Mrs. Dawson submits an authentic Chinese recipe for Sweet and Sour Pork to Charleston Receipts, which book we have for some wonderful recipes. We also have the recipe for Sweet and Sour Sauce to go with the pork. Note from Mrs. Dawson says, “During World War II, my husband, Colonel Louis Y. Dawson, Jr., was stationed in China. He had the pleasure of attending a dinner given by Madame Kung (one of the Soong sisters). He enjoyed so much the “Sweet and Sour Pork,” that was served, that he asked a friend, General Ho Shi Li, to obtain the receipt for him.” (As you may recall, old-timers call recipes “receipts.”)
From Cooking with Foliage La Sertoma of Apopka, we have Superb Baked Scallops.
From a reader of our newspapers, we have Nancy Thomas’ Beef Stew. We appreciate receiving more recipes from our readers, especially those that are loved and approved by their families.
The New York Times NEW Natural Foods Cookbook, by Jean Hewitt, gives us a great recipe for Apricot Bar Cookies.
Brenda Hubble’s Pasta Salad is quick and simple and quite good. This recipe is found in Northside Baptist Church’s cookbook.
Jeannine Taggert’s Calico Salad is a wonderful cole slaw recipe. This is not only tasty, it is beautiful. We thank the Apopka Citizen Police Alumni Association for their publication, Sharing Our Finest Cookbook.
MRS. LOUIS Y. DAWSON, JR.’S (VIRGINIA WALKER) SWEET AND SOUR PORK
Recipe from Charleston Receipts, America’s Oldest Junior League Cookbook in Print,
a Cookbook by The Junior League of Charleston, Inc.
1 pound lean pork
Salt
Pepper
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Seanium oil (vegetable oil)
Pea flour (plain flour will do)
Peanut oil (vegetable oil)
Carrots, 1 cup finely chopped
1/2 cup of diced green bell peppers
Cut one pound of lean pork into pieces about 1/4-inch thick, 1-inch long and 1/2-inch wide. Add salt and pepper to taste, soy sauce. Fry the pieces of pork in seanium oil. When well done, roll the pork in pea flour and broil for five minutes in boiling peanut oil. Remove the pork and broil the carrots and bell peppers for one minute in the boiling peanut oil. Mix the pork, carrots and bell peppers and serve with the hot Sweet and Sour Sauce. Serves 6.
MRS. LOUIS Y. DAWSON, JR’s (VIRGINIA WALKER) SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE
Recipe from Charleston Receipts, America’s Oldest Junior League Cookbook in Print,
a Cookbook by The Junior League of Charleston, Inc.
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon catsup
1 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped
This sauce is made to go with the dish, Sweet and Sour Pork.
BASIC FRIED SCALLOPS
Recipe from Cooking with Foliage La Sertoma of Apopka
2 pounds calico or bay scallops, fresh or frozen
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
Fat for frying
Thaw scallops if frozen. Rinse scallops with cold water to remove any remaining pieces of shell particles. Drain. Beat together eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Roll scallops in flour, dip in egg mixture and roll in dry bread crumbs.
To pan fry, place breaded scallops in heavy frypan containing approximately 1/2-inch of fat or oil, hot but not smoking. Fry at moderate heat, 350 degrees, for approximately 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown, turning once during cooking. Drain on absorbent paper. Serve plain or with a sauce. Makes 6 servings.
To deep fat fry, fry breaded scallops in a basket in deep fat at moderate heat, 350 degrees, for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper. Serve plain or with a sauce. Makes 6 servings.
NANCY THOMAS’ BEEF STEW
Contributed by Reader of The Apopka Chief
Olive oil for sautéing beef and onions
2 pounds lean beef for stew, cut into bite-size pieces
1 sweet onion peeled and chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
4 large potatoes, peeled and chopped
3 large ribs celery, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
2 fresh cobs of corn, niblets cut off and cob scraped for milk
1 cup fresh or frozen green beans
Quart of mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon salt
Black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon no-salt seasoning
1 cup water
Heaping tablespoon Better-Than-Bouillon beef stock
2 tablespoons butter for roux
1 heaping tablespoon flour for a roux
Saute beef in hot oil. Then add onions to the sauté. Add vegetables as you get them peeled and cut up after beef and onion are sautéed. Add water, beef stock, and seasonings.
You can use InstantPot pressure cooker or a pot on top of the stove or a slow cooker, whichever is your preference. InstantPot takes 35 minutes plus the time for the steam to release and to add the roux for gravy and time for the stew to cook longer, maybe an hour total. In a slow cooker, it might take a few hours.
Make a roux with butter and flour on the stove.
Use some of the broth from the stew to mix with the thick roux to make a gravy. Add the thickened gravy to the stew and mix well.
Bring the temperature up enough for the ingredients to meld together. Twenty minutes more cooking should do the trick. This stew is delicious. Serve with hot biscuits for a meal that is absolutely blissful.
APRICOT BAR COOKIES
THE NEW YORK TIMES NEW NATURAL FOODS COOKBOOK
Copyright 1982 by Jean Hewitt
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup molasses
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups steel cut oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
3 tablespoons soy flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup cut-up unsulphured apricots
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup sunflower seed kernels or pumpkin seeds
Orange juice, if necessary
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Beat together the honey, molasses, and oil very well in an electric mixer, electric blender, or food processor. In a large bowl, combine the oats, whole-wheat flour, wheat germ, soy flour, and salt. Pour in the honey mixture and stir to moisten the dry ingredients. Add the apricots, raisins, and sunflower seed kernels and mix well. If the mixture is very stiff, add a small amount of orange juice. Press the mixture into a well-oiled 9-inch square baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool in the pan. Cut into squares. Yield: Sixteen squares.
BRENDA HUBBLE’S BOW TIE PASTA SALAD
Recipe from Northside Baptist Church cookbook
1 pound Bow Tie pasta, cooked as directed
16 ounces Feta cheese
1 large can of black olives without pits
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup Italian Salad Dressing, or amount to taste
Top with 1/4 cup chopped green onions (optional)
Cool pasta, then mix all together and chill. Serves 12.
JEANNINE TAGGERT’S CALICO SALAD
Recipe from Apopka Citizen Police Alumni Association,
Sharing Our Finest Cookbook
1 head green cabbage, shredded
1 green sweet pepper, chopped
1 red sweet pepper, chopped or pimiento
1 red onion, chopped
1 cup vinegar
3/4 cup oil
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon celery salt
1 tablespoon dry mustard
Mix cabbage, green and red pepper and onion in large bowl. Mix remaining ingredients together. Pour over vegetable mixture. Let blend 24 hours. Will keep in refrigerator for one week.
