Sometimes it takes me a while to get around to things. So it was with the honouring of this voucher
which was a raffle prize at the book launch of Cooking With Columbo
which was in 2018. Even though the winners of this voucher, Lady Jane and Trix, live just around the corner from me, it’s taken
for me to get around to sorting this out. I was very pleased with myself to finally GET – IT – DONE! I’m so sorry it has taken me so long you gorgeous people!
Mr Rathbone, Jane, Trix and Dolly
I am writing a chapter about throwing dinner parties for a forthcoming book at the moment, so I had a bit of intel. Over the last few years, I have learned that for a relaxed evening I need to follow these three rules.
- Prepare in advance
- Don’t make it too complicated
- Have some help in the kitchen
The plan was to have a screening of an episode of Columbo with an appropriate menu so I chose the one that Vincent Price appeared in (Lovely But Lethal) because I knew that I had HUNDREDS of his recipes to choose from. There are over 400 in
alone, and some more in this…
It was fun working out what would be fairly easy to do, and appropriate to serve to guests, and here’s what I went for – recipes and some tips are shared at the end of the post.
As an amuse bouche before the screening we had Vincent Price’s Cheesed Party Eggs – I love the chance to get the “cost per wear” of my devilled eggs plate down, so whenever I am feeding more than two I haul this out from the back of the cupboard…
For the main course I chose an old favourite, Chicken Sweet and Hot, which is simple to prepare and always results in succulent and scrumptious chicken.
It was served with “peas in the French style,” another sure fire winner in my book. Here’s what you add to the peas…
Mr Rathbone – who is king of roast potatoes – kindly took charge of Vincent’s Cottage Fried Potatoes and they were a triumph. He made two batches of these and we scoffed the lot.
Behold the plateful!
It was a feast worthy of the Master of Menace and of the Shambling Sleuth too!
TWO LEGENDS!
We all had a lovely time and it has reminded me how nice it is to have chums around my table. I don’t do it enough – I blame the pandemic!
The recipe in Cooking With Columbo for this episode is Vera Miles’ Mexican Casserole
So I am sharing this one below too. I highly recommend a screening of an episode of Columbo with appropriate fodder, the Lieutenant would definitely approve.
I took a shortcut with the party eggs recipe to save time. I used 100g of Homewrecker cheese (which is flipping lovely) and 20g mayo mixed with the egg yolks.
I was well chuffed with this time-saving hack! Will do this next time too. I hard-boiled my eggs well ahead of time so it was a quick and easy thing to put together just before my guests arrived.
Next time I might serve on buttered rounds of French bread with a halved tomato as Vincent suggests…
I marinated the chicken for a couple of hours before cooking
I used frozen peas and I think they only took about 20 minutes to steam.
Mr R melted the butter for his clarified butter in the microwave. This was a bit easier than doing it on the hob.
Lots more recipes from the Master of Menace in this book that I wrote with Vincent Price expert, Peter Fuller. Could make a lovely gift for a Vincent Price fan in your life…
Vera Miles is fab in Lovely But Lethal but I decided against her casserole for this particular get together. Here it is though if you fancy having a CHEESE FEST!
Vera Miles’ Mexican Casserole
1 lb / 450g of Jack/Gouda cheese
1 lb / 450g of Cheddar cheese
6 eggs, separated
Salt
1½ tablespoons flour
Two small cans of green chili peppers
One fresh tomato, sliced Dash of oregano
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F / 190 degrees C / gas mark 5.
Grate the two kinds of cheeses and mix together. Beat egg whites until stiff, adding about 1½ tablespoons flour for added body. Beat the egg yolks until fluffy and gently fold into the egg white mixture. Add a dash of salt to taste.
Chop the chili peppers. Vera says: “If you desire less of a hot taste, remove some of the chile seeds, as they contain the hot flavor.” Grease a large casserole dish that would serve about five people and layer a portion of the egg mixture into the dish. Next layer part of the chopped chili pepper, ending with a portion of the cheese. Repeat until ingredients are used up. Arrange the fresh tomato over the top, and sprinkle with oregano.
Bake for 30 minutes or until mixture is set.
Serves 6 (or more according to test cooks!)
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