Cambridge Tea Cake

What you need:

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1-1/2 teaspoon mace
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 2 cups sifted cake flour

Grease and lightly flour a loaf pan, approximately 9 inches by 3-1/3 inches and set aside.

Note: Do not preheat the oven. This cake goes in a cold oven.

Cream the butter with the mace and salt. Gradually add the sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well in between. Stir in the flour mix. The batter should be very smooth. Fill the pan and place the cake into the oven. Turn it to 300 degrees F. Check with a cake tester or broom straw after 1 1/2 hours. It should be done or close to done.

Try toasting slices of Cambridge Tea Cake and topping them with fresh fruit, ice cream, or both.

Mini Zucchini Fritters

What you need:

• 1 jumbo egg
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 cups finely grated zucchini
• 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
• 1-1/4 cups milk
• 1 cup flour, sifted
• Pinch of freshly ground pepper
• 1 shallot, minced

Beat the egg, milk, and melted butter together and add to the flour, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth but do not over beat.

Put the zucchini in a piece of cheescloth or a clean dish towel and squeeze out the excess liquid. Sauté with the shallot in two teaspoons of butter until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Add the zucchini mixture to the batter and drop the batter onto a well greased, hot griddle in rounds, approximately 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Turn when golden brown. Makes 36 fritters.

Straight from the griddle, these are a nice accompaniment to a main course, fanned on the plate with grilled meat or fish. For Faith's wedding hors d'oeuvres, spread the room temperature fritters with salsa, topped with a dollop of sour cream or smoked salmon, or with sour cream and a twist of corriander or dill. The combinations are limitless, though, and these fritters may be made ahead and frozen.

Lizzie's Sour Cream Brownies

What you need:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 ounce (one square) semisweet chocolate
• 2 eggs
• 1 ounce (one square) unsweetened chocolate
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup flour, sifted
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and lightly flour an eight-inch square pan. Melt the butter and chocolate in the top of a double boiler. Cool to room temperature. Beat the eggs and sugar together until they form a lemony ribbon. Add the vanilla. Fold the chocolate and butter into the egg mixture. Then fold in the flour, salt, and sour cream. Add the nuts if used.

Bake for 30 minutes in the middle of the oven. Do not over-cook. Let cool for 30 minutes before cutting. Cooking at 325° will give you moist brownies, which Faith likes to do sometimes.

This is a very rich dense brownie, silmilar in texture to flourless chocolate cake. It's sinfully good with ice cream on top. Makes 16 good-size brownies. If you double the recipe, you have to do it in two batches.

Pasta with Smoked Chicked and Summer Vegetables

What you need:

• 4 pounds skinless, boned chicken thighs and / or breasts
• 2 cups diced carrots
• 2 cups diced summer squash
• 1 cup diced yellow or red onion
• 1 diced red pepper
• 1 large sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 cup vinaigrette with 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves
• 16 ounces tortellini, dried or fresh
• 5 ounces fresh chevre
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Smoke the chicken on the grill, using hickory chips, apple wood, or any flavor you prefer.
While it is cooking, dice the vegetables and make the vinaigrette, using your own recipe or
Faith's — 1 part balsamic vinegar to 3 parts olive oil plus 1/8 teaspoon Dijon mustard,
pinch of salt and pepper. Add the rosemary leaves and shake well.
Steam the vegetables with the sprig of rosemary until soft, but not mushy. Remove the rosemary
and toss the vegetables with the vinaigrette. Cook the tortellini according to the instructions
on the package, drain, and add the chevre, mixing it together thoroughly.
Cut the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces and add to the tortellini. Add the vegetables and
mix gently. Salt and pepper to taste.
This is a wonderful dish to bring to a party, as Faith does, garnishing it with nasturtiums from
the garden. It should sit for about an hour and be served at room temperature. It can also be
served over greens as a salad. Serves 8-10, at least.

Glad's Brownies

What you need:

• 4 squares unsweetened chocolate, Valrhona is a good choice
• 1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup sifted flour
• 1 cup dried cherries
• 1 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup chocolate chunks or chips (milk or semi-sweet)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour a 13” x 9” pan. Melt the chocolate
squares together with the butter. Cool it slightly and beat in the sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
Stir in the flour. Mix well, then add the cherries, walnuts, and chocolate chunks or chips.
Put the batter in the pan and bake for about 35 minutes. Be careful not to over bake. Cool
in the pan and serve. Makes a very generous 1 1/2 dozen.

Note: Be careful not to over bake.

You may vary this recipe by substituting dried cranberries, golden or dark raisins for
the cherries and pecans for the walnuts. Attributed in the book to Faith as a child, it is
actually the creation of the author's dear friend, Gladys Boalt of Stormville, New York.

