Mushroom Salad Will Go Down as a Classic

DEAR SOS: Before Le St. Germain passes into restaurant history, see if you can get the recipe for mushroom salad, one of the great appetizer salads in my nonagenarian memory.

--MINNIE

DEAR MINNIE: How wise of you to ask. Le St. Germain, as you well know, was one of the first fine French restaurants to pave the way for the inspired restaurant city that Los Angeles has become. Paul Bruggemans, who operated Le St. Germain with the late Camille Bardot, will continue to operate his restaurant, Vallarois, in Palm Springs, but his contribution to Los Angeles will not be forgotten. Le St. Germain was a classic. And so is their mushroom salad.

LE ST. GERMAIN MARINATED MUSHROOM SALAD

1 pound large white mushrooms

Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 tablespoons chopped chives

Vinaigrette

Sliced tomatoes

Slice mushrooms and toss with lemon juice to prevent darkening. Add parsley, chives and Vinaigrette. Toss, chill, then toss again before serving. Garnish with a few tomato slices. Makes 4 servings.

Note: For variation use any onion, any cheese, or any vegetables, or a combination in salad.

Vinaigrette

3 tablespoons vinegar

2 tablespoons prepared mustard

1 cup oil

Dash wine

Salt, pepper

Blend together vinegar and mustard. Gradually add oil, pouring in thin steam and beating until mixture thickens slightly. Add wine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

DEAR SOS: Some years ago you printed a recipe for Portuguese Sweet Bread. Can you find it?

--NELLIE

DEAR NELLIE: Readers usually fall in love with Portuguese Sweet Bread after tasting it in Hawaii, where it is popularly sold. It’s a wonderful holiday bread to serve or give as a house gift.

PORTUGUESE SWEET BREAD

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup butter or margarine

Sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 packages dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

7 cups flour, about

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

3 eggs

Topping

Combine milk and butter in small saucepan. Heat until butter is melted. Place 1 cup sugar and salt in large mixing bowl. Add milk mixture and stir until sugar and salt are dissolved.

Combine yeast, warm water and 1/4 teaspoon sugar and let stand until yeast is dissolved. Add 2 cups flour, enough to make batter, to milk mixture in bowl and beat well. Mix in dissolved yeast, vanilla and cardamom, then beat in eggs, 1 at time.

Add enough flour to make dough stiff enough to knead. Turn out on floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, working in additional flour, as needed. Place dough in greased bowl, turning to grease all sides. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled.

Punch dough down, turn out and knead well. Cover with bowl and let stand 15 minutes. Divide dough in half. Form each half into ball. Place each in well-greased 8- or 9-inch cake pan. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled.

Sprinkle 1/2 Topping over each loaf. Bake at 350 degrees 35 to 45 minutes, or until loaves are browned and sound hollow when lightly tapped. Remove from pans and place on racks to cool. Makes 2 loaves.

Topping

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons butter, softened

Combine sugar, flour and nutmeg in small bowl. Mix in butter with fork until crumbly.

DEAR SOS: Please print a recipe similar to the honey-nut crunch, a combination of popcorn and almonds tossed with honey-based syrup and baked. It’s excellent for the holiday season.

--CLARE

DEAR CLARE: It also comes under the name of caramel nut corn or Honey Crackle.

HONEY CRACKLE

3 quarts freshly popped corn

1 cup blanched slivered almonds

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 cup lightly brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

Turn popped corn into large, shallow roasting pan. Sprinkle almonds over corn.

Melt butter in 1-quart saucepan. Stir in sugar and honey. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until mixture comes to boil. Simmer without stirring 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over popped corn and almonds and stir until well mixed. Bake at 250 degrees, stirring every 15 minutes, 1 hour. Cool completely. Break apart and store in tightly covered container. Makes about 3 quarts.

DEAR SOS: I have been using imitation crab meat in salads, but would like a hot company dish for variety. Do you have a recipe?

--ANA

DEAR ANA: Gage & Tollner Crab Meat Dewey will probably fit the bill. Crab meat Deweys abound in restaurants around the country, but the original was said to have been created for Adm. George Dewey (of Spanish-American War fame). His direct descendant, Gertrude Dewey, wife of the owner of Gage & Tollner’s in New York occasionally cooks the recipe offered in honor of her famous ancestor.

GAGE & TOLLNER CRAB MEAT DEWEY

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups hot milk

Salt, pepper

1 small parboiled green pepper, cut into 1/2-inch squares

1 pimiento, cut into 1/2-inch squares

1 1/2 pounds imitation or regular crab meat or 3 (6.5-ounce) cans crab meat, drained

1 cup grated Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup bread crumbs

Melt butter in medium saucepan. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in hot milk. Cook and stir until mixture is thickened, or to consistency of medium cream sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Gently fold in green pepper, pimiento and crab meat. Spoon into individual ramekins. Mix Cheddar cheese with bread crumbs. Sprinkle over ramekins. Bake at 350 degrees 15 minutes or until bubbly and cheese melts. Makes 4 to 6 entree, or 8 appetizer servings.

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.