Entertaining with Joan

If you'll be entertaining friends during this weekend's Pride festivities, why not try this menu culled from Joan Fontaine's collection? After all, nothing screams gay so much as gathering a bunch of Joan Fontaine fans together to sample her curried avocado soup and peach plum mousse.

CURRIED AVOCADO SOUP

Ingredients needed: 1 ripe avocado, onion, celery, butter, flour, chicken stock, lemon juice, tarragon vinegar, prepared horseradish, garlic clove, curry powder, salt, pepper, allspice, powdered tarragon.

Sauté 1 onion, minced, and 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced, in 2 tablespoons butter until tender. stirring constantly. Add 2 tablespoons flour and blend in well. Now stir in 2 cups chicken stock and heat, stirring constantly, until tickened and smooth. Season with 1 tablespoon each lemon juice, tarragon vinegar and prepared horseradish, 1 clove garlic, crushed, 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon each of pepper, allspice and powdered tarragon. Simmer slowly. Meanwhile, peel, pit and cube 1 ripe avocado. Dip cubes in lemon juice and put through a food mill. Blend avocado puree into the soup mixture. Now slowly pour soup into 2 cups milk, stirring constantly. Return soup to pan and heat through or chill and serve cold. To garnish each serving, add crisp bacon crumbles. Makes 5 cups of soup.

BREAST OF LAMB, CALIFORNIA STYLE

Have your butcher cut 3 pounds of lamb into pieces 4" long and the width of the ribs and trim them of excess fat. Now prepare a marinade: combine 1/2 cup red wine vinegar with 2 onions, thinly sliced, 3 cloves of garlic, crushed, 1 crushed bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and powdered rosemary. Pour marinade into a shallow dish, add pieces of lamb from the marinade and place on a preheated broiler pan. To the marinade add 1/2 cup water. Now broil the lamb for 15 minutes, turning so that all sides brown. Baste occasionally with the marinade. When the lamb is well browned, roast it in a moderate oven, 350 degrees F., for 20 minutes more, basting frequently with marinade and drippings. Makes about 4 servings.

BEAN -SPROUT SALAD

Sauté 8 strips of bacon until crisp and brown. Drain on paper toweling and save 1/3 cup of the drippings for the dressing. To the cooled drippings, add 1/3 cup red wine vinegar, 1 clove garlic, crushed, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, and 1/8 teaspoon each dry mustard and pepper. Reheat dressing. Now for the salad: Wash 2 quarts fresh bean sprouts well (you may use the canned). Place them in a colander and run hot water over them for 2-3 minuts to wilt them slightly. Place the sprouts in a large salad bowl; add 10-12 scallions, finely sliced, 3 tablespoons minced green pepper, 2 tablespoons minced pimiento and top with the hot dressing. Toss lightly and let marinate at room temperature for about 45 minutes. Add the 8 strips of bacon, crumbled, toss salad again and serve garnished with a crisp ruff of greens. Makes about 6 to 8 servings.

PEACH PLUM MOUSSE

6 ripe peaches
3 ripe plums
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon gelatin
3/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon plum brandy
1 tablespoon peach cordial (or brandy)
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
2 egg whites
few grains of salt
1 cup heavy cream, whipped

1. Peel peaches and plums by plunging into boiling water a few minutes. Stone, puree fruit enough to make about 2 cups liquid. Add lemon juice at once to prevent discoloration. 2. Soften gelatin in cold water, pour boiling water over gelatin stirring to dissolve. 3. Combine puree, gelatin-water mixture, sugar, plum brandy, peach cordial, almond extract and mix well. Beat egg whites until stiff, add salt, fold into fruit mixture. Beat heavy cream until stiff, fold into gelatin mixture. Place bowl over some cracked ice, beat until mixture starts to thicken. Pour into 1 quart mold, cover; chill about 3 or 4 hours (or until mousse sets) 4. Unmold on grape leaves on glass dessert plate. Garnish with washed, chilled fruit, ( blueberries, raspberries or seedless grapes.) Serve with fruit syrup (made from peach puree flavored with peach cordial, sweetened to taste.) Serves 4.