Chaya Chowder

DEAR SOS: My sister and brother-in-law are crazy about the corn chowder served at Chaya Brasserie in West Hollywood. I’d love to surprise them with a recipe to prepare at home so their cravings can be satisfied rain or shine.

--HELENE

DEAR HELENE: What a considerate sister you are.

CHAYA BRASSERIE CORN CHOWDER

3/4 pound boned chicken breast

1 large onion

1 large leek, white part only

1 large stalk celery

1 large carrot

1/2 pound mushrooms

1 clove garlic

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

1 (11-ounce) can whole sweet corn kernels

2 quarts chicken stock

1/2 cup milk

1 bay leaf

Salt, pepper

1/4 cup whipping cream

Chop chicken, onion, leek, celery and carrot to large dice. Thinly slice mushrooms and garlic.

Melt butter in large pot. Add onion, leek, celery and carrot and saute over medium heat 10 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook until mushrooms soften, 6 to 8 minutes. Add chicken and cook until chicken is heated through, about 5 minutes.

Stir in flour until smooth and cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add 3/4 of the corn. Gradually stir in stock and milk.

In electric mixer, coarsely blend remaining corn at medium speed. Stir blended corn into soup mixture. Add bay leaf and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer 10 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Stir in cream and heat through.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Each of 8 servings contains about:

228 calories; 1,021 mg sodium; 46 mg cholesterol; 11 grams fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 15 grams protein; 0.96 gram fiber.

An Elementary Cake DEAR SOS: I’ll never forget the wonderful coffee cake that was served at the school cafeteria when I was growing up in Los Angeles. Is there a chance you have the recipe?

--LANA

DEAR LANA: Yes, we do. The recipe has been one of the favorites of readers since 1959, when the food service people of the Los Angeles Unified School District sent us the recipe.

CITY SCHOOL SOUR CREAM COFFEE CAKE

TOPPING

1/4 cup flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup butter

Mix together flour, sugar, salt and walnuts. Add butter in small pieces. Rub in by hand until mixture is crumbly. Be careful not to over-mix.

CAKE

1 1/2 cups cake flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

All ingredients should be at room temperature. Mix together cake and all-purpose flours, baking soda and baking powder in large bowl.

In separate bowl, cream together butter with sugar by beating mixture until fluffy and light. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. Add half flour mixture, mixing just until flour is blended. Blend in sour cream, then remaining flour mixture. Spread half batter lightly into 10-inch tube pan. Sprinkle with half Topping and spread with remaining batter. Sprinkle with remaining Topping. Bake at 350 degrees 40 to 45 minutes.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Each of 10 servings contains about:

415 calories; 253 mg sodium; 58 mg cholesterol; 22 grams fat; 52 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 0.61 gram fiber.

* Bowl, plate and napkin from Bristol Kitchens, South Pasadena.