A Tasty Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Pancake

DEAR SOS: Recently I visited Fess Parker’s Red Lion Inn in Santa Barbara. They have a few low-cholesterol, low-fat items, including a fantastic gingerbread pancake with apple butter. But I can’t find such a recipe in my cookbooks.

--ROSALIE

DEAR ROSALIE: Looks are not great, but the ginger-flavored pancakes do taste good. Douse them with apple butter, maple syrup or whatever, and you have it.

FESS PARKER’S RED LION GINGERBREAD PANCAKES

1/4 cup hot water

2 teaspoons instant decaffeinated coffee

3/4 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, undiluted

1 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons corn oil margarine, melted

1 1/2 cups apple butter

Combine hot water and coffee until coffee is dissolved. Add apple juice concentrate and mix well. Set aside.

Combine flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves in large mixing bowl. In another bowl combine beaten egg and melted margarine. Add coffee and apple juice and mix thoroughly. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and mix just enough to moisten. Batter should be lumpy.

For each pancake spoon two tablespoons batter onto hot griddle sprayed with non-stick vegetable spray and cook until browned on both sides, turning once. Serve with apple butter. Makes about 12 pancakes.

DEAR SOS: A few years ago I obtained a recipe from The Times for halibut baked with sliced avocado and Jack cheese. Unfortunately, I lost the recipe.

--DONNA

DEAR DONNA: There are several in our file. This one sounds like the one you want.

BAKED HALIBUT AVOCADO

2 pounds halibut fillets

2 (4-ounce) cans mushrooms, drained

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 cup soft bread crumbs

1/4 teaspoon celery salt

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 large avocado

1/2 cup shredded Jack or mozzarella cheese

Thaw fish fillets, if frozen. Cut into serving pieces and place in single layer in well-greased baking dish.

Saute mushrooms and onion in butter until onion is tender. Add bread crumbs, celery salt, salt, pepper and parsley.

Combine egg and lemon juice. Brush fish with egg mixture. Peel and slice avocado. Arrange slices over fish. Top with crumb mixture. Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees 35 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with fork. Makes 6 servings.

DEAR SOS: Would you kindly reprint the recipe for a dessert that contains vanilla and chocolate pudding layered with graham crackers?

--MICHELLE

DEAR MICHELLE: Certainly would not mind, except that the recipe has as many variations as there are cooks. Here is one of the versions of this favorite ice box dessert.

ICEBOX DESSERT

1 (4-ounce) package sweet cooking chocolate

1 tablespoon water

Dash salt

2 egg yolks

1 cup whipping cream, whipped

16 graham crackers

Melt chocolate with water in saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Stir in salt. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating to blend well. Cool. Fold mixture into whipped cream.

Line bottom and sides of 8x4-inch loaf pan with wax paper or foil strips, letting paper extend above pan. Arrange layer of graham crackers in bottom of pan. Add 1/4 of chocolate mixture.

Repeat layers until all ingredients are used. Chill overnight in refrigerator. Remove from pan by pulling on paper or foil. Slice and serve with more whipped cream, if desired. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Only recipes of general interest will be printed. We are unable to answer all requests. Please include restaurant address when requesting recipes from restaurants. Send your letter with self-addressed, stamped envelope to Culinary SOS, Food Section, The Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles 90053.