The next day I went to the Belgian Embassy, where I worked as a junior secretary, since 1952. It was wonderful seeing my colleagues again, also the Ambassador, Mr Vanderstickelen and his charming wife, and Secretary Mr Andre Sellier. It was fascinating working at an Embassy because we were informed, daily, of all the political, economic, cultural and social events of the country, including the opinions and comments of experts and connoisseurs. Happenings and “gossip” were lavishly offered to us on a plate.
In an older post, "KARACHI AGAIN", I had mentioned that the population, in Karachi , was bulging to the millions, mainly due to the refugees; the city was growing, monstrously, on all directions, due to an orgy of construction that was taking place, and I concluded: “But, fortunately, Karachi is still adorned with beautiful parks and old buildings”. Let me give you a few more details about these wonderful constructions.
During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the British adorned Karachi with the “essence of the Raj” i.e. beautiful parks and buildings in classical, Victorian and even Veneto-Gothic architecture, that are now considered National Heritage monuments.
Frere Hall
I started going out with Alecos Cocalis, on a daily basis. He proposed to me on New Year’s eve 1953 and I accepted. We were married at the Holy Trinity Church, on the 8th June 1954 and we, literally, lived happily, ever after.
We moved into one of the office flats, that was provided to us by Ralli Bros the company for which Alecos worked. It had a huge terrace, with a wonderful view, that acquired a magical ambience, after sunset. due to the starlit sky and the bright city lights.
We moved into one of the office flats, that was provided to us by Ralli Bros the company for which Alecos worked. It had a huge terrace, with a wonderful view, that acquired a magical ambience, after sunset. due to the starlit sky and the bright city lights.
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| Hawke's Bay |
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| Evening at Hawke's Bay |
We rented and shared a hut with our friends, Nora and Doelf Widmer, in Hawk’s Bay, one of the beautiful sandy beaches near Karachi . So we spent long weekends there, swimming and resting by the sea. It was a lovely, carefree period of my life, I felt very happy and satisfied.
Here are a few dishes and desserts that were fashionable and popular, in 1954.
This was one of the little seafood salads that we enjoyed and still enjoy with friends.
* Please see below in " Prawn and Mushrooms in White Sauce" the recipe for court-bouillon
This is a lovely first dish!
2 tbsp dried bread crumbs
For the pastry, mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces and rub into the flour, until the mixture resembles crumbs. Add the egg yolk, sprinkle with milk and mix lightly until the dough comes together. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F). Roll out the pastry thinly and line a 27 cm (11 in) buttered tart dish. Bake blind, covered with baking parchment and beans, for about 12 minutes. Remove the paper and pulses and return to the oven for another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with dried bread crumbs and set aside to cool.
And two Greek dishes that our friends loved.
Pastitsio is a popular Greek dish, and a great meal to feed a large, hungry family.
This is a lovely dish for a buffet dinner.
For the sauce melt the butter, add the bay leaf stir in the cornflour and cook for 2-3 minutes. Pour in the hot milk, stirring constantly and simmer for 10-12 minutes until the sauce boils and thickens. Remove the saucepan from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Add the cheese and the beaten egg yolks and stir to combine well together. Taste and add salt and pepper, if necessary. Finally, gently fold in the whipped egg whites.
This is a lovely dish from the cooking of provincialFrance . Start a day before you need it.
Do prepare this soufflé, it is quite delicious.
Fill the soufflé dish/dishes up to the rim. Run you thumb around the inside ridge of the dish, to clean the rim. Bake the large soufflé dish for 40 minutes (ramekins for 20), until the soufflé rises well above the dish/dishes and is/are golden brown. Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve immediately, because the soufflé will deflate in a few minutes.
It was almost ten years since World War II had ended, and even younger couples could afford to entertain in a slightly, more extravagant way. The conventional grapefruit was no longer in fashion, Appetizers like prawn cocktails, soufflés, crepes and quiches were "in" to stay. I was extremely lucky because my mother gave me her cook when I got married. Hussein was a marvel. He could prepare the most fabulous Greek, French and English dishes and deserts. I shall never forget the intricate caramel baskets which he often prepared, filled with luscious tropical fruit salads and iced desserts.
The image below reminds me of the caramel baskets, that Hussein used to make so many years ago.
The image below reminds me of the caramel baskets, that Hussein used to make so many years ago.
Here are a few dishes and desserts that were fashionable and popular, in 1954.
PRAWN COCKTAIL
This was one of the little seafood salads that we enjoyed and still enjoy with friends.
