The Taste of Black

What better way to celebrate that most American of inventions, Black Friday, than with a black cookbook.

Björn Lindberg had an idea to take photos of black food.  He loved color; he loved food so why not combine the two.  But he needed a partner in crime, so he explained his idea to Jonas Borssén.  Borssén began developing recipes and Lindberg photographed them.  In 1997 they published The Taste of Black.  It is the artistic of food porn.  

Now, I do love black food, but I must confess that most of "black" creations come from my love of charcoal as an ingredient.  There is no charcoal in these recipes, no dyes, no inedible combos of squid and bananas (though there are recipes for squid and also a banana chutney) so don't be tempted to dismiss this book are an aberration.  The recipes are solid and reasonably easy to add to your cooking repertoire.  Some are very familiar like this one.

Black Bean Soup

1 1/4 cup black beans, soaked overnight
1-2 onions, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3-4 sticks of celery, finely chopped
1/2 lb. spicy sausage, thinly sliced
1-2 tablespoons jalapeño, finely chopped 1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon oregano or savory
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil

Begin by lightly frying the vegetables and sausage in a large casserole with a little oil. Drain the soaked beans and add them with the stock to the pot. Bring to a boil and skim thoroughly. Add all the spices except the oregano. Cover and simmer for 40-50 minutes or until the beans are completely soft. Add the oregano, salt and black pepper to taste. Serve in deep soup plates.

Once you see Lindberg's photographs of the food, you will never look at plating the same way again.   The utilitarian black bean soup has never been more radiant.  So enjoy your black Friday.

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Thanksgiving Classics

Thanksgiving by Sam Sifton

Giving Thanks by Kathleen Curtin, Sandra L. Oliver, and The Plimoth Plantation.
 
A Southern Thanksgiving by Robb Forman Dew

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HOMEMADE CHEEZ-IT CRACKERS

OK, it's confession time, I love Cheez-It crackers. I don't stock them in the pantry (for obvious reasons), so when the urge ambushed me the other day, I was very happy to find this easy recipe.

These crackers really do taste a lot like Cheez-It crackers, except fresher and more flavorful. They are quick to make and take require ingredients I always have in my kitchen (a win-win for us since we live 10 miles out of town).

 

 

 

CHEEZ-IT CRACKERS

 

8 ounces extra SHARP cheddar cheese shredded (see note below)

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 tablespoons UNSALTED butter (room temperature)

1 teaspoon salt (divided)

4 to 6 tablespoons ice water  (see note below)

 

Put the shredded cheese and room temperature butter in your food processor and give it a few pulses to blend.

 

Mix 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne into the flour, then sprinkle it over the cheese-butter mixture and pulse a few times until the mixture looks a little clumpy but well mixed.

 

Next, with the food processor running, add 4 tablespoons of the ice water. Run the food processor until the dough forms a ball, then stop. See tip below on the amount of water to use

 

 

Divide the dough in half and cover and chill for 30 minutes.  Roll the dough very thin (as thin as you can get it), like a pie crust (1/8")or thinner (see note below) and cut into 1" squares.

 

 

 

Sprinkle squares remaining salt and poke a hole in the center of the square. Place squares on ungreased cookie sheet (they can be pretty close together but not touching).

 

Bake in preheated 400° for 10 to 12 minutes or till golden (see note below). Remove crackers from baking sheet and cool them on a bakers rack (so air can get to both sides of the cracker). Cool to room temperature before eating them (they will get crisper as they cool down).

 

TIPS:

This recipe really needs extra sharp cheddar cheese and make sure that you grate it yourself.  Commercially grated cheeses have a starch coating on them so the shreds don't clump together. This starch coating really effects how cheese melts (and tastes)

 

The recipe didn't say what kind of salt to use, but I used a light sprinkling of kosher salt because it is large and flakey, but that's just my personal preference. On one batch, I put salt on both sides of the cracker squares and it made them too salty  (well, the dog didn't think so, but we did).

