Week of 6/28/1999

Creamy Succotash Salad

2/3 cup mayonnaise
6 Tbls. buttermilk
4 tsp. Dijon mustard
4 tsp. fresh lemon juice
4 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce
2 large red bell peppers
3 cups frozen baby lima beans, thawed (about 20 oz.)
5 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed, drained (about 24 oz. )
2/3 cup thinly sliced green onions

Whisk first 6 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Char bell peppers in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose peppers in paper bag; let stand 10 minutes. Peel, seed and coarsely chop peppers. Transfer to large bowl. Cook lima beans in large pot of boiling salted water until heated through, about 2 minutes. Drain beans; cool.

Transfer beans to bowl with bell peppers. Mix in corn and green onions. Toss salad with enough dressing to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Serve cold or at room temperature.) Makes 8 servings.

Grilled Burgers with Roquefort Mayonnaise and Barbecued Red Onions

8 1/2 inch thick slices red onions
1 1/3 cups bottled hickory-flavored barbecue sauce
3 lbs. ground round beef, formed into eight 4 to 5 inch diameter patties
8 sandwich buns, split
Roquefort Mayonnaise (see recipe)

Mayonnaise: 8 oz. Roquefort cheese, crumbled; 2/3 cup mayonnaise; 2 tsps. red wine vinegar; 1 tsp. hot pepper sauce. Stir all ingredients in bowl to blend. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature before using.)

Sandwiches: Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Brush onions generously with barbecue sauce. Grill until onions are tender, brown and glazed, basting with barbecue sauce and turning occasionally, about 15 minutes.

Sprinkle patties with salt and pepper. Grill patties until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Grill hamburger buns, cut side down, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Place patties on bottom halves of buns. Top each with 1 onion slice, Roquefort Mayonnaise, then bun tops. Serve immediately. Serves 8.

Coconut Meringue Pie

Unbaked 9 inch pie shell
3 jumbo egg yolks
a 15 oz can cream of coconut such as Coco Lopez
1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
a 7 oz package sweetened flaked coconut
(about 2 2/3 cups)

For Meringue:
4 jumbo egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar

Prebake pie shell according to package instructions and cool completely. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl whisk together yolks, cream of coconut and buttermilk and stir in coconut. Pour filling into shell and bake in middle of oven 35 minutes, or until filling is set. Remove pie from oven and keep oven on.

Make meringue immediately: In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat whites with cream of tartar until they hold soft peaks. Gradually beat in sugar and beat until meringue holds stiff, glossy peaks. Spoon meringue onto pie, covering it completely and sealing meringue to pastry. Draw meringue up into peaks and bake in middle of oven until golden, about 15 minutes.

Cool pie completely on a rack. Serve pie at room temperature. Serves 6.