Cornmeal Buns, Grapefruit Marmalade

DEAR SOS: Il Fornaio in Los Angeles makes excellent cornmeal disks called Meini. Could you ask for the recipe?

--LOU

DEAR LOU: You’re right--the cornmeal buns are wonderful. Here is the recipe.

IL FORNAIO SWEET CORNMEAL BUNS (Meini)

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup fine-grind yellow cornmeal

3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons honey

2 egg yolks

1/4 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup milk

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Powdered sugar

Sift flour, baking powder and cornmeal into bowl. Set aside.

In large bowl, combine butter, sugar and honey. Cream until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add egg yolks, 1 at time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl with rubber spatula.

Add 1/2 flour mixture, beating at medium speed until dry ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. Beat in cream, milk, lemon zest and vanilla. Add remaining flour mixture, mixing until soft dough forms, about 2 minutes.

Dough will be sticky. Divide dough into 12 equal portions, about 3 tablespoons each. Dust hands lightly with flour and shape each into golf ball-sized sphere. With palm of hand, flatten each ball slightly on floured surface into 3/4-inch disk.

Line baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with butter. Brush tops of disk lightly with water and sprinkle over sugar.

Bake buns at 375 degrees 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely on baking sheet. Sieve powdered sugar over tops. Store in covered container at room temperature up to 5 days. Makes 12 buns.

Each serving contains about:

274 calories; 79 mg sodium; 84 mg cholesterol; 15 grams fat; 33 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 0.11 gram fiber.

DEAR SOS: As a long-time reader (about 35 years) I am calling in my chits. Please publish the recipe for the wonderful pink grapefruit marmalade.

--PAT

DEAR PAT: You can use pink or white grapefruit for this recipe.

PINK GRAPEFRUIT MARMALADE

2/3 cup thinly sliced grapefruit or lemon peel

Water

1 1/3 cups chopped pink or white grapefruit or lemon pulp (about 1 grapefruit or 2 1/2 large lemons)

Sugar

Place grapefruit peel in saucepan and add enough water to cover peel. Bring to boil and boil 10 minutes. Drain. Repeat 2 or 3 times. Add chopped pulp and 4 cups water to drained peel, cover and let stand 12 to 18 hours in cool place.

After soaking, cook grapefruit mixture rapidly until peel is tender, about 40 minutes. Measure fruit and liquid. Add 1 cup sugar for each cup fruit mixture.

Bring slowly to boiling, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook rapidly almost to jellying point, about 30 to 35 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Pour boiling hot into sterilized jars and seal. Makes about 3 half-pints.

Each tablespoon contains about:

66 calories; 0 sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 0 protein; 0.01 gram fiber.