Try cheese toast, caesar dressing at Like Hy's

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Cheese toast. (KELVIN HENDERSON / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store

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Like Hy's caesar dressing (above), and c (KELVIN HENDERSON)

Today's column features two recipes for dishes like those served at Hy's.

Tammy Derksen had requested a recipe for Hy's cheese toast that had been in the Free Press a few years ago, and also a recipe for caesar dressing that tastes like Hy's.

Thanks to Sherry Ralke, who had a copy of the cheese toast recipe that was published earlier, and also to Theresa Bench, who sent in a copy of the recipe originally, and again now. The recipe was from a cookbook published in 1981 that contained dishes from local restaurants, and the Hy's cheese toast recipe was from the restaurant's chef, Jean-Louis Danguy. The recipe follows, along with some of the notes that were included in the paper.

The caesar dressing recipe is courtesy of Mike Klym, a former Manitoban now living in Monroe, Wash. Mike writes that the recipe is from friends in Winnipeg who got it from Hy's.

A new request to fill comes from LeeAnn Knutson, who hopes a reader in Calgary or a former Calgarian may be able to help. She is looking for a recipe for the cheese buns made at the Glamorgan Bakery in Calgary. They are individual-sized miniature bread loaves, and are also made in a ham and cheese version. Her family has been trying to duplicate them, but hasn't been able to come up with a match. Can anyone help?

Secondly, Ann Little would like to be able to make Thai lettuce wraps like those she has eaten at Sawatdee Thai Restaurant. A ground beef mixture is served on a bed of crisp noodles, then the mix is spooned on to iceberg lettuce leaves and rolled up to eat.

If you can help with a recipe request, have your own request, or a favourite recipe you'd like to share, send an e-mail to recipeswap@freepress.mb.ca, fax it to 697-7412, or write to Recipe Swap, c/o Darlene Henderson, Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, Man., R2X 3B6. Please include your first and last name, address and telephone number. Recipes may not appear right away due to limited space.

Like Hy's cheese toast

2 500g (16 oz) loaves of French bread

375 ml (12 oz) cheese sauce (canned soup will do)

375 ml (12 oz) Parmesan cheese

250 g (8 oz) clarified butter

2 garlic cloves

Butter: Crush fresh garlic cloves in clarified butter and leave on medium-low stove for 5 minutes. (To clarify butter, heat butter in small saucepan over low heat until melted. Pour into a glass measuring cup and let stand for 3 minutes. Skim off and discard the foam on top. Slowly pour the yellow liquid into a saucepan, being careful not to use the thick, white milk solids that have settled to the bottom of the cup).

Slice bread lengthwise. Toast on both sides in your oven on broil. With a spatula, apply a thick layer of cheese sauce (you can use undiluted Campbell's cheddar soup). Evenly cover this with a layer of Parmesan cheese. The butter should be sprinkled over the cheese with a pastry brush. Put back in oven until the Parmesan browns. Slice into pieces. Serve hot.

Taste Tester Notes: Very cheesy, rich and good. The amounts of Parmesan and butter are generous, and once you start putting them on, you may want to use less according to your own discretion. If using canned soup, it comes in a 284 ml (10 oz) can, and you can get away with using this amount. This makes a lot of cheese bread, so depending on the number of people you are serving, you can make a half recipe with one loaf of bread. But if you have leftovers, I tried reheating slices of the leftover bread on a baking sheet in a toaster oven at 175 C/350 F (about 10 minutes or until heated through and cheese starts to bubble) with good results.

Like Hy's caesar dressing

2 garlic cloves

1 egg

4 shakes Worcestershire

4 shakes Tabasco

2 ml (1/2 tsp) anchovy paste

15 ml (1 tbsp) red wine vinegar

45 ml (3 tbsp) olive oil

15 ml (1 tbsp) freshly squeezed lemon juice

60 ml (1/4 cup) Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Crush garlic in bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients, mix well.

Taste Tester Notes: Everyone has their favourite caesar dressing, and here is another to try. This makes a tasty, thinner version. I used a mini-processor to combine ingredients. This makes about 150 ml (5 oz).

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 25, 2009 D5