.
5.
Bake until the potatoes are tender, about 1½ hours. Sprinkle the top with the remaining ½ cup Cheddar cheese, and continue baking until the cheese melts, about 5 minutes more. Let stand 10 minutes, then serve hot.
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
You can mash potatoes with a masher, or you can whip them with a mixer. In the appliance-crazy Sixties, the mixer makes fun out of a chore, and you’ll get fluffy, smooth potatoes for the minimal effort. Yes, there is an entire stick of butter in these potatoes, but that is just the secret that will have everyone asking for the recipe.
3 pounds baking (russet or Burbank) potatoes, peeled and cut into 1½-inch chunks
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup whole milk, heated
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and partially cover the pot. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook the potatoes at a serious simmer until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain well.
2.
Return the drained potatoes to the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring continuously, to lightly dry and release excess steam from the potatoes, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3.
Using an electric mixer, whip the potatoes on high speed, adding the butter and milk, until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
In the Sixties, as now, one of the favorite places for business people and celebrating couples to dine was a steakhouse. At these establishments, the side dishes are as important as the meat. Creamed spinach is such a dish. Here’s a home version that’s sure to impress dedicated carnivores.
3 (9-ounce) bags fresh spinach, tough stems removed, well-rinsed but not dried
1 cup canned reduced-sodium chicken broth
¾ cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, crushed through a press
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
A few gratings of fresh nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1.
Bring 1 cup lightly salted water to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. In batches, add the spinach, stirring until the first batch is wilted before adding the next. Cover tightly and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the spinach is tender, about 5 minutes.
2.
Drain the spinach over a bowl, reserving 1½ cups of the cooking water. Rinse the spinach under cold water. A handful at a time, squeeze the spinach between your fingers to remove excess water and to “chop” the spinach. Transfer to a bowl.
3.
Heat the reserved cooking water, broth, and heavy cream in a medium saucepan until simmering. Heat the butter and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, just until the butter melts. Whisk in the flour and let bubble without browning for 2 minutes. Whisk in the hot cream mixture and bring to a simmer. Cook, whisking often, until the sauce is thickened and no raw flour taste remains, about 5 minutes. Stir in the spinach. Season with the nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot.
KITCHEN TIME MACHINE
Substitute 3 (10-ounce) boxes frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry, for the freshly cooked spinach.
CANDIED YAMS WITH MARSHMALLOW TOPPING
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
We’re not gonna lie. When we were kids, we were not huge fans of canned candied yams (call them sweet potatoes, if you wish). However, fresh yams are another situation altogether, even if the dish is still candy-sweet. Be careful when adding the marshmallows, though, as they tend to melt completely if they come in contact with liquid. If the yams seem too syrupy, remove some of the cooking liquid with a bulb baster.
3½ pounds orange-fleshed yams (sweet potatoes), peeled and cut into ¼-inch rounds
½ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes, plus more for the baking dish
1 (10.5-ounce) bag mini marshmallows
1.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish.
2.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the yams, cover, and return to a boil. Cook until they are beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Drain well. Spread the yams in the dish, sprinkle with the brown sugar, and dot with the butter. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.