 

 This recipe calls for 4 to 6 tablespoons of ice water. When I made these, it took the full 6 tablespoons, but then the amount of water you use depends on the humidity of your flour, etc. etc. etc.  Just start with 4 tablespoons and then if the dough doesn't come together nicely in a ball, add a little more.

 

This dough is extremely easy to roll out and doesn't crack or break apart. Just make sure you roll it VERY thin. No matter how thin you roll them, they will still puff up a little while baking, so keep that in mind. Just remember, the thinner you roll them, the crispier the cracker will be.

 

And finally, the recipe says to bake them 10 to 12 minutes. I have the best luck cooking them for 10 minutes then switching to the broiler for the last 30 seconds. It gives them a wonderful golden crispy top.

 

If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container.

 

ENJOY !!

 





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CROCK-POT MASHED POTATOES

This is a great method of making mashed potatoes for a crowd. It seems like I'm always short on time (or a burner) when it comes to last minute side dishes during the holidays, so this method is a big help.

 

TO FEED A BIG CROWD
5 pounds peeled potatoes cut into 1" cubes
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter cut into small cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 to 1 1/2 cups HOT half and half (divided)

The ABOVE ingredients will take a large

(7 quart) crock-pot:

If you are just feeding a family of 6, cut the above ingredients in HALF and

it in a

4 quart crock-pot:

 

 

In either case, spray the crock-pot with cooking spray and put your raw cubed potatoes and butter pieces in the crock-pot.

Mix the water with the salt and pepper and pour it over the potatoes and butter pieces:

 

Cover with a lid and cook on high for 4 hours (or till tender). TIP: If you put a couple of potholders on the top of the crock-pot lid (as shown in the above photos), then the potatoes will be cooked in 3 hours instead of 4.

 

After the potatoes are tender, DO NOT DRAIN. Give the potatoes a rough mash with a hand held potato masher first, then add one cup of HOT half and half and finish whipping them with a hand held electric mixer (right in the crock-pot). Add the final half cup of half and half if you think the potatoes need it.

 

These mashed potatoes can be kept on the warm setting of the slow cooker for up to two hours.

 

Even if your crock-pot doesn't have a warm setting, you can still keep these mashed potatoes hot by covering the whole crock-pot with a heavy towel. They will stay hot for quite a while. 

 

 

 

 

ENJOY !!



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Heritage

Cormac McCarthy wrote a handful of serious, literary novels that were largely unread.  Several thousand books were printed, several hundred sold, and the rest were pulped or remaindered.  Nearly 27 years after his first novel was published, he gained widespread fame with the publication of All the Pretty Horses.  After years of toiling in obscurity, McCarthy found himself reading to packed houses.  Everywhere he went, people came up to him and told him they had been reading him for years and loved his work.  He was polite but in interviews he was honest.  He would say there is no way in the world that all the people who swore they read his book for years, actually read them.  If they had, McCarthy correctly surmised, he would have sold more books.

I was a rabid fan of Sean Brock before he was mentioned in the New Yorker, before Lucky Peach was a magazine, before he went to Scandinavia, before Husk, before PBS, before James Beard Awards. Like Cormac McCarthy, I am sure many people say that to him, but it is true. 

Brock is the father, brother, son I never had.  He know not to put sugar in cornbread, he can spot a crowder pea at forty yards, and he has thick Southern dirt under his fingernails and he is proud of it.  Needless to say, I have been waiting for this book for a long time, years....
Frankly, I often wished he would keep his butt home and write the damn cookbook instead of traveling the world being the culinary star he has become.  Finally, his book was published.

In it, he pays homage to the producer who provide him with the raw materials of the kitchen.  It is beautiful, but it is a tad chefy. (I lied, it is a lot chefy.)  Still, the boy can make some cornbread.

Cracklin' Cornbread

4 ounces bacon, preferably Benton's

2 cups cornmeal, preferably Anson Mill's Antebellum Coarse Yellow Cornmeal

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 cups whole-milk buttermilk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Put a 9-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven to preheat for at least 10 minutes.