500 g (1 lb) medium-sized prawns, boiled in a wine court bouillon*, shelled and de-veined
4 cos lettuces, only the inner, tender leaves, washed dried and shredded
Snipped chives
Sauce:
6 heaped tbsp mayonnaise, low fat if preferred or
4 heaped tbsp mayonnaise, mixed with
2 heaped tbsp yoghurt
3 heaped tbsp tomato ketchup
½ liqueur glass good quality cognac or brandy, Metaxa would be fine
1 tbsp very finely chopped gherkins
A few drops Tabasco sauce
Lemon juice to taste
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
Pinch of sugar
Sweet paprika or
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper
Chives, thinly sliced lemon
6 prawns for garnish
First, make the sauce. Mix all the ingredients, except the salt and Cayenne pepper, well together, taste and add salt pepper or Cayenne , if necessary.
In a bowl mix the prawns with about 6 tbsp of sauce, reserving the remaining of sauce.
Combine the shredded salad with the snipped chives. Divide between six individual bowls or glasses and drizzle with a little sauce. Divide the prawns between the bowls, and arrange them over of the salad. Drizzle with the remaining sauce and garnish with lemon slices and the reserved prawns.
* Please see below in " Prawn and Mushrooms in White Sauce" the recipe for court-bouillon
PRAWN AND CRAB QUICHE
This is a lovely first dish!
Pastry:
250g (1 2/3 cup) plain flour
125g (½ cup) butter
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp or more, iced milk
A pinch of salt
Filling:
250 g (1/2 lb) bland kasseri or Emmenthal, grated
½ kg (1 lb) prawns, sautéed in very little olive oil and 2 rosemary twigs until they just change colour
4 eggs, separated
125 ml (1/2 cup) cream, 2% fat, if preferred
125 ml (1/2 cup) full milk
1 cup crabmeat, cooked
2-3 spring onions, finely chopped and stewed with 2 tbsp water and a little olive oil
1 heaped tbsp mayonnaise, low fat if preferred
Salt and pepper to taste
1\8 tsp Cayenne pepper
2 heaped tbsp San Mihalis or Parmesan, grated
2 tbsp dried bread crumbs
For the pastry, mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces and rub into the flour, until the mixture resembles crumbs. Add the egg yolk, sprinkle with milk and mix lightly until the dough comes together. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F). Roll out the pastry thinly and line a 27 cm (11 in) buttered tart dish. Bake blind, covered with baking parchment and beans, for about 12 minutes. Remove the paper and pulses and return to the oven for another 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with dried bread crumbs and set aside to cool.
Sprinkle half the kasseri or Emmenthal over the cold pastry shell and place the prawns evenly on top. Mix the egg yolks, cream and milk together, and set aside.
Combine the crabmeat with the stewed onions, mayonnaise, the remaining grated cheese and Cayenne , mix well together and stir into the egg yolk mixture. Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt, to form soft peaks, and fold, gently, into the crab mixture. Taste for seasoning and adjust, if necessary.
Spoon the filling into the tart, over the prawns, level the top and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake in an oven preheated to 190 C (375 F) for about 25-30 minutes until puffed and golden brown. One could prepare this tart only with crabmeat or only with prawns.
PRAWNS WITH MUSHROOMS IN WHITE SAUCE
Try this first dish for a dinner party.
12 scallop shells, buttered
1.250 kg (2½ lbs) prawns, shelled and deveined, heads and tails reserved
500 g (1 lb) fresh white mushrooms, sliced
Court bouillon:
500 ml (2 cups) tasty chicken stock
500 ml (2 cups) dry white wine
4 sliced shallots or spring onions
2 tender celery stalks with leaves, cut into pieces
6 parsley stalks
1 bay leaf
The reserved heads and tails of the prawns
Sauce:
120 g (4 oz) butter
1 bay leaf
75 g (2½ oz) cornflour
The reduced court-bouillon
250 ml (1 cup) hot milk
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
250 ml (1 cup) cream
4 eggs, separated, whites whipped to the soft peak stage, with a pinch of salt
1 tsp lemon juice, to accentuate the taste
Salt if necessary
White pepper
60 g (2 oz) or more grated Gruyere and Parmesan, in equal amounts
First, make the court bouillon. Bring the ingredients to the boil over high heat. Then reduce the temperature and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the stock into a large, deep frying pan. Add the mushrooms and after 3 minutes add the prawns and simmer for 2 minutes more, then remove with a slotted spoon, and place them on kitchen paper to dry. Boil the court bouillon over high heat and reduce it down by half, about 500 ml (2 cups) and reserve.
