COOK with Elizabeth

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28159, 24 December 1956, Page 2

COOK with Elizabeth

Fruit Cocktail

Among the requests for recipes which come in, some requests appear time and time again. High up on the list of these is the plea for suggestions for something unusual and interesting “to serve first” at a dinner party. These appetizers cover an amazingly wide range from something fruity such as iced melon balls when in season, jellied grapefruit or fruit cocktail, through a range of hot soups or cold consommes, told cold or hot fish savouries. Here are a few which might help in the sociable weeks ahead of us.

Grapefruit and Strawberry Cocktail. Cut all the fruit from three large grapefruit and place, together with all the juice in a bowl. Scoop the shells dear of pith pieces and soak in cold water until required. Mix the fruit with two cups of hulled strawberries and sprinkle with sugar to taste. Pile back into the shells to serve, and garnish with one whole unhulled berry. Stuffed Grapefruit.. Cut round the fruit sections of grapefruit, then with a very sharp knife cut the centre core and some of the fruit out, leaving a hollow. Mix a large tin of shrimps with 2 tablespoons of thick mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons horseradish and 2 drops of tabasco sauce. Pile a little into the centre of each grapefruit and garnish with a whole shrimp. Grilled Grapefruit With Rum. Grapefruit, brown sugar, butter, rum. Cut the fruit in halves and drain excess juice off. Spread with brown sugar and dot with tiny pieces of butter. Grill until hot and bubbling, pour a few drops of rum over each and garnish with a cherry.

Cucumber and Fish Appetizers. Hollowed out sections of cucumber two to three inches high, |lb fillets of any fine white fish, J teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon paprika, 2 tablespoons capers, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, tomato sauce to moisten. Score the peeled pieces of cucumber with a fork and stand up on a lettuce leaf on a small plate. Steam and flake the fish, then combine with other ingredients. When quite cold pack into the hollowed cucumber and chill. Decorate with a rosette of thick mayonnaise and sliced stuffed olives.