The Best Recipes of 1998

This has been a year of happy eating. Ordinarily, when we choose our favorite recipes of the year, we pick 10, but this year we expanded the list to 12. There were simply too many great recipes to choose from. Even so, we had to leave out some excellent recipes.

The recipe that got the most votes was a Thai-inspired Salmon in Sweet Red Curry. Chef Nancy Silverton’s Caramel Ice Cream Sundae With Salty Peanut Caramel Sauce was second with slightly fewer votes, but it has the distinction of having the most No. 1 votes (voters were asked to rank their votes in order of preference to help us break ties).

As always, when we gather around the conference table to discuss the year’s recipes--a session that always leaves us hungry and eager to remake several dishes--we have one and only one consideration in mind: taste. Bear that in mind, because great-tasting food--the kind that makes you say, “This is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten . . . Is there more?”--is often not diet food. These are simply the recipes that tasted best this year.

As it happens, two of the top recipes do happen to be low in fat: chef Michael Roberts’ Birria, a wonderful goat stew with 6 grams of fat per serving, and Zarela Martinez’s Smoky Peanut Mole, an amazing sauce with 2 grams of fat per serving (you choose the low- or high-fat meat or fish to serve with it). But honest, we didn’t know they were low-fat when we chose them.

--LAURIE OCHOA

1. SALMON IN SWEET RED CURRY

In August, staff writer Barbara Hansen wrote about Timothy M. Evans, who has two great passions: Thai food and wine. Two years ago he founded the Amador County winery Clos du Lac Cellars with the mission of encouraging wine-lovers to think beyond the usual choices for matching wine with Thai food. To show how well Thai food and wine can mix, he hosted a dinner where his wines were paired with food made by Evans and Thai chef Stapron Nilluang. Our favorite dish from that dinner was Salmon in Sweet Red Curry.

Hansen wrote, “You would think that a curry as sumptuous as this would be difficult to prepare, but that isn’t so. Once you accumulate the ingredients, this recipe is easy, even if you have never tried Thai cooking before. Evans uses homemade red curry paste, but canned paste from a Thai market will do, and you can substitute regular basil for Thai basil.”

Salmon in Sweet Red Curry (Panang Pla Salmon)

Active Work Time and Total Preparation Time: 45 minutes

1 (19-ounce) can coconut milk

4 to 5 tablespoons red curry paste

1 tablespoon fish sauce plus more if needed

1 tablespoon sugar plus more if needed

4 Thai (kaffir) lime leaves, torn into small pieces

2 (4- to 6-inch) center-cut salmon fillets, about 1 1/2 pounds

Olive oil

1 tablespoon Cognac

8 to 10 Thai basil leaves

* Remove thick layer of cream from top of unshaken coconut milk can and set aside half. Heat remaining half of coconut cream in skillet and stir in curry paste. Saute until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1/4 of coconut milk (thinner layer) to mixture, heat to boiling and stir until red oil appears at edges. Add another 1/4 of coconut milk and repeat boiling until oil appears. Repeat with another 1/4 of coconut milk. When red oil appears, add 2 tablespoons coconut milk, reserving rest to add later.

* Add fish sauce, sugar and lime leaves. Taste and adjust fish sauce and sugar if needed. Boil until little red-colored oil appears. Remove from heat and strain through coarse sieve. Push as much of solids through as possible. Discard residue. Return strained mixture to skillet and set aside.

* Remove any bones from salmon with fish pliers or tweezers and coat fish with olive oil. If grilling outdoors, place in oiled fish basket. Grill, skin side up, over high heat, ideally over smoking alder wood chips, or on stove-top grill pan, 3 to 4 minutes on flesh side. Turn and grill 5 minutes more. Remove from fish basket if using and keep warm.

* Add remaining coconut milk to sauce and heat, stirring, over medium to medium-high heat, until smooth sauce consistency, 1 to 3 minutes. Add Cognac and boil to evaporate alcohol, about 2 minutes.

