Chocolate Souffle, Chicken Salad

DEAR SOS: Can you persuade Moustache Cafe in Hollywood to part with its chocolate souffle recipe? It’s great .

--RHODA

DEAR RHODA: You can say that again. And it’s not all that difficult to prepare.

The dollop of whipped cream sunk into the steaming center gives the souffle a wonderful finish.

MOUSTACHE CAFE CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE

7 ounces dark unsweetened Baker’s chocolate

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup sugar

4 egg yolks

6 egg whites

Butter

Granulated sugar

Powdered sugar

Whipped cream, optional

Combine unsweetened chocolate, milk and 7 tablespoons sugar in top of double boiler over simmering water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chocolate and sugar are melted. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes.

Drop egg yolks into chocolate mixture. Using wire whisk mix until blended.

Beat egg whites with mixer until stiff. Add remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and continue beating until blended. Using wire whisk, add 1/3 of egg-white mixture to chocolate mixture and whip until blended. Gently fold remaining egg whites into mixture.

Butter 6 individual souffle dishes covering entire inside surface and rim. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Fill each souffle dish to rim with chocolate mixture. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from oven, dust with powdered sugar and serve at once with dollop of whipped cream. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving, without whipped cream, contains about:

347 calories; 66 mg sodium; 183 mg cholesterol; 20 grams fat; 36 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams protein; 0.00 grams fiber; 53% calories from fat.

DEAR SOS: We used to end up at the New Moon Chinese restaurant for the chicken salad whenever we attended events at the Music Center. Now that the New Moon is no more, where, oh where do we go?

--JONI

DEAR JONI: Many other readers are probably wondering the same. How about trying Chez Joni? Or Chez Joe or Harry, Mary or Liz? Here’s the recipe for the chicken salad, which you can all have any time--and in the comfort of your own home!

NEW MOON CHICKEN SALAD

1 (2 1/2-pound) chicken, cut up

2 eggs, beaten

Cornstarch

1 tablespoon sesame oil

Vegetable oil

1 (6 3/4-ounce) package rice sticks

1 tablespoon dry mustard

1 tablespoon water

1 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Salt, pepper

Torn leaves of cilantro, about 1/2 cup

1 bunch green onions, shredded

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

3 tablespoons chopped roasted almonds

1 small head lettuce, finely shredded

Dip chicken pieces in eggs, then cornstarch. Heat sesame oil and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in heavy skillet. Fry chicken pieces until tender. Drain on paper towels and cool. Bone and shred.

Heat oil for deep frying to 365 degrees. Fry rice sticks, small batch at a time, 1 to 2 seconds, or until puffed. Drain on paper towels.

Combine chicken and rice sticks in bowl. Mix mustard with water to make paste and add hoisin and soy sauces. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add to chicken mixture. Add cilantro, green onions, sesame seeds, almonds and lettuce to chicken mixture. Toss thoroughly. Serve immediately. Makes 4 large or 6 side-dish servings.

DEAR SOS: While attending a banquet at La Quinta Golf & Tennis Resort near Palm Springs, we tried a heavenly peanut butter pie, the house specialty. Would you please try to obtain the recipe?

--BOBBIE

DEAR BOBBIE: Delighted. This pie has been a great hit with our readers throughout the years. And it’s so simple too.

LA QUINTA HOTEL PEANUT BUTTER PIE

1 (4 3/4-ounce) package vanilla pudding and pie filling mix

6 or 7 teaspoons peanut butter

1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped

1 (9-inch) baked pastry shell or graham cracker pie crust

Sweetened whipped cream, optional

1/4 cup chopped peanuts, optional

Prepare pudding mix according to package directions, adding peanut butter. Beat until thoroughly blended. Cool.

Fold in whipping cream. Turn into baked pie shell. Chill until set. Top with sweetened whipped cream and sprinkle with peanuts. Makes 8 servings.

Each serving, without sweetened whipped cream and peanuts, contains about:

334 calories; 184 mg sodium; 21 mg cholesterol; 21 grams fat; 35 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0.15 grams fiber; 55% calories from fat.