El Cholo’s Scrumptious Flan May Well Fit Into Your Dessert Plans

Dear SOS: I had dinner at El Cholo restaurant in Los Angeles and ordered flan for dessert. It was the best flan I have ever tasted. Please see if you can obtain the recipe for me.

--MARGARET

Dear Margaret: Me, thee and all of you out there. This is a scrumptious flan. It’s worth every minute of effort it will take to make it. You can vary the flan by adding fruit as a garnish.

EL CHOLO FLAN

2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk

2 cups milk

1/2 cup cream of coconut

1/2 cup corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

6 eggs

1 cup sugar

Place sweetened condensed milk, milk, cream of coconut, corn syrup, vanilla and eggs in blender container. Blend thoroughly, or whisk vigorously with wire whip to blend well.

Melt sugar in heavy skillet over low heat, stirring occasionally to keep caramel from scorching. Add few drops of water little at time, stirring until caramel is of spreading consistency.

Distribute caramel evenly among 8 (4 1/2- to 5-ounce) custard cups, tilting cups to spread caramel evenly. Or spread in 13x9-inch rectangular baking pan. Pour flan into caramel-lined cups or pan and place in shallow baking pan with 1/4-inch hot water.

Cover with foil and bake cups at 350 degrees 50 minutes, or baking pan 60 minutes, or until firm. When cool, place in refrigerator about 1 hour.

To serve, run knife around outer edges of cups or pan and invert on serving platter. Makes 8 servings.

Dear SOS: I lost a recipe for stuffed tuna loaf I clipped from the paper in the ‘50s. I would appreciate anything you can do.

--NANCY

Dear Nancy: Ah, another ‘50s-type recipe request, which shows they are coming back into vogue, probably because they are simple, low-cost, nutritious and satisfying. This stuffed loaf makes use of bottled salad dressing, but you can use your own homemade version, too.

STUFFED TUNA LOAF

1 loaf Italian bread

1 (9 1/4-ounce) can tuna

1 (3-ounce) can chopped mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 1/2 cups sliced stuffed olives, optional

1/2 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup creamy salad dressing

Cut thin slice from top of bread loaf. Carefully scoop out enough crumbs from center to make 2 cups loosely packed. Combine tuna, mushrooms with broth, celery, olives, onion, salad dressing and bread crumbs. Mix well and pack lightly into loaf. Replace top and wrap in foil. Bake at 375 degrees 55 to 60 minutes. Slice to serve. Makes 4 servings.

Dear SOS: Several years ago you published a recipe for fruit leather. Would you please repeat it?

--CHARLOTTE

Dear Charlotte: Certainly. And do take advantage of the lower prices of summer fruit while in season to make other fruit leathers for gift-giving later in the year. They freeze well.

PEACH LEATHER

10 large fully ripe peaches, nectarines, plums or apricots

1 cup sugar

Peel and slice peaches to measure 10 cups. Place fruit in large saucepan. Add sugar and bring mixture to boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Pour mixture into blender container and puree. Cool to lukewarm.

Meanwhile, prepare smooth, level drying surface in full sunlight. Cover baking sheets, jelly-roll pans, or other flat surfaces with plastic wrap. Pour peach puree onto prepared surface, spread to 1/8-inch thickness, and let dry in sunlight. Cover with screen to avoid insects.

Drying may take 20 to 24 hours. Bring puree inside at end of day and finish drying second day. Or set sheets of fruit in baking pans in oven at 150 degrees and leave door open. Fruit is dry when puree can be peeled off plastic easily.

For storing, roll up leather with plastic wrap. Wrap in more plastic wrap and seal tightly. Leather will keep at room temperature about 1 month; in refrigerator 4 months; in freezer 1 year. Tear or cut into strips to eat. Makes 3 (15x10-inch) sheets.

Dear SOS: In answer to a Verlinda’s request for a good glaze for strawberry pie like the commercial type, I believe this is what she is looking for.

--MAXINE

Dear Maxine: Let’s see if it is. We hope so. And thanks for sharing.

MAXINE’S STRAWBERRY GLAZE PIE

1 quart strawberries

1 cup sugar

3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/2 tablespoons strawberry gelatin

1 cup water

2 tablespoon white corn syrup

4 drops red food color

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 (9- or 10-inch) baked pie shell

Sweetened whipped cream or non-dairy topping, optional

Wash and stem berries. Dry well on paper towels.

Mix sugar, cornstarch and gelatin in heavy saucepan. Add water, corn syrup and food color. Heat to boiling. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add lemon juice and set aside. Allow to cool.

Arrange berries stem-side down in baked pie shell. Spoon or pour glaze over berries, coating berries well. Place in refrigerator to set. Dollop with whipped cream. Makes 1 (9- or 10-inch) pie.

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.