¼ c olive oil 2 T finely chopped fresh parsley,
1 c finely chopped onions preferably the flat-leaf Italian
1 c finely chopped celery variety
½ c finely chopped green peppers 1 medium-sized bay leaf
2 tsp finely chopped garlic ¼ tsp crumbled dried thyme
A 1-pound can tomatoes, drained ¼ tsp ground hot red pepper(cayenne)
and coarsely chopped, with their 1 tsp salt
liquid reserved
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First prepare the sauce in the following manner: In a heavy 10- to 12-inch
skillet, heat the olive oil over moderate heat until a light haze forms above
it. Add the onions, celery, green peppers and garlic and, stirring frequently,
cook for about 5 minutes, or until they are soft but not brown. Stir in the
coarsely chopped tomatoes and their liquid, 2 T of parsley, the bay leaf,
thyme, red pepper and 1 tsp of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce
the heat to low and simmer, tightly covered, for 20 minutes. Remove the
skillet from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Taste for seasoning, then
set the sauce aside in the skillet.FILLING:
½ pound uncooked shrimp 2 T finely chopped fresh parsley,
4 T butter preferably the flat-leaf Italian
½ c finely chopped scallions, including variety
3 inches of the green tops 1/8 tsp ground white pepper
½ c finely chopped drained canned 1 tsp salt
tomatoes
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Meanwhile, shell the shrimp. Devein them by making a shallow incision down
their backs with a small, sharp knife and lifting out the black or white
intestinal vein with the point of the knife. Wash the shrimp briefly in a
colander set under cold running water and pat them completely dry with paper
towels. Chop the shrimp into small bits.To make the filling: melt 4 T of butter in a heavy 1- to 1½-quart saucepan set over moderate heat. When the foam begins to subside, add the shrimp and scallions and stir for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and the scallions are soft. Add the finely chopped tomatoes, 2 T parsley, the white pepper and 1 tsp of salt. Stirring constantly, cook briskly over high heat until all of the liquid in the pan has evaporated. Taste the filling for seasoning and set the pan aside off the heat.
OMELETS:
12 eggs Freshly ground black pepper
Salt 4 T butter
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For each omelet, break three eggs into a small bowl, season with a little
salt and a few grindings of black pepper, and stir briskly with a table fork
for 20 to 30 seconds, or until the whites and yolks are blended together.
Heat an ungreased 7- to 8-inch omelet pan until it is very hot, drop in 1 T
of butter and swirl it in the pan so that it melts quickly and coats the
bottom and sides. When the foam begins to subside but before the butter
browns, pour in the eggs.Working quickly, stir the eggs with the flat of the fork, at the same time shaking the pan back and forth vigorously to prevent the eggs from sticking. In a few seconds, the eggs will form a film on the bottom of the pan and the top will thicken to a light, curded custard. Still shaking the pan with one hand, gently stir through the top custard to spread the still-liquid eggs into the firmer areas; try not to pierce the bottom film.
Spoon about ¼ c of the filling in a band down the center of the omelet. Then lift the edge closest to you with the fork and gently fold the omelet in half. Let it rest for a moment on the lip of the pan, then tilt the pan and roll the omelet out onto a heated plate. Immediately wipe the pan clean and prepare three more omelets in the same fashion.
Reheat the reserved sauce briefly and ladle it over the filled omelets, dividing the sauce equally among them. Serve at once. Makes 4 omelets.
1 T butter, softened, plus 8 T butter, 6 c milk
cut into ½-inch bits 1½ tsp salt
5 medium-sized onions, peeled and 1 tsp ground hot red pepper(cayenne)
cut crosswise into 1/8-inch rounds 1 c freshly grated imported Parmesan
¾ c flour cheese
3 egg yolks, plus 12 hard-cooked eggs, 3 T paprika
cut crosswise into ¼-inch thick
slices
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Preheat the oven to 350°. With a pastry brush, spread the tablespoon of
softened butter evenly over the bottom and sides of a 14-by-9-by-2-inch
baking-serving dish. Set the dish aside.In a heavy 12-inch skillet, melt the 8 T of butter bits over moderate heat. When the foam begins to subside, add the onions and, stirring frequently, cook for about 8 minutes, or until they are soft and translucent but not brown. Add the flour and mix well, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 or 4 minutes to remove the raw taste of the flour.
Meanwhile, in a deep bowl, beat the egg yolks with a wire whisk or a rotary or electric beater until they are smooth. Beat in the milk, salt and red pepper, and set aside. Mix the Parmesan cheese and paprika together in a bowl and reserve them.
Stirring the onion mixture constantly with a wire whisk, pour in the egg yolks and milk in a slow, thin stream and cook over high heat until the sauce comes to a boil, thickens heavily and is smooth. Taste the sauce for seasoning, remove the skillet from the heat and gently stir in nine of the sliced hard-cooked eggs.
Pour the eggs and sauce into the buttered dish and scatter the Parmesan cheese mixture evenly over the top. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the top is browned and the sauce begins to bubble. Garnish the top with the remaining hard-cooked egg slices and serve at once, directly from the baking dish. Serves 8.
