The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Sixties Cookbook (10 page)

1.
Pour 1 cup of the tomato juice in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin on top and let stand while heating the tomato juice, stirring the mixture a few times so the gelatin is completely moistened.

2.
Combine the remaining 3 cups tomato juice with the onion, the coarsely chopped celery rib, and the bay leaf in a nonreactive medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to very low and heat at a bare simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the soaked gelatin mixture. Stir with a rubber spatula, scraping down the sides of the saucepan often, until the gelatin is completely dissolved, about 2 minutes.

3.
Strain the tomato juice mixture through a wire sieve into a heatproof medium bowl. Discard the solids in the sieve. Place the bowl in a larger bowl of icy water. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until the tomato juice mixture is cool and thickened to the consistency of very soft pudding, about 30 minutes. (You can skip the icy
water and simply refrigerate the tomato juice in its bowl until partially set, but it will take about 1½ hours.) Fold in the shrimp, diced celery and green pepper, and olives. Season with the salt and hot red pepper sauce.

4.
Pour into a lightly oiled 6-cup ring mold. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours or overnight.

5.
To unmold, run a dinner knife around the inside of the mold. Dip the mold in a large bowl or sink of warm water for 5 seconds. Dry the outside of the mold with a kitchen towel. Invert onto a serving platter. Hold the mold and platter together and give them a sharp shake or two to unmold the salad onto the platter. Slice and serve chilled on a bed of salad greens.

Watch It Wiggle

Now known mainly as a fruity dessert medium, gelatin began as a carnivore’s friend. In the days before refrigeration, as far back as the Middle Ages, gelatin was used to help preserve cooked meat as it provided a barrier to air and bacteria. Originally gelatin took the form of an unflavored jelly that was spread over food, but in the eighteenth century, it was refined to the consistency we know today. Instead of just a coating, gelatin became a main ingredient as cooks experimented with color, flavor, and clarity. Savory food suspended in gelatin became known as aspic, possibly after the Greek word for “shield,”
aspis
. When powdered Knox gelatin became common in the late nineteenth century, aspics became the last word in stylish dining.

This trend was still in full-force in the Sixties, and every serious cook’s kitchen sported a gelatin mold, often made of copper and proudly displayed from a nail on the kitchen walls. Limited only by the imagination, aspics became culinary showcases of color and creativity.

ICEBERG LETTUCE WEDGE WITH BLUE CHEESE DRESSING AND BACON

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

An iceberg wedge is sturdy, to say the least, and is best when served with a full-bodied dressing that cling to its curves, like this homemade blue cheese. When you are feeling flush, use a fine imported blue cheese; otherwise, Danish blue is just fine. Don’t feel like blue cheese dressing? We’ve added our favorite salad dressings as options, all perfect for smothering an iceberg chunk.

BLUE CHEESE DRESSING

⅔ cup mayonnaise

⅔ cup sour cream

½ cup buttermilk

6 ounces (1¼ cups) crumbled blue cheese, such as Roquefort, Gorgonzola, or Danish blue

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 slices bacon

1 head iceberg lettuce, quartered lengthwise into wedges, rinsed well, and patted dry

1.
To make the dressing, whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, and buttermilk together in a medium bowl. Add the blue cheese and mix with a rubber spatula, mashing some of the cheese into the dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.

2.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Arrange the bacon on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until crisp and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer the bacon to paper towels. Reserve the bacon fat for another use (see
page 35
). Let the bacon cool, then coarsely chop.

3.
To serve, stand an iceberg wedge on a dinner plate. Divide the dressing over each wedge, then sprinkle with equal amounts of the bacon. Serve chilled.

RED FRENCH DRESSING:
Process ½ cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons chopped shallot or red onion, 1½ teaspoons light or dark brown sugar, ½ teaspoon dry mustard, 1 minced garlic clove, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a blender. With the machine running, gradually pour ⅔ cup vegetable oil through a vent in the lid.

GREEN GODDESS DRESSING:
Whisk together 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 1½ teaspoons anchovy paste in a bowl to dissolve the anchovy paste. Add 1 cup mayonnaise, ½ cup sour cream, 1 large minced scallion (white and green parts), 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, and 1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon. Season with salt and pepper.

THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING:
Whisk together 1 cup mayonnaise, ⅓ cup ketchup-style chili sauce, 3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish, 1 minced scallion (white and green parts), 2 tablespoons drained and rinsed capers (preferably nonpareil, and chopped if standard large capers), and 2 tablespoons minced pimiento-stuffed olives. Season with hot red pepper sauce.

Lettuce Rejoice

Even though it’s ridiculed by modern foodies as the “polyester of lettuce,” iceberg lettuce was a miracle to midcentury diners.

Before its “invention” in the 1930s, lettuce could only be enjoyed when it was harvested fresh from local growers since it can’t be canned, frozen, or dried to any real satisfaction. And once it’s picked, it begins to wilt quickly. Farmers in California discovered that the cabbage-shaped crisphead lettuce, when packed in ice, could be transported in special cooling containers year round. Crisphead was rechristened iceberg, and became a salvation to salad lovers.

Iceberg lettuce was hugely popular in the Sixties, and continues to dominate the market in America even in the present day. It was favored by dieters for its juicy bulk, and adored by the masses for its crunch as it offered a cool, crispy addition to soft sandwiches and squishy veggies.

WALDORF SALAD

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

Created by the maître d’hôtel at the Hotel Waldorf, the first hotel in the world to offer room service, Waldorf salad can be a candy-sweet combination of fresh apples, celery, and lettuce tossed in mayonnaise. Although not part of the original recipe, walnuts are now considered a classic inclusion. Two tricks make this version extra special: toasting the nuts, and adding a little sour cream and poppy seeds to the dressing.

1 cup walnut pieces ½ cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons sour cream 1 tablespoon poppy seeds