Grilled Eggplant, Can’t Fail Fudge

DEAR SOS: La Famiglia in Beverly Hills serves a wonderful eggplant dish topped with tomato sauce. I’d love to prepare it at home for company. Can you help?

--CECILIA

DEAR CECILIA: Chef Rudy Gonzalez sent us this recipe for four. Double the recipe, if you need more.

LA FAMIGLIA EGGPLANT WITH TOMATO SAUCE

8 Japanese eggplants or 2 large eggplants

Salt

1 cup olive oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

5 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup dry white wine

14 Roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped

2 or 3 sprigs basil

Salt, pepper

1/4 to 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

Cut small eggplant into 1/2-inch slices horizontally or large eggplant into 1/2-inch slices vertically, discarding ends. (Cut eggplant 15 minutes before using to prevent oxidation.) Cover eggplant slices with water and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons salt to remove bitter taste. Let stand 1/2 hour. Drain.

Combine 1/3 cup olive oil and red wine vinegar and pour over eggplant. Set aside.

Heat remaining 2/3 cup olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until lightly browned. Add wine and tomatoes, 4 leaves from sprigs of basil and simmer 5 minutes over reduced heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Discard basil leaves.

Grill drained eggplant slices over medium heat until browned on both sides. Drain and arrange on platter. Top with prepared tomato sauce. Sprinkle with goat cheese and garnish with remaining basil sprigs. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Each of four servings contains about: 546 calories; 188 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 56 grams fat; 10 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 1.12 grams fiber.

DEAR SOS: I’ve lost the recipe for Can’t Fail Fudge. Help!

--M.F.A.

DEAR M.F.A.: Can’t Fail Fudge hasn’t failed us yet.

CAN’T FAIL FUDGE

4 cups miniature marshmallows

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate pieces

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Combine marshmallows, milk, butter, sugar and salt in saucepan. Cook and stir until mixture comes to full boil. Boil 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and add chocolate pieces, beating until melted. Fold in vanilla and nuts. Pour into greased 9-inch-square pan. Chill until firm. Makes 2 1/2 pounds.

Each ounce contains about:

114 calories; 33 mg sodium; 4 mg cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.07 gram fiber.

DEAR SOS: When I was a girl--exactly 1,000 years ago--my mother and her friends made a wonderful congealed salad served in individual molds. I have been unable to find the recipe. To my best recollection it contained carrots, celery and cabbage in lemon gelatin.

--BETTY

DEAR BETTY: You describe Perfection Salad perfectly. The salad may have faded in popularity since its heyday in the early part of this century, but it remains an American classic.

PERFECTION SALAD

1 (3-ounce) package lemon gelatin

1/2 cup cold water

1 cup boiling water

2 tablespoons vinegar or Italian dressing

1/3 cup finely diced celery

1/4 cup finely diced green pepper

3/4 cup finely shredded cabbage

1/3 cup finely shredded carrot

Salad greens

Stir gelatin into cold water, then stir into boiling water until dissolved. Add vinegar. Chill until syrupy. Fold in celery, green pepper, cabbage and carrot.

Pour into well-oiled individual molds or 1 (1-quart) mold. Chill until firm. Unmold and serve on greens. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Each of four servings contains about:

32 calories; 16 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 0.39 gram fiber.