September menus: a cook-ahead picnic with a special main course. A basket lunch of finger salads - recipes

Sunset, Sept, 1984

divide these foods equally between 4 baskets, bowls, or plates, arranging each around a small pot of curry vinaigrette (recipe follows). Garnish each with water-cress. Makes 4 servings.

Curry vinaigrette. In a bowl, blend 3/4 cup salad oil, 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons minced onion, 1-1/2 teaspoons curry powder, and 1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard; add salt and pepper to taste. Serve, or cover and let stand as long as overnight. Pour equally into 4 small bowls. Makes about 1 cup, or 4 servings. Iced Indian Tea

4 cups boiling water

1/4 cup Darjeeling tea leaves

1/3 cup sugar

3 tablespoons whipping cream

Ice cubes

In a bowl or teapot, pour water over tea leaves and sugar. Stir to dissolve sugar. Cover and steep 5 minutes, then pour through a fine strainer; discard leaves. Mix in cream. Cover and chill, up to 1 day. Pour tea into 4 glasses (about 12-oz. size) filled with ice. Makes 4 servings. Melted Raspberries

1 cup raspberries, rinsed

1-1/2 tablespoons sugar

In a 1- to 1-1/2-quart pan on high heat, stir together raspberries and sugar until raspberries begin to give up their juice and are hot, about 1 minute. Use at once. Makes 3/4 cup sauce, enough for 4 servings.