To the Rescue With Recipes for Smoked Salmon Cheesecake, Baklava

DEAR SOS: Griswold’s Candlelight Pavilion in Claremont has superb entertainment and cuisine. I have become addicted to an appetizer they serve called smoked salmon cheesecake. Any chance of getting the recipe?

--MONA

DEAR MONA: Executive chef Kerry McCain credits the idea for the appetizer cheesecake to his brother, executive chef Larry Ross of Fess Parker’s Red Lion Inn in Santa Barbara. “Although he gave me the idea, I created this recipe and am proud to say that it is one of our biggest sellers,” McCain said. Enjoy.

CANDLELIGHT SMOKED SALMON CHEESECAKE

2 pounds cream cheese, softened

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup whipping cream

3 eggs

1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lime juice

1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill

3 (3-inch-thick) slices French bread

1 teaspoon melted butter

1 pound smoked salmon, boneless and skinless, sliced very thin

Topping

Place softened cream cheese in 3-speed mixer with paddle and mix until smooth. Using first speed add sour cream, little at time. Blend in whipping cream on first speed until no lumps appear. Add eggs, 1 at time, mixing well. Add lime juice and dill. Set aside.

Chop French bread in food processor until fine. Add melted butter and mix 5 seconds.

Place bread crumb mixture in 9-inch spring form pan. Spread evenly with fork over bottom of pan. Do not make crust too thick. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown. Cool.

Place layer of cream cheese filling to cover bottom of pan. Then place thin slices salmon on top. Repeat until pan is full, ending with cream cheese mixture. Bake at 300 degrees 2 hours. Turn heat off and let cheesecake remain in oven 1 hour longer. Chill overnight.

When ready to serve, spread Topping over top of cake. Place in center of oven and bake at 250 degrees 10 minutes. Cool completely before slicing to serve as appetizers. Makes 8 to 10 appetizer servings.

Topping

8 ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

Blend cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Use as spread. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

DEAR SOS: I am interested in making my own Baklava, if there is a relatively easy recipe.

--JANE

DEAR JANE: Surprising as it may seem, Baklava is simple to prepare. You may, however, have to get the knack of working with filo dough because it dries out so quickly unless covered with a damp cloth when not in use. Filo is kept moist by brushing the layers with melted or clarified butter.

BAKLAVA

2 cups unsalted butter

15 to 16 filo sheets (about 1 pound)

2 cups chopped walnuts

Syrup

Melt butter until foam disappears and butter is clear. Brush bottom of 13x9-inch baking pan with melted butter. Place 3 filo sheets in bottom of pan. Brush each sheet with about 2 tablespoons butter and sprinkle top sheet with about 2 tablespoons nuts. Repeat, adding pastry sheets and brushing with butter and sprinkling with nuts, ending with pastry sheet. Brush top with remaining butter.

Trim dough and tuck edges underneath. Bake at 300 degrees 1 hour or until golden brown. Cool thoroughly in pan. Cut into 2 inch diamond shapes. Pour hot syrup over cooled Baklava. Let stand several hours or overnight. Makes 12 to 15 servings.

Syrup

2 1/4 cups sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

2 cups water

Combine sugar, corn syrup and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour or until thickened.

DEAR SOS: You once printed a recipe for Lamb Curry. It contained onion, coconut and curry powder. Will you provide the complete recipe, please?

--D.B.

Dear D.B.: We have several that fit the description. How about this recipe, which is relatively easy and an ideal dish to serve at a holiday buffet?

LAMB CURRY

2 pounds lean lamb, cubed

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup oil

2 medium onions, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

2 to 3 tablespoons curry powder

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup water

1/4 cup Madeira wine

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 small apples, peeled and diced

1/2 cup grated coconut

1/2 cup raisins

Hot cooked rice

Dredge lamb in flour and brown on all sides in hot oil. Add onions and cook, stirring, few minutes until onion is translucent, but not browned. Add salt, mustard, curry powder, sugar, water, Madeira, lemon juice and apples. Mix well.

Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, 60 minutes or until meat is tender. Stir in coconut and raisins. Cook 15 minutes longer. Serve over hot cooked rice. Makes 6 servings.