El Torito’s Bounty

DEAR SOS: I adore the sweet corn cake served at the El Torito restaurants throughout Los Angeles. Can you help with a recipe?

--NICHOLAS

DEAR NICHOLAS: Scores of other readers have also asked for this recipe, and we’re happy to have received it from El Torito Restaurants. Besides cornmeal, you’ll need instant masa, the Mexican-style cornmeal from which tortillas and tamales are made. It is available at most supermarkets, as well as Mexican grocery stores.

EL TORITO’S SWEET CORN CAKE

1/4 cup unsalted butter

2 tablespoons shortening

1/2 cup instant masa

3 tablespoons cold water

1 (10-ounce) package frozen corn kernels or kernels from 2 large fresh corn cobs

3 tablespoons cornmeal

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons whipping cream

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Whip butter and shortening in mixing bowl until fluffy and creamy. Add instant masa gradually and mix thoroughly. Add water gradually, mixing thoroughly.

Blend corn kernels until coarsely chopped. Stir into masa mixture.

Mix cornmeal, sugar, whipping cream, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Add butter-masa mixture; mix until blended.

Pour masa mixture into 8-inch greased baking pan. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees until corn cake is firm, 40 to 50 minutes. Allow to stand at room temperature 15 minutes before cutting into squares. Or use ice cream scoop to serve.

Makes 10 (2-ounce) servings.

Each serving contains about:

147 calories; 76 mg sodium; 16 mg cholesterol; 9 grams fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.21 grams fiber.

A Honey of a Recipe

DEAR SOS: Please try to obtain the recipe for honeycomb candy. I’d love to make it at home.

--ESTHER

DEAR ESTHER: This honeycomb candy recipe is prepared in a microwave. If you’re using a saucepan instead, heat the sugar-corn syrup mixture to 300 degrees (the hard ball stage on a candy thermometer), then quickly stir in the baking soda.

MICROWAVE HONEYCOMB

1 cup sugar

1 cup dark corn syrup

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 tablespoon baking soda

Combine sugar, corn syrup and vinegar in 2-quart microwaveable bowl and cook on high (600 to 700 watts) 3 minutes. Stir through several times. Continue cooking on high until mixture has thickened and candy thermometer registers 300 degrees, or until small amount dropped into cold water separates into hard and brittle threads, 7 to 10 minutes.

Quickly stir in baking soda (mixture will foam), blending thoroughly. Do not over-stir. Pour into 8-inch square baking dish lined with foil and generously greased, tilting to cover bottom evenly. Cool at room temperature until firm, about 1 hour. Do not refrigerate. Break honeycomb into pieces and place on wax paper. Cool at room temperature.

Makes about 1 pound.

Each 1-ounce piece contains about:

108 calories; 94 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 28 grams carbohydrates; 0 protein; 0 fiber.

Huevos for Everyone

DEAR SOS: Years ago, friends who have since moved away made the best huevos rancheros my wife and I have had. We saw those friends again recently and asked for the recipe. It turns out that it came from the Los Angeles Times and that they also have lost it. If you still have it, could you do two families a big favor by running it again?

--H.A.D.

DEAR H.A.D.: Happily. Enjoy these wonderful Mexican eggs for brunch, lunch or a light supper.

HUEVOS RANCHEROS

2 tablespoons oil or lard

1 clove garlic, minced

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 teaspoon crumbled oregano

2 green chiles, mashed

1 (1-pound 12-ounce) can tomatoes, chopped

Salt

6 eggs

1/2 cup shredded cheese

Corn tortillas

Heat oil in wide skillet. Add garlic and onion and cook until golden. Stir in oregano, chiles and tomatoes. Simmer, uncovered, to thicken. Add salt to taste. Break each egg into saucer and slide into sauce. Simmer until eggs are set. Sprinkle with cheese and heat until melted. Serve on tortillas.

Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

191 calories; 405 mg sodium; 222 mg cholesterol; 13 grams fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams protein; 0.69 grams fiber.