Run the bacon through a meat grinder or very finely mince it. Put the bacon in a skillet large enough to hold it in one layer and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently so that it doesn’t burn, until the fat is rendered and the bits of bacon are crispy, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the bits of bacon to a paper towel to drain, reserving the fat. You need 5 tablespoons bacon fat for this recipe.

Combine the cornmeal, salt, baking soda, baking powder and bits of bacon in a medium bowl. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat and combine the remaining 4 tablespoons fat, the buttermilk and egg in a small bowl. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just to combine; do not overmix.

Move the skillet from the oven to the stove, placing it over high heat. Add the reserved tablespoon of bacon fat and swirl to coat the skillet. Pour in the batter, distributing it evenly. It should sizzle.

Bake the cornbread for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm from the skillet.

I was overjoyed that this book was finally published.  It is his rock star chef opus. But I am glad it is out of the way.  I long for that other cookbook in Sean Brock, the one that his grandmother would pick up and move to the shelf because she had the recipes memorized.

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Baked Occasions

We love those "Baked" boys, Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito!  We loved Baked.  We loved Baked Explorations. We loved Baked Elements, though we never wrote about it.  We were wondering why we didn't write about it, and whether we should write about it before we wrote about about Baked Occasions, but we couldn't decide and we couldn't wait, so here is Baked Occasions.

We usually don't go all in on baking books.  We don't like a lot of sweet, we don't like anything that doesn't contain chocolate, we don't like to read we need glucose, or meringue powder, or orange water, or sheet gelatin and on and on.  (We do love having to buy a speciality pan of some sort to bake in, but I digress....)

We are not going to lie to you -- these recipes are quite long and involved.  Don't panic.  As with much baking, you need several leaveners, so there is baking powder, baking soda and salt; then a mix of white and brown sugar, plus confectioner's sugar for glazes, whole eggs and an occasional extra white or yolk, and flavorings -- these things add up to long recipes, but not unmanageable.  Read the recipes -- basically, most baking boils down to dry stuff, sweet stuff, oily stuff and wet stuff.  Those four things in a myriad of combinations is baking.  

Lewis and Poliafito specialize in making desserts that harken back to childhood, retaining that wonder and elevating the baking with a modern spin on flavor.  Every cookie, cake, and tart is, indeed, an occasion. Each year the pair celebrates Dolly Parton's birthday by making this special cake. 

"It would be easy, almost lazy, to categorize our yearly birthday tribute to Dolly Parton (forever known far and wide as just “Dolly”) as mere kitsch. While we are partially attracted to Dolly’s camp factor (who isn’t?), we are equally, if not more, fascinated by her business acumen and all-around talent. She is Martha Stewart with a banjo. She is Oprah with a country heart. Her musical accolades are well known and well deserved"

They have done Dolly well.  This recipe was featured in Sweet Paul a while back.  Yes, it is long, but you can do it.  Do it for Dolly!  Just divide and conquer!  The cake has four parts.  The cake, the filling, the glaze and the sprinkles.  

 

Dolly's Doughnut

For the Coconut Bundt Cake:

3 cups (385 g) all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

8 ounces (2 sticks/225 g) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pan

21/2 cups (500 g) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons coconut extract

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

11⁄3 cups (315 ml) unsweetened coconut milk

For the Dark Chocolate Coconut Filling:

5 ounces (140 g) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup (40 g) lightly packed unsweetened shredded coconut

6 ounces (170 g) dark chocolate (60 to 72% cacao), melted and cooled

1 large egg

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

For the Simple Coconut Glaze:

4 to 6 tablespoons (60 to 90 ml) coconut milk

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups (225 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted

6 ounces (170 g) good quality white chocolate, melted but still warm

Red or pink food dye or gel

For Décor:

Pink or rainbow sprinkles (optional)


 

MAKE THE CHOCOLATE BUNDT CAKE

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Butter the inside of a 10- or 12-cup (2.4- or 2.8-L) Bundt pan, dust with flour, and knock out the excess flour. Alternatively, spray the pan with cooking spray. Either way, make sure the pan’s nooks and crannies are all thoroughly coated.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl again, add the coconut and vanilla extracts, and beat until just incorporated.

4. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the coconut milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, mixing after each addition until just combined, about 10 seconds; do not overmix. Remove the bowl from the standing mixer, transfer the batter to a large bowl, and clean and dry the mixing bowl.

MAKE THE DARK CHOCOLATE COCONUT FILLING

 

1. In the now-clean bowl of the standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the unsweetened coconut, melted dark chocolate, egg, and granulated sugar and beat again until completely incorporated, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again for a few more seconds. Add 1/2 cup of the cake batter to the filling batter and fold until incorporated.

ASSEMBLING THE BUNDT

 

1. Spoon half of the cake batter into the prepared pan. Spoon the filling on top of the batter, keeping it in the center of the batter and away from the sides of the pan. Then pour the remaining half of the batter over the filling. Smooth the top with an offset spatula. Bake in the middle of the oven for 50 to 55 minutes, until a small sharp knife or toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs.

2. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Gently loosen the sides of the cake from the pan and turn it out onto the rack. Place a baking sheet (lined with parchment if you like, for easy cleanup) underneath the wire rack.

MAKE THE SIMPLE COCONUT GLAZE

 

1. In a large bowl, whisk together 4 tablespoons (60 ml) of the coconut milk, the coconut extract, and vanilla extract. Add the confectioners’ sugar and whisk until incorporated and smooth. Slowly stir in the warm white chocolate. We prefer a thick yet pourable glaze; if the glaze appears too thick, thin it out with additional coconut milk, a tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. Stir in the food dye, a few drops at a time, until the desired color is reached.

2. Pour the glaze in large, thick ribbons over the crown of the Bundt, allowing the glaze to spread and drip down the sides of the cake. Top with sprinkles, if using. Allow the glaze to set before serving, about 5 minutes.

HOW TO STORE

The cake will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

TIP

We are thoroughly enamored of the ribbon of chocolate running throughout this cake—it is a tasty and fun surprise. However, if you are not a chocolate fan (the horror!), you can turn Dolly’s Doughnut into a straight-up (and quite tasty) coconut-y Bundt. Simply omit the dark chocolate filling in its entirety, pour all of the coconut batter directly into the pan, and bake per the recipe. We leave it up to you whether you want to omit the white chocolate glaze (and whether you consider white chocolate to be chocolate, anyway).

Yes, making this cake an occasion fit for a Dolly, or anyone else you might adore!

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YUMMY POTATO SIDE DISH

If you are looking for a new way to cook potatoes, I hope you will try this recipe. It is not only EASY, but it is oh so tasty and a very nice change from baked or mashed potatoes.

This recipe would also be wonderful for a potluck or buffet because you can make a huge batch AND they stay hot for a long time; they are also very tasty at room temperature !!

2 pounds of Yukon gold potatoes (washed and dried)
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Cut the potatoes into 1" thick slices and put them in a bowl. Mix everything else together and pour over the potatoes, coating well.

Spray a baking pan (that has a lip) with cooking spray and then lay the potatoes in the pan, cut side down and don't let the slices touch each other. 

Bake in a preheated 450° oven for 20 minutes. Flip the potatoes over and bake for another 20 minutes.

ENJOY !!

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A Kitchen In France

A Kitchen in France is one of those "aspirational" cookbooks.  One aspires to be in this kitchen...actually one aspires to be author Mimi Thorisson.

Here's the deal, Mimi marries gorgeous photographer Oddur Thorisson and they settle in Paris and have lots of kids.  Then, they move to farm in Médoc where they have more kids, dogs and she cooks while he takes photos.  She starts a blog, writes a cookbook, has a baby, all looking way better than you ever will!  Lets rehash, farm in France, 5 kids, 2 step kids,  a bunch of dogs, blog, cookbook, television show, hot photographer husband...it's like the Brady Bunch with Michelin stars.

