If all this talk of a new restaurant in the wonderful old Fred Harvey space in LA Union station is making you hungry, here are two of the many delicious archival recipes by LA Union Station chef Louis Sogno. Just so you know, it’s my dream to one day attend a screening of The Harvey Girls in that space, followed by a full Fred Harvey banquet (with dishes from the recipe appendix in the book, of course.)

RISOTTO PIEMONTAISE
Sauté one small onion, chopped fine, in butter to a golden brown. Add one cup uncooked rice and continue heating until rice is browned lightly, about ten minutes, stirring constantly. Add about one-half teaspoon salt, and two-and-a-half cups of boiling chicken broth, cover, reduce heat to low and cook slowly for eighteen to twenty minutes or until rice is tender and excess liquid has evaporated. Serve hot, topped or mixed with grated Parmesan cheese. (This is an Americanized version of the classic Italian dish from chefs at Los Angeles Union Station—and perhaps a precursor of Rice-A-Roni.)

CHICKEN CACCIATORE
2 broiling chickens (1½ lbs each, ready-to-eat weight)
½ cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
¼ cup butter or olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
½ lb fresh mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
12 ripe olives, whole
1 can tomato puree (or 1 cup canned tomatoes)
½ cup Claret or Sherry

Cut chicken in quarters, and dust with flour which has been well mixed with salt and pepper. Saute in butter or olive oil until golden brown. Add remaining ingredients, cover, and simmer over low heat twenty to thirty minutes. Yield: four servings.

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