Bread Pudding, Cucumber Soup, Sticky Bones

DEAR SOS: How about a recipe for the capirotada from the Border Grill in West Hollywood? It’s a great bread pudding, unlike any I’ve had.

--SHARON

DEAR SHARON: Here’s the recipe from chefs Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken. Granny Smith Apples, which give the pudding bite and texture, jazz up the traditional, rustic Spanish pudding. It is also wonderful served warm with vanilla ice cream.

CAPIROTADA BORDER GRILL

12 tablespoons butter

8 ounces French bread cubes with crusts on

1 1/2 cups water

2 1/4 cups brown sugar, packed

Ground cinnamon

Apple juice or cider

6 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 large Granny Smith apples

1 cup walnuts, chopped

Sour cream or whipped cream

Melt 10 tablespoons butter and place in large bowl. Add bread cubes and mix well. Place mixture on baking sheet and toast at 350 degrees 10 minutes or until golden and crisp.

Combine water, brown sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon in saucepan. Simmer over low heat 5 minutes or until mixture forms thin syrup. Measure syrup. Add enough apple juice or cider to equal 2 cups. Whisk in cream cheese, then remaining 2 tablespoons softened butter. Set aside.

Peel, core and chop apples. Combine apples and walnuts with bread cubes in well-buttered 13x9-inch baking pan. Drizzle brown sugar syrup over bread mixture. Sprinkle top with more cinnamon.

Bake at 325 degrees 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until top is brown and crusty and juice thickens slightly. Serve warm with sour cream. Or serve chilled with whipped cream. Makes about 12 servings.

DEAR SOS: I cannot imagine a cold cucumber soup better than that served at the Velvet Turtle restaurant in Fullerton, Calif. Can you obtain the recipe for me?

--PAUL

DEAR PAUL: It’s a refreshing cold soup for hot summer days.

VELVET TURTLE CUCUMBER SOUP

1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced

1 onion, coarsely chopped

1 cup chopped leek (white part only)

Butter or margarine

Salt, pepper

2 tablespoons dry white wine

2 cups water

1 1/2 teaspoons chicken seasoned base

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

5 drops hot pepper sauce

Dash chopped fresh or dried dill weed

1/2 cup half and half, if needed

Sour cream, optional

Reserve 1/2 cup diced cucumber. Saute onion, leek and remaining cucumber in 2 tablespoons butter until onion is transparent. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add wine, water and chicken base and bring to boil. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in small pan and blend in flour. Add to onion mixture, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour.

Process soup in blender about 15 seconds, then strain through fine sieve. Add whipping cream, lemon juice, hot pepper sauce, dill and reserved diced cucumber.

Cool soup completely, correct seasoning and add half and half if soup is too thick.

Serve in chilled soup cups. Add 1/2 teaspoon sour cream to each serving and garnish with lemon wedge and parsley, if desired. Makes 6 servings.

DEAR SOS: It is such fun in the summer to have a barbecue around the pool. I have lost my recipe for Sticky Bones. Everyone loved it.

--MRS. B.J.B.

DEAR MRS. B.J.B.: Sticky Bones happens to be our favorite too. Have a finger lickin’ good time.

STICKY BONES

1 cup vinegar

1/2 cup honey

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup catsup

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

4 pounds beef ribs

Combine vinegar, honey, Worcestershire, catsup, salt, mustard, paprika, pepper and garlic in saucepan. Cover, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.

Place ribs in single layer in baking pan. Cover with hot marinade, then bake ribs at 325 degrees 1 hour, turning and basting often with marinade. Or grill over medium coals, basting and turning often until browned, about 20 minutes. Makes 8 servings.