A Delectable Comestible

Today I scored several cookbooks from the free box outside the library. Delectable Comestibles by Ester Zane ended up in the box because all the comb binding had broken off. A sad end to a 1964 fundraising book. The interesting thing about it is that it was complied by one person and all the recipes are from her. It is fairly good sized too, 180 pages. Usually fundraising books are committee affairs. It was a fundraiser for the University Students' Cooperative Association of the University of California at Berkeley.
As soon as I saw this recipe in it I knew I had to post it!

Spinach A La Rochelle

2 packages (10-oz. each) frozen chopped spinach
4 tablespoons butter, margarine or bacon drippings
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
Milk or light cream or undiluted canned milk
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup grated onion
2 tablespoon cracker meal or flour
1 (10-oz.) can mushroom soup
2 hard-cooked eggs, sieved (optional)
Cook spinach in boiling salted water according to directions. Put a clove of garlic in the boiling water before adding the spinach. When spinach is done, remove the garlic and drain the spinach. Reserve the cooking liquid. In a large skillet or Dutch oven melt the butter, margarine or bacon drippings. Add the grated onion and cracker meal. Simmer a couple of minutes. Then add the well-drained spinach and can of undiluted cream of mushroom soup. Blend well and add one-quarter cup spinach liquid and enough light cream or undiluted canned milk to make spinach the consistency you like. It should be soft and creamy but not runny. Add seasonings and taste to see if it needs more salt. Serve topped with the sieved hard-cooked eggs. Enough for 6-8.

Green Beans With Dill

This recipe comes from a magazine advertising supplement called FoodDigest. A lot of the recipes call for brand name ingredients, this one uses all fresh foods.

Green Beans with Fresh Dill and Scallions

1 lb. fresh string beans, trimmed and halved

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

5 scallions, trimmed and thickly sliced

3 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. In a large pot bring 3 quarts of water to boil. Add beans and cook.,covered, over medium heat 7 minutes; drain. 2. In a large skillet melt butter and saute scallions over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes or until wilted. 3. Add beans, toss in butter and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until beans are tender. 4. Add dill, salt and pepper, toss to completely coat beans. 5. Serves 4 to 6.

Tossed Pea Salad- Family Dinners in a Hurry

This is another recipe from Family Dinners in a Hurry. I guess pea salads are popular in certain parts of the country. A recipe newsletter I receive had a big amount of space devoted to them with lots of people sending in their favorite. Most had a mayo- based dressing. This one sounds simple and refreshing.

Tossed Pea Salad

1 package (10 ounces) frozen green peas

1 small head lettuce, washed and chilled

10 to 12 radishes, sliced

1/3 cup bottled Italian salad dressing

Place frozen peas in colander or sieve; run hot tap water over peas just until broken apart. Drain.

Into bowl, tear lettuce into bite-size pieces (about 6 cups). Add radishes and peas. Pour salad dressing over vegetables; toss. 5 to 6 servings.

Freezer Tomato Sauce- Vintage Newspaper Clipping

This is another fresh tomato recipe from a newspaper clipping. This would be a good recipe if you have an overabundance of garden tomatoes

Freezer Tomato Sauce

3 tablespoons sweet butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely diced carrots
1/2 cup finely diced celery
1/2 cup finely diced onion
2 tablespoons flour
3 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded and drained
2 teaspoons sugar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 bouquet garni made from 4 springs of parsley, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 celery stalk with leaves, and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 whole garlic cloves
In a large heavy saucepan, heat the butter and oil. When hot, add the diced vegetables and cook 5 minutes without browning. Stir the flour and cook 3 minutes more without browning. Force the tomatoes through a sieve or puree in a blender and add the saucepan along with sugar, salt and pepper.
Add the herbs, and bouquet garni and garlic. Simmer partially cover for 1 hour. If sauce gets too thick, thin with a little beef broth, wine or water. If it lacks color, stir in a tablespoon or two of tomato paste.
Strain and pour into serving size containers. Will keep refrigerated for about 10 days and in the freezer for 2 to 3 months. Makes 1 1/2 to 2 quarts.

Savory Tomatoes, Beans and Squash- Woman's Day Collector's Cook Book

This recipe makes good use of garden fresh vegetables. It comes from Woman's Day Collector's Cook Book, published in 1960.


Savory Tomatoes, Beans and Squash

1 onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup minced parsley
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon sage
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound green beans, cut
3 tomatoes, diced
2 cups diced yellow squash
Cook onion, garlic, parsley and seasonings in oil in large skillet about 3 minutes. Add vegetables, and water to half the depth of mixture. Cover, and simmer minutes. Serves 4 to 5.