CHAFING DISH DELICACIES
THE chafing dish is composed of the blazer and hot water pan, set in
a standard with a small lamp underneath. Some lamps have an electric
attachment, but alcohol is the fuel most used. The best alcohol is the
most satisfactory, although many use wood alcohol.
Every kind of dish which is usually prepared in a saucepan or double
boiler can be made in the chafing dish, but ordinarily oyster,
mushroom, fish, egg, and cheese dishes are the ones most popular.
When preparing for a chafing dish supper, arrange the chafing dish on
a tray, have the lamp filled, and matches at hand. A wooden spoon or
regular chafing dish spoon and a wire whisk are convenient and really
necessary utensils. It is well to have all the ingredients measured and
neatly arranged on a tray. If butter is to be used, butter balls, each
representing a tablespoon, are a convenient and attractive way in which
to serve it.
If toast is to be used, have the bread cut in small rounds or triangles
and toasted a golden brown. It should be kept hot until ready to be
used.
Light the lamp and have the water boiling before the supper is
announced, then the compounding of the dish may be done quickly.
Salted Almonds
Heat one tablespoon olive oil in chafing dish; add one cup blanched and
dried almonds. Stir until evenly colored. Drain and sprinkle with salt.
Deviled Almonds
Melt one tablespoon butter in chafing dish. Add one tablespoon chopped
red pepper, one tablespoon onion, one half teaspoon salt, and one cup
blanched almonds. Cook until almonds are brown.
Deviled Beef
Melt two tablespoons butter, add two tablespoons green pepper, one
tablespoon onion, one teaspoon each of salt and lemon juice, one
tablespoon flour. Spread on rounds of cold roast beef and sauté in
butter; or add one half cup tomato and reheat beef in sauce.
Bacon and Chicken Livers
Cut six chicken livers in slices, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add an
equal amount of sliced bacon. Cook together until livers are tender.
Add two tablespoons flour, one half teaspoon salt, one cup stock or
tomato. Season with Worcestershire and serve hot on toast.
Bacon and Mushrooms
Wrap eight mushrooms in eight slices of bacon. Cook in chafing dish
until mushrooms are tender. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.
Chicken Livers with Mushrooms
Make a Brown Sauce; add two cups sliced cooked livers and one cup
chopped mushrooms. Reheat and serve on toast. Two tablespoons wine may
be added.
Deviled Bananas
Melt one tablespoon butter, add one tablespoon chopped red pepper,
two teaspoons chopped pickles, one teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, one
fourth teaspoon salt. Add four bananas cut in four equal parts. Cook
five minutes.
Frizzled Beef
Melt one tablespoon butter, add one tablespoon flour and one half pound
dried beef. Cook five minutes, add one half cup stock, few drops onion
juice, one half teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce, two eggs well beaten.
Cook two minutes and serve.
Beef with Currant Jelly Sauce
Make Brown Sauce; add one cup Currant Jelly and twelve thin slices rare
roast beef. Cook until hot and serve.
Cheese Dreams
Cut twelve thin slices of bread and remove crusts. Cut in halves, cover
with a thin slice of American cheese, sprinkle with salt, paprika and
cayenne; cover with another slice of bread and sauté on both sides in
butter. These are more easily prepared small than large.
Cheese Custard
Melt two tablespoons butter; add one teaspoon each of salt, mustard and
paprika. Add two cups cheese, one half cup soft bread crumbs, and one
cup milk. Cook five minutes. Add two eggs well beaten; when thoroughly
blended, pour on to bread toasted on one side.
Cheese Omelet
Melt one tablespoon butter; add four eggs slightly beaten, four
tablespoons milk, one half teaspoon salt, one cup grated cheese. Cook
like a French Omelet over hot water. Serve with or without Tomato Sauce.
Welsh Rarebit
Melt one teaspoon butter, add one teaspoon each of salt, mustard and
paprika; add two cups American cheese. When melted, add one half cup
cream or ale. Stir vigorously until smooth, and pour over hot buttered
crackers or toast.
Cheese and Tomato Rarebit
Melt one tablespoon butter; add three sliced tomatoes, one half cup
milk, one teaspoon salt, two cups cheese. Stir continually until cheese
is melted. Add three eggs well beaten. When hot, serve on hot buttered
toast.
Cheese with Red Peppers
Melt two tablespoons butter, add four tablespoons chopped pepper, one
half tablespoon chopped onion, one fourth cup grated cheese, one fourth
cup cream, four eggs slightly beaten. Cook until well blended and serve
on buttered slices of toast.
Chicken à la Crême
Make a White Sauce; add one and one half cups chicken meat, cut in
cubes, one half cup mushrooms, cut in slices, and one red pepper,
finely chopped. Add more seasoning if required and serve on hot toast.
Turkey, veal, lamb, or game may be served in this way.
Chicken and Mushrooms à la Crême
Melt two tablespoons butter; add two tablespoons flour, one cup cream,
one half teaspoon salt. Add one cup each of cold cooked chicken, cut in
pieces, and cooked mushrooms, also cut in pieces.
Serve very hot on buttered toast. A few drops of Tabasco may be added.
Curried Chicken
Add one tablespoon curry powder to Chicken à la Crême.
Chicken with Hard-cooked Eggs
Cut four hard-cooked eggs in slices, add to two cups creamed chicken
with two tablespoons sherry.
Béchamel Eggs
Two cups Béchamel Sauce, mixed with four hard-cooked eggs, cut in
slices; one half cup sautéd mushrooms. Cook all together five minutes;
serve on hot toast.
