From Charleston Receipts, submitted by Mrs. R. O. Dion, Hasenpfeffer is a German recipe for cooking rabbit. The process starts with a soak time, some say of up to four days, but this recipe says two days. The soaking may apply more to wild rabbit. From one who used to raise and eat rabbits, I can attest that it really is a delicious meat to cook and serve. I never fixed Hasenpfeffer, but I used to braise it, which is covering it tightly and roasting and steaming, but not stewing. Wonderfully versatile, rabbit is high in protein, low in fat and cholesterol, rich in B vitamins, and a good source of minerals such as phosphorous and potassium. You can ask your butcher for domestic rabbit and if he doesn’t have it, he can order it.
Chicken, Italiano comes from Paths of Sunshine cookbook. The accompanying note instructs: “Prepare this recipe the day before serving to allow melding of flavors.”
Creamed Green Beans from Savannah Style is very good and will work out well for our readers when planning their evening meals. This dish is always great for special occasions or simple suppers for your loved ones.
Frances McHale contributed her Potato Soup recipe to Apopka Historical Society’s Preserving the Big Potato, a Collection of Potato Recipes. I’m sorry to say there is no copyright date in this volume, but am sure it is from quite a few years ago.
From Charleston Receipts, Crab Meat Salad calls for a pound of fresh crab meat. You can substitute shrimp for the crab meat. This recipe was contributed by Miss Elizabeth Williams.
Molasses Popcorn Balls from The Original Country Cookbook should be a lot of fun for both kids and grown folks.
Marvin Woods’ Made-from-Scratch Lemonade looks as if it is going to be the best lemonade we’ve ever had.
MRS. R. O. DION’S (ELEANOR WALKER) HASENPFEFFER
Recipe from Charleston Receipts, America’s Oldest Junior League Cookbook in Print,
a Cookbook by The Junior League of Charleston, Inc.
1 rabbit
Vinegar and water
1 sliced onion
Butter
3 cloves
1 bay leaf
1 cup thick sour cream
Salt and pepper
Disjoint rabbit, wash and place in crock or jar with enough vinegar and water in equal parts to cover. Add onion, a few cloves, bay leaf, salt and pepper to taste. Let the meat soak for two days. Then wipe dry and brown in hot butter, turning frequently. Slowly add some of the solution used for soaking the meat to the depth of one quarter of an inch. Cover tightly and simmer until done (about 30 minutes). Do not boil. Just before serving, stir sour cream into sauce.
CHICKEN, ITALIANO
Recipe from PATHS OF SUNSHINE COOKBOOK
8 chicken breasts, skinned, boned, split (16 pieces)
1/2 cup red table wine
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic granules
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups seasoned stuffing mix, divided
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated
1 (8 ounce) carton sour cream
1/2 cup slivered almonds, blanched
1/4 cup butter, melted
Place chicken in flat plastic container (with cover). Blend wine, lemon juice, garlic and pepper together. Pour over chicken breasts, cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours, turning container over several times during this period to thoroughly marinate the pieces. Toss together 1-1/2 cups stuffing mix and cheese. Drain chicken breasts and pat dry with paper toweling. Coat chicken thoroughly with sour cream. Dredge the chicken pieces with the 1-1/2 cups cheese-stuffing mix. Place chicken pieces, closely together, in casserole dish. Cover and refrigerate. Before baking, sprinkle with reserved 1/2 cup stuffing mix, slivered almonds and melted butter. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour or until chicken is fork tender. Place chicken pieces on warm serving platter. Additional Parmesan cheese may be passed. Serves 6 generously.
CREAMED GREEN BEANS
Recipe from Savannah Style, a Cookbook
by The Junior League of Savannah, Inc.
1/2 cup onion, finely sliced
1 tablespoon parsley, minced.
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon lemon peel, grated
1 cup sour cream
5 cups green beans, cooked and drained (should be French-sliced)
1/2 cup mushrooms, sautéed
1/2 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Cook onion and parsley in butter until tender, but not brown. Add flour, salt, pepper and lemon peel. Add sour cream and mix well. Stir in beans and mushrooms. Place in a 7 x 11-inch casserole. Top with grated cheese. Combine bread crumbs and melted butter and sprinkle on top of green beans. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
FRANCES McHALE’S POTATO SOUP
Recipe from Apopka Historical Society’s
Preserving the Big Potato – A Collection of Potato Recipes
6 cups water
6 medium potatoes peeled and diced
2 stalks celery diced
1 small onion diced
3 tablespoons chives, chopped
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup evaporated or whole milk
2 tablespoons butter
Bring water to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan. Add potatoes, celery, onion, chives, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer slowly for 25 minutes. Add butter, then stir in milk. Bring to a boil. Serve.
MISS ELIZABETH R. WILLIAMS’ CRAB MEAT SALAD
Recipe from Charleston Receipts, America’s Oldest Junior League Cookbook in Print,
a Cookbook by The Junior League of Charleston, Inc.
1 pound crab meat
1 cup celery, diced
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Lettuce
1 green pepper, chopped
2 hard-cooked eggs, diced
1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/2 teaspoon salt
Remove any shell rom the crab meat. Combine all the ingredients and serve on lettuce. Shrimp may be used instead of crab meat. Serves 6.
MOLASSES POPCORN BALLS
Recipe from Paragon Products, Inc., The Original Country Cookbook
3 qts popped corn (3/4 cup unpopped)
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup molasses
1/4 cup butter
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
Pop the corn, and set aside. Place all of the ingredients, except vanilla, in a saucepan and cook, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Continue cooking without stirring until syrup forms a brittle ball in cold water (270 degrees). Add vanilla and stir only enough to mix in through hot syrup. Put popped corn in a large bowl. Pour cooked syrup slowly over popped corn and mix well. Wet hands slightly and shape corn into balls.
MADE-FROM-SCRATCH LEMONADE
The New Low-Country Cooking
by Marvin Woods
2 quarts water
Juice of 6 lemons
Juice of 2 oranges
Juice of 1 lime
1 cup granulated sugar (give or take a little, according to your preference)
Mix all the ingredients together in a pitcher. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Serve in chilled glasses filled with ice.
