Dish it out.

Could you please see if you can get the recipe for the Lemon Zest Cake from Archestratus Grill in Clinton? It is fabulous! The cake itself is light and fresh, and the lemon icing balances it out perfectly. If you have never had it, it is worth the trip to Clinton. Thank you!

Janet Holiday

Vicksburg

ARCHESTRATUS GRILL LEMON ZEST CAKE

2 layers white cake (Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines works fine)
1 pound confectioner's sugar
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons pure lemon extract
2 tablespoons lemon zest
2 to 3 lemons, sliced very thinly, for garnish

Bake white cake in two round layers according to package directions; allow to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, beat confectioner's sugar, cream cheese, and heavy cream until very smooth. Continue to beat mixture while adding vanilla extract, lemon extract, and lemon zest until just incorporated and frosting is smooth.

Place one cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate, and frost sides and top of layer. Place second layer on top, and continue icing top and sides of second layer. Place sliced lemons on top of cake, overlapping the slices in a circular fashion. Yield: 8-12 slices.

Archestratus Grill has become well-known for its upscale yet casual, vibrant atmosphere along with its steak and seafood specialties. Chef Jason Patterson has revamped the menu and now offers several tapas, or small plates, as well as prime rib cooked to perfection, along with some of the best desserts around. Archestratus has a full catering menu along with meeting and banquet rooms that seat up to 230 patrons, and live music complements the dining atmosphere on Tuesday through Saturday evenings. Reservations are accepted but not required. The restaurant is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; a Southern-style buffet is served on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Springridge Shopping Center, 507 Springridge Rd., Ste. F, Clinton; 601/926-4422; www.archestratus.com.

Monte's Steak and Seafood in The Quarter on Lakeland Drive is my favorite restaurant for seafood. I took a friend from Georgia there, and we both ordered the Seafood Pasta Fettuccini and agreed it was the best we had ever had. I would be delighted to have this recipe and surprise my friend with it. Many thanks!

Billie Latting

Philadelphia

SEAFOOD PASTA FETTUCCINI

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon green onion, chopped
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
6 large Gulf shrimp
1/2 pound Louisiana crawfish tails, cooked
6 ounces lump crabmeat
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound fettuccini noodles
Additional grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
1 tablespoon parsley, freshly chopped, for garnish

In a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, add heavy cream, green onion, and Parmesan cheese. Stir until cheese is well-mixed into cream. Add shrimp, crawfish, and crabmeat. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly until cheese is completely melted and smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook pasta al dente in salted boiling water. Drain noodles in a colander, and toss lightly with oil to prevent sticking. Place noodles in a pasta bowl, and spoon seafood sauce over top. Garnish with additional grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Serve hot. Yield: 4 servings.

One of Jackson's hidden gems is Monte's Steak and Seafood, one of the city's few restaurants that offers diners an intimate outdoor ambiance with its beautiful shaded courtyard. The New Orleans-style fare includes delicacies such as grilled lobster tails with bacon-wrapped Gulf shrimp, chateaubriand for two, and panded redfish filets with fresh jumbo lump crabmeat and lemon butter sauce. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5-10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The Quarter, 1855 Lakeland Dr., Ste. N-10, Jackson;. 601/362-8182; www.chefmonte.com.

On a recent trip to the Gulf Coast, my husband and I dined at Lookout 49 restaurant in Gulfport. For an appetizer, we enjoyed the Shrimp Ernie. It was fried shrimp served with the best dipping sauce I have ever tasted. It was some sort of remoulade sauce. I would love to have this recipe to use at home.

Laura Watkins

Gluckstadt

SHRIMP ERNIE WHITE
REMOULADE SAUCE

1 cup garlic, chopped
2 bunches green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 dashes Tabasco sauce
2 cups Creole mustard
2 cups mayonnaise
2 cups sour cream
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
Cover and refrigerate for at least one
hour before using. Spoon over fried
or grilled shrimp, or serve on the side
for dipping.

The original Long Beach Lookout Restaurant was located at the Long Beach Harbor before Katrina ravaged the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Owner Rob Stinson was able to salvage the historic restaurant with a move to scenic Highway 49 in Gulfport and re-enter the Gulf Coast restaurant scene with a name change to Lookout 49. The same diverse menu is offered, with plenty of fresh seafood house specialties and sublime steaks. Lookout 49 remains a favorite of coastal residents as well as tourists with its fine casual dining and relaxed atmosphere. The restaurant also has meeting rooms and banquet facilities for groups of up to 150 people. Lookout 49 is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. 12013 Hwy. 49, Gulfport; 228/328-1366.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE RECIPES FROM YOUR FAVORITE MISSISSIPPI RESTAURANTS?

Send your requests to us, and the recipe could appear in our Dish It Out column. Send requests via e-mail to [e-mail] or in writing to Dish It Out, 5 Lakeland Circle, Jackson, MS 39216. (Please note that recipes from chain restaurants may not be available.)