Crumb Cake and Stroganoff

DEAR SOS: The apple crumb cake served at Gulliver’s restaurant in Los Angeles is wonderful. Do you think the restaurant would share the recipe?

--MAUREEN

DEAR MAUREEN: The sweet apple crumb cake is no longer on the menu, but it still makes a fine do-ahead holiday dessert for a party crowd.

GULLIVER’S APPLE CRUMB CAKE

6 large green apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick

Grated zest of 1/2 lemon

1/2 (1-pound) box graham crackers, rolled into crumbs, about 4 1/3 cups

1 cup light-brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Butter

1 (10-ounce) jar currant jelly

1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped

1/2 cup toasted almond slices or 12 maraschino cherries

Place apple slices in bowl with lemon zest. Combine cracker crumbs, brown sugar and cinnamon in separate bowl and mix well.

Soften 1/3 cup butter at room temperature. Coat inside of 10-inch springform pan or parchment-lined cake pan with soft butter, then some of crumb mixture. Add 1/2 cup layer of crumbs in bottom of pan. Pack half apple mixture firmly half full over crumbs in pan.

Whip currant jelly. Spread on thick layer of jelly over apples. Sprinkle over 3/4 cup crumb mixture. Top with remaining apples. Make paste of remaining crumbs and 3/4 cup butter. Cover apples with crumb mixture, packing down firmly. Bake at 300 degrees 2 hours. Cool. Cut into 12 portions. Decorate with whipped cream rosettes and almonds. Makes 12 servings.

Each serving contains about:

360 calories; 189 mg sodium; 27 grams cholesterol; 11 grams fat; 68 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; .8 grams fiber; 27% calories from fat.

DEAR SOS: Would you please send me your Best Stroganoff recipe? Thanks.

--P.D.

DEAR P.D.: We like this recipe. Hope you do too.

BEEF STROGANOFF

4 tablespoons butter

1 clove garlic, minced

4 shallots, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

6 mushrooms, sliced

1 bay leaf

2 1/2 tablespoons flour

2 cups hot beef broth or consomme

6 tablespoons tomato sauce

1 1/2 pounds beef tenderloin ends

Salt, pepper

Crushed black pepper

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup dry Sherry

Dash hot pepper sauce

1/4 cup dairy sour cream

2 tablespoons chopped chives

Steamed rice

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in saucepan. Add garlic, shallots, onion, mushrooms and bay leaf. Saute until tender, but not browned. Discard bay leaf. Stir in flour until well-blended, add hot broth and tomato sauce and stir until well-blended. Cook and stir until smooth and slightly thickened. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Slice meat thinly and season to taste with salt and pepper. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet, add meat and cook until browned. Add Worcestershire, Sherry and hot pepper sauce and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Combine sauce with meat.

Just before serving, stir in sour cream and chives. Serve with steamed rice. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

366 calories; 549 mg sodium; 120 grams cholesterol; 20 grams fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 35 grams protein; .4 grams fiber; 49% calories from fat.