On a Wing, a Prayer and a Cookbook

Enticing aromas drifted from the kitchen into the parish hall of St. James Episcopal Church. This was not a typical church supper of years past--casseroles and Jell-O molds. Just look at the food.

Alice Hong set out Korean-style barbecued chicken, fried catfish fillets, mandu (dumplings stuffed with ground turkey), namul (marinated vegetables), pickles and kimchi. Meanwhile, Marion P. Coogan, who is from Scotland, was whipping cream to spread over the top of a trifle based on one she once tasted at Harrod’s in London. And David Callahan was putting the finishing touches on a paella like the one he had at a cafe in Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain.

Housed in a soaring Gothic Revival structure that dates from 1925, the church is well known for its choir--which has been invited to perform as guest choir at Westminster Abbey in August--and for its ethnic diversity. “It’s like a United Nations meeting there every Sunday,” Callahan said.

“One of the most amazing things about the coffee hours,” added Alan Heppel, another parishioner, “is that I often not only don’t know what people are talking about, I don’t know what language it is.”

To help meet the choir’s travel costs to England, choir member Callahan and fellow parishioner Mary D. Nichols co-chaired a church committee to create “The Pilgrimage Cookbook,” a recipe collection that reflects the cuisines of this mid-Wilshire congregation. The dinner this night was to publicize the cookbook.

Highlights include chapters on Korean and Guyanese cuisines. Other recipes represent Scandinavia, Great Britain, Russia, Greece, Switzerland, Spain, France, Italy, Mexico, India and even the United States. Each contributor tells the story behind his or her recipe, making the cookbook as interesting to read as to cook from.

Hong, who contributed the 21 recipes in the Korean chapter, brought many of the dishes to the church supper. Korean attendance is so strong that the church has just started twice-monthly Korean-language services. The sermons are delivered by the Rev. Aidan Koh, assistant to the rector, the Rev. Kirk Stevan Smith. Each year, the church holds a Korean Partnership Sunday showcasing Korean culture and food. This year’s took place at the end of January. Future Partnership Sundays will feature the Caribbean (May 16), the British Isles (Sept. 19) and Africa (Oct. 3).

The largest ethnic group at the church is Nigerian, said Coogan, the parish administrator. This stems from the work of Anglican missionaries in Nigeria in the 19th century, she explained as she put the finishing touches on her trifle.

“There are as many different ways of making trifle as there are home cooks,” Coogan said. She likes the Harrod’s version because it employs such innovations as adding macaroons. “You can’t make a mistake [with trifle],” she said reassuringly. “Whatever you add or take away, it’s still delicious.”

Margaret Ecker was standing in for former British Consul Gen. Merrick Baker-Bates by making the summer pudding that Becker-Bates contributed to the book. The consul, a parishioner when he lived in Los Angeles, sent the recipe from England. It’s a molded pudding of bread dipped in the juices of lightly cooked sweetened fruit. Ecker added her own touch--a dash of rosemary infused with the fruit and rosemary sprigs for decoration.

Using a blue enamel paella pan from Spain, Callahan combined a variety of seafood and chicken with Arborio rice, adding saffron for strong yellow color.

Marilyn Thomas brought sauteed grated zucchini and a beautiful dessert, Swedish cream surrounded by raspberries and blueberries. “I cannot tell a lie,” she admitted good-naturedly. “I’m not creative. I copy.” The zucchini came from Volume 1 of “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” and the Swedish dessert from her sister-in-law.

Although it’s not the height of melon season, Alan Heppel’s cold cantaloupe-mint soup showed very well. “It’s a perfect summer thing,” he said. “If you don’t tell people what it is, they’re wildly impressed.” No cooking is required. The ingredients are pureed in a blender with vanilla yogurt instead of sugar.

Although she couldn’t attend, Joycelin Montouth provided a curry recipe. Montouth is from Hague, a city on the western coast of Guyana, the country formerly known as British Guiana. She contributed 11 Guyanese recipes to the cookbook.

Choir president John Van Hout dropped by the dinner--unfortunately, without a sample of the hot fudge sauce that he donated to the book. “It’s the easiest recipe you’ll ever make,” he said. The source was a church cookbook from his hometown of Kalamazoo, Mich. Van Hout did bring along fliers for two other fund-raisers. One was a benefit performance of Verdi’s “Requiem” to be given by the choir at the church Sunday. The other flier contained photos of all choir members. Anyone who “adopts” a member for the trip will receive a postcard from London and a gift purchased at Westminster Abbey.

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“The Pilgrimage Cookbook” can be ordered by mail. The price is $15 plus $5 for postage and handling. Make checks payable to St. James Cookbook, mark the envelope Attention: Cookbook, and send to St. James Episcopal Church, 3903 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90010.

Guyanese Curried Fish or Chicken

Active Work Time: 20 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 40 minutes

Green (unripe) mango adds a touch of sourness to Joycelin Montouth’s easy curry.

1 pound fish, such as cod or snapper, or chicken

Salt, pepper

2 tablespoons oil

2 onions, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons curry powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric, optional

1 cup vegetable, chicken or beef stock

2 slices green mango

* Cut fish into 2-inch pieces. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

* Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add fish and fry until browned on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and set aside. Add onions and garlic and saute until onions are tender, about 5 minutes.

* Mix curry powder and turmeric with about 3 tablespoons stock to make paste. Add paste to onion mixture and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add remaining stock and mango slices and simmer gently 5 minutes. Add fried fish and simmer 10 to 15 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with boiled rice.

