Crazy for Coconut Custard Pie

DEAR SOS: My entire family is in love with anything made with coconut. Last week we enjoyed the best coconut custard pie at Ed Debevic’s on La Cienega in Beverly Hills. Now they will not let me rest until I can duplicate it. Better yet, I’m hoping Ed’s will share the recipe.

--SHERI

DEAR SHERI: What good luck for you and us. We love things made with coconut, too, and were thrilled to have this old-time recipe from a modern old-time place.

ED’S COCONUT CREAM PIE

2 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Milk

3/4 cup half and half

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 3/4 cup coconut

Baked Pie Shell

Whipped cream

Toasted coconut

Place eggs in mixing bowl and whisk 1 minute. Add vanilla and 1/4 cup sugar and whisk until smooth. Add flour and cornstarch. Whisk until smooth. Gradually add 3/4 cup milk, whisking until smooth. Set aside.

Place 1 1/2 cups milk and half and half in stainless steel saucepan. Add 1/2 cup plus 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar all at once, covering entire surface. Do not stir. Bring to boil. Gradually whisk in egg mixture. Whisk in pan while bringing to boil. Continue to whisk and cook 20 seconds.

Pour into mixing bowl and whisk in butter until melted. Fold in coconut. Pour coconut cream mixture into Baked Pie Shell. Cover pie and crust completely with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours.

Peel off plastic and cut into wedges. Top with whipped cream and toasted coconut. Makes 1 (9-inch) pie.

Baked Pie Shell

1 3/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup shortening

3 tablespoons ice water

Place flour and salt in mixing bowl. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle water around edges and toss to blend in with fork until dough forms ball. Wrap dough in plastic and chill 1 hour.

Roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness on floured board. Place dough in greased 9-inch pie plate. Pierce bottom of pie shell with fork, then line pie shell with parchment paper or greased aluminum foil. Spread beans or rice to weight down.

Bake at 400 degrees 20 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully remove beans or rice. Peel off paper or foil. Bake 10 minutes longer or until crust is golden. Set aside to cool.

DEAR SOS: I am 15 years old and will be giving my parents their third annual anniversary dinner. I would like a recipe for a Mexican vegetable dish which can be used as a first, not main course. Something elegant would be very much appreciated.

--MATTHEW

DEAR MATTHEW: I have a feeling we missed an anniversary, but never mind. This elegant stuffed chile recipe, which came from an elegant restaurant, St. Estephe in Manhattan Beach, will work splendidly as a first course or appetizer for other occasions, as well.

GREEN CHILES STUFFED WITH MUSHROOM DUXELLES

3/4 pound mushrooms

1/2 cup whipping cream

Salt

White pepper

6 poblano chiles or small green peppers, roasted, peeled and seeded

Cheme de Chevre

Puree mushrooms. Combine with whipping cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Make slit lengthwise in chiles, remove seeds and stuff with mushroom mixture. Close chiles, wrap in plastic wrap and steam on rack over simmering water 5 minutes.

Serve with Creme de Chevre or pour sauce in bottom of large serving platter and arrange chiles over sauce. Serve chiles with some of sauce spooned over. Makes 6 servings.

Creme de Chevre

1 cup whipping cream

2 1/2 ounces goat cheese

1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic

Bring cream to simmer in saucepan. Add cheese and garlic. Pass sauce through strainer or colander. Makes 1 1/3 cups.

DEAR SOS: About four years ago The Times’ Food Section had a recipe for Strawberry Bread with beaten egg whites. I lost the recipe and would love to have it again.

--EIKO

DEAR EIKO: Great timing with strawberries at the low-cost peak. I hope this is the recipe you want. We have several similar recipes.

FRESH STRAWBERRY BREAD

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon almond extract, about

2 eggs, separated

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup crushed or chopped fresh strawberries

Cream together butter, sugar and almond extract. Beat in egg yolks 1 at time. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture alternately with strawberries to creamed mixture.

Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into strawberry mixture. Line 9x5-inch loaf pan with greased wax paper. Turn batter into pan. Bake at 350 degrees 50 to 60 minutes or until bread tests done. Cool 15 minutes on rack. Remove from pan and cool. Makes 1 loaf.

Only recipes of general interest will be printed. We are unable to answer all requests. 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.