A Timely Zucchini Bread Recipe

Dear SOS: I certainly would appreciate having a recipe for the zucchini bread from the Cliff House in Playa del Rey.

--KATHLEEN

Dear Kathleen: The bread is quite nice and a good recipe to keep on hand for holiday baking.

CLIFF HOUSE ZUCCHINI BREAD

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup oil

3 cups peeled and grated zucchini, drained

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup raisins, optional

1 cup pecans

1 cup drained crushed pineapple

Beat together eggs, sugar, vanilla and oil in large bowl. Add zucchini. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, raisins and nuts, then add to zucchini mixture. Add pineapple and mix well. Pour into greased and floured 9x5-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees 55 to 60 minutes. Makes 1 loaf.

Dear SOS: I hope you still have the recipe for Chicken of the Gods. This recipe was in The Times several years ago but I lost part of it.

--YETTA

Dear Yetta: I’m so glad you asked. The recipe from the Bali Hai restaurant on Shelter Island in San Diego has been one of our favorites.

BALI HAI CHICKEN OF GODS

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon Sherry

1 teaspoon soy sauce

Salt, pepper

1 (2 1/2- to 3-pound) chicken, cut up and boned

1/2 cup water chestnut powder

Oil

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/4 cup flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 cups seasoned chicken stock

1/2 cup whipping cream or half and half

2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

Combine egg, Sherry, soy sauce, 1/4 teaspoon salt and dash of pepper. Marinate chicken pieces in mixture 15 to 20 minutes. Coat each piece chicken with water chestnut powder. Heat about 1 inch oil in pan. Add chicken pieces and cook until tender and brown on both sides.

Melt butter over medium heat and blend in flour and cornstarch. Bring chicken stock to boil and stir rapidly while adding butter mixture. Reduce heat and add whipping cream, salt and pepper to taste. Neatly slice chicken pieces and arrange on hot platter. Cover with cream sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Makes 4 servings.

Dear SOS: Do you have a recipe for kiwi jam? It’s quite wonderful and I’d love the recipe for holiday entertaining.

--READER

Dear Reader: We wouldn’t put you in a jam. So here is the uncooked frozen version, which works well.

UNCOOKED FROZEN KIWI JAM

3 1/2 cups well-mashed kiwi

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 package powdered pectin

1 cup light corn syrup

4 1/2 cups sugar

Mix kiwi pulp and lemon juice thoroughly in large kettle. Sift in pectin, stirring vigorously. Add corn syrup and mix well. Gradually stir in sugar, stirring until completely dissolved.

Warming to 100 degrees on candy thermometer (and no hotter) will help dissolve sugar. Jam is ready to eat when sugar is dissolved. Spoon into in glasses or containers with tight-fitting lids. Store in freezer for lengthy storage or in refrigerator if to be eaten within a week or two. Makes 2 pints jam.

Dear SOS: Do you have a recipe for an appetizer made with filo dough and filled with feta cheese mixture? I can’t find it in any of my cookbooks.

--MRS. R.P.

Dear Mrs. R.P.: That’s because Tiropita is a Greek (or Middle Eastern) appetizer. But it is gaining in popularity as an inexpensive, quantity-size appetizer you can make ahead and freeze for any gala occasion. This recipe makes 57 appetizers, which can be stored baked or unbaked. Layer the triangles on foil trays between sheets of wax paper, wrap and store in the freezer for up to several months or in the refrigerator for a few days.

FILO-FETA CHEESE APPETIZERS

(Tiropita)

1/2 pound feta cheese

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

1 cup dry cottage cheese, about

1 egg, beaten

1 pound filo dough

1/4 cup butter or margarine, clarified or melted

1/4 cup oil

Mash feta cheese with cream cheese and at least 1 cup cottage cheese. Add egg and mix well. Chill. Unwrap filo dough and keep in stacked position. Cut sheets into 4 equal squares. Cover squares with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to prevent drying.

Heat butter with oil until butter melts and milky residue rises to surface. Skim off residue. Working with 1 dough square at a time, place on baking sheet and brush with melted butter mixture.

Fold square into quarters to make 9x2-inch strip. Place about 3/4 teaspoon cheese mixture in corner of strip. Fold corner to cover cheese mixture and make triangle. Continue to fold strip of dough in triangles, folding from left to right and right to left, the full length of strip. Repeat with remaining squares of dough.

Place triangles on baking sheets and brush with melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees 25 to 30 minutes or until golden. Makes 57 appetizers.

Dear SOS: An old boyfriend’s mother made the most heavenly English Toffee from her family’s secret recipe from North Carolina. Would you have a special recipe for English Toffee?

--MIM

Dear Mim: Not so special. But you can make it so by varying the nuts.

ENGLISH TOFFEE

1/2 pound butter

1 cup sugar

1/4 pound (about 1 cup) whole blanched almonds

2 (1-ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, melted

Finely chopped walnuts

Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar and boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in almonds. Boil 3 to 5 minutes longer or until golden brown, stirring. Pour into ungreased 9-inch square pan. Cool. Remove from pan and spread melted chocolate over top. Sprinkle with walnuts. When chocolate is set, break into pieces.

Only recipes of general interest will be printed. We are unable to answer all requests. Please include restaurant address when requesting recipes from restaurants. Send your letter with self-addressed, stamped envelope to Culinary SOS, Food Section, The Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles 90053.