A Souffle Disguised as Bread Pudding

DEAR SOS: The Palace Cafe in Santa Barbara has the most heavenly bread pudding served with a whiskey cream sauce. Any chance you might be able to acquire the recipe?

--ERICA

DEAR ERICA: The unusual bread pudding laced with Grand Marnier and served with Bourbon Cream Sauce is really a souffle.

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PALACE CAFE LOUISIANA BREAD PUDDING SOUFFLE

SOUFFLE

2 tablespoons raisins

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

3/4 cup flour

Granulated sugar

6 tablespoons water

1/4 cup butter plus extra for greasing

3 eggs

2 teaspoons Grand Marnier

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 egg whites

Powdered sugar

BOURBON CREAM SAUCE

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 quart half and half or whipping cream

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup bourbon whiskey

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

SOUFFLE

Combine raisins and cinnamon. Set aside.

Place flour and 1/4 cup granulated sugar in bowl of electric mixer. Bring water and butter to boil in saucepan and add to flour mixture while mixer is on medium speed.

Lightly beat whole eggs, Grand Marnier and vanilla in separate bowl. Reduce speed of mixer and add egg mixture slowly but continuously to flour mixture, beating about 4 minutes. Set aside.

In clean, dry mixer bowl, beat egg whites and 1/2 cup granulated sugar at high speed until stiff peaks form. Lightly, but thoroughly, fold egg white mixture into souffle batter. Fold in raisin-cinnamon mixture.

Butter 8 individual (3-inch) souffle cups and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Fill each about 3/4 full of batter. Bake at 325 degrees until golden brown and puffy, about 25 minutes. Dust immediately with powdered sugar.

BOURBON CREAM SAUCE

Bring sugar and half and half to boil. Dissolve cornstarch in bourbon and vanilla and add to sauce. Cook, stirring, until sauce thickens. Serve sauce warm to pour on souffles at table.

Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains about:

815 calories; 154 mg sodium; 260 mg cholesterol; 52 grams fat; 74 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams protein; 0.07 gram fiber.

Carne Asada Made Simple

DEAR SOS: I am looking for a simple recipe for carne asada, the Mexican steak topped with chiles.

--CATHY

DEAR CATHY: Here’s one of several simple versions in our files.

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CARNE ASADA

Oil

Juice of 3 limes or lemons

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon crumbled dried oregano

Dash black pepper

1 (2-pound) boneless top sirloin steak

1 onion, halved and sliced

2 green chiles, roasted and peeled, or 2 canned chiles, cut in thin strips

Combine 1/4 cup oil, lime juice, salt, garlic, oregano and pepper. Pour over meat in glass baking dish, cover and marinate in refrigerator several hours or overnight, turning occasionally. Let meat stand at room temperature about 30 minutes before cooking.

While meat is standing, saute onion in 1 tablespoon oil until tender but not browned. Stir in chile strips and saute until heated through.

Place meat under broiler and broil quickly on both sides to desired doneness. Slice meat and serve topped with onion-chile mixture.

Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

206 calories; 166 mg sodium; 67 mg cholesterol; 10 grams fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 25 grams protein; 0.22 gram fiber.