For the sauce, melt the butter, over medium heat, add the bay leaf, and when the foam subsides stir in the cornflour and cook for 3-4 minutes more. Do not brown. Add the hot court bouillon, the milk and the nutmeg, and stir constantly, until the sauce comes to the boil and thickens, and remove from the stove. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. If too thick, thin it down with a little milk
In a bowl, mix the egg yolks with 4 tsp of cream, together. Very slowly stir 2 cups of hot sauce to the eggs. Pour all this mixture back into the saucepan with the hot sauce, bring to the boil, stirring, and simmer for 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat, discard the bay leaf, stir in the remaining cream and when well mixed, add the lemon juice and stir again. Add 2 tbsp of grated Gruyere, sprinkle with white pepper, stir and taste. Add a little salt, if necessary.
Place the prawns and mushrooms into a bowl, add enough sauce to coat them, and divide the mixture, evenly, into the shells. Half an hour before serving fold the egg whites into the remaining sauce. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Mask the prawns and mushrooms with the remaining sauce, sprinkle with cheese and bake in an oven, preheated to 180 C (350 F) for about 20 minutes or until puffed and golden. Serve immediately.
And two Greek dishes that our friends loved.
PASTITSIO - BAKED MACARONI
Pastitsio is a popular Greek dish, and a great meal to feed a large, hungry family.
This is not the traditional way of making Pastitsio. You can, of course, prepare it by placing two layers of macaroni, with the meat sauce in between. You can also use summer vegetables or mushrooms instead of minced meat for the sauce.
500 g (1 lb) thick macaroni (No 3)
60 g (2 oz) grated kefalotyri or San Mihalis or Parmesan or a mixture
2 tbsp hot, melted butter
Minced meat sauce:
1 kg (2 lb) minced veal
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 large carrot, scraped and finely grated
4 rashers of lean bacon, fat discarded, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
About 80 ml (1/3 cup) METAXA brandy
250 ml (1 cup) white wine
3 ripe tomatoes, halved, deseeded and grated, skins discarded
1 tsp sugar or more
1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper, optional
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup parsley chopped, optional
Sauce:
150 g (5 oz) butter
150 (1cup) cornflour
1 bay leaf
1¼ litre (5 cups) or more hot milk
Nutmeg
100 g (3 oz plus 2 tbsp) grated kefalotyri, San Mihalis, Parmesan or a mixture
4 eggs separated, whites whipped into soft peaks, with a pinch of salt
1 tbsp butter, and dried breadcrumbs for the baking dish and
2 tbsp grated cheese for sprinkling over the top
Sauté the onions, carrots and bacon in olive oil until the onions are transparent. Add the minced meat and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring until well browned. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, nutmeg and Cayenne pepper (if using), add the brandy and stir well for a moment or two. Pour in the wine and cook 5 minutes more until the alcohol evaporates. Then add the grated tomatoes, sugar and enough hot water to barely cover. Simmer until the meat is cooked and almost dry, about 30 minutes, Taste and add salt, pepper and sugar if necessary, sprinkle with parsley, if using, and put aside.
Prepare the sauce. Melt butter, add the bay leaf and cornflour and cook for 5 minutes stirring constantly. Add the hot milk in portions and stir for 10-12 minutes until the sauce boils and thickens. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the cheese and cool a little. Then add the egg yolks and season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Finally, fold in the whipped egg whites.
Boil the macaroni in boiling, salted water until “al dente”. Drain and return to the saucepan, sprinkle with grated cheese, pour the hot butter over and swirl. Add the ground meat and about 2-3 cups béchamel sauce and gently mix together.
Butter a baking dish and sprinkle with dried bread crumbs. Add the macaroni mixture and level the surface. Cover with the remaining béchamel sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese and bake in an oven preheated to 190 C (375 F) for about 50 minutes to 1 hour until golden brown. Cool slightly, cut into portions and serve with a large green salad.
STUFFED AUBERGINE HALVES
This is a lovely dish for a buffet dinner.
6 equal-sized aubergines, cut in half including the stems
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Olive oil
Stuffing:
250 g (½ lb) minced beef
1 tbsp olive oil
A small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 small carrot, scraped and finely grated
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Grated nutmeg
1 liqueur glass METAXA brandy
1 large, ripe tomato, deseeded, grated, skin discarded
Tasty, hot meat stock
A pinch of sugar
½ cup chopped parsley
White Sauce:
150 g (5 oz)g butter
150 g (5 oz) cornflour
1 bay leaf
1¼ litre (5 cups) or more hot milk
4 medium-sized eggs, separated, whites whipped to soft peaks with a pinch of salt
Grated nutmeg
90 g (5 oz) grated kasseri or Cheddar
Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
4 tbsp finely grated San Mihalis or Parmesan
Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F).
Score the flesh of each aubergine half in a diamond pattern, sprinkle with salt and drizzle with a little olive oil. Place in a tin, lined with baking parchment and bake for about 20 minutes or until the aubergine flesh is soft.
