Side Dishes

Research by Steven L. Brawley

Baked Beans (From the 1960 Campaign)

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups dried pea beans (navy beans)
  • 1 small onion, minced
  • ¼ pound salt pork, diced
  • ¾ cup brown sugar or molasses
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • ¼ pound salt pork, cut into strips

Preparation:

  • Cover beans with water. Bring slowly to a boil or soak overnight. Drain beans. Using fresh water, cover beans again and simmer slowly about 1 to 2 hours, or until skins burst when you blow on them. (Taste for tenderness after 1 hour.)
  • Drain and add minced onion, diced salt pork, sugar, ketchup, mustard, salt, Worcestershire and boiling water.
  • Pour into greased casserole dish and top with sliced salt pork.
  • Bake, covered, at 275 degrees for 6 to 8 hours. Uncover for the last hour of cooking.
  • Add additional water if beans become dry. 8 servings.

Potatoes Rissole

Ingredients:

  • 4 lg potatoes
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 1 tbs unsalted butter
  • 1/4 c Flat leaf parsley; chopped

Preparation:

  • Using a vegetable baller, scoop out pieces of potato about the size of hazelnuts.
  • Keep covered with cold water until ready to cook.
  • Drain the potato balls on a paper towel. Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat.
  • Add the potato balls and sauté until they start to brown, about 12-15 minutes.
  • Add the butter and sauté an additional 4-5 minutes. Toss with chopped parsley and serve.

Green Risotto (Marta Sgubin)

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 medium onion) finely chopped
  • 1-1/2 cups arborio rice
  • 5 cups chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 10 leaves fresh spinach

Preparation:

  • Heat the olive oil in a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Add the onion and sauté until golden brown, then add the rice and cook for a minute or so, stirring so that each grain is coated with oil. Meanwhile, heat the stock. Add the wine to the rice and cook until it has evaporated, then start adding the stock.
  • Pour in a little at a time, just enough so the rice is covered, then cook, stirring constantly, until the stock has been absorbed. Continue to add stock until the rice is the right consistency—al dente. This should take about 20 minutes. Begin tasting after about 15 minutes. You may not use all the stock, but judge by the texture of the rice, not the amount of liquid.
  • Wash the spinach leaves, then put them, still wet, into a blender and liquefy them. You may need to add a tiny bit more water. Add the purée to the rice and stir it in. The rice will become a nice green color. Serve at once with Parmesan cheese.

Salmon and Cucumber Mousse (Rene Verdon)

Ingredients:

  • 10 ounces cooked salmon, 275 grams skinned and boned
  • 1/4 cucumber, peeled and chopped
  • 3 fluid ounces mayonnaise, 90 ml
  • 1 spring onion, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons gelatin powder
  • 3 tablespoons dry white wine
  • 1 lemon, juice and zest of grated
  • Salt, to taste
  • White pepper, to taste
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 cucumber, thinly sliced to garnish

Preparation:

  • In a food processor or blender, place the salmon, cucumber, mayonnaise and spring onion in bowl and process until smooth. Transfer salmon mixture to a large mixing bowl. Stir in the lemon rind plus juice and seasoning. Set aside.
  • In a double boiler or in a bowl over a pan of hot water, sprinkle gelatine over wine and mix well. When combined, increase flame and over very hot water stir until gelatine is dissolved. In a steady stream and stirring constantly, stir the gelatine into the salmon mixture. Blend until well combined and set aside.
  • In a small mixing bowl, whisk the egg white until slightly stiff and gently fold into salmon mixture. Pour mixture into a lightly greased 600ml/20fl.oz. mould of your choice. Cover and refrigerate for approximately 4 hours or until set.
  • When ready to serve, turn the mousse out onto a large serving platter. Garnish as needed with very thin cucumber slices and serve chilled.

Casserole Marie Blanche (Rene Verdon)

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 lbs noodles, cooked, drained
  • 1 cup cottage cheese
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/3 cup chives, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon butter

Preparation:

  • Combine all ingredients.
  • Put into a buttered 2 quart casserole.
  • Dot with butter.
  • Bake about 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees, until noodles begin to brown.

Quiche Lorraine

Ingredients:

  • 1 prepared pie crust
  • 5 strips lean bacon, fried, crumbled
  • 1 cup grated Swiss (Lorraine) cheese
  • 1 Tablespoon minced onion sautéed in 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 1 cup milk
  • 3 eggs
  • pinch salt and pepper

Preparation:

  • Cover the pie crust with crumbled bacon.  Sprinkle Swiss cheese over the bacon, then add the sautéed onion (spacing it over the cheese).
  • Beat milk in a bowl with the eggs, salt and pepper.  Pour over other ingredients in the pie pan.
  • Bake 30 minutes at 400º.The top should be golden brown.

Italian Rice with Mushrooms and Peas

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup tomato, chopped
  • 1 lb mushroom, sliced
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup cooked green peas
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 cup rice

Preparation:

  • In a large skillet, cook rice, tomatoes, mushrooms and onion in butter for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth, wine and seasonings. Cover. Simmer 45 minutes, or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
  • Stir in peas. Add cheese.

Copyright Steven L. Brawley, 2002-2015. All Rights Reserved.