* Pour sauce onto heated platter. Place basil around edges, then place grilled salmon on top and sprinkle with basil leaves. Place reserved coconut cream in small plastic bag with tip of 1 corner cut off and pipe onto salmon and sauce in decorative manner, or spoon over fish.

4 servings. Each serving: 559 calories; 523 mg sodium; 53 mg cholesterol; 44 grams fat; 10 grams carbohydrates; 33 grams protein; 2.94 grams fiber.

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2. CARAMEL ICE CREAM SUNDAE WITH SALTY PEANUT CARAMEL SAUCE

In our late-summer cover story on ice cream sundaes, Nancy Silverton, co-founder of Los Angeles’ Campanile restaurant and La Brea Bakery, gave readers a sense of the thinking that goes into the desserts that make it onto Campanile’s menu. She was obsessed, she says, with the combination of salty peanuts and caramel, so she made caramel ice cream with a salty peanut swirl. It was fantastic, but difficult to make. “The swirl solidifies almost immediately, which makes the ice cream hard to scoop,” Silverton explained. “Then I started thinking about restructuring the ice cream as a sundae--caramel ice cream with a salty caramel peanut sauce instead of the swirl. I changed the caramel ice cream from my standard one by adding a little creme frai^che to smooth the burnt sugar edge from the caramel--a better contrast for the stronger sauce to come. The sauce has a toastiness from the peanuts, which is amplified by vanilla bean, and just enough salt to stand up to the sugar. It’s everything a good sundae should be--salty and sweet, warm and cold, crunchy and smooth.” We completely agree.

Caramel Ice Cream Sundae With Salty Peanut Caramel Sauce

Active Work Time: 25 minutes (ice cream) 25 minutes (sauce) * Total Preparation Time: 55 minutes (ice cream) 35 (sauce)

CARAMEL ICE CREAM

1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise

2 1/4 cups sugar

4 cups milk

3 cups heavy whipping cream

20 egg yolks

1 cup creme frai^che

* Scrape vanilla bean seeds into large pot and add pod halves. Add sugar and melt, stirring gently and constantly, over medium-high heat until sugar liquefies and turns dark caramel color.

* Slowly add milk and whipping cream and bring to boil, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and let stand 30 minutes.

* Return caramel mixture to boil over medium-high heat. Slowly pour over egg yolks in large bowl, whisking constantly. Whisk in creme frai^che. Strain through fine mesh strainer into separate bowl. Whisk to release heat until cool. Chill.

* Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Scoop into bowls and top with Salty Peanut Caramel Sauce.

SALTY PEANUT CARAMEL SAUCE

2 3/4 cups unsalted, unroasted, peeled peanuts, ideally Virginia nuts (1 pound)

2 tablespoons peanut oil

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon salt

1 large plump or 2 thin vanilla beans, split lengthwise

1 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1/2 cup corn syrup

1 1/2 cups sugar

* Toss together peanuts, peanut oil and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle peanuts only (not excess salt from bowl) onto baking sheet. Toast at 325 degrees until lightly colored, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

* Scrape vanilla bean seeds into small saucepan, then add pod halves. Add cream and butter and heat over medium heat until butter melts. Remove from heat and set aside.

* Heat corn syrup in 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat until it begins to bubble. Begin stirring syrup slowly and continuously and sprinkle in sugar in about 4 batches, waiting until each batch of sugar is incorporated into syrup before adding more. (Don’t stir too fast or sugar won’t color.) Continue cooking and stirring slowly until mixture is thin, bubbly and straw-colored. (Don’t let sauce get brown at this point.)

* Remove syrup from heat and slowly add half of cream-butter mixture. Caramel will boil up; stir to incorporate ingredients. Repeat with remaining cream-butter mixture.

* Return caramel to medium-high heat and boil until sauce has thickened and darkened slightly, about 2 minutes. Add peanuts but not any clumps of salt that may have fallen onto baking sheet. Stir peanuts into caramel. Boil slightly longer if color is not dark enough; sauce should be pale brown, not medium or dark brown. Remove vanilla bean pods before serving.

