Stick-to-the-Ribs Broccoli

DEAR SOS: A few months ago we attended a wedding reception at Ox Yoke Inn near Iowa City, Iowa. The scrumptious family-style meal included a wonderful broccoli salad. Can you help with a recipe?

GLENDA BURNS

Claremont

DEAR GLENDA: The Ox Yoke Inn, which serves family-style German and American food, opened in 1940. Anyone nostalgic for rich and hearty farmhouse cuisine will find comfort in this recipe.

Ox Yoke Inn Broccoli Salad

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 20 minutes plus 2 hours chilling

1 pound bacon

2 pounds broccoli florets, cut in bite-size pieces

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 cup raisins

1 cup mayonnaise or mayonnaise salad dressing

2 tablespoons vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup half-and-half

* Fry bacon in large skillet until crisp, 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then crumble.

* Combine broccoli, celery, bacon and raisins in a large bowl.

* Combine mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar and half-and-half in small bowl. Add to broccoli mixture. Toss to coat. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

6 to 8 servings. Each of 8 servings: 481 calories; 569 mg sodium; 39 mg cholesterol; 36 grams fat; 37 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams protein; 1.64 grams fiber.

The Brittlest Angel

DEAR SOS: I’m looking for a recipe for crunch cake from now-closed Blum’s bakery in Beverly Hills. It was a birthday favorite.

M. MURPHY

Burbank

DEAR M.: The crunch cake has been a Times reader favorite for more than 35 years, almost as long as this column has been around. The praline brittle makes the cake, but if you don’t have the time for this step, you can substitute store-bought brittle for almost the same effect.

Blum’s Coffee Crunch Cake

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 30 minutes plus 1 hour cooling

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup strong brewed coffee

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 (16-ounce) store-bought angel-food cake

2 cups whipping cream, whipped

* Combine sugar, coffee and corn syrup in medium saucepan at least 5 inches deep. Bring mixture to boil and cook until it reaches 310 degrees on a candy thermometer or reaches the hard-crack stage (when a small amount dropped into cold water breaks with a brittle snap).

* Press baking soda through sieve to remove lumps. Remove syrup from heat. Immediately add soda and stir vigorously just until mixture thickens and pulls away from sides of pan. (Mixture foams rapidly when soda is added. Do not destroy foam by beating excessively.)

* Immediately pour foamy mass, being careful to avoid spatters, into ungreased 9-inch square metal pan. (Do not spread or stir). Let stand without moving until cool, 1 hour.

* When ready to garnish cake, remove from pan and crush between sheets of wax paper with rolling pin to form coarse pieces.

* Frost cake with whipped cream. Cover generously and thoroughly with brittle pieces. Refrigerate until serving.

12 servings. Each serving: 351 calories; 79 mg sodium; 55 mg cholesterol; 15 grams fat; 53 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 0 fiber.