A Special Liver and Onions Dish Concocted in the European Style

Dear SOS: My husband used to tell me that I made great liver and onions until he ate at Picolo’s in West Los Angeles. Would you be a dear and try to get their recipe?

--BARBARA

Dear Barbara: We asked, and this was the reply from Ron Colbert, the manager at Picolo restaurant: “What makes liver and onions special at Picolo is the European-style cut. The liver is sliced in thin strips as for stroganoff. We use only fresh beef liver.”

PICOLO BEEF LIVER AND ONIONS

1 1/2 pounds beef liver

Salt, pepper

Flour

Unsalted butter

2 onions, thinly sliced

Slice liver into thin strips. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Dust with flour, shaking off excess. Melt 1/4 cup butter in skillet. Add sliced liver and saute until liver turns uniform brown color, tossing to brown evenly. Keep warm.

In separate skillet, melt 1/4 cup butter. Add onions and saute until golden brown, tossing occasionally to brown evenly. Place liver on platter or individual plates and top with mound of onions. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Dear SOS: Please help me. I have lost my recipe for lemon pie you printed back in the ‘70s that was served at one of the Bullock’s stores.

--THELMA

Dear Thelma: Heavenly Lemon Pie from the department store tearooms has been a big hit with our readers over the years. We’re happy to reprint the recipe as it appears in our Food Section’s “The Los Angeles Times California Cookbook,” (Abrams: $25 hardcover; New American Library: $9.95 paperback).

HEAVENLY LEMON PIE

4 eggs, separated

1/2 cup sugar

Grated peel and juice of 1 large lemon

2 cups whipping cream, whipped

Meringue Crust

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Beat egg yolks with sugar, lemon peel and juice until light. Cook, stirring, in top of double boiler over boiling water until thickened. Remove from heat and cool thoroughly.

Fold in half of whipped cream. Turn into Meringue Crust and refrigerate at least 2 hours to set. Fold powdered sugar into remaining whipped cream and spread over chilled pie. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Meringue Crust

4 egg whites

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Blend in juice.

Grease 1 (9-inch) pie pan generously. Spoon meringue mixture into pan and with spoon push mixture up around edges to form pie shell. Bake at 200 degrees 2 hours. Cool.

Dear SOS: I have looked in vain for a recipe for tapenade, often called “poor man’s caviar.” Can you help?

--MRS. J.S.

Dear Mrs. J.S.: Here it is from Julia Child’s “The French Chef Cookbook” (Bantam: $4.50).

JULIA CHILD’S

TAPENADE

1/3 cup dry oil-cured Greek olives, pitted

1/4 cup drained capers in olive oil

5 or more anchovy fillets in olive oil

1/3 cup canned tuna

1 or more cloves garlic

1/4 teaspoon crushed bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon crushed thyme

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Few drops Cognac

Few drops lemon juice

Freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons minced parsley

Puree olives in blender container, then add capers, anchovies, tuna, garlic, bay leaf and thyme. Puree. Spoon into bowl and add mustard, Cognac and lemon juice and season to taste with pepper. Stir in parsley. Serve in bowl or arrange on small platter and decorate with lettuce or watercress, tomatoes, eggs and mayonnaise, if desired. Tapenade may also be used as spread or dip for appetizers.

Dear SOS: I love the taste of S’Mores and I am desperately seeking a recipe for a pan cookie or bar.

--SHELLEY

Dear Shelley: There is more to S’Mores than meets the eye.

S’MORES

Graham crackers

Chocolate candy bars

Marshmallows

Place graham crackers in layer in pan. Break up candy bars into small pieces and spread over layer of crackers. Skewer marshmallows on wet wood or metal skewers and toast over dying coals or flame. When toasted, but not charred, carefully slip off marshmallow onto candy bar-layered graham crackers. Top with another layer graham crackers and squish closed. Hot marshmallow will melt chocolate slightly, or bake at 350 degrees until chocolate melts.