Q: Is it possible to get the recipe for P.F. Chang's eggplant? The sauce is delicious and the eggplant is cooked just right.

Jan Frase

A: P.F. Chang's does not share its recipes, but since this is one of my favorites at the chain, I did my best to duplicate the flavors. It's worth a trip to an Asian market for round Thai eggplant. They're not bitter at all, so you can simply dice and cook, no peeling or salting necessary. With common purple eggplant, I'd suggest peeling and slicing into 1-inch rounds. Salt the slices lightly and set them aside in a colander for 30 minutes. Then rinse, pat dry and proceed with the recipe.

Q: Many years ago my mother made a dessert called Strawberry Delight with vanilla sugar wafers and fresh or frozen strawberries. I don't know the remaining ingredients, but I remember it had to be refrigerated. Can you help?

Mary Ann Larney, Watertown, N.Y.

A: Whenever I go to a potluck, I request recipes for the dishes that are emptied first. This is one I've had since the mid-1990s. The note that accompanied it credits a Mormon cookbook. It's much like a classic Southern banana pudding made with vanilla wafers.

Q: The Ruby Tuesday salad bar has a cute, small, green bean that is firm and tasty. I'd love to know what it is so I can use it at home.

Clare Frost, Dania Beach

A: That's edamame (ed-ah-MAH-may), an immature soy bean that's harvested just before it hardens. Though relatively new to American consumers, edamame has been extensively used in Asia for 2,000 years. You can find it in the produce section of large supermarkets as well as Asian and health-food markets. It's also sold frozen. Edamame is high in protein, fiber and micronutrients, including folic acid, manganese and Vitamin K.

Q: Have you heard of a method of baking chicken with an open can of tomato soup inside?

D.D.H.

A: This must be a variation on beer-can chicken, in which an opened can of beer is inserted into the cavity to hold the bird upright. It was quite the backyard rage a few years ago. I have known folks who replaced the beer with a can of fruit juice or Coke, even a can filled with mojo criollo. The idea is that steam from the liquid keeps the chicken moist inside while the dry heat of the grill or oven cooks the outside. Try your own variations using the recipe here as a guide.

SLEUTH'S CORNER

Q: I have been looking for the recipe for the tartar sauce served at the old Sea Shanty. Can anyone help?

Mimi Klein

North Miami Beach