1/2 gallon ice cream. Each 1/2-cup: 422 calories; 63 mg sodium; 427 mg cholesterol; 30 grams fat; 33 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 0 fiber.

3 cups sauce. Each 2-tablespoon: 278 calories; 745 mg sodium; 34 mg cholesterol; 21 grams fat; 21 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 0.92 gram fiber.

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3. THE WINE CASK CASSOULET

For our Super Bowl issue nearly a year ago, staff writer Barbara Hansen found a cassoulet so big, as she put it, “we had to bake it in a turkey roaster because no ordinary casserole could handle it.”

She went on: “It’s an incredible dish, rich with duck meat, pancetta, bacon and sausage and topped with a buttery, herb-flavored crust. The recipe comes from David Checchini, chef at the Wine Cask in Santa Barbara. We’ve simplified it slightly by suggesting chicken stock as an alternative to the veal stock that Checchini uses. Most of the ingredients are available in well-stocked supermarkets, but we went to a Chinese market for duck legs. Note that the cassoulet has to be started the day before. It might be a good idea to make the whole dish in advance and bake or reheat it the day of the [party].”

The Wine Cask Cassoulet

Active Work Time: 35 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 13 1/2 hours

3 pounds dry navy beans

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 pound smoked bacon, diced

1 cup diced pancetta

3 white onions, minced

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons finely diced shallots

1 cup diced celery

2 carrots, diced

4 tomatoes, chopped

1/4 pound Italian sausage or other pork sausage, cooked and diced

3 pounds duck legs, browned and drained

16 cups veal stock or chicken or vegetable stock

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup fresh thyme, whole leaves

1/2 cup minced parsley

2 bay leaves

1/2 loaf day-old Italian or French bread, cut into pieces

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1 cup mixed fresh herbs (parsley, basil, thyme), chopped

* Soak beans 8 hours or overnight in water to cover. Drain. Cook beans in large pot with plenty of fresh water until al dente, 35 to 40 minutes. Strain and set aside.

* Heat olive oil in Dutch oven or soup pot. Add bacon, pancetta, onions, garlic, shallots, celery, carrots and tomatoes and saute until vegetables are softened, about 15 minutes. Add sausage and duck legs and stir to mix. Add stock and simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Add salt, pepper, thyme, parsley and bay leaves.

* Place half of beans in 8-quart roasting pan. With slotted spoon, distribute meat-and-vegetable mixture evenly over beans. Reserve stock and skim fat from surface. Cover meats and vegetables with remaining beans. Add just enough stock to barely cover beans. Cover and bake at 350 degrees 2 hours.

* Place bread in food processor and process to fine meal. Add butter and mixed herbs. Process to mix. Uncover cassoulet and sprinkle evenly with prepared crumbs. Bake uncovered until well-browned and bubbling, 1 1/2 hours longer. (Check after 1 hour of cooking and add more stock if needed.)

16 servings. Each serving: 678 calories; 1,530 mg sodium; 54 mg cholesterol; 34 grams fat; 64 grams carbohydrates; 28 grams protein; 5.26 grams fiber.

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4. MICHAEL ROBERTS’ BIRRIA

Chef Michael Roberts, who now consults for several restaurants, including the Hotel Twin Dolphin in Cabo San Lucas, not only gave readers his philosophy on entertaining in his August party feature, he gave us a great recipe for his version of birria, Mexican goat stew. Here’s what he wrote about the dish: “In Mexico, a whole goat is roasted in a pit until tender, then the meat is pulled from the bone and simmered in sauce. I’ve simplified this method by simmering the goat for seven hours over the coals of a fire. The result is falling-off-the-bone-tender meat infused with the dark flavors of dried chiles. If you’ve never tasted goat before, this is the perfect introduction to this full-flavored meat. The best way to eat the goat is wrapped in a tortilla with salsa, beans and rice. You can buy one can or jar of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce to get the sauce and the chiles you need for the dish.”

