COOK'S CORNER\Warm up those winter days with tasty Shepherd's Pie.

Byline: Natalie Haughton

A reader wrote requesting a recipe for Shepherd's Pie. She had eaten it in a restaurant recently and found it delicious, but couldn't locate a recipe. She's in luck. Here's a recipe from "The Doubleday Cookbook," by Jean Anderson and Elaine Hanna, Doubleday.

1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped fine

1 sweet green bell pepper, cored, seeded and coarsely chopped (optional)

2 tablespoons beef OR bacon drippings OR vegetable oil

1 1/4 pounds ground beef chuck

1 beef bouillon cube 

1/2 cup boiling water

1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon steak sauce

3 cups hot seasoned mashed potatoes

Saute onion and green pepper in drippings in a large skillet over moderate heat 10 minutes until onion is golden. Add beef and saute, breaking meat up with a spoon, about 10 minutes, until lightly browned; drain off fat as it accumulates.

Dissolve bouillon cube in boiling water, add to cornstarch mixture, then stir into skillet along with salt, pepper and steak sauce. Heat, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes. Spoon into an ungreased 1 1/2-quart casserole; spread potatoes over surface and rough up with a fork.

Bake, uncovered, in preheated 400-degree oven 25 to 30 minutes. Then broil in preheated broiler 4 inches from heat 2 to 3 minutes to brown. Makes 4 servings.

VARIATION: Substitute 3 cups finely ground leftover cooked beef OR lamb for ground chuck; stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes with sauteed onion and green bell pepper, then proceed as recipe directs.

Moroccan salads

In response to D. Stephens' request for Moroccan carrot and eggplant salads as served at Dar Maghreb restaurant in Sherman Oaks and Hollywood, a Burbank reader shared the following recipes. They are attributed to the restaurant and appeared in "Dining in Los Angeles," a book she noted was published in 1982.

COOKED CARROT SALAD (Shared by Beverly Emus,Burbank)

1 pound carrots

Salted water

1 large clove garlic

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin 

1 teaspoon paprika 

2 tablespoons vinegar

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon peanut oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste

Peel carrots and slice diagonally. Cook in salted water with garlic about 20 minutes. Drain and place in a bowl.

Add remaining ingredients and mix gently. Chill before serving.

COOKED EGGPLANT SALAD (Shared by Beverly Emus,Burbank)

1 pound eggplant

Salted water

1 large clove garlic

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

2 tablespoons vinegar

1 tablespoon peanut oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste

Cut unpeeled eggplant lengthwise in 4 to 8 pieces. Cook in salted water with garlic until tender, about 20 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients and mix gently. Chill before serving.

Chicken and dumplings

Here are some recipes from a Moorpark reader for Judi West, who requested a good authentic chicken and dumplings recipe. They'll make good comfort fare this winter.

CHICKEN AND ROLLED DUMPLINGS (Shared by Wanda Hough,Moorpark)

Disjoint chicken, barely cover with water and add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Simmer until meat is tender, 2 to 4 hours, depending on age and size of chicken. Add Rolled OR Drop Dumplings (recipes follow).

ROLLED DUMPLINGS

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup solid vegetable shortening

1/2 cup milk

Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening. Add milk to make a stiff dough. Roll out to about 1/8-inch thickness and cut into 1-inch squares, 1- to 1 1/2-inch strips or diamonds. Sprinkle lightly with flour and drop into boiling chicken stock.

Cover closely and boil gently 8 to 10 minutes. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

From "The Progressive Farmer Southern Country Cookbook."

DROP DUMPLINGS (Shared by Wanda Hough,Moorpark)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 egg, well beaten

3 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening

2/3 cup milk (about)

Combine all dry ingredients. Add egg, melted shortening and enough milk to make a moist, stiff batter.

Drop by teaspoonfuls into boiling stock. Cover very closely and cook 10 to 15 minutes or until dumplings are done. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

From "The Progressive Farmer Southern Country Cookbook."

CHICKEN AND SLICK DUMPLINGS

1 (5-pound) chicken

Boiling salted water

2 cups self-rising flour

1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening

3/4 cup boiling water

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook chicken in boiling salted water until tender; remove from broth. Cool chicken, cut from bone and set aside.

Measure 1 quart broth into a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and add chicken.

Put flour in a large bowl; cut in shortening with a pastry blender or forks.

Add boiling water, a small amount at a time. Shape mixture into a ball and roll to thickness of 1/8 inch on a lightly floured board. Cut into strips.

Drop strips into boiling broth, cover and cook about 8 to 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes 6 servings.

From "The Progressive Farmer Southern Country Cookbook."

Can you help?

If you have recipes that can help these readers, please send them along to us at the address below to share in a future column.

I remember eating tuna patties made with mayonnaise about 20 to 25 years ago. Does anyone have a good recipe for them?

- P. Silverman

Encino

One Christmas, my aunt received a pineapple macadamia nut, butter-based fruitcake from a niece in Hawaii. It was golden and delicious. If anyone has a recipe, I'd greatly appreciate it.

- Donna Fiorito

Glendale