Gulf Coast Fish Chowder
2 pounds fresh or frozen fish fillets, cut into chunks
1 big onion, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped potatoes
1 small carrot
1 inner celery stalk, chopped
2 or 3 garlic toes, chopped fine
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons flour
2 bay leaves
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
good pinch dried dill
dash Tabasco
splash dry sherry
Sauté onion, carrot, celery in oil about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add 3 cups water, potatoes, vegetables, garlic, seasonings. Bring just to boiling. Reduce heat, cover, simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes are almost tender. Combine milk and flour and slowly stir into soup. Add bay leaves and fish. Simmer on low about 15 minutes, donšt boil. Take a fork and see if fish flakes. Remove bay leaves. Taste for seasoning. Add a good splash of dry sherry, cook a minute longer. Sprinkle with parsley and paprika when serving.
Serves 6 to 8 polite guests, 4 greedy-guts.
Mint Chutney (Hindu)
One small onion or half a big one
1 green hot pepper
pecan-sized piece fresh ginger root
pinch cumin seeds
pinch salt
small toe garlic
cupful scalded mint leaves
squeeze lemon or lime juice
1/2 pint plain yogurt
Pound all ingredients save yoghurt together in a mortar until you have a fine paste. Add yoghurt and either whiz in blender or whip well until a nicely flecked green mixture is the result. Chill before serving.
Cognac Cookies
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup molasses
1/2 teaspoon powdered cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cup sifted flour
2 teaspoons Cognac
1 ounce chopped white chocolate
1 cup crushed pecans
Heat oven to 300 degrees. Grease big baking sheets. Mix butter, sugar, molasses, spices. Cook till butter is melted; stir well. Little by little, mix in flour, then cognac. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto sheets, about 3 inches apart.. Bake about 12 minutes until golden. Cool 1 or 2 minutes. Then remove 1 cookie at a time and shape it into cylinder around handle of a wooden spoon (greased). Work fast; they harden. Put back into oven if they do. Cool on racks.. Melt white chocolate in cup set over simmering water. Put pecan bits into a cup or small bowl. Brush ends of cookies in melted chocolate, then into nuts. Let sit on racks to cool.
About 45 cookies.