Sopa Crema Margarita 1936 (Creamed Soup a la Margarita) -

McNeil, Blanche and Edna V. McNeil. First Foods of America. Los Angeles: Suttonhouse LTD., 1936. [TX725 .M374 1936]

First Foods of America (1936) by Blanche and Edna V. McNeil

Last week, we introduced Blanche and Edna’s First Foods of America (1936). A previous owner of our copy of this cookbook added occasional annotations in the form of “X” and “?” marks next to certain recipes.

Did “X” mark recipes that the reader tried? Or perhaps that he or she tried those recipes and wasn’t a fan? Without more context, it is hard to say just what the annotations indicate, but today we’ll share a few of the recipes where “X” marks the spot.

Chalupas de Aguacate / Avocado Chalupas (35)

Fry tortillas in grease. Drain and put in oven to dry out grease. Then cool. Make paste of green peppers, avocado and onion. Spread thick on cold tortillas. Cover with shredded head lettuce. Serve cold.

Sopa Crema Margarita / Creamed Soup á la Margarita (46)

2 pounds leg of beef with bone
1/4 pound marrow soup bone
1/4 pound ribs
10 chicken feet
1 large leek
1 young cabbage
2 large turnips
3 carrots
1 bay leaf
3 onions with stems
2 teaspoons salt
6 leaves celery
6 slender peppers
4 quarts water
1/2 cup white beans
1 medium-sized cake fresh sausage
1 slice fresh pork

Remove nails and skins from chickens’ feet. Place them together with beef, soup bone, ribs, vegetables, cleaned and whole, salt and pepper in cold water. With pot covered cook on slow fire for 6 hours. Do not skim. In small clay pot put white beans that have previously been soaked overnight, 1 quart water, sausage, fresh pork, and bay leaf. Cover pot and cook for 5 hours. When done and water evaporated, grind beans and sausage or metate (or through meat grinder), put in saucepan and add 1 1/2 quarts of prepared soup and pass through colander. Put into double boiler to keep hot until ready to serve.

To garnish cook 2 small pigs’ feet in salt and water. Divide when done into small pieces and place around dish.

Huevos San Pascual / Eggs San Pascual (61)

2/3 cup codfish with bones
9 eggs
1 small loaf Pullman bread
1/3 cup onion minced
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon parsley minced
6 tablespoon parsley minced
6 tablespoons cooking oil
Salt and white pepper to taste

Soak codfish in water for six hours, changing water three times. Shred and dry in linnen cloth. Brown onion and garlic in oil. Add parsley and codfish. Fry 5 minutes and remove from fire. Slice bread very thin and brown in oil. In casserole put eggs and season with salt and pepper. To this add what has been previously prepared, place casserole on fire and with wire beater stir vigorously until it begins to thicken. Then remove casserole from fire and pour over slices of fried bread. Serve hot as soon as prepared.

Albondigas / Meat Balls – No. 2 (70)

3 cups cold cooked meat minced
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon onions minced
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix yolks of eggs and crumbs. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Fry onions to light brown. Addd crumb mixture and meat and mash. Cool and form small balls. Roll in bread crubms and fry in hot fat to light brown. Serve with sauce.

eater stir vigorously until it begins to thicken. Then remove casserole from fire and pour over slices of fried bread. Serve hot as soon as prepared.