Complementary Salsa

DEAR SOS: The Radisson Hotel’s Bistro Eleven Eleven Cafe in Santa Barbara has delicious crab cakes with papaya salsa. Would you ask the chef to part with this recipe?

--BONNEE

DEAR BONNEE: We asked and received chef Kevin Cloud’s recipe. The papaya salsa is also good with other grilled or steamed seafood. Note that Mexican papaya is larger and more orange than the Hawaiian papayas traditionally seen in supermarkets. Each has a different flavor as well. Both are sold in most supermarkets.

BISTRO ELEVEN ELEVEN CRAB CAKES WITH PAPAYA SALSA

LEMON GRASS CREAM SAUCE

1 stalk lemon grass, chopped

2 cups whipping cream

2 tablespoons butter, softened

Simmer lemon grass and whipping cream in saucepan until reduced by 2/3. Whisk in butter until well incorporated. Put in blender and blend until smooth. Strain through fine sieve. Texture should be velvety. Set aside.

MEXICAN PAPAYA SALSA

1/2 cup peeled, seeded, diced Mexican papaya

1 cup peeled, seeded, diced Hawaiian papaya

1/2 cup peeled, seeded, diced mango

1/4 red onion, minced

1 bunch mint leaves, chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Combine Mexican and Hawaiian papayas and mango with onion, mint and lemon juice. Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside.

CRAB CAKES

1/2 pound Dungeness crab meat

1 tablespoon finely grated ginger root

1 green onion, finely chopped

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs (Japanese bread crumbs)

Oil

Hoisin sauce

Pick and clean crab meat, discarding shells and cartilage. Place crab in medium mixing bowl with ginger root and onion. Add mayonnaise, mustard, Parmesan cheese and eggs. Mix thoroughly. Add 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs and mix well.

Allow 1/4 cup crab meat mixture for each cake. Shape into flat patties and dredge in remaining bread crumbs. Heat enough oil for frying to 375 degrees in large skillet. Fry crab cakes until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Place crab cakes over Lemon Grass Cream Sauce and garnish with Mexican Papaya Salsa and streaks of hoisin sauce.

Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

566 calories; 686 mg sodium; 219 mg cholesterol; 43 grams fat; 31 grams carbohydrates; 15 grams protein; 0.50 gram fiber.

As Good as Grandma’s

DEAR SOS: Several years ago you printed a “My Best Recipe” for a most wonderful chocolate cake. It was dark and fluffy, just like grandmother used to make. I would be most appreciative and so would my own grandchildren.

--CAROL

DEAR CAROL: We have a “My Best Recipe”-winning chocolate cake recipe dating from 1972. I hope this is the one you are looking for.

MY BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

7 cups plus 2 tablespoons sifted powdered sugar

1 cup shortening

1/4 cup hot water

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/4 pound semisweet chocolate, melted

3 eggs

2 1/4 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3/4 cup milk

Blend cream cheese with powdered sugar and 3/4 cup shortening. Stir in hot water and vanilla. Add melted chocolate and mix thoroughly. Remove 3 cups of mixture and set aside for icing cake.

To remaining cream cheese mixture, add remaining 1/4 cup shortening and eggs. Beat mixture until smooth. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt in separate bowl.

Add dry ingredients to batter alternately with milk, starting and ending with flour mixture.

Turn batter into 2 greased and floured (9-inch) round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 55 minutes.

Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes, then remove onto racks and cool thoroughly. Fill layers and frost top and sides of cake with reserved icing. Refrigerate until serving time.

Makes 1 (2-layer, 9-inch) cake, 6 to 8 servings.

Each of 8 servings contains about:

997 calories; 647 mg sodium; 144 mg cholesterol; 48 grams fat; 135 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams protein; 0.10 gram fiber.

* Don Ryan plate from Freehand, Los Angeles.