Diana Millay's African Strip Beef

from the Dark Shadows Celebrity Cookbook

I must say I was a bit skeptical when first reading the recipe for Diana Millay's African Strip Beef from the Dark Shadows Celebrity Cookbook, not being well acquainted with African cookery, but I knew it would prove to be interesting given the source.  My local butcher was fresh out of the impala called for in this Zulu recipe so I went with some rump steak since it's a flavorful cut and easy to work with.  The basic preparation conveniently uses two bowls, one for breading the meat and the other for the sauce components.  I had a little difficulty getting the breadcrumb mixture to stick to the beef, but I made it work with very good end results.  I would recommend (with Ms. Millay's permission, of course) tossing the meat into the beaten egg and milk first and then rolling it in the breadcrumbs for a more even coating.  However, the meat fried quickly and also produced plenty of crisp and tasty pan drippings which contributed to the quick cooking Marsala wine sauce.  Served on rice with green beans and a mixed salad (in my zodiac salad bowl)  it was absolutely delicious and I would look forward to making it again.  The meat was juicy and the wine sauce had a tantalizing and mild sweetness that made each bite intriguing.  This just goes to show that Laura Collins' recipe box is full of surprises and culinary magic, but would you expect otherwise?  Now we know even more about what she might have been cooking up at night down there in Matthew's Cottage.  It might have been fun to have seen her at work in the kitchen on one of those episodes.