Cake, Salad and Kumquat Chutney

DEAR SOS: With St. Patrick’s Day here, I would like to make an Irish whiskey cake.

--CAROLE

DEAR SOS: How about this modernized version using cake mix? No one but the leprechauns need ever know.

SHORT-CUT IRISH

WHISKEY CAKE

1/2 cup Irish whiskey, about

Peel of 1 orange, cut up

1 (18.5-ounce) package butter recipe gold cake mix

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/2 cup water

3 eggs

1 (3 3/4-ounce) package vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

1/2 cup finely chopped raisins

Sweetened whipped cream, optional

Combine whiskey and orange peel and let soak 2 hours or more. Strain whiskey, discarding peel.

Reserve 1/4 cup orange-flavored whiskey for sprinkling on top of baked cake. Combine remaining 1/4 cup whiskey with cake mix in large bowl. Add butter, water, eggs and pudding mix. Blend until moistened. Scrape bowl and beaters. Beat at medium speed 4 minutes. Mix in walnuts and raisins.

Turn into greased and floured 10-inch fluted tube pan. Bake at 375 degrees 40 to 50 minutes or until wood pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.

Spoon reserved whiskey onto cake. Serve with whipped cream. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Note: Be sure to adhere strictly to packaged cake mix recommendation given. Recipe may or may not work with other types cake mix.

DEAR SOS: Please try to find out how Stage Deli makes their chunky chicken salad.

--ILENE

DEAR ILENE: Here’s the Stage Deli California Chicken Salad, a crunchy salad loaded with chunky chicken, celery and almonds, probably the type preferred by West Coast diners.

STAGE DELI

CALIFORNIA

CHICKEN SALAD

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup sour cream

Dash white pepper

6 (8-ounce) chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

1 bunch green onions, finely chopped

4 celery stalks, minced and pressed to remove excess water

1/2 cup golden raisins

1 cup sliced blanched almonds

Combine mayonnaise, honey, sour cream and white pepper in large bowl. Mix well. Add chicken, green onions, celery, raisins and almonds. Toss gently to coat chicken well. Chill well before serving. Makes 12 servings.

DEAR SOS: I have an abundance of kumquats from my garden and would love to make chutney. Do you have a recipe?

--DARLENE

DEAR DARLENE: We have printed this excellent chutney recipe several times since 1973. Anyone with a bountiful supply of kumquats from the garden might want to put up enough jars of chutney to give as holiday gifts next season.

KUMQUAT CHUTNEY

2 cups whole kumquats (1/2 pound)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 cups dark brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup water

3/4 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup raisins

1 pound rhubarb, cut in 1-inch pieces

1 cup chopped celery

1 large onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, mashed

1/4 cup slivered citron

Juice and grated zest of 1 large orange

1 cup peeled and chopped ginger root, about 6 ounces

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger, optional

1 teaspoon black pepper or 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

Wash kumquats in hot water. Slice kumquats lengthwise and remove seeds. Place in large heavy pan with sugars and water. Mix well and simmer slowly, uncovered, 30 minutes. Add vinegar, raisins, rhubarb, celery, onion, green pepper, garlic, citron, orange juice and zest, ginger root, Worcestershire, salt, curry powder, allspice and cinnamon. Mix well.

Stir and simmer slowly, uncovered, until mixture is dark in color, about 4 to 5 hours. Taste and add ginger and pepper, if needed. Pour into hot sterilized jars and seal immediately. Makes about 4 1/2 pints.

Only recipes of general interest will be printed. Send recipe request to Culinary SOS, Food Section, The Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, Calif. 90053. Include restaurant address when requesting recipes from restaurants. We are unable to answer recipe requests by mail.