RECIPES FOR VEGETABLES A LA GRECQUE and HORS D'OEUVRE MUSHROOMS

VEGETABLES A LA GRECQUE

A marinade in which to cook vegetables for appetizers or hors d’oeuvres. Greek cuisine uses even more olive oil than Italian!

2 cups water
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup olive oil
1 stalk of celery
1/4 cup lemon juice or white wine vinegar
1 tsp minced parsley

Combine in a saucepan, add a package of almost any frozen vegetable (or 1½ cups suitable raw vegetable) and cook gently for 15 minutes.

Chill the vegetable in the cooking liquor overnight before serving.

Suitable vegetables: artichoke hearts, French-style beans, tiny Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, celery root, mixed vegetables.

HORS D'OEUVRE MUSHROOMS

1 pound button mushrooms
6 T French (vinaigrette) dressing
5 T olive oil
3 peeled sliced cold boiled potatoes
2 T butter
4 minced shallots
1 clove garlic - pressed
1 T minced parsley
2 large chopped peeled ripe tomatoes
4 lettuce leaves

Place lettuce leaves on 4 plates, top with chopped tomatoes surrounded by sliced potatoes.
Saute the whole tiny mushrooms in olive oil for 5 minutes. Add butter.
Mix shallots, garlic and parsley and sprinkle over mushrooms. Cook 1 minute, remove from fire, and thoroughly stir in the Vinaigrette dressing.
Pour the hot mushroom mixture over the tomatoes and potatoes.