Long-Distance Love

My friend Bobbie regularly telephones Florida to ask his mother, Rosann, for recipes he grew up on. So do his five brothers and sisters, who are all in their 30s or 40s. That’s definitely a testimonial to his mother’s cooking.

Intrigued, I picked up the telephone myself and called Rosann to discover her secret. Rosann readily discussed the Spanish characteristics of her family’s favorite recipes, which show the influence of three generations of living in Florida.

The family’s favorite recipes are the kind of tasty, straightforward dishes that most of us still love to serve. They take some preparation time but they can be done ahead and are definitely worth the effort.

Interestingly enough, Rosann credited a cookbook written by a family friend, Clarita Garcia, as her reliable recipe resource. Leafing through the cookbook, “Clarita’s Cocina� (Doubleday: 1969; now out of print), I had no doubt that it is full of mouthwatering treasures, recipes that most families would savor and associate with good times.

DELICIOUS MEAT LOAF (Salpicon al Queso)

1 slice white bread, crusts removed

1/2 cup evaporated milk, heated

1 tablespoon oil

1 medium onion, about 5 ounces, minced

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 pounds lean ground chuck

2 large eggs, separated

3 tablespoons tomato sauce

1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1 cup diced Cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon minced parsley

1 scant teaspoon salt

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Onion Topping

Place bread in small dish and add hot evaporated milk. Use fork to crumble soaked bread and set aside.

Heat oil in medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until tender, about 5 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning.

Place meat in large mixing bowl. Add sauteed onion mixture but do not mix. Froth egg yolks with fork and add to meat along with tomato sauce, hot sauce, cheese, parsley, salt and 2 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs. Use wooden spoons to mix lightly and thoroughly. Add soaked bread. Mix again. Whip egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold into meat mixture.

Place long piece of wax paper on work surface and spread remaining bread crumbs down middle. Place meat mixture on crumbs. Gently mold into loaf about 14x4 inches. Do not handle meat too much and do not press meat mixture firmly together. Pull up sides of paper to coat meat loaf with crumbs. Gently roll meat loaf onto greased pan, placing at angle if necessary to fit. Sprinkle any remaining crumbs evenly over surface.

Bake on center rack of 325-degree oven, uncovered, 30 minutes. Pour Onion Topping over. Bake 40 minutes longer, basting occasionally. Serve hot, cut into slices. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Each serving contains about:

313 calories; 1,095 mg sodium; 130 mg cholesterol; 15 grams fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 26 grams protein; 0.6 gram fiber.

Onion Topping

1 1/2 cups hot water

1 package dried onion soup mix

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

6 ounces small mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1/2 cup red wine

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Combine hot water and onion soup mix. Set aside. Heat butter in medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Add onion soup liquid, tomato sauce, red wine and sugar. Simmer, uncovered, until somewhat thickened, about 12 minutes.

BLACK BEAN SOUP (FRIJOLES NEGROS)

1 pound black beans

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium ripe tomato

1 bay leaf

1/2 medium onion

1/2 medium green pepper

1 large garlic clove, unpeeled, crushed with knife

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

1/2 medium green pepper, finely chopped

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

2 tablespoons dry Sherry

Cooked long-grain rice and chopped onions, for serving

Wash beans in colander and discard any foreign matter. Place in deep bowl and cover with water 2 inches above beans. Soak overnight.

Pour beans with soaking liquid into 4-quart saucepan. If necessary, add water to cover 1 inch above beans. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, whole tomato, bay leaf, unchopped 1/2 onion and 1/2 green pepper, and crushed garlic clove. Bring to boil, then simmer, covered, until beans are just tender but not mushy, about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaf, remaining pieces of tomato, onion, pepper and garlic.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add remaining finely chopped onion and green pepper. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic, oregano, cumin, vinegar and salt. Stir to combine. Simmer 2 minutes. Add mixture to beans. Stir in hot pepper sauce. Cook, covered, 30 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste. Add Sherry. (Can be made day ahead and refrigerated. Reheat gently on stove top or in microwave oven, adding water as needed for desired consistency.) Serve hot with cooked long-grain rice and chopped onions. Makes 8 to 12 servings.

Each serving contains about:

262 calories; 597 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 6 grams fat; 39 grams carbohydrates; 13 grams protein; 3.28 grams fiber.

PEPPER SALAD (Ensalada de Ajis Dulces)

6 large sweet red and green peppers, roasted

1 large Spanish onion, thinly sliced

1 cup Greek olives

1/2 cup light-tasting olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 small clove garlic, pressed through garlic press

1 scant teaspoon salt

1 scant teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon water

Place roasted pepper strips on serving dish. Cover with onion slices, separated into rings. Scatter olives over. Combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, sugar and water in blender. Pour over salad. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour, no more than 4 hours. Serve chilled. Gently toss salad before serving.

To roast peppers, cut sides off in 4 slabs. Arrange, skin side up, on baking sheet lined with foil. Broil 6 inches from heat until skin is blackened. Wrap in foil lining. Slip off skin when cool enough to handle. Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains about:

166 calories; 392 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 14 grams fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.37 gram fiber.