Celebrity Cookbook - 1981
By: Johna Blinn
Published by: Playmore, Inc & Waldman Publishing Corp., NY, NY

BOBBY VAN

Actor-dancer Bobby Van agrees with his beautiful, blonde wife, Elaine Joyce, when she says, "Our life is like a Neil Simon comedy." Talking to this happy, nutty pair is like trying to balance on both sides of a seesaw simultaneously.

"Hey, do you like hors d'oeuvres?" asked Bobby. "I'm constantly looking for restaurants that serve great hors d'oeuvres. That's what I enjoy about Europe. When you go to the Savoy in London and order hors d'oeuvres, out comes this guy with a cart stacked with three tall trays of terrific stuff. When I eat that along with French bread and wine, I go crazy!"

"Bobby loves any kind of bread or rolls," added Elaine.

"If it weren't for dancing and for Elaine, I'd be playing roles like 'Cannon'!"

"Bobby likes his food at night," continued Elaine. "I wake up in the moring and head for the kitchen because I'm ravenous. I can't eat much at night because I have bizarre dreams, but Bobby can sit down with his Yankee Doodles and go through a quart of milk. It drives me nuts, so I go right to a gallon of ice cream! Often I sit in bed and munch on a head of lettuce or eat my ice cream. Nobody believes the way we live. It's insanity. I don't know who is nuttier. I think Bobby's more neurotic. He likes his pizza with a bottle of champagne."

"Elaine is a great cook," interjected Bobby. "I love her chicken paprikash. I make spicy beef and a thing called Matzo Brie (matzo meal scrambled with eggs), served with applesauce and sour cream. That, with some nice, sweet whipped cream cheese and good Scotch Salmon is my idea of a real treat!"

Bobby Van's Spicy Beef • Serves 4

1 lb. lean tender steak

4 tbsps. soy sauce

2 tbsps. sherry or rice wine
1 tsp. sugar

5 tbsps. peanut oil
2 large green peppers, diced in 1-inch cubes
4 scallions, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 tsp. salt
1 -2 tsps. lae mirchi powder (available in Indian food shops)
2 cups celery, thinly sliced
1 tsp. cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsps. water

1. Slice steak in think strips across the grain, using Chinese meat cleaver or sharp knife
2. Combine soy sauce, sherry and sugar; pour over beef
3. Heat half the peanut oil in wok or large skillet over high heat
4. Stir-fry green peppers and scallions a minute; lift out
5. Add remaining oil and quickly stir-fry beef
6. Return pepper-scallion mixture to wok, along with salt, lae mirchi and celery. Stir-fry 2 minutes
7. Pour in remaining marinade and cornstarch mixture
8. Cook, stirring over medium heat, until thick and smooth
9. Serve alone, or over hot cooked rice or Chinese noodles.

NOTE: Lae mirchi is a pungent spice that gives the flavor to beef. If not available, substitute Five-Spice powder (a powdered blend of Chinese star anise, fennel, cinnamon, clove and Szechuan pepper).