‘Breakfast Potatoes’ Can Be Served All the Time

DEAR SOS: The Cliff House restaurant in Playa del Rey serves a delicious side dish of cottage potatoes with sauteed onions and peppers. Is it possible to get the recipe?

--SANDY

DEAR SANDY: They’re called Breakfast Potatoes, but what a good accompaniment they make for barbecue roasts or grilled meats, fish or poultry. They can also be conveniently heated on the grill.

CLIFF HOUSE BREAKFAST POTATOES

6 medium white potatoes

1 white onion, chopped

2 sweet red peppers, diced

2 green peppers, diced

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Bake potatoes at 350 degrees 30 minutes. Refrigerate until cold. Do not peel.

Saute onion, red and green peppers in butter until peppers are tender. Add garlic powder, salt and pepper. Slice potatoes and add to onion mixture. Saute until potatoes are tender and flavors blend. Makes 8 servings.

DEAR SOS: Some years ago The Times Sunday magazine section published a recipe for tea scones, using self-rising flour. I have misplaced the recipe and would be grateful for a copy.

--MARGARET

DEAR MARGARET: According to the accompanying article back in 1988, the recipe came from Mamie Meechan of Edinburgh, who prepares the scones whenever she visits her daughter in Long Beach.

AFTERNOON TEA SCONES

2 cups self-rising flour

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 tablespoon sugar

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

Place flour in large bowl. Cut in butter with fork or pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in sugar. Beat egg and milk together with whisk. Gradually and lightly stir in all but 1 tablespoon of liquid to obtain soft dough.

Turn out onto floured board and lightly pat dough into a round, handling as little as possible. With floured rolling pin, roll dough to about 3/4-inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch round with biscuit cutter. (If pastry sticks to cutter, dip cutter in flour.)

Place rounds 1 inch apart on lightly greased baking sheet. Press trimmings together lightly and reroll to cut more rounds. Brush tops of scones with remaining 1 tablespoon egg and milk mixture. Bake at 450 degrees 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack. Serve with butter and raspberry jam. Makes 12 scones.

Note: Scones may be frozen. Leftovers can be toasted.

DEAR SOS: My husband’s family would like to have a recipe for Hot Coleslaw. They claim it is made with green cabbage. Can you help?

--MARY

DEAR MARY: We appreciate the timely suggestion. Coleslaw, hot or cold, is just right for summer menus.

HOT COLESLAW

4 slices bacon

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup vinegar

1/4 cup evaporated milk

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

Dash paprika

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

5 cups shredded cabbage

Fry bacon in large skillet until crisp. Remove and crumble bacon. Add flour to drippings and blend well. Add vinegar, evaporated milk and eggs to flour mixture, stirring constantly. Stir over low heat until thickened. Add crumbled bacon, sugar, salt, dry mustard, paprika, pepper and cabbage. Cook, stirring lightly, just until heated through.

Fold in crumbled bacon and serve immediately. Makes 4 to 6 servings.