Having been publicly admonished by the editors for a lack of responsibility, I dutifully return to these pages, hanging my head and offering bagels, begging forgiveness (up the wall, Peter!).
Finals time usually finds me typing papers with little interest in cooking or column writing which is my excuse for a lack of responsibility.
I cooked my first good cut of beef recently when I had my father over for dinner. It was a boneless rump roast and was quite tasty, but really not worth the expense.
I understand why so many people are beef eaters and use electric knives.
You just brown the roast over a high flame, using a little cooking oil in the roaster pan, shake on some ordinary seasonings and throw it in the oven.
Timing it for proper doneness to suit your taste is a little difficult, but once done, you just whip it out, cut it up and set it out. You don’t even have to know how to carve if you have an electric knife. I think they are dumb and don’t approve of them.
Personally, I have always found roast beef dull and not to my liking, but it is simple and most people, especially parents think you can’t be all bad if you cook a good piece of beef.
I also recently came across an easy Swedish meatball recipe. I usually don’t bother with these, since practically every piss-elegant party I go to, someone serves their very special recipe for Swedish meatballs. But this recipe is simple and easy to add things to:
1 lb. meat loaf mixture (veal, pork and beef)
1/2 cup minced onion
3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs (Progresso is a good brand.)
1 tbsp. minced parsley
1-1/2 tsp. salt—dash pepper
4 shakes worcestershire sauce
1 egg (beaten)
1/2 cup milk
Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Shape into small balls. Cook in 1 can or 1 package of onion soup mix, adding enough water to cover the meatballs. Cook until done, 20 to 30 minutes.
Then make gravy:
Into 2 cups of broth (in which the meatballs have been cooking) stir 1/4 cup flour, 1 tsp. paprika, 1-1/2 tsp. salt, dash pepper and 3/4 cup sour cream. Stir until thickened, then add meat balls and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
I usually serve this over egg noodles. The meatballs are really great warmed up. You can add peas or any other vegetable and make it a sort of stew the second time around.