Great Food, All Day Long_ Cook Splendidly, Eat Smart - Maya Angelou [7]
I kicked Paul under the table.
Mixed London Grill
1 lamb or veal kidney, halved
2 teaspoons salt
1 whole bratwurst or other sausage
2 lamb chops
2 thin slices pork loin
2 pounds top sirloin, sliced
2 pounds veal cutlets, sliced
2 pounds calves’ livers, sliced
¼ teaspoon pepper
8 strips bacon
½ pound onions, sliced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Wash the kidney halves and remove all the veins and fat.
Soak in water with ½ teaspoon of the salt for 1 hour and pat dry.
While the kidney is soaking, season the bratwurst, lamb chops, pork loin, beef, veal, and livers with pepper and the remaining 1½ teaspoons salt.
Grill the pork loin in a grill pan on top of the stove until cooked all the way through. Then grill the kidney, bratwurst, lamb, beef, veal, and liver until medium done. Set aside in a warming dish.
In a large skillet, fry the bacon until crispy, turning frequently. Remove the bacon and add to the dish with the grilled meats.
Return the skillet to the stove, and fry the onions in the oil.
Mix all the meats and the onions together and put over low heat for 5 minutes or until all are warm and cooked through.
Serve on a warm platter with a 1-inch-thick slice of grilled or toasted sourdough bread.
SERVES 6. Serving size: 1 spoonful of onions, 1 forkful of each meat, 1 slice of bacon, and ½ slice toasted bread. Be careful with portions, and be discreet. You can always go back.
This is a great meal to serve a large party of carnivores. There is something within this mélange to satisfy any and every palate, and since the meats are sliced in strips 1 inch thick and 2 inches long, everyone can sample everything without overeating.
When I was young, my mother would watch young women pay our butcher sixteen dollars for two half-pound cuts of filet mignon. She then would pay the butcher thirty-two dollars for the whole beef loin, from which she could get twelve hearty steaks and eight to ten cuts of filet mignon. I do the same to this day, and have found that using filet mignon instead of top sirloin adds a touch of sophistication—and succulence—to my London grill.
Shepherd’s Pie
¼ pound fatty bacon, finely chopped
1 pound ground beef
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1¾ pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
3¼ tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
1⁄8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
½ cup grated cheddar cheese
In a large skillet set over high heat, cook the bacon until crisp and remove to paper towels to drain.
Fry the beef in the bacon fat.
Add to the beef the garlic, shallots, onion, parsley, tomato paste, wine, and ½ teaspoon of the salt and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper.
Simmer over low heat, partially covered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While the beef is simmering, boil the potatoes in water in a medium-sized saucepan with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt until tender, about 2 minutes.
Drain the potatoes and mash, mixing in 2 tablespoons of the butter.
Season with the remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper, and the nutmeg, if desired.
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Use ¼ tablespoon of the butter to coat the bottom and sides of a shallow 9 × 13-inch casserole or baking dish.
Spread a layer of potatoes on the bottom of the dish. Place all of the meat mixture and bacon on top of the potato layer, and cover with the remaining potatoes.
Sprinkle with the cheddar cheese and dot with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned and the dish is hot throughout.
SERVES 6 OR 7. Serving size: