Good Sam’s Good Food

DEAR SOS: I know people generally do not think much of hospital food. But while my daughter was at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, my husband and I had the best Chinese chicken salad at the cafeteria. We would love the recipe.

--CECIL

DEAR CECIL: More and more readers have requested recipes tasted at hospitals, showing that hospital food is no longer as drab as it once was. The salad recipe is actually a product of Aramark, the company that manages the food service department at the hospital, according to food and nutrition director Kathy Arman.

GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPITAL CHINESE CHICKEN SALAD

CHINESE DRESSING

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon caramel color, optional

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

Pinch cayenne pepper

Pinch salt

Pinch paprika

1/4 cup sesame oil

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup light corn syrup

Combine black pepper, garlic, ginger, caramel color, vinegar, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, salt and paprika in saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce heat and cook over low heat until smooth.

Mix sesame and vegetable oils and slowly whisk into cooked mixture over low heat. Mix cornstarch with water until smooth. Stir into cooked mixture until thickened. Add corn syrup and continue to cook over low heat 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cool, then refrigerate in shallow container until ready to use. Makes 1 3/4 cups.

SALAD

6 (1/4-pound) boneless chicken breasts

1/2 cup teriyaki sauce

1/3 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 cup rice noodles

1 head romaine lettuce, torn

2 cups bean sprouts

1/2 cup green cabbage, sliced

1/4 cup sliced water chestnuts

1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1/4 cup sliced radishes

1 1/2 cups mandarin orange segments

1 1/2 cups pineapple chunks

Place chicken breasts in shallow pan. Combine teriyaki sauce, olive oil, brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil and minced garlic and pour over chicken breasts. Turn to coat chicken with marinade. Cover and marinate in refrigerator several hours or overnight.

Grill chicken under broiler or over hot coals until browned on both sides. Cut into strips and set aside.

Fry rice noodles in about 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Mix romaine, bean sprouts, cabbage, water chestnuts, almonds and radishes.

Pour 1/4 cup Chinese Dressing over lettuce mixture and toss to mix well. When ready to serve, place 2 cups lettuce mixture on each plate. Garnish each plate with 1/4 cup each mandarin oranges and pineapple chunks. Top salad with strips from 1 chicken breast. Sprinkle with rice noodles.

Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

445 calories; 565 mg sodium; 54 mg cholesterol; 25 grams fat; 36 grams carbohydrates; 22 grams protein; 1.54 grams fiber.

Wolfgang Puck’s Answer

DEAR SOS: I don’t know where my neighbor’s recipe for chocolate biscotti came from, but it was wonderful. I would love to have a recipe like it.

--MARIE

DEAR MARIE: I don’t know about your neighbor’s chocolate biscotti, but our biscotti recipe came from Wolfgang Puck. See if you like it as much.

GRANITA’S CHOCOLATE BISCOTTI

2 cups butter

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup cocoa powder

3 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3 tablespoons milk

1 cup chocolate chips

Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and mix until incorporated. Mix in vanilla.

In separate bowl, combine cocoa, flour and baking powder. Mix 1 cup dry mixture into batter. Mix 1 tablespoon milk into batter. Continue mixing, alternating cocoa mixture and milk until all ingredients are well incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips.

Butter and flour 13x9-inch baking pan. Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake at 350 degrees until firm to touch, about 45 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool thoroughly. Wrap and freeze until needed, or cut off some and freeze remainder.

When ready to serve, cut dough into 1/2-inch slices. Place slices on wire rack on top of baking sheet. Bake at 250 degrees 20 minutes. Cookies should be crisp.

Makes 26 cookies.

Each cookie contains about:

262 calories; 186 mg sodium; 64 mg cholesterol; 17 grams fat; 26 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 0.14 gram fiber.