Hale, Hearty Sweet Pea Soup

Dear SOS: Any chance of getting the recipe for Sweet Pea Soup from Gulliver’s Restaurant in Marina del Rey?

--TEDDI

Dear Teddi: What a good soup that is. Keep it in mind for holiday entertaining when you need something for open house, or, for that matter, when fresh peas are in season. You can substitute frozen peas anytime. GULLIVER’S FRESH PEA SOUP

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 cup onion pieces

1/4 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon oil

2 (10-ounce) packages frozen or 1 quart plus 3/4 cup fresh peas, shelled

2 quarts chicken stock

Dash white pepper

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

3/4 cup whipping cream

2 cups croutons

Melt butter and stir in flour in top of double boiler. Cook, stirring constantly until golden paste is formed. Combine onion, bay leaf, nutmeg and oil in large saucepan. Bring to boil and simmer 10 minutes. Add peas and bring again to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes.

Add white pepper, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire, salt and sugar to soup and simmer 5 minutes. Place soup contents through fine sieve or puree in food processor. Return to saucepan and bring to boil. Add flour mixture, stirring until smooth. Simmer 20 minutes longer. Add whipping cream and bring to simmer. Do not boil. Ladle soup in bowls and add croutons to each dish. Makes 8 servings.

Dear SOS: About two years ago you printed a recipe for Persimmon Bread and I’ve misplaced it. Would you kindly reprint it?

--MADELINE

Dear Madeline: Do we hear Christmas bells already? Getting a start on the holiday season isn’t a bad idea, especially since you can freeze most fruit breads until ready to serve or give as gifts. PERSIMMON BREAD

2 cups flour, sifted

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped nuts

2 eggs

3/4 cup oil

2 cups pureed persimmon pulp

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and sugar. Stir in raisins and nuts. Beat eggs with oil. Add persimmon pulp and lemon juice. Add flour mixture. Turn into 2 greased 8x4-inch loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees (325 degrees for glass pans) 1 hour, or until wood pick inserted in center comes out clean. Makes 2 loaves.

Note: Bread will not have high volume.

Dear SOS: I recently attended a wedding reception at the officer’s club and was served an entree of chicken Marsala, which was delicious. Can you provide such a recipe?

--MAXINE

Dear Maxine: Chicken Marsala is a pretty standard classic dish, so recipes vary little. Here’s one which is typical. By the way, you can use presliced turkey breast or veal scallops if you need a hurry-up dish during the busy holiday season. CHICKEN ALLA MARSALA

3 large whole chicken breasts, skinned and boned

Flour

Freshly ground pepper

Salt

1 clove garlic

1/4 cup finely chopped shallots

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1/4 cup Marsala

Cut breasts in halves. Pound breasts until thin. Dredge with flour, which has been seasoned to taste with pepper and salt. Add garlic and shallots to butter in large skillet. Heat until butter is melted but not brown. Add breasts and saute until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Add Marsala and cook 1 minute longer. Makes 6 servings.