A Little Pancake Can Work Wonders

This is a special but easy breakfast dish to prepare. It takes only minutes to mix the pancake batter and to chop the ginger root, and both sauces are exceptionally simple to assemble. For the Raspberry Sauce, frozen berries are defrosted, pureed with their juices and strained. The strained sauce is sweetened, then heated and served warm. The Ginger Cream is a combination of light sour cream, minced fresh ginger, lemon peel and sugar--all whisked together.

For serving, the hot griddle cakes are arranged on individual plates, ladled with warm Raspberry Sauce, then garnished with a dollop of Ginger Cream, mint and fresh raspberries.

The plates are a burst of color with the golden cakes, the deep glistening crimson sauce and the crisp white splash of the gingered cream. Pots of hot coffee and tea and orange juice are all that are needed to accompany these pancakes.

GOLDEN PANCAKES WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE AND GINGER CREAM

RASPBERRY SAUCE

1 (12-ounce) package frozen raspberries without added sugar

1/3 cup sugar, plus more if needed

GINGER CREAM

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon minced ginger root

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

PANCAKES

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon minced ginger root

1 to 2 tablespoons oil

1/2 pint raspberries, rinsed and patted dry

Mint sprigs for garnish

RASPBERRY SAUCE

Thaw raspberries in container. Puree raspberries and juice in food processor or blender until smooth, about 40 seconds. Strain mixture through sieve, pressing down with spatula or wooden spoon to extract as much liquid as possible, into medium saucepan.

Stir in sugar, and heat, stirring, over medium heat until sugar dissolves and sauce is warm, 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and add more sugar if too tart. (Note: Sauce can be made a day ahead. Cool, cover and refrigerate. Before serving, reheat, stirring, until warm.)

GINGER CREAM

Whisk together sour cream, sugar, ginger root and lemon peel in small nonreactive bowl. (Note: Sauce can be made a day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

PANCAKES

Sift flour, baking powder and 1 teaspoon sugar into large bowl. Make well in dry ingredients and add eggs and milk and whisk to combine. Do not over-mix. Stir in melted butter and ginger root and mix until butter is incorporated.

Heat large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat until hot. Using small brush, coat pan lightly with small amount of oil. Drop batter onto cooking surface in 2-tablespoon portions, being careful not to crowd pan. Cook until small bubbles appear on surface, about 1 1/2 minutes. Turn pancakes and cook until light golden brown and cooked through, about 1 minute more. As pancakes are cooked, place in single layer on baking sheet and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Brush more oil on skillet as needed between batches.

To serve, toss raspberries with remaining 2 teaspoons sugar. Arrange 4 pancakes overlapping in circle on each of 4 dinner plates. Ladle 2 tablespoons Raspberry Sauce over pancakes on each plate. Place generous dollop of Ginger Cream in center of each dish. Garnish with fresh raspberries and mint sprigs. Pass extra sauce and Ginger Cream separately.

16 (4-inch) pancakes. Each 4-pancake serving with 2 tablespoons raspberry sauce and 1 tablespoon ginger cream:

131 calories; 62 mg sodium; 32 mg cholesterol; 3 grams fat; 23 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 0.84 gram fiber.