Old Hollywood Kitchen: Zachary Scott

Well, 2020 hasn't given us much to cheer about so far. In the midst of necessary quarantine and social distancing, it can be difficult to drum up positive thoughts. Escapism is my go-to relief, and at the moment consists mostly of catching up on unwatched classic films; as I'm sticking with tried-and-true recipes (and those with minimal ingredients) to keep myself fed, I've been neglecting my stack of vintage cookbooks. It's high time I tackle my backlog of old recipe tests, starting with this comforting noodle dish:

Zachary Scott's Noodles Mecca

1 package medium noodles (I used egg noodles)
1 1/2 lbs. ground round steak
2 large onions, ground
2 kernels garlic
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/2 lb. grated cheddar cheese
2 cans condensed tomato soup

In this first attempt I halved the ingredients for a smaller serving size, including the tomato soup; unfortunately this left the casserole a bit dry. The flavors and texture were good otherwise, though I'm wondering if green pepper wouldn't jazz this up some more. I definitely will use two cans of tomato soup the next time around.

Zachary Scott is perhaps best known for his work in Mildred Pierce, a great film all around, but I have to recommend the fun noir Flaxy Martin, which also features the wonderful Dorothy Malone. Whatever you choose to watch, I hope you and yours stay safe and healthy.

Old Hollywood Kitchen: Vincent Price

As I write this a full-day marathon of Vincent Price films has begun on Comet (they're calling it Super Ghoul Sunday, which I might turn into an annual tradition). House on Haunted Hill currently keeping me company, it's high time I reflect on a dish of his I made just before Halloween, with the then-newly-acquired Cooking Price-Wise.

Vincent Price's Beef and Cauliflower on Rice

1 lb. beef steak
1 small head of cauliflower
2 oz. butter or margarine (I used olive oil)
1 green pepper, cut in 3/4 inch squares
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. cornflour (corn starch)
4 tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. sugar (I omitted)
3 oz. sliced onion
1 lb. 2 oz. hot cooked long-grain rice

I had been eyeing Vincent Price's cookbooks for a while but felt they were out of my reach in terms of cooking skills; I was more at-ease once I saw how simple some of the recipes in Cooking Price-Wise could be to prepare.

This was a great first recipe to test; a nice, light stir-fry that's a satisfying mix of flavors and textures. I've since made it again with broccoli in place of cauliflower and it works just as well. I don't find myself craving it as much as my beloved Beef and Beans but I will definitely come back to this recipe in the future.

The Last Man on Earth is my film pick this time around, a dystopian thriller with plenty of screen time for Price. Pair it with this dish and you've got dinner and a movie; if you'd prefer to host your own Super Ghoul Sunday festivities, you could decorate the table with these wonderful creations (also from Cooking Price-Wise):

Happy cooking!

Old Hollywood Kitchen: Eleanor Powell

One of my goals in exploring these vintage recipes is to find successes that will become mainstays in my kitchen. I'm so enamored with today's recipe that I've already prepared it several times since my initial test...

Eleanor Powell's Beef and Beans (Cantonese Style)

1 lb. flank steak

2 1/2 lbs. string beans

3 large onions

1 bottle soy sauce

1/2 lb. lard or olive oil (olive oil is preferable here)

Salt and pepper to taste

The recipe as written yields 4 hearty portions, but I cut the recipe in half. It can take a while to trim down the green beans (in the full recipe I used about 2 lbs. of beans instead of 2 1/2), but you can save time by sauteing the beans and onions together; cooking them separately creates excess liquid and is an altogether unnecessary step. I also use garlic salt or garlic powder to season the beef, complementing the richness of the olive oil and soy sauce beautifully.

In Eleanor Powell's own words, "this dish is crisp and tender and served with steamed rice and tea makes a delicious and different dinner", and it certainly fits the bill of the "strength giving food" she she sought out. The green beans soak up the flavor nicely, and the steamed rice makes it lighter than your typical stir fry. Best of all, the leftovers are just as satisfying as when freshly cooked. Highly, highly recommended.

The only downside of this recipe is that it doesn't impart any of Powell's great dancing ability (oh, I wish!). However, you can't go wrong with any of her films if you want to see her skills on display. My pick this time around is Broadway Melody of 1940, her only collaboration (sadly) with Fred Astaire. Powell and Astaire are as perfectly matched as the beef and beans, a fine pairing for dinner and a movie.