Boeuf Bourguinon (Beef Stew)

What you need:

• 2 pounds chuck beef cut into large cubes
• Flour
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/3 cup cognac (optional)
• 1/4 pound bacon, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 carrots, sliced into approximately 1” pieces
• 1 leek, the white part, cleaned and sliced
• 1 small yellow onion, diced (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tablespoon minced parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 bottle Burgundy or similar red wine
• Water

Dredge the beef cubes in flour (Faith does this the way her grandmother did by shaking the meat and flour in a brown paper bag). Melt the oil and butter in a large skillet and brown the meat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the cognac, if being used, on top and carefully ignite. When the flames die down, transfer the meat to a casserole with a lid using a slotted spoon.

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Add the bacon, garlic, carrots, leek, onion, and parsley to the skillet. Sauté until the bacon is slightly crisp and the onions, garlic, and leeks are soft. You should stir the mixture frequently.

Add the contents of the skillet to the meat.

Comfort Cookies

What you need:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Cream the butter and sugars together by hand or with an electric mixer. Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Beat until fluffy. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture and stir or mix well. Stir in the chips and walnuts. Drop golf ball sized portions onto a non-greased cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated 325° oven for 15-20 minutes. They should be golden brown. Use the longer time for a crisper cookie. Cool on brown paper or racks.

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

You can substitute the chips and walnuts with whatever comforts you or your family and friends —other chip varieties—they now have Reeses's and M&M chips, raisins, other kinds of chopped nuts. These are especially comforting when they're still warm and the chips haven't hardened.

Cousin Luise's Linguini with Asparagus

What you need:

• 1 medium-sized yellow onion
• 3 teaspoons minced garlic
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 12 ounces dried linguine
• 1 pound fresh asparagus
• 2 tablespoons water ( from the pasta pot)
• 4 tablespoons white wine
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 4 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Break off the woody ends of the asparagus. Asparagus breaks naturally at this point. Hold a spear and bend it. It will snap at the point where it becomes too tough. Then slice the spear diagonally into approximately 1 inch pieces. Set aside.
Boil water for the pasta while you are sautéing the onion and garlic in the oil and butter until golden. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package and drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of the cooking liquid.
Add the asparagus to the onion/garlic mixture and cook for 2 minutes, stirring if necessary. Remove from the heat and add the water, wine, and lemon juice. Mix it with the pasta in a warmed bowl, adding the parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper to taste—or you may serve it mounded on top of each pasta portion. Serve immediately. Makes 4 portions. The butter may be omitted and replaced by olive oil.
This is one of the best preparations for the first asparagus to appear in the spring, an elegant, yet simple recipe.

Rhubarb Crumble

What you need:

• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 pounds of rhubarb
• 3/4 to 1 cup white sugar
• 3 tablespoons flour
  

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Toast the walnuts in a baking pan until lightly browned and aromatic. Let cool and coarsely chop.
Combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and stir to mix. Working quickly with your hands or a pastry blender, add the butter until the mixture has a crumbly texture. Stir in the chopped walnuts and set aside.
Wash and trim the rhubarb and cut it into 1/2” slices (about 6 cups).
Put the rhubarb in a large bowl and add the sugar and flour. Toss until the rhubarb is well-coated. Spread the rhubarb evenly into a 12” baking dish. Sprinkle the topping over the fruit and bake until the rhubarb is tender and bubbling, approximately 45 minutes to an hour. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.
Faith also makes this with strawberries, both fruits happily in season at the same time. You simply replace half or more of the rhubarb with halved berries.

Apology Mushroom Soup

What you need:

• 1/2 cup Madeira
• 1 ounce dried morels or other dried mushrooms
• 2 3/4 cups unsalted chicken broth
• 3 leeks, the white parts
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 3/4 cups unsalted beef broth
• 1 pound fresh mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Sour cream or crème fraiche (optional)

Combine the Madeira, 1/2 cup of the chicken broth, and the dried mushrooms in a small saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil, then set aside off the heat for 30 minutes.

While the mushrooms are soaking, clean and slice the leeks. Dice the onion. Melt the butter is a large soup pot and sauté the leeks and onions until they are soft, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the mixture with the flour and continue to cook for 5 more minutes.

Add the remaining chicken broth, the beef broth, the fresh mushrooms, the dried mushrooms and their soaking liquid, the salt, and pepper. Simmer covered for 10 minutes, then uncovered for 20 minutes more. Cool the soup slightly and puree in batches in a blender or in the pot with an immersion blender. Return the soup to the pot and heat it through over low heat.

Serve with a generous dollop of sour cream or crème fraiche. This makes a heart supper dish and will serve 6. As a first course or luncheon dish, it will serve 8.

Making the soup a day ahead improves the flavor. I am indebted to my nephew, David Pologe, for this recipe and to his late mother, Sheila, who first served it to me.

Note on the recipes: As with all Faith's recipes, heart-wise substitutions can be made — egg beaters, margarine, low-fat milk and low-fat sour cream, for example, can be used in place of other ingredients.

Copyright Katherine Hall Page and Proximity Internet Productions, © 2003

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