The Ambrosian Café News

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2010 Dates

January 19; February 23; March 23; April 27; May 25; June 29; (Closed July & August) September 21; October 19; November 30.

Recipes

Here are some recipes for popular dishes served at our monthly café.

May 25: Isabell Hashem's Brunch Potatoes

  • 1 2lb. bag hash brown potatoes, thawed
  • 1/2 lg. onion chopped
  • 2 1/2 C. grated cheese ( Jack, Swiss or Cheddar)
  • 1/4 C. melted butter
  • 1 10oz. can cream of mushroom soup
  • 2 C. sour cream
  • 4 C. chopped ham (optional)
  • 2 C. crushed cornflakes

    • Combine first six ingredients. Spray a 9 x 13" cake pan with cooking spray. Spread the potato mixture in the prepared pan and sprinkle the corn flakes over the top. Drizzle with melted butter. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Serves 12 to 16.

    April 27: Chicken Salad Tea Sandwiches

  • 4 oz. cooked chicken breast finely chopped
  • 2 ribs celery finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup walnuts finely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp. turmeric
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 2 tbs. Colonel Gray's mango chutney
  • 1/4 cup Hellmans mayonnaise or a good quality mayonnaise

    • Mix all together and refrigerate for at least 2 hours for flavors to incorporate. On crustless white or potato bread buttered with unsalted butter, spread filling then cut into finger size sandwiches.

    March 23: Irish Brown Bread

  • 2 cups whole-wheat flour
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for kneading
  • 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 2 cups well-shaken buttermilk

    Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400 F. Butter a 9- by 2-inch round cake pan.

    Whisk together flours, wheat germ, salt, sugar, baking soda, and cream of tartar in a large bowl until combined well. Blend in butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Make a well in center and add buttermilk, stirring until a dough forms. Gently knead on a floured surface, adding just enough more flour to keep dough from sticking, until smooth, about 3 minutes.

    Transfer dough to cake pan and flatten to fill pan. With a sharp knife, cut the shape of a cross (1/2 inch deep) across top of dough (5 inches long). Bake until loaf is lightly browned and sounds hollow when bottom is tapped, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack and cool, right side up, about 1 hour.

    Feb. 23: Chicken Marsala

  • 8 thin-cut (1/4 to 1/2" thick) skinless chicken cutlets, about 1 1/2 pounds
  • Salt & pepper
  • 1/4 C all-purpose flour
  • 2 TBSP vegetable oil
  • 3 TBSP unsalted butter
  • 1/2 small onion, chopped fine
  • 8 oz. white mushrooms, trimmed & quartered
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 3/4 C sweet Marsala wine
  • 1/2 C low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 TBSP minced fresh parsley

    Pat cutlets dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Dredge cutlets in flour to coat and shake to remove excess. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large, nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add four cutlets and cook until golden brown, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a large plate and cover with aluminum foil. Repeat with remaining oil and cutlets.

    Heat 1 tablespoon butter in empty skillet over medium-high heat until foaming. Cook onion and mushrooms until browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer mushroom mixture to medium bowl and cover with foil.

    Add Marsala and broth to empty skillet, bring to boil over high heat and cook until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, return chicken and accumulated juices to skillet, and turn chicken to heat through, about 1 minute. Transfer chicken to serving platter. Take skillet off heat, whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, lemon juice, parsley and mushroom mixture. Pour sauce over chicken. Serve.

    Jan. 18: Chili Con Carne

  • 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
  • 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 small can tomato paste
  • 1 large sweet onion chopped fine
  • 1 15.5 oz can black beans
  • 1 15.5 oz can red kidney beans
  • 3 TBSP chili powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder

    Cook beef until it loses its pink color, stirring to break apart. Drain or skim off excess fat.

    Add tomatoes, tomato paste, onions, beans, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic and water; stir. Bring to a simmer; cook 1 hour, stirring occasionally. DO NOT BOIL.