Many Latino markets sell goat meat--The Test Kitchen gets its goat at the Grand Central Market in downtown Los Angeles.

Serve birria with salsa and plenty of tortillas.

Michael Roberts’ Birria

Active Work Time: 20 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 15 1/2 hours

1 (24-ounce) can enchilada sauce

2 cups red wine

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 (7-pound) goat leg, cut into 8 large pieces with bone

2 tablespoons lard

2 onions, chopped

4 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded

4 branches epazote

Water

8 cloves garlic

3 tablespoons prepared adobo sauce

4 to 5 whole chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

2 teaspoons salt

3 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves

* Combine enchilada sauce, wine, cumin, cinnamon and cloves. Pour over goat, cover and marinate in refrigerator 8 hours or overnight.

* Place lard, 1 onion, ancho chiles and epazote in heavy cast-iron pot or Dutch oven and place on coals of barbecue or bake at 375 degrees until onion is soft but not brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Add meat and marinade and enough water to barely cover meat. Add garlic, adobo, chipotle chiles and salt. Cook on just enough coals to maintain slow simmer or bake at 300 degrees, stirring occasionally, until meat is tender and falling off bones, 6 to 7 hours. Add water to pot as necessary to keep meat barely covered.

* Combine jalapenos, remaining chopped onion and cilantro in small bowl and serve as accompaniment to goat.

10 to 12 servings. Each of 12 servings: 237 calories; 727 mg sodium; 87 mg cholesterol; 6 grams fat; 5 grams carbohydrates; 31 grams protein; 0.13 gram fiber.

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5. ASIAN PEAR TART

For his September cover story on Asian pears, fruit specialist David Karp asked chef Suzanne Tracht of Jozu in West Hollywood to come up with a recipe that would show off the fruit with the subtle pear taste and the crispness of a firm apple. She came up with a terrific Asian Pear Tart that can be served with ice cream or whipped cream. The recipe can also be made with apples or European pear varieties. But try it with Asian pears when they come back in season--you won’t be disappointed.

Asian Pear Tart

Active Work Time: 25 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour

SWEET DOUGH

2 cups (4 sticks) butter, ice cold and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 cups powdered sugar

3 egg yolks

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

4 3/4 cups flour

* Beat butter and powdered sugar on medium speed in electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment 5 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl.

* Add yolks 1 at a time with mixer on low speed. Add cream and mix at medium speed 1 minute. Turn off mixer and add flour. Mix on low speed until combined. Do not over mix.

* Divide dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.

BROWN SUGAR FILLING

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed

1/3 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

* Combine brown sugar, flour and cinnamon in bowl and stir until there are no lumps. Set aside.

ASSEMBLY

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, plus extra for greasing tart shells

Flour for dusting tart shells

2 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream

3 to 5 Asian pears, cored and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

* Butter and flour 12 (4 1/2-inch) or 2 (10-inch) tart shells. Remove 1 piece of Sweet Dough from refrigerator and roll out 1/4 inch thick. If making individual tarts, cut dough into 6-inch rounds. Line tart shells with dough, trimming any excess dough even with edge of tart shell. Repeat with remaining piece of dough.

* Fill each tart shell half way with Brown Sugar Filling. For individual tarts, dot each with 1 teaspoon butter in pieces and spoon on 3 tablespoons cream. Arrange 1/4 to 1/2 Asian pear, depending on size of fruit, on each tart. Bake at 325 degrees until golden brown, about 35 minutes.

* For 10-inch tarts, dot each with 2 tablespoons butter in pieces and spoon on 9 tablespoons cream. Arrange Asian pear slices on each tart. Bake at 325 degrees until golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes.

6 servings. Each serving: 1,737 calories; 758 mg sodium; 459 mg cholesterol; 110 grams fat; 158 grams carbohydrates; 15 grams protein; 0.29 gram fiber.

