Airy Scones

DEAR SOS: Is there a chance the chef at the Bel-Air Hotel would release his fabulous scone recipe? They are the lightest and best I’ve had, and I would love to make them. Tell the chef not to worry. I’ll still go to tea at the Bel-Air.

DOTTY CORCORAN

Calabasas

DEAR DOTTY: Don’t worry. Executive Chef Gary Clauson was delighted to share the recipe. The scones, he says, are “one of our most requested recipes.”

Bel-Air Scones

Active Work Time: 15 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 35 minutes

3 cups cake flour, plus more for rolling

2 tablespoons baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut into cubes

2 cups whipping cream

1 cup currants

1 egg yolk, beaten

Devonshire cream and preserves, optional

* Sift together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Use paddle on electric mixer to work butter into flour mixture until mealy. Add whipping cream and currants. Mix on low until dough is smooth, 1 minute.

* Turn dough onto floured board and roll out to about 3/4-inch thick. Cut into 2 1/4-inch rounds with pastry cutter or biscuit cutter.

* Place dough rounds 2 inches apart on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with beaten egg yolk and bake at 375 degrees until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Serve with Devonshire cream and preserves, if desired.

12 to 14 scones. Each of 14 scones: 278 calories; 390 mg sodium; 84 mg cholesterol; 20 grams fat; 22 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 0.32 gram fiber.

Real Cobb

DEAR SOS: The original Cobb salad from the old Brown Derby restaurant was my favorite salad. However, the dressing was the coup de gra^ce, the perfect complement to such a salad. In restaurants nowadays, it seems one cannot find a great Cobb salad, as it is usually missing a key ingredient--the avocado. Would you please publish the original Cobb salad recipe and dressing for us purists?

STEVE MORTON

Burbank

DEAR STEVE: We quite agree. Imitations abound, with or without the avocado. Here’s the creation of the Original Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant, a stunning mosaic of ingredients with a beautifully balanced dressing.

Original Cobb Salad

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 45 minutes plus 30 minutes chilling

1/2 head iceberg lettuce, finely chopped

1/2 bunch watercress, stemmed, finely chopped

1 small bunch curly endive, finely chopped

1/2 head romaine, leaves finely chopped

2 tablespoons minced chives

2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced

2 cooked chicken breasts, bones and skin removed, diced

6 strips cooked bacon, diced

1 avocado, peeled and diced

3 hard-boiled eggs, diced

1/2 cup Roquefort cheese, crumbled

* Mix together lettuce, watercress, endive and romaine in large wide bowl or individual wide shallow bowls. Add chives. Arrange tomatoes, chicken, bacon, avocado and eggs in narrow strips or wedges across top of greens. Sprinkle with cheese. Chill. At serving time toss with 1/2 cup Special French Dressing. Pass remaining dressing.

6 servings. Each serving, salad only: 237 calories; 362 mg sodium; 147 mg cholesterol; 15 grams fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 22 grams protein; 1.82 grams fiber.

Special French Dressing

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 5 minutes plus 1 hour chilling

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

3/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup olive oil

3/4 cup vegetable oil

* Combine water, vinegar, sugar, lemon juice, salt, pepper, Worcestershire, mustard, garlic, olive oil and vegetable oil. Chill. Shake well before using.

1 1/2 cups dressing. Each tablespoon: 81 calories; 51 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 9 grams fat; 0 carbohydrates; 0 protein; 0.01 gram fiber.