I am sure she is a wonderful women, but feel free to hate her.  I won't tell.  Aspire till the cows come home, but you will not be in that kitchen...unless she invites you to dinner.  As for her blog, Manger, I would advise anyone looking to start a blog to marry a photographer.  Think of the money you will save when you don't have take those "Photos For The Internet" courses!

So, let's aspire!  If you never cook a single recipe from this book, you will want to spend hours just thumbing through it.  Now here is the rub (if you didn't hate her before, you will now) the recipes are quite wonderful.  OK, you probably don't have foie gras, Guinea hen, nor escargots at the local 7-11, but there are dozens of great recipes in this cookbook.  Here is a lovely potato dish that you can make in your tiny kitchen.

Potatoes  à la Lyonnaise

2 pounds/900 grams new potatoes, peeled

About 11 tablespoons/150 grams unsalted butter

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 onions, thinly sliced

A bunch of fresh parsley, leaves removed and finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Put the potatoes in a large pot, add enough salted cold water to cover, bring to a boil, and cook until parboiled, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cool running water. Let cool for a few minutes, then slice the potatoes into 1/8- inch /3- to 4-mm-thick slices.

In a large sauté pan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add about one-quarter of the potatoes and fry, seasoning them with salt and pepper, until golden, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Continue frying the potatoes, adding more butter each time (you should use about 8 tablespoons/120 g in total), until all of them are cooked.

Meanwhile, in another sauté pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons/30 g butter over medium heat. Cook the onions until golden, about 5 minutes.

Return all of the potatoes to the pan, add the onions, and mix gently. Cook for 5 more minutes for the flavors to combine.

Transfer the potatoes and onions to a large baking dish. Bake until gently sizzling, about 10 minutes.

Sprinkle the parsley over the potatoes and serve.

This is the stuff of Francophile's dreams.  Read it and weep.

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BEST TURKEY GRAVY EVER !!

There are three reasons we LOVE this turkey gravy. First of all, it is rich, savory and has a delicious concentrated turkey flavor (the kind that you CAN NOT get from a package or a jar). Secondly, you can make this gravy a day ahead of time and escape those "last second" holiday scheduling conflicts or the dreaded "I need just one more stove burner" issues. Thirdly, the recipe makes enough for a big turkey dinner AND enough for those scrumptious "day two" hot turkey sandwiches!!

 

It may sound like this recipe makes a ton of gravy, but don't forget that the liquid "cooks down" for an hour, so actually you'll end up with about 5 cups of good rich gravy, which is just perfect.

6 turkey wings (or 4 turkey drumsticks)
2 small onions (or 1 large) peeled and quartered
1 cup water
2 quarts turkey broth (divided) (chicken broth will work in a pinch)
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup large chop celery
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 to 3/4 cup all purpose flour (see note below)
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
*(note don't add salt until the end)

Put the turkey wings (or drumsticks), quartered onions and 1 cup of water in a large pan. Make sure the pan is big enough so that the wings are not on top of each other.

Bake in preheated 400°F oven for 1 1/2 hours or until wings are nice and golden.

 

Put the turkey and onion into a large soup pot. Add 1 cup of water to the original baking pan and stir/scrape up all of the baking bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Pour it all over the meat in the soup pot.

Add 6 cups of turkey broth to the soup pot, along with the carrot, celery and dried thyme leaves. Make sure the "browned" side of the wings are down in the broth. Bring it all to a boil, then reduce the heat to a SLOW SIMMER and cook UNCOVERED for 1 1/2 hours.

NOTE: Turkey broth is the best for this recipe if you can find it. Locally, I've found it at Walmart, Carrs and Three Bears. If you can't find it, just use chicken stock.

Recipe uses two of these boxes

After the broth has simmered for 1 1/2 hours, remove the meat from the broth (it can be saved for a different use if you want to, but you won't need it for the gravy).

