COUSIN LILY . . . and VEGETABLES du PASSE-PARTOUT

Lily is Helen’s older widowed sister.  She lives in a senior’s apartment building and goes for walks with her friends every morning and every evening. 

(We sponsored her for the Memory Walk for Alzheimers.  Last year she raised almost $800.00.   First, she did the walk herself.  Then she pushed her friend’s wheelchair the whole way.)

We thought we would be taking Lily out for lunch, but she sat us down to a huge dinner of ribs, cabbage rolls, potatoes, salad, and pickles. . . 

and then her amazing lemon pie!

Lily said Helen was a farmer and never liked to cook.  As for herself, she laughed, 

                   “My family say I cook enough for an army.”

Lily still makes her own sauerkraut at her son’s place . 

Nowadays, however, she does consider making perogies a two day job.

Every time we go, I love looking at Lily’s pictures. . .

Lily and Fred's big day . . .

Fred’s grandparents

Marta and Helen

  Marta (who died of liver cancer at the age of 42)

Lily’s beautiful mother who lived to be a hundred!

******

We don’t often have dessert with dinner any more, but with Lily’s example to inspire me I came up with this menu for our last dinner party:

Appetizer of raw vegetables with Curry Vegetable Dip

(from SOUTHERN ACCENT, Award Winning Southern Recipes)

Ukrainian Poached Chicken with Walnut Sauce

(from THE NEW UKRAINIAN COOKBOOK)

&

Cabbage Salad [Lahana Salatas]

(from THE ART of TURKISH COOKING)

&

Winter Vegetables

(from Le Passe-Partout, once a top restaurant in Montreal)

Dessert: Lavender Shortbread

(from Bon Appetit magazine, December, 2014)

{Lavender & clipped recipe : thanks to Nicole}

*************

It was a really good dinner.  The recipe you need, however, is the one for the veggies!  (Serves 8 to 10)  Prepare them early in the day and just finish them off at serving time.

2 large carrots

2 turnips

1 rutabaga

1 pound baby red potatoes

2 tbsp olive oil

¼ tsp salt

½ pound pearl onions (or more if they come in a bag)

3 tbsp butter

1 tbsp chopped parsley

·        Peel carrots, turnips, and rutabaga.  Cut into 1 and ½ inch chunks.  Set aside.

·        Scrape potatoes and keep immersed in cold water.

·        Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

·        Put oil in large roasting pan (like the one that comes with your stove; the one with a grill top, but you won’t use the grill top).   

·        Shake salt on top of oil.

·        Dry potatoes.  Cut each one in half if small (in quarters if large).

·        Roast for 30 minutes, stirring frequently. 

·        When potatoes are golden and tender, add the carrots, turnips, and rutabaga chunks.  ALSO ADD ¼ CUP WATER.  Cover tightly with aluminum foil and roast for 35 minutes, until tender.  Then set aside until just before serving.

·        Bring salted water to a boil in a large saucepan.

·        Blanch onions for 1 minute and drain.

·        When onions are cool enough to handle, remove skins.  Set aside.

·        When ready to serve, melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add onions and stir for 1 minute until browning.  Add the other vegetables and stir for about 3 minutes until heated through.

·        Taste for salt and pepper.  (I didn’t add any.) 

·        Sprinkle with parsley and serve.   Yum!