2 servings. Each serving without rice: 378 calories; 656 mg sodium; 68 mg cholesterol; 18 grams fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 41 grams protein; 0.73 gram fiber.

Paella “St. James Style”

Active Work Time: 50 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

You think of Arborio rice for risotto, but David Callahan says it works well in paella too.

1 cup dry white wine

1/4 teaspoon saffron threads

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

6 to 8 chicken drumettes

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 3/4 cups Arborio rice

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

3/4 cup cooked bay shrimp and/or bay scallops

6 to 8 small clams

8 to 12 mussels

6 to 8 large sea scallops

6 to 8 large shrimp

Minced cilantro for garnish

Lemon wedges

* Heat wine in small saucepan over low heat. Add saffron and set aside at least 30 minutes.

* Heat olive oil in 4-quart paella pan over medium heat. Add chicken and saute gently until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate and set aside.

* Add garlic, onion and bell pepper to pan and saute 10 minutes. Add bay leaves, thyme and rice and cook over medium heat 5 minutes.

* Bring chicken broth to boil in separate pan and add to rice mixture. Stir in wine-saffron mixture. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Stir bay shrimp into rice. Bury chicken pieces at intervals in rice. Arrange clams, mussels, sea scallops and large shrimp on top.

* Bake uncovered at 325 degrees until liquid is absorbed and mussel and clam shells open, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with lemon wedges.

6 servings. Each serving: 496 calories; 391 mg sodium; 108 mg cholesterol; 14 grams fat; 50 grams carbohydrates; 34 grams protein; 0.33 gram fiber.

Broccoli Namul

Active Work Time: 15 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 2 hours

Alice Hong uses ordinary American broccoli rather than an Asian vegetable for this Korean side dish.

1 pound broccoli, cut into 2-inch pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 teaspoon salt

2 green onions, cut into thin 1-inch pieces

* Bring 3 quarts water to boil in large saucepan. Add broccoli and blanch for 5 minutes. Drain broccoli and squeeze out excess water. Mix broccoli with garlic, sesame oil, salt and green onions. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 1/2 hours. Serve cold.

6 servings. Each serving: 63 calories; 414 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.87 gram fiber.

Cold Cantaloupe-Mint Soup

Active Work Time: 20 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

The Times Test Kitchen also made Alan Heppel’s soup with honeydew melon, and it was excellent too.

5 cups small chunks cantaloupe

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint or 1 teaspoon dried, plus 4 to 6 sprigs for garnish

1 (8-ounce) container vanilla yogurt

1/2 cup dry white wine, optional

* Puree cantaloupe and mint in batches in blender. Pour into bowl and add yogurt and wine. Stir until well blended. Chill at least 1 hour or overnight. Garnish each serving with sprig of mint.

4 to 6 servings. Each of 6 servings: 82 calories; 47 mg sodium; 5 mg cholesterol; 2 grams fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 0.48 gram fiber.

Celebration Trifle

Active Work Time: 30 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 8 1/2 hours

Marion Coogan, who contributed this recipe, says liquid from the canned pears can be substituted for the Sherry. Superfine sugar dissolves more easily than granulated sugar because it is finer in texture. If you don’t have superfine sugar, you can grind granulated sugar in a food processor. In this recipe, granulated sugar may be substituted for superfine sugar on the raspberries and powdered sugar may be substituted for superfine sugar in the whipped cream.

1 pound fresh raspberries

3/4 cup superfine sugar

3 (3-ounce) packages ladyfingers

1 cup raspberry jam

6 tablespoons medium-dry Sherry or to taste

6 almond macaroons

4 canned pear or peach halves, sliced

1 (5.29-ounce) envelope Bird’s custard powder

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 cups milk

1 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons kirsch

Chocolate curls

Place raspberries in large bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 cup superfine sugar. Cover and let stand until juice forms, about 1 hour.

Split ladyfingers and spread cut side with raspberry jam. Put back together like jam sandwiches. Place in 1 layer in bottom of large, deep glass serving bowl and spread with more jam. Arrange remaining ladyfingers around sides of bowl. Spoon 3 tablespoons Sherry over ladyfingers in bottom of bowl to saturate. Spoon raspberries and juice over ladyfingers. Place macaroons in single layer on top of raspberries and spoon remaining Sherry over. Arrange sliced pears on top. Cover and let stand while making custard.

Combine custard powder, granulated sugar and milk in saucepan and cook, stirring, over medium heat until mixture comes to boil. As soon as custard begins to thicken, remove from heat and pour over trifle. Allow to cool, then cover and chill overnight.

Beat whipping cream with kirsch and remaining 1/4 cup superfine sugar just until it holds soft peaks. Carefully spread over custard, making swirls in cream. Garnish with chocolate curls. Chill until ready to serve.

12 to 16 servings. Each of 16 servings: 272 calories; 54 mg sodium; 87 mg cholesterol; 9 grams fat; 43 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 1.42 grams fiber.

Fish Jun

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 15 minutes

This Korean recipe from Alice Hong takes almost no time to prepare.

1/2 pound fish fillet such as red snapper, cod or catfish

Salt, pepper

2 tablespoons flour

2 eggs

3 tablespoons oil

* Cut fish into 3x4-inch pieces. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and coat with flour. Beat eggs in small bowl and set aside.

* Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Dip fish pieces in eggs and fry until light golden brown, turning once, about 2 1/2 minutes per side. Serve warm or cold.

2 servings. Each serving: 372 calories; 269 mg sodium; 246 mg cholesterol; 27 grams fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 26 grams protein; 0.02 gram fiber.