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6. SMOKY PEANUT MOLe (ENCACAHUETADO)

There were several recipes under consideration for this issue from New York chef Zarela Martinez, who wrote a cover story in March on Mexican sauces. The consensus choice was this Smoky Peanut Mole that Martinez got from Chicago chef Rick Bayless. Bayless serves the sauce over grilled quail, but it also goes well with everything from chicken and duck to pork, swordfish and grouper.

Active Work Time: 35 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 1/2 hours

2 (about 1 ounce total) dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded

2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil

1/2 small white onion, sliced 2 cloves garlic, peeled

1/2 pound (about 1 medium to large round or 3 to 4 plum) tomatoes

1 cup dry roasted peanuts, plus few extra tablespoons chopped for garnish

2 slices firm white bread, torn into pieces

2 canned chipotle chiles en adobo, seeded

1/8 teaspoon allspice, preferred freshly ground

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground Mexican cinnamon (canela) or 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 1/2 to 4 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup fruity red wine

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

2 bay leaves

Salt

Sugar

* Tear ancho chiles into flat pieces, then toast few pieces at a time on ungreased griddle or skillet over medium heat. Press chiles flat with spatula every few seconds until they crackle and change color slightly, then flip and press again. (If they give off more than a wisp of smoke, they are burning and will add bitter flavor to sauce.)

* Cover roasted chile pieces with hot water in small bowl and let rehydrate 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even soaking. Drain chiles and discard water.

* Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy, medium-size (4-quart) pot (preferably Dutch oven) over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, then fry, stirring regularly, until well-browned, about 10 minutes. Scrape solids into blender container and set pan aside. Roast tomato on hot griddle until blackened and charred all over, about 10 minutes. Let cool, then peel over bowl to catch the juices.

* Add tomato, 1 cup peanuts, bread, chipotle chiles, drained ancho chiles, allspice and cinnamon to blender. Add 1 1/2 cups chicken broth and blend until smooth, stirring and scraping down sides of blender jar and adding little more liquid if needed to keep everything moving through blender blades. Press mixture through medium-mesh sieve into bowl.

* Heat 1 tablespoon remaining oil in reserved pot over medium-high heat until rippling. Add pureed sauce all at once and cook, covered, until thickened and darkened, about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 cups remaining broth, wine, vinegar and bay leaves, then simmer gently, partially covered, over medium-low heat about 45 minutes, stirring often. Sauce should be consistency of cream soup; add more broth, a bit at a time, if needed.

* Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt or to taste (depending on saltiness of chicken broth). Add up to 1 tablespoon sugar if needed to cut any bitterness from chiles that may have been over-roasted.

3 cups. Each tablespoon: 34 calories; 140 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 2 grams fat; 2 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.35 gram fiber.

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7. turkey tonnato sandwich

In our July cover package on picnics, staff writer Russ Parsons wrote an antipicnic story--he likes his sandwiches indoors, without the sunburns and bug bites. And when you taste one of his favorite sandwiches, turkey tonnato--a California version of the old Italian veal dish from Piedmont, vitello tonnato--you’ll realize that some sandwiches, especially those slicked with a luxurious but messy sauce, are best eaten indoors.

The sandwich, Parsons wrote, “takes advantage of the fact that turkey--like veal--has very little flavor of its own. Mostly, it is a moist, bland meat that is a perfect foil for this lightly tangy mayonnaise-based sauce. The sauce itself is fairly instant. Just blend the canned fish into a puree and fold it into mayonnaise. Somehow it doesn’t wind up tasting fishy but rather fresh and tart. The one remaining imperative with this dish is to let the sliced meat sit in the sauce at least a couple of hours so the flavors meld. It’s even better if you can leave it refrigerated overnight, which leaves you only a quick assembly job” when it’s time to eat.

