HERO KITTY. Lila Jennings dispatched a plate of freshly fried French fries and some cream gravy, topped with half a jelly doughnut. Junior Cavette drove over on his motorbike to deliver a fresh catfish, Vivian Baxter brought an entire family of catnip mice, and even Mr. Cowan sent something—a half bushel of zucchini. I was just happy to have Khat K’o Kung back where he belonged, as sleek and inscrutable as ever, basking in the morning sunshine on the shop’s front windowsill.
There was only one thing wrong. Janet hadn’t had time to drive to San Antonio to look for the bocconcini, so she bought two pounds of mozzarella at Cavette’s and cut it into cubes before she marinated it in basil vinegar with lemon juice, chopped fresh basil, and dried red pepper. Nobody seemed to notice the difference, although one of the Friends did ask about all those little red flecks sticking to the cheese.
“Looks like red paint,” she said, poking it doubtfully with her fork. “Is it for decoration, or are we supposed to eat it?”
I won’t tell you what Janet said.
The Recipes for Janet’s Luncheon
SPICY TOMATO JUICE COCKTAIL
3 quarts tomato juice
½ teaspoon celery salt
½ teaspoon onion salt
1 tablespoon fresh snipped dill
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon lime juice
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Combine all ingredients in a nonreactive pan (glass or stainless) and heat thoroughly, stirring to mix well. Refrigerate for a day or so to allow the flavors to blend. Serve with a parsley garnish.
HERBED BREADSTICKS
2 cups white flour
About 1½ cups whole-wheat flour
1 package active dry yeast
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 teaspoons celery seed
2 teaspoons dill seed
1½ cups warm water
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons white sesame seed
Place the white flour, yeast, sugar, celery salt, garlic salt, celery seed, and dill seed in a mixing bowl. Add warm water and beat with an electric mixer for 4 to 5 minutes, until batter is thick and sticky. Mix in whole-wheat flour, ½ cup at a time, until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl. Turn it onto a floured board and knead until a soft, elastic dough is formed, adding more whole-wheat flour as necessary. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to oil the top, and cover with a damp towel. Let rise in a warm place until double, about 1 hour. Punch dough down and divide into quarters. Divide each quarter into four pieces (making 16 pieces), and these into thirds (48 pieces). Roll the pieces into eight-inch sticks and place on greased baking sheet, one-half inch apart. For egg wash, mix egg and water and brush onto breadsticks. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in 400 ° F oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Makes forty-eight.
FRESH GREEN SALAD WITH CHERRY TOMATOES, MUSHROOMS, AND BOCCONCINI
½ pound arugula, fresh spinach, other greens
½ pound cherry tomatoes
½ pound button mushrooms, stems removed, caps wiped
clean and sliced
½ pound bocconcini
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons basil vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
Croutons for garnish
Mix together the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and chopped basil. Pour over tomatoes, mushrooms, and bocconcini and marinate for several hours. Just before serving, arrange torn greens on chilled serving plates, and add marinated tomatoes, mushrooms, and bocconcini. Garnish with croutons. Serves six.
CHICKEN IN SUN-DRIED TOMATO SAUCE, SERVED OVER PASTA
4 large chicken breasts, boned and skinned,
cut into strips
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour, mixed with ½ teaspoon paprika
2 green onions, chopped fine
½ cup sun-dried, oil-packed tomatoes,
drained and chopped
½ cup white wine
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
(or 1 teaspoon dried)
cup half-and-half
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound
There was only one thing wrong. Janet hadn’t had time to drive to San Antonio to look for the bocconcini, so she bought two pounds of mozzarella at Cavette’s and cut it into cubes before she marinated it in basil vinegar with lemon juice, chopped fresh basil, and dried red pepper. Nobody seemed to notice the difference, although one of the Friends did ask about all those little red flecks sticking to the cheese.
“Looks like red paint,” she said, poking it doubtfully with her fork. “Is it for decoration, or are we supposed to eat it?”
I won’t tell you what Janet said.
The Recipes for Janet’s Luncheon
SPICY TOMATO JUICE COCKTAIL
3 quarts tomato juice
½ teaspoon celery salt
½ teaspoon onion salt
1 tablespoon fresh snipped dill
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon lime juice
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Combine all ingredients in a nonreactive pan (glass or stainless) and heat thoroughly, stirring to mix well. Refrigerate for a day or so to allow the flavors to blend. Serve with a parsley garnish.
HERBED BREADSTICKS
2 cups white flour
About 1½ cups whole-wheat flour
1 package active dry yeast
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 teaspoons celery seed
2 teaspoons dill seed
1½ cups warm water
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons white sesame seed
Place the white flour, yeast, sugar, celery salt, garlic salt, celery seed, and dill seed in a mixing bowl. Add warm water and beat with an electric mixer for 4 to 5 minutes, until batter is thick and sticky. Mix in whole-wheat flour, ½ cup at a time, until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl. Turn it onto a floured board and knead until a soft, elastic dough is formed, adding more whole-wheat flour as necessary. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to oil the top, and cover with a damp towel. Let rise in a warm place until double, about 1 hour. Punch dough down and divide into quarters. Divide each quarter into four pieces (making 16 pieces), and these into thirds (48 pieces). Roll the pieces into eight-inch sticks and place on greased baking sheet, one-half inch apart. For egg wash, mix egg and water and brush onto breadsticks. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in 400 ° F oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Makes forty-eight.
FRESH GREEN SALAD WITH CHERRY TOMATOES, MUSHROOMS, AND BOCCONCINI
½ pound arugula, fresh spinach, other greens
½ pound cherry tomatoes
½ pound button mushrooms, stems removed, caps wiped
clean and sliced
½ pound bocconcini
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons basil vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
Croutons for garnish
Mix together the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and chopped basil. Pour over tomatoes, mushrooms, and bocconcini and marinate for several hours. Just before serving, arrange torn greens on chilled serving plates, and add marinated tomatoes, mushrooms, and bocconcini. Garnish with croutons. Serves six.
CHICKEN IN SUN-DRIED TOMATO SAUCE, SERVED OVER PASTA
4 large chicken breasts, boned and skinned,
cut into strips
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour, mixed with ½ teaspoon paprika
2 green onions, chopped fine
½ cup sun-dried, oil-packed tomatoes,
drained and chopped
½ cup white wine
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
(or 1 teaspoon dried)
cup half-and-half
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound
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