Prepare the minced meat. Sauté the meat in olive oil, over high heat, stirring, until the meat changes colour. Add the onion and carrot and cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and pour in the brandy and simmer for 5 minutes more to allow the alcohol evaporate. Add the grated tomato and enough hot meat stock to just cover. Sprinkle with sugar, cover the saucepan and simmer until the minced meat is cooked and dry.
For the sauce melt the butter, add the bay leaf stir in the cornflour and cook for 2-3 minutes. Pour in the hot milk, stirring constantly and simmer for 10-12 minutes until the sauce boils and thickens. Remove the saucepan from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Add the cheese and the beaten egg yolks and stir to combine well together. Taste and add salt and pepper, if necessary. Finally, gently fold in the whipped egg whites.
Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F). With the back of a spoon press the aubergine flesh to allow more space for the stuffing. Place two tablespoonfuls of minced meat or more on top of each aubergine half and level the top. Then pipe the sauce in a pretty pattern to cover the minced meat. Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake for about 20 minutes or until puffed, golden and delicious.
COQ AU VIN
This is a lovely dish from the cooking of provincial
2 tbsp olive oil
8-10 rashes lean bacon cut into quarters, fat removed
12 or more shallots, peeled
2 chickens 2 ½ -3kg (5-6 lb) drumsticks and thighs, skinned only
breasts skinned, bones and cartilage discarded, and cut into serving pieces
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
62.5 ml (¼ cup) Cognac or Metaxa brandy
750 ml (1 bottle) Agiorgitiko red wine or Pinot Noir
250 ml (1 cup) tasty hot chicken stock
2 tbsp tomato paste diluted in ¼ cup chicken stock
1 bouquet garni ( 2 sprigs thyme – 2 small sprigs rosemary – I bay leaf)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
500 g (1 lb) champignons de Paris
½ tsp olive oil
Little salt
Beurre manié:
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp butter at room temperature together
(mix together until smooth cover and refrigerate)
In a large saucepan, sauté the bacon in 1 tbsp olive oil until crisp and place on kitchen paper to drain. Then, sauté the shallots until golden and reserve.
Sauté the chicken in batches, with the remaining olive oil for 4-5 minutes on each side. Remove most of the fat from the saucepan, add the garlic and simmer until soft. Add the brandy and cook briskly, stirring to deglaze the saucepan and remove from the fire. Arrange the drumsticks and thighs in the saucepan and return to the stove. Pour in the wine and cook for a few minutes. Add the shallots and the stock, tomato paste, bouquet garni, a little salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Cover the saucepan and simmer for 20 minutes. Place the chicken breasts and the bacon on top, making sure that they are submerged under the sauce, adding a little more stock, if necessary. Cover and simmer very gently for 30 minutes more. Cool and refrigerate
The next day, heat a frying pan and cook the mushrooms in olive oil, over high heat, until cooked and dry. Sprinkle with a little salt and tip them into the saucepan. Heat the coq au vin, taste and season if necessary. Arrange the chicken, shallots, bacon mushrooms, attractively, on a warm serving dish
Thicken the sauce with a tiny piece of beurre manié each time, and simmer the sauce, whisking, until the desired thickness is achieved. Pour the sauce over the chicken, shallots, mushrooms and bacon, and serve immediately with creamy mashed potatoes. Garnish with one of the herbs used in the bouquet garni,
CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE
Do prepare this soufflé, it is quite delicious.
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
375 g (1½ cup) hot milk
62.5 ml (¼ cup) METAXA brandy
50 g (½ cup) sugar
360 g (12 oz) black chocolate, chopped
125 ml (1/2 cup) coffee
125 ml (1/2 cup) coffee
4 egg yolks, beaten
Vanilla
Vanilla
8 egg whites
Pinch of salt
50 g (½ cup) sugar
Icing sugar
First, make the chocolate pastry cream. Melt butter, sift in the flour and stir for 3-4 minutes to prevent the taste of raw flour. Pour the hot milk, in three doses, into the roux, add the brandy and keep on stirring until a smooth, shiny sauce is obtained. Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate and the coffee and stir until the sauce is smooth and glossy. Stir in the beaten egg yolks and the vanilla. You could prepare this one day before you need it. Cover the pastry cream with cling film and refrigerate overnight.
One hour before you want to serve the soufflé, preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F). Butter a large soufflé dish or individual ramekins. Add 2-3 tbsp sugar and rotate the dish-dishes until the base and side are well coated with sugar, tipping off the excess.
Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt to soft peaks. Then add the sugar, by the spoonful, whisking constantly until the peaks are stiff and glossy. Add ¼ of the whipped whites into the chocolate pastry cream, to loosen it. Then fold in the remaining whites gently but thoroughly until no white streaks are visible.
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| Summer Flowers by Susi Franco |
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