Turkey Tonnato Sandwich

Active Work Time: 30 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 6 hours 10 minutes

Salt, pepper

1 (2- to 2 1/2-pound) turkey breast half, boned, rolled and tied

Olive oil

1 (6-ounce) can tuna in olive oil, undrained

4 to 6 anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained

Juice of 1 lemon

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup capers, drained

1 large flat ciabatta loaf or other flat round bread

2 ounces arugula

* Salt and pepper turkey breast to taste and rub with enough olive oil to coat meat. Place on rack in roasting pan and roast at 300 degrees until instant-read thermometer inserted in breast reaches 160 degrees, about 1 1/2 hours. Let rest 10 minutes at room temperature.

* Remove breast from rack and immediately wrap tightly in foil. Chill several hours or overnight.

* Puree tuna and anchovies in blender. Add 1/3 cup olive oil in thin stream with motor running to make smooth emulsion, scraping down sides as necessary. Add lemon juice and pulse to combine. Taste: Mixture should be very tangy; if necessary, add more lemon juice. If anchovies aren’t salty enough, add salt to taste.

* Place mayonnaise in mixing bowl and pour tuna mixture over top. Whisk to combine. Add capers and whisk briefly just to mix. Pour half of tonnato sauce onto large platter and spread evenly across bottom. Remove turkey from refrigerator, unwrap and cut strings. Cut into 1/8- to 1/4-inch-thick slices, placing each slice on platter, overlapping to make all fit. Spoon remaining sauce evenly over top. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

* To prepare sandwiches, cut ends from ciabatta loaf and slice in half horizontally, leaving halves attached along 1 long side. Arrange turkey slices on bread and spoon over just enough sauce from platter to moisten meat. Scatter arugula over top and close sandwich. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil. Refrigerate until ready to take to picnic. Slice before serving.

8 to 10 servings. Each of 10 servings: 402 calories; 694 mg sodium; 60 mg cholesterol; 16 grams fat; 80 grams carbohydrates; 27 grams protein; 0.11 gram fiber.

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8. CINNAMON BUNS

In early November, baker Amy Pressman told the story of how she achieved “cool mom” status with her son and his friends in part because of her homemade cinnamon buns. Even better, she gave us the recipe.

She also provided the following advice: “Instead of the one-hour first rise called for in the recipe, the dough can be allowed to make its first rise in the refrigerator overnight. This will save time in the morning if you plan on eating the cinnamon buns for breakfast or brunch. Because the dough will be cold, it will be firmer and easier to work with the next day, but the second rise will take longer, sometimes two or three times longer. Important: The butter should always be very soft.”

Cinnamon Buns

Active Work Time: 1 hour 15 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 4 hours 15 minutes

BUN DOUGH

6 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/4 cups orange juice

3 (1/4-ounce) packages dry yeast

2 tablespoons honey

1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, room temperature

* Mix flour, sugar and salt in large mixing bowl, using fork to distribute evenly. Set aside.

* Pour buttermilk and orange juice into saucepan and whisk over low heat until lukewarm. Sprinkle yeast over liquid and stir to dissolve.

* Pour liquid onto flour in mixing bowl and add honey and butter. Mix and massage everything with both hands until all dry ingredients are absorbed into dough. Dough will be somewhat lumpy and uneven. Place dough on floured board and knead with heel of hand until somewhat smooth and elastic, 10 to 15 minutes. Warning: If dough is completely smooth, it has been overworked.

* Place dough in clean, lightly greased bowl. Cover with clean dish cloth and let rise in warm, draft-free area until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

CINNAMON FILLING

3 tablespoons corn syrup

1/4 cup ground cinnamon

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) salted butter, room temperature

6 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon flour

* Place corn syrup, cinnamon, butter, sugar and flour in bowl and whisk until well blended. (If you make filling the day before you’re going to bake, do not refrigerate overnight. Cover and leave on counter until needed.)

SUGAR ICING

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup water

* Put sugar, vanilla extract and water in bowl and whisk vigorously until mixture is free of lumps.

ASSEMBLY

Flour

Butter

ASSEMBLY

* Flour work surface generously and rolling pin lightly. Divide Bun Dough in 1/2. Roll first 1/2 into rectangle 1/2-inch thick, as evenly as you can. It should be about 10 by 12 inches.

