PARSLEY – Petroselinum crispum

SALMON BALL

1 can (red or pink) salmon drained
1 – 8 ounce package of cream cheese
1 teaspoon grated onion
4 drops liquid smoke
Chopped walnuts to cover
Chopped fresh parsley to cover

In a bowl, place salmon, cream cheese, grated onion & liquid smoke. Mash until well blended. On waxed paper, form in a ball and roll in walnuts and parsley. Serve on a platter surrounded by an assortment of crackers.

CREAMY POTATO Soup 6 to 8 servings

4 slices bacon, cut up
3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped (3 cups)
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 medium carrot, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 stalk celery, chopped (1/2 cup)
4 cups milk
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup dairy sour ream
2 Tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons paprika
2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped
In a large saucepan cook bacon until crisp. Drain bacon, reserving 3 Tablespoons drippings in pan. Set bacon aside. Add chopped potatoes, onion, carrot, and celery to bacon drippings. Cover and cook over low heat about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in the milk, salt and pepper; bring mixture to boiling. Stir together sour cream, flour and paprika; gradually stir about 1 cup of the hot mixture into sour cream mixture. Return to remaining hot mixture in saucepan. Cook and stir just until mixture bubbles. Top with the bacon and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.

GREEN GOODNESS DRESSING

2 cups packed parsley leaves
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Juice of 1 lime or lemon
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar or
1/2 teaspoon salt
Italian Vinegar (Frawley’s Fine Herbary) 1 cup olive oil

Blend all of the ingredients at low speed in a blender for 1 minute and at high speed for 30 seconds, or until the mixture is bright green. Adjust the seasoning with lemon juice, vinegar or salt if necessary. The dressing keeps, covered and chilled, for 1 week. Use on salads, grains, potato, pasta, blanched vegetables and greens.

GARLIC-HERB CROUTONS

1/3 cup butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon freshly chopped sage
1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme
1 teaspoon freshly chopped parsley
4 – 5 cups of French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 to 2 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese (sprinkle over croutons as they come out of the oven)

Preheat oven to 350 ° F. In a small sauce pan, melt butter. Remove from heaT and add the herbs. Stir well and set aside. Place bread cubes in a large bowl. Drizzle one-half of the butter mixture over the bread cubes and then stir gently. Drizzle the remaining butter over the bread cubes and gently stir again until they are well coated, but not soggy. (Different breads absorb differently, so you may not need all the butter in the recipe.) Spread the buttered bread cubes, in a single layer, on an aluminum foil-lined cookie sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until the cubes are crispy on all sides and slightly browned. Watch them closely so that they do not burn. Remove and let cool. Store in an airtight container. Use on salads or soups.

SAUSAGE RAGOUT (serves 6)

1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage
1 1/2 pounds hot Italian sausage
1/4 cup high quality olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 green peppers, stemmed, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 sweet red peppers, stemmed, seeded and coarsely chopped
8 fresh Italian plum tomatoes, quartered
1 cup tomato sauce (use your favorite kind)
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup minced Italian parsley, plus additional for garnish
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cut sausages into 1/2 inch slices. Heat olive oil in a skillet and add sausage pieces. Cook, stirring occasionally until sausage pieces are well browned. Add onion and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer meat mixture to a large saucepan (8 quart). Put peppers in the pan, cook, stirring until peppers are slightly wilted, about 7 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, wine and parsley stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Taste, correct seasoning and serve immediately, sprinkled with chopped parsley.

FILLET OF SOLE WITH PARSLEY

2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 sprigs Italian parsley
4 Tablespoon unsalted butter
2 pounds sole fillets
1 cup flour
Parsley sprigs
Lemon wedges

Beat the eggs with the salt in a flat-bottomed bowl until they are homogeneous. Strip parsley leaves off of the stems and finely chop. Stir the parsley into the egg mixture. Melt butter over low heat in a frying pan large enough to hold the fish in one layer. Dredge the sole in the flour, shaking off the excess. Leave the fillets on a lightly floured surface and adjust the heat under the butter to medium. Dip the sole fillets into the egg and parsley mixture, covering both sides, then place them in the frying pan and sauté 2 minutes or until pale golden brown on one side. Turn the fillets and cook for 2 more minutes. Serve on a heated platter garnished with parsley sprigs and lemon wedges.

STEAK DIANE

1/2 cup thinly slice fresh mushrooms
2 Tbsp. minced onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup butter
2 Tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
2 Tablespoons butter
1-pound beef tenderloin, cut into 8 slices

Cook and stir mushrooms, onion, garlic, salt, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce in 1/4 cup butter until the mushrooms are tender. Stir in parsley; keep sauce warm. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in skillet; turning once, cook tenderloin slices over medium-high heat to medium doneness, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Serve with mushroom-butter sauce.