Strain the broth (throwing away the veggies) and return broth to soup pot. Bring  the broth to a gentle boil.

Whisk the flour into the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth until smooth and gradually whisk it into the simmering turkey broth. Cook and stir until thick.  Stir in butter and pepper.

IMPORTANT: Taste the final gravy for salt. I usually end up adding about 3/4 teaspoon of salt before serving.

NOTE: How much flour you use to make your gravy depends on how much liquid broth you have after it's boiled. I usually end up using 1/2 cup of flour.

 

 

 

NOTHING says Thanksgiving like a great gravy!!

 

ENJOY!!

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OVEN BARBECUE

What is a person (who is hungry for barbecue) supposed to do after the grill has been put away for the season? Well, she goes for the oven.

I've tried lots of oven barbecue recipes, but it wasn't until I found this recipe cooking technique that picky-picky husband gave it two thumbs up, and it couldn't be easier!!

The "trick" is long SLOW cooking at a reduced oven temperature. It makes the meat moist, succulent and flavorful. The ribs almost melt in your mouth!!

Whether you are cooking for 2 or 12, this recipe is sure to please!!

 

The following directions are for country style pork ribs. Country style ribs are big MEATY pieces of pork (some have bones, some don't) and they look like this as opposed to the baby back rib cut.

 



 

We like to get the boneless variety (much less waste) but they come with the bone in as well and they are very economical.

 

Preheat your oven to 300°F and put the pork in a large baking pan (make sure they don't touch each other). Put just a little water in the pan, maybe 1/8" or so. The amount isn't critical, you just need to cover the bottom of the pan a little.

 

Put a tight fitting lid (or cover tightly with foil) and bake the pork at 300° for 2 hours. At the end of 2 hours, drain ALL the liquid (there will be quite a bit) and throw it away.

 

Pour an 18 ounce bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce over the meat, coating all sides. Note: The 18 ounce bottle will work for 2-3 pounds of meat, if you are making less, you can use less barbecue sauce.

 

Cover tightly and return meat to oven. Bake another 45 minutes. Note: half way through that last 45 minutes, uncover meat and baste it with some of the sauce that's in the bottom of the pan. The sauce will thicken up during that last 20 minutes with no foil. That's it!! 

 

 

 

ENJOY !!



 

 

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Midnight Feasts

May Southworth  wrote a series of cookbooks at the turn of the last century for a small publishing house in San Francisco called Paul Elder.  Most of the tall, thin cookbooks have titles like 101 whatever, like cake or Mexican dishes or sandwiches.  The 1914 Midnight Feasts broke that mold, featuring a collection of different types of recipes in a larger selection of 202 recipes.

In her introduction Southworth writes:

" There are few social relaxations that are pleasanter than midnight suppers, and they have always had a certain secret fascination, as of forbidden temptations."

Now days, a midnight feast might be cold pizza or peanut butter, but May Southworth had other ideas. She was looking for recipes that would be easy, mostly salads and lightly cooked fare from that miracle of culinary devices, the chafing-dish.

The recipes are rather cryptic with simple titles that bear no resemblance to the dish that they describe.  Salads are called Devonshire, Daisy, Old Virginia, Grotto, and Sing Lee. 
Just as the titles give little idea what we will be making, the directions, too, carry that vague quality of early 20th century cookbooks.  Here is one salad option:

Nippon

Wash shell-mussels clean, using a brush.  Place them in a wire basket, and set in boiling water.  When the shells open, lift the basket, remove from the shells and drop them into hot melted butter, seasoned with salt, pepper and lemon-juice. Set on the ice, and when ready to serve mix with shredded lettuce and French dressing.  With it serve thin buttered sandwiches of Boston brown bread.

While these recipes don't offer a lot of direction, on can see that a salad of cold mussels and bit of bread would make a fine midnight snack.  Like many an early cookbook, these little gems are a fine place to glean ideas if not actual recipes. 

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