* With spatula or clean hands, spread 1/2 of Cinnamon Filling over surface of dough rectangle, stopping 1/2 inch from edge of 1 long side. Starting from opposite long side, roll dough up, snugly but not so tightly that you push filling out. When rolled completely, pinch 1/2-inch edge that is free of filling onto rest of length of roll to create sturdy seam.

* With sharp serrated knife, cut roll crosswise into buns 1 1/2 inches thick, using sawing motion to avoid pressing down on roll. Place buns on baking pan lightly greased with butter 1 to 1 1/2 inches from each other.

* Repeat with remaining Dough and Filling. Cover buns and let rise until puffy and half again as large, about 1 hour. They should spring back from a light touch.

* Uncover baking pans and set in oven to bake at 350 degrees until slightly firm and light golden brown, about 15 minutes. Check to see that buns are cooked through to center, but if buns are too brown, they will develop undesirable crust. Cool until warm to the touch and drizzle with generous amount of Sugar Icing.

16 buns. Each bun: 552 calories; 547 mg sodium; 63 mg cholesterol; 24 grams fat; 91 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams protein; 0.55 gram fiber.

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9. ANGEL FOOD CANDY (HONEYCOMB CANDY)

Every year we ask readers to send recipes for favorite holiday foods--turkeys or cookies or, this year, candy. C.L. Underwood of Maywood responded with a recipe for Angel Food Candy, also called Honeycomb Candy, which is coated with chocolate. Underwood got the recipe from the magazine Taste of Home, and many tasters in The Times Test Kitchen had made similar candies before. But this is a great version of the candy, which has an airy crunchiness, in part due to the use of baking soda. Semisweet or bittersweet chocolate is recommended to balance the sweetness of the candy underneath.

Angel Food Candy (Honeycomb Candy)

Active Work Time: 45 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 1/2 hours

1 cup sugar

1 cup dark corn syrup

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 tablespoon baking soda

2 pounds semisweet or bittersweet chocolate

* Cook sugar, corn syrup and vinegar in heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves, 3 to 4 minutes. Stop stirring and bring candy to boil. Continue cooking without stirring until candy reaches hard-crack stage (300 to 310 degrees on candy thermometer), about 10 minutes.

* Remove candy from heat and quickly stir in baking soda. Pour into buttered 13x9-inch baking pan but do not spread (candy won’t fill pan). Let candy cool.

* Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water and set aside to cool.

* Break hardened candy into chunks and dip into melted chocolate. Place on wax paper until firm, about 30 minutes, or refrigerate. Store in airtight container.

2 1/2 pounds. Each serving: 313 calories; 20 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 16 grams fat; 48 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.45 gram fiber.

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10. LOBSTER CUSTARD WITH CAVIAR

Our )ctober cover story on the Japanese tv cooking show “Iron Chef” drew a huge response from fans of the show happy to see attention paid to what many called their favorite TV program of any kind anywhere. We were also able to publish some of the recipes from San Francisco chef Ron Siegel, who this year was the first American to win an “Iron Chef” competition. Of all Siegel’s “Battle Lobster” recipes, it was his Lobster Custard that got the attention of tasters in The Times Test Kitchen. Siegel tops the custard with caviar, but the custard is so good you can skip the fish eggs if you like.

The custard is cooked in egg shells, and an egg carton is the perfect thing to hold them upright in the water as they poach. It must be a cardboard, rather than a plastic, carton.

Lobster Custard With Caviar

Active Work Time: 25 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

1 cup milk

1 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup Lobster Stock

Salt, pepper

1 dozen eggs

2 pounds rock salt, optional

1 pound mixed spices (fresh bay leaves and peppercorns), optional

1 ounce Beluga or other caviar

* Bring milk and cream to boil with Lobster Stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

* Take 3 eggs and cut off tops of small ends with kitchen shears or sharp knock of large knife. Put yolks and whites in bowl. Set empty shell cups aside.

* Stir small amount of hot cream mixture into eggs in bowl to temper them. Then stir eggs into remaining cream mixture. Strain through fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth.

