Here’s a Hot Dip

DEAR SOS: My husband and I just adore the hot crab dip at Palomino restaurant in Westwood. Would the restaurant share the recipe for the dip and the accompanying herbed crackers?

MEREDITH POWERS

Arcadia

DEAR MEREDITH: Palomino tops the crab dip with an herbed bread crumb mixture and serves it with herbed pizza crust wedges. Chef Jeff Marino suggests using water crackers (recipe below) as a substitute for pizza crust. Otherwise, any plain or seeded crackers or sliced crusty French bread may be used.

Palomino Crab Dip

Active Work Time: 1 hour * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

HERB BREAD CRUMBS

1/4 day-old baguette

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon minced parsley

1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram

* Cut baguette into 1-inch cubes. Place in food processor and process to coarse (about 3/8-inch) crumbs. Do not over-process crumbs.

* Combine bread crumbs, butter, garlic, rosemary, basil, parsley, thyme, oregano and marjoram. Mix until butter is evenly distributed and absorbed by bread crumbs.

DIP

1 cup mayonnaise

2 (8-ounce) packages frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and coarsely chopped

1 1/4 pounds cooked Dungeness crab meat

1/2 small white onion, sliced paper-thin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Chopped parsley

* Combine mayonnaise, artichoke hearts, crab meat, onion and salt. Mix well.

* Place crab mixture in 9-inch square casserole and top with Herb Bread Crumbs and cheese. Bake at 500 degrees until very hot and bubbly, 5 minutes. Drizzle lemon juice over top. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with plain or Herbed Crackers.

5 cups. Each tablespoon: 37 calories; 66 mg sodium; 4 mg cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 1 gram carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.08 gram fiber.

Herbed Crackers

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 10 minutes plus 2 hours standing

1/2 cup olive oil

2 teaspoons minced sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed)

1 teaspoon mixed herbs, such as dried rosemary, basil, parsley, thyme, oregano or marjoram

36 water crackers

* Combine olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes and mixed herbs. Let stand several hours or overnight before using. Drizzle or brush over crackers just before serving.

36 crackers. Each cracker: 52 calories; 62 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.02 gram fiber.

Another Tuna Party

DEAR SOS: In a recent column, a reader requested a recipe she prepared in the 1940s for tuna casserole, using mushroom soup, tuna and peas. I acquired this recipe in 1951 from a woman I worked with.

DOROTHY J. COOK

Palos Verdes Estates

DEAR DOROTHY: Thank you for providing us with yet another version of this versatile dish.

Chinese Casserole

Active Work Time: 10 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour * Easy

Crushed potato chips, bread crumbs or grated Parmesan cheese can be substituted for noodles.

2 cups chopped celery

1 cup chopped onion

1 (12-ounce) can tuna, drained and broken up

2 (10 3/4-ounce) cans cream of mushroom soup

1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas

1 (3-ounce) can chow mein noodles, toasted

* Combine celery, onion, tuna, mushroom soup and peas in 2 1/2-quart casserole. Top with noodles. Bake at 350 degrees until mixture is lightly browned and bubbly, 45 minutes.

6 servings. Each serving: 339 calories; 1,254 mg sodium; 13 mg cholesterol; 16 grams fat; 26 grams carbohydrates; 23 grams protein; 1.69 grams fiber.

*

Platter from Crate & Barrel stores.