Evening star., 1943-02-01

LIE CIlllCdI leml0l1e members.
As these truths kept going rour
iish who was the impresario at las
thursdays dinner, he finally worked
out a menu and collected the in
gradients. even though he vent fal
afeld Here was the array:
Roasted oysters IN Shells
Mericdn Tdrnnle Pie
Field Salad Bottled Beer
Chilled Grapefruit With
Creme de Menthe
Coffee
First, We glance at the roasted
oysters. Somehow or other, this
simply grand and appetizing item il
seldom served, and for no good rea
son, as they are easy to prepare, just
so one can get fresh, raw oysters ir
the shells Figuring six oysters pei
person. the oysters are washed ano
the shells well scrubbed, Then, un-
opened they are placed in dishpan
and set into very hot oven to roast
In IS to 20 minutes they are open
and ready to serve. Remove. just as
they are. to plates covered with
napkins and fold over the oysters
To eat them, each interested par
taker holds corner of napkin in
his left hand. MS knife in his right
hand, gives the shell little further
lift, and then with an oyster fork
or what have you handy removes the
edible delicacy, dips it into bit of
melted butter and lemon juice or
cocktail sauce and-there you are.
Mexican tamale pie is dish made
In hundred and one ways all over
Mexico and clear up into California,
New Mexico and so on. There are
no set rules for the filling. The
tamale paste is made first. accord
Ing to a fixed custom. For eight
generous portions with seconds, -
make corn meal mush," using old
fashioned stone-ground white corn
meal If possible-two cups of meal
to six cups of water and a little
salt.
Mix we'll and smooth out Jumps
while cooking rapidly. Then, as
the meal starts to thicken, place
over hot water (in double boiler
end let 1t cook for not less than
an hour.
In the meantime. make the filling
for the pie" Put two tablespoons
of fat into a saucepan and in it
cook a minced onion to a light
brown. Then add two pounds of
hamburger, which has been rolled
In flour. Cook, mixing well, for
two or three minutes. Then add
two cups of chopped raw tomatoes
or chopped whole pack canned
tomatoes, one small can of prepared
tomato paste, cup of chopped
canned pimentos and a tablespoon
ful Of ground chilli powder. Salt
to taste.
II your guests are hardy South
westerners, they may like the addi-
tion Of nubbin of chopped garlic,
and more chilli powder-but know
your guests before you go of the
deep end. You need, also, two
cups Of pitted olives-these you add
either to the mush or to the filling.
That is optional. Roy put olives
in both mush and filling. He also
added eight eggs, hard boiled and
cut into quarters, to the filling. |
But these days that depends largely |
on the friendly feeling of your hens,
or your pocketbook.
At this point select a sizable |
casserole. Butter it we'll, and then
fill half full with mush. On top |
of the mush place the filling. On
top Of that about an inch more |
mush. On top Of that rich
sprinkling of grated cheese. And
then into the oven at about 275
degrees to warm through slowly.
In its native haunts. the tamale
pie often has mushrooms worked in
Fresh green and red peppers may
be minced and cooked with the
filling. Young spring onions are
often chopped into quarter Inch bits,
including the tops. and cooked in
the filling. Some cooks prefer ground
pork to beef, and others mix beef
and pork. Others still. omit all
ground meat, making rich. thick
sauce without meat Then, In place
Of a ground meat filling, they sub
stitute generous pieces Of boiled
fowl, thickening some Of the broth
and pouring :, it into the paste for
added quality. Rabbit may take the
place OF chicken and I have seen
small pork sausaRes, In castings, take
the place OF rabbit.
1t is a good idea. however, to try
this dish on the home folks before
cooking 1t for guests. The degree Of
Mexican heat must be established
for individual tastes. 1t is said that
a real Mexican cowboy from the
border sections, will frown upon the
cooking, unless after each mouthful
he can breathe out at least a dull