Chinese Brown Sauce

3/4 c. beef broth
1 TB. plus 1 tsp. oyster sauce
1 tsp. dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
1 TB. cornstarch

With all ingredients in a saucepan,
bring to a boil over medium heat.
Stir constantly until thickened.

Pear Chutney

3 medium size ripe pears
1 T. lemon juice
1 c. seedless red grapes, cut in half
2 T. honey
2 T. Dijon mustard
5 T. olive oil
1 small chopped red onion
1/4 c. raisins
1 T. mustard seed
1/2 tsp. allspice


Peel and cut pears in 1/2 inch pieces and toss with the lemon juice.
Add the grapes, honey and mustard.
Mix and set aside.
Cook onions in the olive oil until soft.
Add the raisins, mustard see and allspice.
Stir until the raisins plump up, about 5 minutes.
Mix gently with the fruit.
Serves 6.

Green Beans Genovese

1 lb. green beans, trimmed
1/2 tsp. finely minced garlic
1 T. butter
1/2 c. minced Italian parsley
tsp. olive oil
2 anchovy fillets, patted dry and minced
Pepper to taste.

Steam beans until done.
Saute the garlic in butter and oil
over low heat until golden.
Add the beans and heat through.
Add the parsley, anchovies and pepper.
Toss and serve.

Makes six servings.

Peaches Francais

4 c. dry white wine
1 lemon, unpeeled, sliced
1 orange, unpeeled, sliced
1/4 c. honey
1 vanilla bean
6 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
6 sprigs of mint

With a sharp knife, slice vanilla bean in half lengthwise.
Scrape small sticky seeds from the pod.
Combine the wine, lemon, orange, honey and vanilla seeds
in a stainless steel sauce pan.
Over medium-high heat, bring mixture to a boil for 3 minutes.
Remove from stove and cool completely.
Divide peaches between 6 large wine glasses.
Strain wine syrup over the peaches.
Garnish with mint.
Serves 6 for dessert.

Grilled Pear Pecan Pie

1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. lemon rind
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
4 fresh pears, peeled and sliced
1 (15 oz.) package refrigerated pie crusts
3/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1/4 c. butter or margarine, melted

Stir together first 5 ingredients in a large bowl,
add pears and toss to coat.
Fit one pie crust in a 9 inch deep-dish pie plate
according to directions.
Arrange coated pears in the pie crust.
Combine sugar, pecans and butter,
stirring until blended.
Spoon mixture over pears.
Top with remaining pie crust;
fold edges under and crimp.
Cut several slits in the top pie crust.
Light one side of a grill, place pie on the other side
on a large piece of aluminum foil.
Grill, covered with the grill lid,
over medium heat, for one hour and 15 minutes.

Asian Peach Sauce

2 T. soy sauce
2 tsp. peanut oil
3 T. honey
1 c. pureed peaches
1/4 tsp. ginger
1 T. minced green onions
2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.
Yields one cup.

Norky's Sweet Potato Casserole

My Mom's recipe:

3 C. mashed sweet potatoes
1/2 C. Granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C. melted butter

Topping:

1 C. packed brown sugar
1/3 C. all purpose flour
1/3 C. soft butter
1 C. chopped pecans

Mix together ingredients and put in a 1 1/2 qt or 8 inch casserole dish.
Cover with topping that has been crumbled with a fork.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Double recipe for a large crowd.

Sunday Gravy

Makes 3 cups

Sauce:

2 Tb. olive oil
1 lb. meaty pork neck bone or spare ribs
1 lb. veal stew meat or 2 veal shoulder chops
1 lb. Italian-style or fennel pork sausages
4 garlic cloves
1/4 c. tomato paste
Three 28-35 oz. cans Italian peeled tomatoes
2 c. water
Salt and freshly ground pepper
6 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

Meatballs:

1 lb. ground beef or combo of pork and beef
1/2 c. plain bread crumbs
2 large eggs
1 tsp. finely minced garlic
1/2 c. freshly grated Percorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 Tb. finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 tsp. salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 Tb. oilve oil

To Serve:

1 lb. shells or rigatoni, cooked and still hot
Freshly grated Percorino Romano or parmigiano-Reggiano



To make the sauce heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat.
Pat the pork dry and place in the pot.
Cook, turning occasionally, for 15 minutes,
or until nicely browned on all sides.
Brown the veal the same way and add it to the plate.

Place the sausages in the pot and brown on all sides.
Set aside the sausages with the pork and veal.
Drain off most of the fat from the pot.
Add the garlic and cook for about two minutes or until browned.
Remove and discard the garlic.
Add the tomato paste and cook for one minute.
With a food mill, puree the tomatoes,with the juice, into the pot.
For a chunkier sauce, just chop up the tomatoes and add them.
Add the water, salt and pepper to taste.
Add the pork, veal, sausages and basil and bring to a simmer.
Partially cover the pot and cook over low heat,
stirring occasionally, for 2 hours.
If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little water.

Meanwhile make the meatballs:

Combine all ingredients except the oil in a large bowl.
Mix together thoroughly.
Rinse your hands with cool water
and lightly shape the mixture in to 2" meatballs.
If you are making meatballs for bake s ziti or lasagna,
make them smaller, about the size of a grape.

Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet.
Add the meatballs and brown them well on all sides.
Transfer the meatballs to a plate.

After two hours, add the meatballs
and cook for 30 minutes or until the sauce
is thick and the meats very tender.

To serve, remove the meats from the sauce and set aside.
Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce.
Sprinkle with cheese.

From The Sopranos Family Cookbook