Play all audios:
DEAR SOS: I love the dessert souffles at the Bistro Garden at Coldwater in Studio City. Would you print the pumpkin recipe for the holiday season?
DEAR JOY: The recipe should fit any holiday menu to a T. You’ll have to time the baking carefully because souffles fall soon after they’re removed from the hot oven. To make the process less
cumbersome, prepare the base batter well ahead of time. Then, just before ready to bake, fold in the meringue and bake.
Mix egg yolks with scant 1/2 cup granulated sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Add flour gradually until mixture forms smooth paste.
Bring milk to boil in saucepan. Add flour mixture. Boil 1 to 2 minutes without stirring. Continue to cook and stir until paste leaves sides of pan. Place paste in mixer with paddle
attachment and mix 5 minutes. Add pumpkin puree. Mix well. Let cool.
Place egg whites in electric mixer with whisk attachment, salt and scant 1/2 cup granulated sugar and whip until stiff, glossy peaks form. Fold 1/3 of egg white mixture into pumpkin mixture,
then fold in remaining egg white mixture until lightly but well incorporated.
Grease 8 (6-ounce) souffle ramekins with butter and sprinkle with granulated sugar, shaking off excess. Spoon pumpkin batter into ramekins and bake at 375 degrees until puffy and slightly
gold-brown, about 17 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and served immediately with whipped cream.
Each serving, without powdered sugar or whipped cream, contains about:
195 calories; 96 mg sodium; 108 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 35 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 0.52 gram fiber.
Stout Makes the Stew DEAR SOS: The Irish Beef Stew served at Gilliland’s Cafe is the best I have ever tasted. I would love to make it for a family reunion coming up soon, if you can obtain
the recipe.
DEAR MRS. L.G.: Gilliland’s owner, Gerri Gilliland, who is from Ireland, provided this recipe. She prefers to use Guinness Stout.
Season meat with salt and pepper to taste. Heat oil in saucepan and add meat in small batches to brown on all sides. Remove meat and set aside. Add onions and saute until soft. Place meat
back in pan and add stout. Add enough beef stock to cover meat. Cover pan and simmer over low heat 1 hour until meat is tender.
Add carrots, parsnips and rutabagas and cook until vegetables are tender and sauce is thick, 25-30 minutes.
265 calories; 446 mg sodium; 50 mg cholesterol; 13 grams fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 20 grams protein; 1.31 grams fiber.
Butter Up for Holidays DEAR SOS: Around Halloween some years back, The Times printed a recipe for Pumpkin Butter. Somehow I misplaced the recipe and would love it back in time for holiday
cooking.
DEAR CHERYL: Happy to reprint it. For another pumpkin butter, check “The Great Pumpkin Tale,” H8.
Mix pumpkin, pie spice and pectin in large saucepan. Bring to hard boil, stirring constantly, over high heat. Stir in sugar at once. Bring to full rolling boil and boil 1 minute, stirring
constantly. Remove from heat. Ladle quickly into hot jars. Cover at once with 1/8-inch layer hot paraffin (to be removed before using).
67 calories; 1 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 0 protein; 0.25 gram fiber.