Bran Muffins, Sauerbraten and Potato Pancakes

DEAR SOS: The Pacific Dining Car in Los Angeles serves wonderful bran muffins at brunch. Can they provide the recipe?

--SHELLY

DEAR SHELLY: Cooks searching for a recipe for those rich, moist, bran muffins will be delighted with this facsimile.

BRAN MUFFINS

1 3/4 cups unprocessed bran

3/4 cup hot water

3 eggs, beaten

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

3/4 cup oil

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1/2 cup raisins

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

Combine bran and hot water in small bowl. Beat eggs, buttermilk, oil and baking soda together in larger bowl. Add bran mixture. Stir in nuts, raisins, salt, sugar and flour.

Spoon into greased muffin pan or paper muffin cups. Bake at 350 degrees about 20 minutes. Makes 1 1/2 dozen muffins.

Note: Unprocessed bran can be found at any health-food store and most supermarkets.

DEAR SOS: Where have all the great sauerbraten recipes gone? My mother used to make it when I was a child, but I never learned how to make it myself.

--HAL

DEAR HAL: We’re here to change all that. These recipes from the Old Heidelberg restaurant in Van Nuys also include potato pancakes, which usually accompany sauerbraten.

OLD HEIDELBERG

SAUERBRATEN

1 cup white wine vinegar

1 cup water

8 whole cloves

1 sprig thyme

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

5 bay leaves

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves

1/2 cup sliced onion

1/2 cup diced carrots

1/2 cup sliced celery

1 (5- to 6-pound) bottom round beef roast

1/4 cup lard or bacon drippings

3 tablespoons sugar

3 cloves garlic, mashed

1 teaspoon tomato puree

1 cup red wine

1 1/2 cups beef stock

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup raisins, plumped, optional

Cooked cabbage, potato dumplings or Potato Pancakes, optional

Combine vinegar, water, cloves, thyme, peppercorns, bay leaves, rosemary, onion, carrots and celery. Bring to boil and simmer 20 minutes. Cool.

Place beef in earthenware dish or crock and pour cooled marinade over meat. Marinate in refrigerator, making sure meat is completely submerged, at least 2 days to blend flavors.

When ready to cook, remove meat from liquid and dry thoroughly. Melt lard in large kettle, add meat and brown on all sides. Remove meat from pan and set aside.

Strain vegetables and spices from liquid. Reserve liquid. Add vegetable mixture to pan drippings. Cook, stirring, until vegetables are golden brown. Add sugar, garlic, tomato puree, wine, beef stock, remaining marinade and beef and bring to boil. Simmer until beef is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove meat to platter and slice. Keep warm.

Strain liquid in pan through fine sieve. Melt butter and stir in flour until smooth. Cook, stirring until flour mixture is golden brown. Stir small amount of liquid into flour mixture, then return to liquid and cook, stirring, until thickened. Add buttermilk and sour cream to finish gravy. Stir in raisins. Serve with cabbage, potato dumplings or potato pancakes. Makes 8 servings.

Potato Pancakes

2 eggs

1 small onion, finely grated

1/3 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

6 medium baking potatoes, peeled and placed in water

4 tablespoons bacon drippings or oil

Sugar or applesauce, optional

In large mixing bowl, beat eggs lightly. Add onion, flour and salt.

Grate each potato directly into fine sieve. Press out as much liquid as possible. Immediately stir grated potatoes into egg-onion mixture.

Heat drippings in heavy skillet. Drop potato mixture by large spoonfuls into hot drippings. Fry until brown on 1 side, turn and brown other side.

Transfer crisp pancakes to warm platter and serve immediately. Sprinkle with sugar or serve with applesauce. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Only recipes of general interest will be printed. Send recipe request to Culinary SOS, Food Section, The Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, Calif. 90053. Include restaurant address when requesting recipes from restaurants. We are unable to answer recipe requests by mail.