Classic Hollywood movies, I’ve missed you!
Over the last couple of years, I’ve had the entire Columbo series on rotation in my kitchen. I plonked my old laptop on top of the kitchen record player, and had an episode of Columbo on DVD keeping me company every time I cooked…
But as the second draft of the Columbo Cookbook is DONE, and I only have a few episodes left to fact check, there is space for other things to be playing in the corner…
This weekend, I got the ball rolling with a box set of Natalie Wood films, so it seemed only fitting that I should have a portion of her Huevos Rancheros to kick off my two days of cooking and movies.
Natalie’s eggs have become my default Saturday breakfast since I got a copy of the fabulous Recipes for Rebels cookbook. I must branch out! Lots of other brunch type goodies in this book to try…
Splendour in the Grass was probably my favourite of the selection of 4 films in the box set. Wowee Natalie was sexy in that film, and Warren Beatty wasn’t bad either!
I wasn’t that keen on all the shouty vaudeville stuff in Gypsy, but when they got to the burlesque halls I loved it. I got quite a few belly laughs out of the girls, especially Faith Dane’s great line: “If you wanna pump it, then pump it with a trumpet” – ha ha!
If you have 5.5 minutes to spare and you’ve never seen Gypsy, here’s the best bit – you might need to turn the sound down a bit!
I loved Ruth Gordon in Inside Daisy Clover:
and Tony Curtis was gorgeous, even though his character was super annoying in Sex and the Single Girl.
All in all, an excellent start to winter hibernation classic movie watching I reckon.
Here’s Natalie’s simple but delicious recipe for Huevos Rancheros. Easy to adapt for a spinster’s Saturday brunch…
Natalie Wood’s Huevos Rancheros
4 tortillas
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, mashed
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1 small serrano or other chile pepper, chopped or 2 teaspoons red chili powder
1 cup fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped or 1 cup canned tomato sauce
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 eggs
1 tablespoon butter
Fry tortillas quickly in hot oil; drain on paper towel.
Keep oil hot; add garlic, marjoram, chopped chili, tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer tomato mixture for a few minutes until flavors are well blended and sauce has thickened slightly.
Fry eggs in a small amount of butter in separate pan, or poach in the hot tomato sauce.
To serve, place one egg on each tortilla, cover with sauce. Serve at once.
I’m catching up on everything I missed during the busy holiday season…Silver Screen Suppers, Dr. Bobb’s Kitsch-en, Velveteen Lounge, Retro Recipes for Modern Times, and on and on…so much lovely reading and viewing! Your Natalie Wood-a-thon sounds like great fun! Would love to be hanging out with you in the kitchen for it! Your Huevos Rancheros look yummy!
When are you comng over? I’d make you Huevos Rancheros any time!!