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When Art Carney wasn't making people laugh, he was sharing recipes
Hilarious? Yes. A chef? No, but his salads were party favorites.
Art Carney wasn't your ordinary actor and comedian. Despite being hilarious and outgoing on stage, he was a quiet, sweet and shy guy who didn't open up to people until he knew them well.
Once he did, friends were invited to small gatherings that he and his wife Barbara hosted. Not only was he a host, but he was also preparing and serving his favorite avocado-grapefruit endive salad from time to time. In an interview with The Atlanta Constitution's celebrity cookbook section in 1968, the comedian revealed why he preferred informal parties over fancy ones and shared the recipe for his favorite salad.
He started the interview by joking, "When I get home from work, I like to kick off the shoes, don slacks and [a] sport shirt and be informal. I wouldn't put on a necktie for the King of England."
The actor then said that the main priority is making people comfortable when he's hosting. "We don't have formal dinner parties. I want to give people what they like to eat," he added. "I don't want to make a big deal out of it. Above all, I don't want to make people uncomfortable."
He wasn't a chef, but he did make salads. "I'm not exactly what you would call a chef. I used to fool around [in] the kitchen," the comedian said. "In fact, I like to toss a few salads. I have this recipe for avocado-grapefruit endive salad, and it's as complicated a recipe as I've ever used."
Again, he made sure to say that he wasn't a chef, but the recipe below is far from basic! Take a look and see if you'd give it a try.
For the sour cream dressing: Seven tablespoons of salad oil, three tablespoons of sour cream, one tablespoon of wine vinegar salt, add a preferred amount of freshly ground pepper.
First, add the salad oil to the sour cream, one tablespoon at a time. Mix them well, then add vinegar. Blend those well before adding the seasonings and set them to the side.
For the salad: Carney first peeled avocados, cut them into small pieces, and added fresh lemon juice to keep them from browning. Next, he would clean the endive well in a salad basket and dry them. Lastly, he arranged the endive leaves, avocado, and grapefruit sections in a large salad bowl and poured the sour cream dressing all over.
With the holidays quickly approaching, would you try this recipe from a beloved actor and comedian?
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