Creamed Eggs
Melt two tablespoons butter; add two tablespoons flour, one fourth
teaspoon salt, few grains cayenne, one cup cream. Cook until thick, add
two egg yolks and six hard-cooked eggs, cut in pieces, and serve hot on
toast.
Scrambled Eggs and Tomato
Melt two tablespoons butter; add one tablespoon each of chopped pepper
and onion, one cup cooked tomato, one half teaspoon salt. When hot, add
four eggs slightly beaten; when scrambled, serve on toast.
Poached Eggs on Toast
May be prepared in chafing dish.
Creamed Lobster
Melt two tablespoons butter; add one fourth teaspoon salt, few grains
cayenne, two tablespoons flour, one cup cream, few gratings nutmeg.
Cook ten minutes, add meat from a two-pound lobster cut in small
pieces, the grated coral, and one tablespoon butter. One teaspoon
Worcestershire and one teaspoon mustard may be added.
Lobster à la Newburg
Melt two tablespoons butter; add one tablespoon flour, one teaspoon
salt, few grains cayenne, one cup cream. Cook five minutes; add three
egg yolks well beaten, the meat from a two-pound lobster, and just
before serving, two tablespoons each of sherry and brandy.
Lobster with Pimolas
Mix one cup Brown Sauce, one cup sliced pimolas, two hard-cooked eggs
cut in slices, one fourth teaspoon salt, few gratings nutmeg, and two
tablespoons sautéd mushrooms, with two cups lobster meat. Serve when
hot with slices of brown bread toast.
Lobster with Mushrooms
Melt three tablespoons butter; add one cup fresh mushrooms, cut in
slices, few drops onion juice, two tablespoons flour, one cup cream
or Chicken Stock; meat from a two-pound lobster and salt, pepper, and
cayenne to taste. Serve when hot.
Lamb Terrapin
Mix two cups cold cooked lamb, cut in small pieces, two hard-cooked
eggs, chopped fine, two tablespoons olive oil. Let stand two minutes.
Melt two tablespoons butter; add two tablespoons flour, one teaspoon
mustard, one teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce, and one cup Lamb Stock, or
milk. Cook five minutes. Add lamb and eggs and serve on graham toast.
Sautéd Oysters
Season four dozen large oysters with salt, pepper, onion juice and
lemon juice. Dip in crumbs, egg and crumbs, and sauté in butter.
Fricassee of Oysters and Mushrooms
Melt two tablespoons butter; add one tablespoon flour, one half finely
chopped onion, one cup mushrooms, broken in small pieces, one cup
Chicken Stock or one cup oyster liquor. Cook five minutes and add two
cups oysters drained from their liquor. Reheat; season with salt,
pepper, cayenne and Worcestershire Sauce. Serve with Brown Bread
Sandwiches.
Celeried Oysters
Melt two tablespoons butter; add two cups each of celery and oysters.
Season with salt, cayenne and lemon juice. Serve hot with crisp toast.
Shrimps and Tomatoes
Melt two tablespoons butter; add one can tomatoes; simmer until of
purée consistency. Season highly with salt, pepper and onion juice. Add
two cups shrimps which have been marinated in French Dressing for one
hour. When hot, serve on hot buttered toast.
Sweetbreads with Bacon
Cut cooked sweetbreads in inch pieces. Sprinkle with salt, cayenne,
lemon juice and onion juice. Wrap in slices of bacon. Skewer, sauté in
butter. Serve with Brown Sauce, and garnish with finely chopped celery.
Calves’ Brains à la Béchamel
Cut two cups cooked brains in small pieces. Marinate with French
Dressing. Melt two tablespoons butter; add four tablespoons chopped
peppers, one half cup chopped mushrooms, few drops onion juice, two
tablespoons flour, and one cup Chicken Stock. Cook five minutes; add
brains; season with salt, cayenne, Tabasco and Worcestershire.
Buttered Tomatoes
Melt one half cup butter; sprinkle six sliced tomatoes with salt and
pepper; put in chafing dish; cover and cook twenty minutes. Serve on
toast.
Venison with Currant Jelly
Melt two tablespoons butter; add one quarter teaspoon salt, few grains
cayenne, one tablespoon lemon juice, one cup Currant Jelly, one half
cup sherry; cook five minutes. Keep hot while cooking slice of venison
steak in chafing dish eight minutes. Serve sauce with venison.
Venison Stew
Cut one slice venison steak in inch pieces. Cover with Chicken or Veal
Stock; simmer until tender, about fifteen minutes; season with salt and
pepper; add one cup Currant Jelly and serve.
Sautéd Bananas
Peel and cut four bananas in four pieces; melt two tablespoons butter,
add two tablespoons sugar, and one half cup sherry; when hot, add
bananas, and cook until bananas are hot and tender.
Hot Fruit Salad
Melt two tablespoons butter; add four tablespoons sugar, one quarter
cup water, and one quarter cup lemon juice; add two cups mixed fruit,
apples, bananas, figs and cherries; when hot, serve with cream
sweetened and beaten until stiff.
Peach Canapé
Melt two tablespoons butter; add two cups peaches with skin and stones
removed; cook ten minutes; add sugar and lemon juice, and serve on
slices of sautéd bread or Sponge Cake; garnish with cream.
Pineapple Canapé
Substitute two cups shredded pineapple for peaches, and follow
directions for Peach Canapé.