Luck of the Irish

DEAR SOS: Gilliland’s restaurant in Santa Monica serves an Irish bread pudding that won’t quit. Can you get the recipe?

--CORA

DEAR CORA: Owner Gerri Gilliland came through in perfect time for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration.

GILLILAND’S CAFE IRISH BREAD PUDDING WITH CARAMEL WHISKEY SAUCE

PUDDING

1/2 cup melted butter

12 (1/2-inch thick) white bread slices, crust removed, to make 8 cups cubed bread

1/2 cup raisins

1/3 cup Irish whiskey, optional

2 1/2 cups milk

2 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 vanilla bean, slit lengthwise

8 eggs

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

CARAMEL IRISH WHISKEY SAUCE

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, plus more if needed

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup Irish Whiskey

PUDDING

Brush butter over bread and toast lightly on 1 side. Cube and set aside.

Soak raisins in Irish whiskey. Combine milk and cream in saucepan. Scoop black seeds from vanilla bean into milk and cream and add pod. Heat, remove pod and allow mixture to cool.

Beat eggs with 1 cup sugar and add milk mixture. Stir in bread cubes and raisins, and allow to stand 15 minutes.

Pour bread mixture into buttered glass baking dish. Dot with additional butter. Mix together remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over to taste. Bake at 350 degrees until set, about 1 hour. Serve with Caramel Irish Whiskey Sauce, fresh fruit or as is.

CARAMEL IRISH WHISKEY SAUCE

Melt sugar in water over low heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil without stirring until caramelized, 15 to 20 minutes. In separate pan, warm whipping cream. Add butter and whipping cream to sugar mixture and cook until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Cool, then add whiskey and more cream for desired consistency.

6 servings. Each serving with 1/4 cup sauce:

1,456 calories; 679 mg sodium; 594 mg cholesterol; 100 grams fat; 123 grams carbohydrates; 19 grams protein; 0.24 gram fiber.

Irish Luck, Part 2

DEAR SOS: I’m looking for mashed potato made with cabbage. I have no idea what it’s called, but it was served with a roast at a restaurant.

--JOE

DEAR JOE: The Irish make wonderful use of potatoes and cabbage. Put them together and they spell . . .

COLCANNON (VEGETARIAN)

1 1/2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled

1/2 cup hot milk

1 tablespoon butter

2 cups chopped cooked green cabbage

3 green onions, sliced

1 tablespoon chopped parsley, plus extra for garnish

Salt

Coarsely ground black pepper

Quarter potatoes, add water to cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain, mash and add milk, mixing to blend until smooth.

Melt butter in skillet and add cabbage and green onion. Cook until cabbage is soft. Blend with potatoes, parsley and salt to taste. Heap into warm vegetable dish and garnish generously with pepper and parsley.

6 servings. Each serving:

128 calories; 95 mg sodium; 7 mg cholesterol; 3 grams fat; 24 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0.81 gram fiber.

Part 3, the Cabbage

DEAR SOS: Please help me recapture a taste of my youth. I’m looking for a recipe for a hollowed-out cabbage filled with chopped meat and sauce.

--NEIL

DEAR NEIL: Know how you feel. There are many versions of this style of stuffed cabbage, so do let us know if it captures a taste of your youth. I might just serve it for St. Patrick’s Day.

SAVORY STUFFED CABBAGE

1 large cabbage

Salt

5 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup grated carrot

3/4 pound ground beef

24 saltine crackers, crushed

1 egg, beaten

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Few dashes nutmeg

1 cup chicken broth

Cut out center of cabbage, leaving about 1 inch in bottom. Cook cabbage in about 1 inch of salted water, covered, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain. (Reserve center portion of cabbage for use in soup or salad.)

Melt 1/4 cup butter in skillet. Add onion, garlic and carrot and saute until onion is golden. Add ground beef and brown, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in crackers, egg, pepper and nutmeg. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth. Blend lightly but thoroughly.

Spoon into center of cabbage and place in greased 2-quart casserole or heat-proof bowl. Add remaining chicken broth. Melt remaining butter and brush on cabbage. Cover casserole loosely with foil. Bake at 350 degrees until cabbage is tender, about 50 minutes. To serve, cut in wedges.

6 servings. Each serving:

313 calories; 473 mg sodium; 93 mg cholesterol; 21 grams fat; 19 grams carbohydrates; 13 grams protein; 1.47 grams fiber.

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Cyclamen plate, above, from Gelson’s Coffee Bar in Tarzana