Peel and cut onions into thick slices.
Melt butter in a heavy pan, add slices and cover pan tightly.
Cook over low heat until onions are tender but not browned.
Sprinkle with salt to taste.
Trim beans so that they are all the same length.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook beans 3 minutes or until bright green but still very crunchy. Drain.
Chill in ice water and then pat dry.
Arrange in a buttered ovenproof dish.
Melt butter in a medium skillet and add almonds.
Allow nuts to brown very slowly until golden brown stage.
Add lemon juice and salt. Reserve.
Just before serving, spread butter mixture over and reheat for 10 to 15 minutes at 350ºF.
Peel potatoes and cut into even sized pieces – approximately 2”.
Cook in boiling, salted water to cover for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender.
Meanwhile melt ¼ cup butter and cook onions and garlic until tender and very fragrant.
Drain potatoes very well.
Mash potatoes and beat in onions, cream, cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.
Combine breadcrumbs with almonds and butter for topping.
Butter an 8” square casserole.
Sprinkle about ½ of the crumb mixture on the bottom and sides.
Spoon in the potato mixture. Sprinkle remaining crumbs on top.
Just before serving, bake in preheated oven at 350ºF for 20 to 30 minutes or until heated thoroughly. If you wish, run under the broiler for a minute to brown slightly.
Beat cheese until creamy and stir in mayonnaise and sour cream.
If crab is very wet squeeze out excess moisture. Stir in crab.
Add pepper and lemon juice.
Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (cheese and crab are usually quite salty). Serve with pita bread.
In a large skillet, cook pork over medium heat until brown. Pour off fat.
Add onion and garlic and cook until tender.
Stir in tomato sauce, chili powder, oregano, salt, cumin and crushed red pepper flakes.
Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. If mixture becomes dry add a little water.
Spoon into serving dish. Place bowls of various toppings on table. Let each person spoon some meat mixture into tortilla then top with cheese, lettuce and other toppings of their choice.
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender yet firm. Drain.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet or Dutch oven cook pork over medium heat until browned. Pour off fat.
Add onion and cook until tender. Add garlic, celery, mushrooms, oregano and basil.
Stir in tomato sauce. Simmer 10 minutes.
Stir in spinach, pasta and ¾ cup cheese and cook until cheese melts.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Garnish with chopped Italian parsley. This dish may be prepared in advance, spooned into baking dish and reheated covered in 350ºF oven for 25 minutes or until heated through.
Sauté chicken in butter in a large frying pan until pale gold.
Add garlic and stir for 1 minute. Stir in sherry, honey and lemon juice.
Turn chicken. Simmer covered until chicken feels tender to the touch (10-20 minutes).
Remove chicken to a platter and cover.
Add vegetables to sauce. Turn heat to high and boil until thick enough to coat chicken. Add more lemon juice, if needed.
Pour sauce over chicken. Serve hot.
Thaw shrimp if frozen and pat dry. Heat butter in a large, heavy frying pan. Add green onions and garlic and cook over medium heat until softened.
Stir in curry powder. Add shrimp and coat well with the spicy mixture. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, then stir in cream. Simmer until shrimp are firm yet tender, about 5 more minutes (taste one and be sure not to overcook).
Season to taste with lemon juice and salt. Serve at once over rice, sprinkled with parsley.
Drain most of liquid from salmon, then turn into a bowl and mash thoroughly, bones, skin and all.
Add next seven ingredients, and mix well.
Press plastic wrap over the surface and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Remove from fridge and shape mixture into 10 or 12 small patties – essential, as big ones will fall apart while cooking.
Heat butter and oil in heavy skillet over moderate heat.
Coat patties with fine dry crumbs, then fry until well-browned, turning once.
Serve with the following sauce or your own favorite.
While salmon mixture chills, blend some sour cream with as much chopped green onion and fresh parsley as you like. Season liberally with fresh lemon juice plus a little salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
In a bowl, thoroughly mash together the butter, basil, a pinch of salt, and a generous grinding of pepper. The basil butter can be prepared up to 3 days ahead or frozen for up to 1 month. Let it return to room temperature before using.
Light a hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. When the fire is hot, lay the bread slices on the grill, cover and toast, turning them once, until they are lightly browned on both sides, about 3 minutes total. Transfer to 4 plates.
Wrap the edges of each steak with 1 strip of bacon, securing if necessary with a toothpick. Lay the steaks on the rack. Cover and grill, turning once, until the steaks are crisp and brown and done to your liking, about 8 minutes for rare, 10 minutes for medium rare.
Set one steak atop each slice of bread. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Top each steak with one-fourth of the basil butter, garnish with a sprig of basil and serve immediately.
