The Recipes of Laurel Mill Lodge
	LML has not yet applied for a food service license, but when we do, we will already have a file of original recipes. We're not keeping them secret. Here are a few that have appeared in our newsletter: Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms Fall/Winter 1999   4          Large Portabello Mushrooms   ½ C     Finely diced onion   ½ C     Olive oil   ½ tsp   Crushed garlic   ¾ C     Pistachio nuts   1 ½ C Cooked rice   ¼ C     Port wine   1 C      Grated Asiago cheese Remove and reserve stems from mushrooms and brush the caps inside and out with some of the olive oil. Place in an oiled baking pan. Trim the stems and chop fine. Sauté onion in remaining olive oil gently until translucent. Add chopped mushroom stems and garlic.  Continue lightly tossing until mushrooms are nearly cooke.  Add port wine, rice and nuts and continue cooking and stirring until mushroom stems are cooked and liquid has been absorbed. Bake mushroom caps at 350° for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Divide the rice mixture evenly over the mushroom caps, pressing down firmly. Top with cheese. Return to oven and bake until cheese is melted and browned. Serves 4. POTATO A LA RECLUSE Spring, 1992   1     Large russet potato   4-5 cloves   Garlic   1     Tbsp   Olive oil Scrub the potato as for baking. Using an apple corer, remove a long plug from the center of the potato, end to end. Save 3/4 inch from each end of the core, and discard the middle. Replace one piece of the core to the end of the cavity and secure with a toothpick. Stuff the cavity with garlic. Pour olive oil into the cavity, reserving just enough to grease the outside of the potato. Plug the top end of the cavity and secure with a toothpick. Grease the potato skin well. Microwave, turning every 30 seconds until potato begins to soften. Transfer to preheated oven or toaster oven, and bake 5 minutes at 400º or until the skin of the potato is brown and crisp. Serves one recluse. POLENTA CONFETTI Summer 1992   3/4 C     Chopped onion   3 Tbsp   Butter    1 C         Chopped brown mushrooms   6 C         Water   1 1/4 C   Polenta   4 T          Vegetarian “chicken” broth   3/4 C      Dehydrated vegetables   2 C         Coarsely grated cheese Saute onions in butter until translucent. Add mushrooms and cook until tender. Add water, polenta, broth mix and vegetable flakes. Simmer gently until polenta loses its grainy texture, (about 30 Minutes.) This mixture will be very thick and needs frequent stirring. Remove from heat and fold in cheese. Do not mix too thoroughly. Pour into loaf pan and chill. Slice and serve cold or reheat gently in the microwave. Potato Soup Winter 1992   1          Large onion, chopped   2          Medium leeks   1/2 C   Butter   4          Large Idaho potatoes   1 tsp   Dill weed               Water to cover   1 dash   Cayenne pepper   1Qt     Half and half Saute onions and leeks in butter until translucent. Add potatoes, dill weed and water. Cover and simmer until potatoes are done. Put about half of the mixture in a blender and blend until thick, not necessarily smooth. Return to pan and add cream and pepper. Salt to taste. Heat through and serve. Makes four hearty servings. Granola Spring 1993   5 C      Rolled Oats   1 C      Almonds   1 C      Shredded Coconut   1 C      Wheat Germ   2/3 C   Water   3/4 C   Honey   3/4 C   Cooking Oil Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix water, honey and oil and toss with dry mix. Spread loosely 1/2" to 1" deep on cookie sheets. Bake at 225º about 2 hours, turning occasionally until dry and lightly browned. Try substituting various nuts, seeds and dried fruits. World Class Potato Salad Summer 1993 Everybody says they don't like at least one of these ingredients, but everybody likes this salad.   8   Medium Red potatoes   8   Hard boiled eggs   4   Carrots   4   Celery stalks   1 bunch   Radishes   1 bunch   Green onions   40 - 50    Green Olives   2 1/2 C    Mayonnaise Boil whole potatoes until soft, eggs until hard. Cool under Iced water. Chop fresh veggies and olives smaller than bite size. Divide between two large bowls and mix well. Peel and dice potatoes and eggs and add to veggies. Fold in Mayo. Combine into one bowl. Garnish with sliced egg, parsley and paprika and refrigerate. Serves a picnic. Herbed Bread Autumn, 1993 Here's a nice garlicky companion to any pasta dish. Great for a buffet or potluck, too.   1/4 C      Butter   2 Tbsp   Olive oil   2 Tbsp   Crushed garlic   1/2 tsp    Basil   1/2 tsp    Oregano   1/2 tsp    Rosemary Start with a long loaf of sourdough bread, split lengthwise. Combine butter, oil, garlic and herbs. Spread on both halves of the loaf. Press together. Turn loaf on its side and cut slices almost through. Wrap the loaf in foil and warm at 250° until butter melts. Sun Choke Salad (a.k.a. Jerusalem Artichokes) Fall/Winter, 1995   1          Green Apple, diced small   1 C      Peeled and diced Sun Chokes   1          Small rib of Celery   1/2 C   Green onion chopped small   1/4 C   Broken Walnuts   1/4 C   Dried Cranberries or raisens Combine and toss with dressing below. Serve on butter lettuce.   4 Tbsp   Mayonnaise   3/4 tsp   Dijon Mustard   1 Tbsp   Maple syrup   Pinch     Salt Yam Bisque Summer, 1996   2             Medium Yams   2 C         Chicken broth   3 Tbsp   Butter   1/2 C     Chopped onions   1/4 tsp   Ground Coriander   1 tsp      Cumin   1 C         Half and Half Peel yams and cut into small chunks. Simmer in broth until very soft. Saute onion in butter gently until translucent. Add cumin and coriander and simmer a minute. Place in blender or food processor and blend smooth. Return to sauce pan. Add half and half. Heat through. Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Summer, 1998   2 C         Oatmeal   1 C         Flour   1/2 tsp   Salt   1/2 tsp   Baking soda   2 C         Peanut Butter   1/4 C     Oil   1 C         Brown Sugar   1/2 C      White Sugar   2             Eggs   1 C         Tiny Chocolate Chips Cream peanut butter, sugars and oil until smooth. Beat in eggs. Combine dry ingredients and add. Stir in chocolate chips. Dough will be very thick. Form balls of dough about the size of a walnut and place on cookie sheet. Press with a fork to make the traditional criss-cross pattern. Bake at 350° until light brown.
			Laurel Mill Lodge Esther Seehof and Bob Kundus, Proprietors PO Box 368 Los Gatos, CA 95031 408-353-5851 proprietors@laurelmilllodge.com