* Cut tops off remaining 9 eggs as above. Reserve shell cups; yolks and whites may be reserved for another use. Clean egg shells and carefully remove interior membrane with your finger. Once membrane is removed, shells will be very brittle.

* Rinse shells in warm water. Place shells back in egg carton, then place carton in large baking pan. Fill pan with water just until level reaches 1/4 way up side of eggs. Fill shells with custard. Cover and bake at 275 degrees until custard sets but is still soft, 40 minutes.

* Remove from oven and place custard-filled eggs on bed of rock salt decorated with spices. Top with caviar and serve.

12 servings. Each serving: 161 calories; 173 mg sodium; 255 mg cholesterol; 13 grams fat; 2 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams protein; 0 fiber.

LOBSTER STOCK

Active Work Time: 5 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 2 hours

Shells from 2 lobsters

5 black peppercorns

1 bay leaf

1 sprig parsley

1 clove garlic

1/2 onion

5 cups water

* Put lobster shells, peppercorns, bay leaf, parsley, garlic, onion and water in saucepan and bring to boil. Lower heat to simmer and cook until liquid is reduced to 2 cups, about 2 hours.

* Strain liquid into clean pot and simmer until reduced to 1 cup, about 1 hour.

1 cup. Each 1/4 cup:

21 calories; 43 mg sodium; 13 mg cholesterol; 0 fat; 2 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 0.13 gram fiber.

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11. STEAMED CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE

In March, for St. Patrick’s Day, Times Test Kitchen Director Donna Deane came up with a technique for cooking corned beef that kept more of the meat flavor that is often lost when the beef is boiled in the traditional way. Deane steamed the beef. “When we trimmed the fat off the top and sliced it,” Deane wrote, “it felt firm but was tender and juicy. It did not fall apart and lacked the stringiness common in boiled beef.”

Steamed Corned Beef and Cabbage

Active Work Time: 15 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 3 hours

1 head cabbage

1 (3 1/2-pound) corned beef

1 bunch carrots, tops removed

* Remove outer leaves from cabbage and use to line steamer basket. Put corned beef on top of leaves in basket and steam 2 1/2 hours.

* Cut cabbage into 6 wedges. Put cabbage and carrots on top of corned beef in steamer basket, and steam until corned beef and cabbage are fork tender, about 30 minutes.

6 servings. Each serving: 409 calories; 263 mg sodium; 93 mg cholesterol; 26 grams fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 28 grams protein; 1.96 grams fiber.

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12. BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE PA^Te WITH ZINFANDEL AND BERRIES

When staff writer Mary Curtius profiled Napa Valley chef Greg Cole, he shared a few recipes from his restaurant Celadon. Among them was Bittersweet Chocolate Pate With Zinfandel and Raspberries. It’s essentially a slab of soft, luxurious chocolate with raspberry sauce, simple to make but completely irresistible to chocolate lovers.

Bittersweet Chocolate Pa^te With Zinfandel and Berries

Active Work Time: 15 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 8 hours 15 minutes

CHOCOLATE PATE

1 pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup Zinfandel or other red wine

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

* Combine chocolate, wine and cream in top of stainless steel double boiler and cook over simmering water over medium heat, stirring frequently, until chocolate melts and mixture is just smooth. (It’s important that chocolate not get too warm.) Remove from heat and mix well with balloon whisk.

* Depending on how deep you want the pate, pour into 1 (8x4-inch) or 2 (5x2 1/2-inch) loaf pans lined with parchment or wax paper and refrigerate overnight. Before serving, unmold and slice with knife dipped in hot water.

BERRY SAUCE

Active Work Time and Total Preparation Time: 10 minutes

2 pints fresh berries, such as raspberries

1/2 cup sugar

* Puree berries and sugar in blender until smooth. Serve with Chocolate Pate.

8 servings. Each serving: 389 calories; 6 mg sodium; 10 mg cholesterol; 26 grams fat; 47 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 2.87 grams fiber.