Easy and Red Hot

DEAR SOS: A friend had a delicious bowl of red pepper soup at Christopher’s in Phoenix. We haven’t been able to duplicate it and wonder if you would please try to obtain the recipe for us.

--PEGGY

DEAR PEGGY: The recipe arrived and the testing proved that you don’t have to work your fingers to the bone for a good bowl of red pepper soup.

CHRISTOPHER’S RED BELL PEPPER SOUP

3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

4 red bell peppers, cored and chopped

2 leeks, white parts only, chopped

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 cups chicken stock

2 cups whipping cream

Salt

Freshly ground white pepper

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in saucepan over medium-low heat. Add peppers, leeks, carrot and onion and saute 10 minutes.

Add chicken stock and cream. Increase heat and simmer soup until reduced by 1/3, about 30 minutes. Puree in blender by batches until all soup is pureed. Strain soup back into saucepan. Simmer 15 minutes or until reduced to desired consistency. Remove from heat and stir in remaining butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

394 calories; 411 mg sodium; 126 mg cholesterol; 36 grams fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 1.12 grams fiber.

Tea Cakes for Two

DEAR SOS: Please tell me where I can find a recipe for old-fashioned tea cakes, which were popular in the South many years ago.

DEAR E.F.: Another reader asked for Darjeeling tea cakes, so why don’t we combine the requests? The standard recipe uses buttermilk and soda. For Darjeeling tea cakes, substitute 1/4 cup cold Darjeeling tea for part of the liquid.

TEA CAKES

CAKE

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons oil

1 egg

3/4 cup cake flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup buttermilk

3 tablespoons fine-chopped pecans

Cream Icing

Mix together sugars, salt and oil. Add egg and beat until smooth. Sift together cake flour, baking powder and soda. Stir in half of buttermilk and mix until blended, then add remaining buttermilk and beat until smooth.

Divide pecans among 8 greased muffin cups. Add batter, filling 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees until golden, about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from pans onto clean cloth. Cool. Dip nut side into Cream Icing and place on rack to set. Icing will be thick when dry.

CREAM ICING

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon butter

2 tablespoons whipping cream or half and half

Combine sugar, butter and cream in saucepan. Bring to boil. Cool only slightly before dipping, or keep hot until ready to dip so syrup does not harden.

Makes 8 cakes.

Each serving contains about:

236 calories; 210 mg sodium; 33 mg cholesterol; 7 grams fat; 42 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.05 gram fiber.

Swiss-Style Pie

DEAR SOS: For many years I have tried to duplicate the marvelous onion cheese pie served at two long-gone Swiss restaurants in Los Angeles. I would very much appreciate having this recipe.

--HELENE

DEAR HELENE: We do not have the precise recipes from the restaurants mentioned. Will this standard Swiss-style cheese and onion pie recipe from our files do?

SWISS ONION AND CHEESE PIE 2 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, chopped

1 unbaked (9-inch) pie shell with high fluted edge

1 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese

2 tablespoons flour

4 eggs

2 cups half and half

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Heat butter in skillet and add onion. Cook until golden. Spread evenly in pie shell. Mix cheese and flour and sprinkle over onion. Beat eggs with half and half, salt and pepper until smooth and well blended. Pour over cheese. Bake at 350 degrees 40 to 45 minutes or until puffed and brown. Cool 10 minutes before cutting into wedges.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Each of 6 servings contains about:

394 calories; 411 mg sodium; 126 mg cholesterol; 36 grams fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 1.12 gram fiber.