Favorite recipes span decades

December 29, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

By Joe Bonwich

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

The winners in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Tried and True Recipe Contest represent two eras in cooking.

Claudia Bidleman of Florissant, Mo., who retired as director of purchasing for Rockwell Semiconductor in 1998, traced her recipe for Gambos al Mediterrano (Mediterranean Shrimp) to 1970. “A dear friend gave it to me after I’d had it in her home,” Bidleman said.

Gluten-free ingredients were far from the mainstream in 1970, but now they’re featured prominently in supermarkets. “I had to give up so many of my favorite foods when I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2007,” said Kimberly Darron of Imperial, Mo., a student at St. Louis Community College who also works in the business office of the Meramec, Mo., campus.

She has adapted many recipes to make them gluten-free. Her Gluten-Free Vanilla Bean Cheesecake is loosely based on an online interpretation of a Cheesecake Factory dessert.

Several weeks ago, readers were asked to send in their “go-to” recipes — the ones they can count on as guest-pleasers.

Editors narrowed more than 150 submissions to 10 finalists — five main or side dishes and five desserts. Life Sherpa columnist Joe Holleman and I judged the finals, and we each chose Darron’s recipe and Biddleman’s recipe as our first choices.

“It was much harder to separate the entries in the dessert category,” Holleman said, adding that Darron’s nutty crust provided an added dimension to a very good cheesecake.

The shrimp dish was beautifully presented, and the parsley and garlic made perfect, simple complements.

Earning second place were two twists on comfort-food classics: Swedish Meatloaf from Anne Allen of Kirkwood, Mo., and Soda Pop Bundt Cake from Jean Shaw of Ballwin, Mo.

GAMBOS AL MEDITERRANO (MEDITERRANEAN SHRIMP) — CLAUDIA BIDLEMAN

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

5slices white bread

1/2teaspoon salt

1/4teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

3/4cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter

1medium onion, finely chopped

2garlic cloves, finely chopped

1tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

3tablespoons sherry

21/2pounds large shrimp, deveined and butterflied

Melted butter, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Set the blender speed on “chop.” Process each slice of bread separately, transferring crumbs to a mixing bowl. Add salt, pepper and parsley and mix to combine.

Melt butter in a medium pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, Worcestershire and sherry and bring to a simmer. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until onion is softened.

Pour butter mixture into bread crumbs and toss to mix. Arrange shrimp on greased cookie sheets and sprinkle bread crumbs evenly over shrimp.

Cook for 10 12 minutes or until done. Serve with melted butter if desired.

Per serving (based on 8): 310 calories; 19g fat; 11g saturated fat; 255mg cholesterol; 24g protein; 11g carbohydrate; 2g sugar; 1g fiber; 590mg sodium; 80mg calcium.

SWEDISH MEATLOAF— ANNE ALLEN

Yield: 8 servings

1/3cup packed light brown sugar

1/2cup ketchup

1 1/2teaspoons prepared mustard, preferably spicy

2tablespoons cider vinegar

1/2teaspoon ground nutmeg

2pounds ground beef

2eggs, lightly beaten

1cup corn flakes

2teaspoons salt

1/2teaspoon ground black pepper

2tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1onion, finely chopped

Combine sugar, ketchup, mustard, vinegar and nutmeg in a medium saucepan. Cook, stirring, over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside.

Crumble beef into a large bowl. Add eggs, corn flakes, salt, pepper, parsley and onion. Add half of the sauce mixture. Mix gently but well.

Shape meat mixture into a loaf, place on a baking tray and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven, top with the remaining sauce, return to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until done.

Per serving: 280 calories; 14g fat; 5g saturated fat; 120mg cholesterol; 22g protein; 17g carbohydrate; 13g sugar; 0.5g fiber; 860mg sodium; 40mg calcium.

SODA POP BUNDT CAKE — JEAN SHAW

Yield: 12 to 18 servings

1 1/2cups (3 sticks) butter, softened

3cups granulated sugar

5eggs

3cups all-purpose flour

2tablespoons lemon extract

12ounces lemon-lime or other citrus soda, regular or sweetened with aspartame (see note)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan. In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together with a mixer, then add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add flour and mix well. Stir in lemon extract and soda, mixing until smooth.

Pour into the pan and bake for 60 to 90 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Note: Because it acts as leavening, the soda must be fresh and fully carbonated.

Per serving (based on 18): 375 calories; 17g fat; 10g saturated fat; 100mg cholesterol; 4g protein; 52g carbohydrate; 36g sugar; 0.5g fiber; 25mg sodium; 15mg calcium.

GLUTEN-FREE VANILLA BEAN CHEESECAKE — KIMBERLY DARRON

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

For crust:

3cups crisp rice cereal

1cup pecans

1teaspoon salt

1/4cup packed brown sugar

1/2cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1tablespoon vanilla extract

For cheesecake filling:

16ounces cream cheese, softened

1cup sour cream

1cup granulated sugar

1vanilla bean

2tablespoons butter, softened

2teaspoons vanilla extract

2tablespoons cornstarch

For mousse topping:

1cup heavy (whipping) cream

3tablespoons powdered sugar, divided

4ounces white chocolate, chopped coarsely

4ounces cream cheese, softened

1vanilla bean

1teaspoon vanilla extract

Make the crust. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-inch springform pan. Process rice cereal in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add pecans to the food processor and process until they start to stick to the sides. Add pecans to rice mixture.

Add salt and brown sugar to rice mixture; blend well. Add melted butter and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Mix until the mixture starts to stick together when lightly pressed. Press into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the springform pan.

Make the filling. Combine 16 ounces cream cheese, sour cream and granulated sugar; mix until sugar is dissolved. Split vanilla bean in half and gently scrape the seeds into the cream cheese mixture. Add softened butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and cornstarch. Beat with a mixer 2 minutes or until smooth. Do not overmix.

Pour over crust and smooth gently with a spatula. Bake until edges brown slightly, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool for one hour. While cheesecake is cooling, chill a mixing bowl.

Make the mousse. In the cold mixing bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 2 tablespoons powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a clean bowl, cover and refrigerate.

Melt white chocolate in the microwave in 30-second bursts, taking care not to overmelt. (The chocolate does not have to be completely liquid, but it should not have any visible chunks.) Place 4 ounces cream cheese in the unwashed mixing bowl. Add the remaining one tablespoon powdered sugar and beat until fluffy.

Split the vanilla bean in half and gently scrape the seeds into the bowl with the cream cheese. Add melted chocolate and one teaspoon vanilla extract; beat until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream 1/3 at a time.

Spread the mousse over the cooled cheesecake with an offset spatula. Refrigerator for 4 hours or until cold. Run a warm knife around the edge before removing the sides of the springform pan.

Per serving (based on 10): 730 calories; 56g fat; 31g saturated fat; 135mg cholesterol; 8g protein; 48g carbohydrate; 36g sugar; 1g fiber; 510mg sodium; 120mg calcium.