<i> Creme Brulee</i> Is a Delicious Treat at Citrus Restaurant

DEAR SOS: The Citrus restaurant on Melrose Avenue has the most delicious creme brulee. I would love to have the recipe.

--ALMA

DEAR ALMA: You, me and a few million people out there would like the recipe. Let’s share it.

CITRUS CREME BRULEE

10 eggs, separated

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup milk

2 1/4 cup whipping cream

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

Mix egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar until well combined and sugar has dissolved. Add milk, whipping cream and vanilla and mix well.

Place 1 (9x13-inch) glass baking dish or 6 (5-inch) fluted glass flan dishes in baking pan. Pour mixture into baking dish or fill flan dishes 3/4 full with creme brulee mixture. Place in oven and fill baking sheet 3/4 full with hot water. Bake at 350 degrees 30 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Remove dishes from hot water bath and set aside to cool.

Combine remaining 1/4 cup granulated and brown sugar. Sprinkle top of each serving evenly with combined sugars. Caramelize with torch. If torch is not available, place creme brulee in refrigerator until chilled. When ready to serve, place sugar-coated creme in preheated boiler 5 minutes to brown, being careful not to scorch. Makes 6 servings.

Note: If using 9x13-inch baking dish, individual servings may be cut out with cookie cutter for scalloped effect, if desired.

DEAR SOS: Recently a friend and I lunched at 72 Market Street in Venice. We thoroughly enjoyed the meat loaf and asked if they could supply us with the recipe. The waiter replied that, indeed, copies of the recipe had been printed up, but the restaurant was out of copies. He suggested that since the recipe was also printed in The Times, I might be able to get the recipe from you. Can you help?

--STEVE

DEAR STEVE: Certainly, and with pleasure. The meat loaf by chef Leonard Schwartz is a work of art in flavor, texture and overall enjoyment.

72 MARKET STREET MEAT LOAF

3/4 cup minced onion

3/4 cup minced green onions

1/2 cup minced celery

1/2 cup minced carrot

1/4 cup minced green pepper

1/4 cup minced sweet red pepper

2 teaspoons minced garlic

3 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup half and half

1/2 cup catsup

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1/2 pound lean ground pork

3 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup dry bread crumbs

Gravy

Saute onion, green onions, celery, carrot, green pepper, red pepper and garlic in butter until vegetables are tender and liquid is absorbed. Cool and reserve.

Combine salt, cayenne, black pepper, white pepper, cumin and nutmeg and add to vegetable mixture. Stir in half and half, catsup, beef, pork, eggs and bread crumbs. Mix well.

Form into loaf and place on greased baking sheet or 9x5-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees 45 to 50 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Pour off excess fat. Slice and serve with Gravy. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Gravy

4 shallots, minced

2 tablespoons butter

1 sprig thyme

1 bay leaf

Dash crushed black pepper

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup veal or beef stock

1 cup chicken stock

Salt, pepper

Saute shallots in 1 tablespoon butter with thyme, bay leaf and black pepper. Add white wine and simmer over high heat until reduced to glaze.

Add beef stock and chicken stock and simmer over high heat until reduced by 1/3 or 1/2. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir until butter melts and sauce blends in. Discard bay leaf. Serve with meat loaf. Makes 1 cup.

DEAR SOS: I am interested in a recipe for ice cream made with tofu. It would seem that because of the high protein and low fat composition of tofu it would make an extremely healthful ice cream--a contradiction in terms really, so call it, rather, frozen tofu dessert.

--MARY JANE

DEAR MARY JANE: Why not?

FROZEN ALMOND TOFU DESSERT

1 (30-ounce) carton soy bean pudding

2/3 cup honey

2 teaspoons almond extract

Whip soy bean pudding until smooth and creamy. Add honey and almond extract. Process in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. Makes about 1 quart.

DEAR SOS: I would like a good recipe for Hot Cross Buns. It may be a little early to be thinking about these buns, but they are good any time of the year.

--ELSIE

DEAR ELSIE: Ditto. Besides, Easter is just around the corner.

HOT CROSS BUNS

1 cup milk

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup shortening

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup warm water

2 envelopes dry yeast

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

4 1/2 cups flour

1 cup raisins

3 tablespoons melted butter

Sugar Icing

Scald milk and stir in sugar, shortening and salt. Cool to lukewarm. Measure warm water into large warm bowl and sprinkle in yeast. Let stand about 5 minutes, then stir until dissolved. Add lukewarm milk mixture, egg, egg yolk, cinnamon and cardamom. Beat in about 1 1/2 cups flour. Stir in additional flour to make soft dough.

Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 to 8 minutes. Shape into ball and place in greased bowl and turn to grease top. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.

Punch dough down and knead in raisins. Divide dough into 16 portions and roll each into ball. Arrange balls of dough about 1/2 inch apart on greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk.

Bake at 350 degrees 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden. Remove from baking sheet and brush with melted butter. Cool slightly and decorate tops with crosses made with Sugar Icing. Makes 16 buns.

Sugar Icing

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 tablespoons water

Blend powdered sugar, salt and vanilla with enough water to make good spreading consistency.

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.