Clifton’s Beef Bowl

DEAR SOS: Your recent recipe for Clifton’s scones reminded me of the really great beef stew they also served. Can you possibly get them to share the recipe with instructions that even a kitchen klutz like me could handle?

DON MCKINNEY

San Fernando

DEAR DON: Clifton’s came through for you and for many others who like things to be simple and good.

Clifton’s Beef Stew

Total preparation time: 3 hours *Active Work Time: 30 minutes

1 3/4 pound beef stew meat

1 onion, chopped

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1 bay leaf

Salt, black pepper

Water

1 (8-ounce) can tomatoes

1/2 cup tomato puree

2 cups beef stock

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 pound carrots, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

1 3/4 pounds boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks

1 onion, quartered

3/4 pound celery, cut into 1 1/2 inch slices

1/2 cup frozen, thawed peas

* Place stew meat, chopped onion, paprika, bay leaf, salt and blackpepper to taste in roasting pan. Add 1/2 cup water and mix well. Roast at 400 degrees 1 hour until meat is browned.

* Add tomatoes, tomato puree and beef stock to meat mixture and mix thoroughly. Bake 1 1/2 hours longer.

* Dissolve cornstarch in 1/4 cup water. Add cornstarch mixture to meat mixture. Mix with wooden spoon and bake 30 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.

* While meat cooks, place carrots and potatoes in steamer rack and steam 20 to 30 minutes. Remove vegetables to platter but do not pour off vegetable juices.

* Place celery and quartered onion in steamer rack and steam until done, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove vegetables, but do not pour off juices.

* Add peas to vegetable water and blanch 3 minutes. Drain.

When meat is done, add peas, hot steamed vegetables with juices to meat and gravy mixture. Mix thoroughly with wooden spoon. Garnish with peas.

6 servings. Each serving: 350 calories; 482 mg sodium; 59 mg cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 48 grams carbohydrates; 28 grams protein; 2.73 grams fiber.

Ranger Cookies Get an A

DEAR SOS: I’ve been searching for years for a cookie that used to be served with school lunches. It’s a drop cookie mixed with cocoa and butter in a saucepan, then oats and coconut are added. Can you help?

JANET THIEL

DEAR JANET: Ranger cookies, also known as Flying Saucers, have been served at school lunches for decades, and we have the recipe sent to us by the L.A. Unified School District. Recipes vary according to the school cook of the period, hence the use of chocolate chips instead of cocoa in this example.

1952 City School Ranger Cookies

Total Preparation Time: 1 hour. Active Work Time: 1 hour

1 cup butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar, packed

2 eggs, well beaten

2 cups sifted flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups rolled oats

2 cups cornflakes

1/2 cup coconut

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

* Cream butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time.

* Sift flour with baking powder, salt and baking soda. Stir into butter mixture. Add vanilla, oats, cornflakes, coconut, chocolate chips and nuts and stir until blended.

* Drop by tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheet. Flatten to 4-inch diameter. (Use square of wax paper to keep dough from sticking to fingers or whatever you’re using to flatten dough.) For small cookies, drop by rounded teaspoon. Do not flatten.

* Bake larger cookies at 350 degrees 10 to 12 minutes. Cookies should be slightly soft when removed from oven. Bake smaller cookies at 375 degrees 8 to 10 minutes.

22 large cookies or 6 dozen small cookies. Each small cookie: 77 calories; 56 mg sodium; 13 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 11 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein.

Louie, Louie

DEAR SOS: About 25 years ago, you printed a recipe for a Louie consisting of hard-cooked eggs, tomato and olives. The dressing was made with mayonnaise. Please help.

BERNICE HINTON

Inglewood

DEAR BERNICE: This salad is a standard version with a few flourishes added, such as stuffed olives and tarragon vinegar.

Crab Louis

Total preparation time: 10 minutes. Active cooking time: 10 minutes

LOUIS DRESSING

1 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup chile sauce

1 small onion, grated

1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar

2 tablespoon chopped stuffed olives

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire

1/2 teaspoon horseradish

Combine mayonnaise, chili sauce, onion, vinegar, olives and Worcestershire sauce and horseradish. Blend thoroughly. Chill. Makes 1 2/3 cups dressing.

SALAD

1 head lettuce

2 pound crab meat

4 to 6 hard-boiled eggs, quartered

4 tomatoes, quartered

Shred half the lettuce. Arrange remaining leaves on salad plates. Arrange shredded lettuce on the leaves. Arrange crab meat on top of lettuce and garnish with egg and tomato quarters. Serve dressing over salad or on the side.

6 servings. Each serving with 2 tablespoons dressing: 372 calories; 887 mg sodium; 258 mg cholesterol; 19 grams fat; 21 grams carbohydrates; 29 grams protein; 1.11 grams fiber.