Patout: Cajun-Style Bread Pudding

DEAR SOS: Patout’s restaurant in West Los Angeles serves a great Cajun bread pudding. I’d love the recipe, if you can get it.

--GLENN

DEAR GLENN: Patout’s sent their sweet, creamy, nut-filled version just in time for last-minute Thanksgiving cooks.

PATOUT’S BREAD PUDDING

1/4 cup butter, melted

13 cups stale bread, cut into cubes

3 cups sugar

8 eggs

4 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Whiskey Caramel Sauce

Chantilly Cream

Pour melted butter over bread cubes in baking pan and toss to coat well. Bake at 350 degrees until toasted, tossing occasionally, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Mix sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon in bowl. Pour over bread cubes, mixing well. Add pecans and mix lightly. Turn into 13x9-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees 45 to 55 minutes or until set. Cover with foil, if top seems to be browning too fast. Serve warm with Whiskey Caramel Sauce and Chantilly Cream. Makes 12 servings.

Whiskey Caramel Sauce

1 cup half and half

1 cup granulated sugar

5 teaspoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 tablespoon Johnny Walker Red Whiskey

Heat half and half in saucepan.

Meanwhile, melt granulated sugar in heavy saucepan or skillet until golden caramel. Add brown sugar and mix well. Slowly add hot half and half until combined. Do not stir. (If mixture bubbles and rises, half and half is being added too fast.) Add vanilla and whiskey. Sauce does not need to be refrigerated. Makes about 1 cup.

Chantilly Cream

2 cups whipping cream

4 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon Grand Marnier

Beat cream until frothy. Beat in sugar until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in vanilla and Grand Marnier until stiff. Refrigerate until ready to use.

DEAR SOS: Do you have a recipe for chili made with chicken rather than beef?

--LUCILLE

DEAR LUCILLE: We certainly do. Here’s a recipe using either chicken or, for that matter, leftovers from the Thanksgiving turkey roast.

CHICKEN CHILI

1 large onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 stalk celery, chopped

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can whole tomatoes

2 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey

2 cups chicken or turkey broth

2 tablespoons diced green chiles

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground thyme

1/2 teaspoon ground oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

Hot cooked rice

Saute onion, garlic and celery in butter in large saucepan until tender. Stir in tomatoes with liquid, chicken, broth, chiles, chili powder, cumin, thyme, oregano and salt. Cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with hot cooked rice. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Note: If using cubed cooked turkey or chicken, add just to heat through after simmering spices in broth.