‘Life-Saving’ Help for Hunter of Mousse Recipe

DEAR SOS: About 10 years ago, The Times’ Sunday Home magazine featured a recipe for Chocolate Mousse Sanglier. My family kills for this dessert, but after all these years I have managed to lose my cherished recipe and now my life is on the line. I would greatly appreciate your research efforts in locating this recipe.

--IMELDA

DEAR IMELDA: Hold the guillotine. We managed to locate and tow in the recipe by the scruff of the neck. It’s now back in your hands without another word said.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE SANGLIER

1/3 cup sugar minus 1 tablespoon

1/4 cup water

2 egg whites, at room temperature

1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces

1/4 cup rum

3 cups whipping cream

Place sugar in saucepan with water and cook just to point when syrup barely turns pale golden color or just before mixture begins to caramelize. Beat egg whites until foamy, and gradually add sugar syrup, beating constantly.

Melt chocolate with rum and fold into sugar mixture. Cool 2 hours in refrigerator.

Whip cream and fold into chocolate mixture. Spoon into serving dishes, demitasse or stemmed glasses. Makes 8 servings.

DEAR SOS: I have looked everywhere for a Pineapple-Macadamia Nut Cake recipe and now I need your help.

--MARIE

DEAR MARIE: Please, let us help you.

PINEAPPLE-MACADAMIA NUT BREAD

4 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup oil

3/4 cup pineapple juice

1/2 cup canned crushed pineapple with juice

1 tablespoon baking powder

3 cups flour

1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts

Combine eggs, sugar, oil, juice and pineapple and mix well. Sift together baking powder and flour and mix into pineapple mixture. Fold in nuts.

Pour into greased 9x5-inch loaf pan lined with wax paper and bake at 350 degrees about 50 minutes. Or fill greased muffin pans 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees 25 minutes. Makes 1 loaf or 18 muffins.

DEAR SOS: I’d like to serve steak soup for my holiday buffet but don’t have a recipe. Can you help?

--JERRY

DEAR JERRY: We shall. The recipe is from Clinker-Dagger restaurant in Cerritos, Calif.

CLINKER-DAGGER’S STEAK SOUP

1 cup butter or margarine

1 1/2 cups chopped onions

1 1/2 cups sliced carrots

1 cup diced celery

1 cup flour

1 pound ground beef

2 1/2 quarts water

1 (8-ounce) can chopped tomatoes

1/3 cup beef stock base

Pepper

1 (10-ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables

Melt butter in large saucepan. Add onions, carrots and celery. Saute until onions are tender, about 15 minutes. Add flour and stir until well blended and smooth. Cook until mixture boils around edges, but do not overcook or roux will break down. Set aside.

Crumble ground beef on jellyroll pan and pat into layer 1-inch thick. Bake at 350 degrees 15 to 20 minutes or until meat is browned and attractive in color. Color of beef will determine color of soup.

Drain fat. Break meat into 1/2-inch chunks. Add 1/2 water to saucepan containing vegetables. Cook 10 minutes, until mixture comes to simmer. Add tomatoes, beef chunks and beef stock base. Season to taste with pepper.

Cook, stirring, 10 minutes. Add remaining water and frozen vegetables. Cook 5 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender. Do not boil. Makes 16 cups.