A Salad Perfect for Spring Lunch

Dear SOS: There is a salad which my husband particularly enjoys at Otto Rothchild’s restaurant in the Los Angeles Music Center. I would like very much to prepare the Chinese chicken salad for him. Can you help?

--FRANCES

Dear Frances: Chef Alvaro Jimenez was kind enough to send the recipe, which many Times employees who frequent Otto Rothchild’s also enjoy. The salad is just in time for spring lunch or light supper menus. The crisp, fried won tons are an interesting addition to this salad.

SHREDDED ORIENTAL CHICKEN SALAD

3/4 head iceberg lettuce, torn in small pieces

3/4 pound boneless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

3/4 cup diagonally sliced celery

1/3 cup diagonally sliced green onions

2 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds

3/4 cup Sesame Dressing

12 green lettuce leaves

3 tablespoon minced red candied ginger

3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

3 ounces Oriental rice noodles, deep-fried until puffy

12 orange slices

3 ounces won ton skins, cut in thin strips and fried until crisp

Place torn lettuce, chicken, celery, green onions and toasted almonds in mixing bowl. Ladle dressing over salad ingredients. Toss to coat evenly with dressing.

Mound tossed salad in center of large individual plates or bowls lined with 2 lettuce leaves each. Sprinkle drained candied ginger in center of mound. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Arrange exploded noodles around base of salad, breaking up if necessary. Place 2 twisted orange slices on each side of salad. Garnish with fried won ton skins. Makes 6 servings.

Sesame Dressing

1 cup red wine vinegar (Koon Chun preferably)

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 3/4 cups sugar

Salt

Coarsely ground black pepper

3/4 tablespoon oil

1 1/2 teaspoons dark sesame oil

Combine vinegars, sugar, salt and pepper to taste in mixer bowl with whip attachment. Blend at low speed until sugar and salt dissolve.

With mixer on, add oils. Continue to mix until oils are blended into dressing, stopping machine and scraping bottom and sides of bowl to insure thorough blending of ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use. Stir dressing before using. Makes 2 1/4 cups.

Dear SOS: About five or six years ago I clipped a recipe for Pina Colada Cheesecake from The Times. I’ve lost the recipe and would appreciate another copy.

--ROSALYN

Dear Rosalyn: Here’s the Pina Colada Cheesecake recipe as we printed it in the Culinary SOS column back in 1981. Is it the one you want?

PINA COLADA CHEESECAKE

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup toasted shredded coconut, chopped fine

3 tablespoons sugar

1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 (16-ounce) can crushed pineapple in heavy syrup

5 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch

5 eggs

2 egg yolks

Grated peel of 1 lemon

1/2 cup canned cream of coconut

1/3 cup dark rum

Pineapple Topping

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

1/2 cup toasted shredded coconut

Combine graham cracker crumbs, finely chopped coconut and sugar. Stir in butter until all ingredients are moistened. Press crumbs on bottom and half-way up sides of 10-inch spring form pan. Set aside.

For filling, drain pineapple, reserving juice. Beat cream cheese and sugar in mixing bowl until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Beat in cornstarch. Beat in eggs and egg yolks, 1 at time, until well blended. Beat in lemon peel, cream of coconut and rum. Stir in 1/2 drained pineapple. Reserve remaining pineapple and liquid for topping. Pour filling into prepared crust.

Place in pan of hot water and bake at 350 degrees 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Spread Pineapple Topping over top of cheesecake. Sprinkle over nuts, then coconut. Chill until serving time.

Pineapple Topping

Reserved crushed pineapple and liquid

1 tablespoon arrowroot

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup dark rum

Blend together reserved pineapple juice and arrowroot in medium saucepan until smooth. Stir in reserved crushed pineapple, sugar and rum. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Boil and stir until clear and thickened. Cool.

Dear SOS: A few years ago you published a recipe for baked corned beef that I tried and my family loved. I have misplaced the recipe. If, by chance, you have it, would you reprint it?

--MISS I.

Dear Miss I.: Was it the corned beef recipe from Santa Anita Race Track, which was first cooked, then baked until the mustard glaze was set?

SANTA ANITA CORNED BEEF

1 (5- to 6-pound) corned beef brisket

3 tablespoons pickling spice

Prepared mustard

Mixed fruit jelly

Sesame seeds

Place brisket in boiling water to cover. Add pickling spice and simmer 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until tender. Do not overcook.

Remove brisket from pan and let stand 15 minutes. Place in baking pan and cover surface of beef lightly with prepared mustard. Let stand 10 minutes until mustard penetrates meat. Spread jelly over brisket and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 375 degrees 15 to 20 minutes or until set. makes 8 to 10 servings.