Caesar Salad, Pineapple Pie, Mahi Mahi

DEAR SOS: Cafe Figaro Espresso on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles has been serving great comfort food since 1969. Would you please try to wrestle from the chef their recipe for an egg-free Caesar salad?

--D.S.

DEAR D.S.: The recipe from Cafe Figaro notes: “The classic recipe has been adjusted by our chef, Derek Chasin, graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, to give it a little more kick, and the raw egg has also been left out.”

CAFE FIGARO EGG-FREE CAESAR SALAD

2 heads Romaine lettuce, inner leaves, cut up

Caesar Dressing

Garlic Croutons

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Place Romaine leaves in bowl. Add Caesar Dressing and Garlic Croutons. Toss lightly but thoroughly. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving, with dressing, contains about:

432 calories; 622 mg sodium; 25 mg cholesterol; 37 grams fat; 19 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams protein; 1.01 grams fiber.

Caesar Dressing

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 to 3 whole canned anchovy fillets

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons pureed garlic

Salt, pepper

3/4 cup olive oil

In blender combine lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, anchovies, Worcestershire, red wine vinegar, mustard, garlic and salt and pepper to taste.

Whir in blender on medium speed. Gradually add olive oil in stream until dressing is completely blended and smooth. If too thick, thin with up to 1/4 cup cold water.

Garlic Croutons

6 slices whole-wheat bread, crusts trimmed and cubed

3 to 4 tablespoons melted butter

2 teaspoons garlic powder

In bowl combine bread cubes, melted butter and garlic powder. Toss to coat well. Spread cubes on baking sheet. Bake at 400 to 450 degrees until bread cubes are golden brown.

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DEAR SOS: I’d love a recipe for the fresh pineapple pie like the one we had on our honeymoon in Hawaii. It was a very simple pie--no whipped cream or crust on top. Can you help?

--MRS. E.R.Z.

DEAR MRS. E.R.Z.: Here’s a recipe like the one you describe. Let us know if it is as good as the one you remember.

PLAIN PINEAPPLE PIE

2 cups crushed pineapple

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 (9-inch) baked pie shell

Place pineapple in saucepan. In bowl mix cornstarch, sugar and salt. Add to pineapple. Cook and stir over low heat until thick. Cool. Add butter, lemon juice and zest. Mix. Turn filling into pie shell. Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains about:

262 calories; 163 mg sodium; 4 mg cholesterol; 15 grams fat; 31 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 0.28 gram fiber.

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DEAR SOS: There are so many recipe for mahi mahi, but I would like to prepare an authentic Hawaiian recipe. I remember eating it there topped with macadamia nuts. The good people in Hawaii really know how to prepare that fish.

--MRS. M.S.

DEAR MRS. M.S.: Here’s a simple recipe for mahi mahi dressed up with macadamia nuts.

MAHI MAHI WITH MACADAMIA NUTS

2 pounds mahi mahi fillets

1 1/2 cups milk

3/4 teaspoon salt

Dash black pepper

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 cup macadamia nuts

Paprika

Place mahi mahi in well-greased shallow baking pan. In bowl combine milk, salt and pepper. Pour over fish. Bake at 350 degrees 30 minutes.

Remove from oven, drain and reserve liquid. Place fish on hot platter and keep warm. In skillet melt butter. Blend in flour. Add hot liquid gradually and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Add lemon juice. Pour over fish and top with macadamia nuts and paprika. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

221 calories; 471 mg sodium; 103 mg cholesterol; 10 grams fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 25 grams protein; 0.11 gram fiber.

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“DEAR SOS: Thirty Years of Recipe Requests to the Los Angeles Times,” by Rose Dosti, will be available starting mid-October for $15.95 plus $3 for postage and handling. To order call 800-246-4042, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday (only Visa and MasterCard). To pay by check, send required amount to Dear SOS, The Los Angeles Times, Dept. FS, Box 2384, Chatsworth, Calif. 91313-9799. Offer good until Jan. 1, 1995.