A Steakhouse’s Version of Dutch Apple Pie

DEAR SOS: My husband and I eat at Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Beverly Hills quite often and they have the best apple pie I have ever tasted. Can you obtain their recipe?

SUSAN

DEAR SUSAN: Ruth’s Chris Steak House does produce a fabulous Dutch apple pie that we compare to the best. The pie, with a streusel crumb topping probably originated with the Pennsylvania Dutch. The pie is standard throughout the Eastern seaboard but rarely is seen on the West Coast, so we’re delighted the restaurant supplied the recipe.

RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE DUTCH APPLE PIE

1 3/4 cups water

6 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed

Dash nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 ounce orange liqueur

4 medium apples, peeled, cored and sliced into wheels

3 tablespoons raisins

2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

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

Crumb Topping

Combine 1 1/2 cups water, sugars, nutmeg, cinnamon and liqueur in large saucepan. Bring almost to boil. Add apple slices and cook 4 minutes. Add raisins. Cook 2 minutes or until apples are no longer crisp, but not mushy.

Mix cornstarch into 1/4 cup water and add to apple mixture. Continue cooking, stirring until slightly thickened and clear. Pour into baked pie shells, making slight mound on each. Crumble topping on pie, making large mound, being sure to cover filling completely. Bake at 350 degrees 45 to 50 minutes, or until browned. Makes about 8 servings.

Crumb Topping

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 3/4 cups self-rising flour, lightly packed

3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened

Combine sugars, flour, nutmeg and cinnamon, mixing thoroughly. In another bowl, combine vanilla and butter, then add to dry mixture. Be sure butter is mixed in thoroughly. Consistency should be moist but not wet, and dry but not powdery. Makes 4 cups streusel.

DEAR SOS: Like so many friends we are strong on poultry and fish. Do you have a good recipe for ground turkey meat loaf. We love meat loaf with mashed potatoes and the leftovers for sandwiches.

--MAE

DEAR MAE: Good for you. Turkey makes good health sense to avoid high cholesterol and fat, particularly since the skin is removed before the turkey is ground. Ground turkey can be drier than most meats generally used for meat loaf, but by adding evaporated milk to the mixture and keeping the loaf insulated with a catsup topping during baking you will have a fairly firm but moist loaf. Good for sandwiches, surely.

PERFECT TURKEY LOAF

2 pounds ground turkey

3 slices day-old bread, crumbled

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 medium onion, chopped

1/4 cup minced green pepper

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 cup evaporated milk

3/4 cup catsup

Combine ground turkey, bread, eggs, onion, green pepper, horseradish, salt, mustard, milk and 1/4 cup catsup. Mold into loaf pan. Spread with remaining catsup and bake at 375 degrees 1 1/4 hours. Unmold and use pan liquid for gravy. Or chill and slice for sandwiches. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

DEAR SOS: Back in August a reader asked for a brownie recipe made with a chocolate cake mix. I believe this recipe, which ran several years ago in your paper, is the one she wanted, since it is made with German chocolate cake mix.

DEAR VANESSA: The name of the recipe, formerly Turtle Brownies, has been changed to comply with trademark rights of the candy makers who hold the title by law. But what’s in a name? The recipe, by the way, is a My Best Recipe prize-winner from Norma Keen of Escondido, who said it came from a friend in Texas.

PECAN-CARAMEL-CAKE MIX BROWNIES

1 (14-ounce) package caramels

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1 (18 1/2-ounce) box German chocolate cake mix

3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup chopped nuts

1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate pieces

Combine caramels and 1/3 cup evaporated milk in top of double boiler. Heat over simmering water, stirring until melted.

Combine cake mix, remaining 1/3 cup evaporated milk and soft butter. Mix until mixture holds together. Stir in nuts. Press half of cake mix mixture in greased 13x9-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees 6 minutes.

Sprinkle chocolate pieces evenly over top. Pour melted caramels over. Crumble remaining cake mix mixture on top of caramels. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until desired doneness (shorter baking time results in moister product). Cool slightly and cut into bars. Makes about 12 servings.

DEAR SOS: I have become addicted to Carlos ‘n’ Pepe’s tuna dip. I would love to serve it at my next party if you could get the recipe.

--BOB

DEAR BOB: Try this similar dip from Carlos ‘n’ Charlie’s.

CARLOS ‘N’ CHARLIE’S

TUNA DIP

1 (14-ounce) can tuna

1 (6-ounce) jar or can jalapeno chiles

1 onion, minced

1/2 cup mayonnaise

Chopped cilantro

Tortilla chips

Mix tuna with chopped jalapeno chiles in jalapeno liquid. Add onion to tuna mixture. Stir in mayonnaise until consistency is mushy. Sprinkle cilantro on top and serve with tortilla chips as dip. Makes 6 servings.