April 24, 2002 Ask the Chef

April 24, 2002 ... Ask the Chef ... John Pisto

Readers: Got the scoop on the upcoming Sammy Hagar and David Lee Roth concert series. Sammy told me that when they made the announcement in LA there were 150 TV, radio and print journalists. We're talking big news here folks! Sam says they will be doing 21 shows in theaters with seating of 20,000 plus. He's not sure yet how well they will get along - we're talking about two giants here. They are scheduled to be in the Bay Area at The Shoreline Theater on June 27th - stay tuned! He was off to rehearse and take his two little beauties to school. Hot tip for fans of his Cabo Wabo tequila - the new bottle will be out within the next two months so watch for it. By the way, there are still four shows we did together last summer, which have not shown yet!

Q: Dear Chef Pisto, I tried sand dabs for the first time at Domenico's and they were delicious, light and delicate. What exactly are sand dabs and how do you prepare them?

Kaitlyn M. - Marina

A: Sand Dabs - a real local specialty. For those of you that don't know, the sand dab is a small flatfish (imagine a 6 - 8-inch halibut). Dabs caught by hook and line are the best but hard to come by these days. What we see now are troll-caught. Although not as good they are still very acceptable. Sand dabs have a lot of bones, but the real fish eater knows how to eat them. Unfortunately, most Americans only want filets with no bones. Fish tastes so much better on the bone - just like bone-in steaks. I remember the first time watching my brother-in-law Jean eat the whole fish (bones and all). The secret is to bite with your front teeth so that any bones will be felt there first. Then all you have to do is spit them out. Well folks, I talked to one of my suppliers, Monterey Fish Company, and they have whole sand dabs with only the side bones trimmed. All that's left is the main bone, which is easily removed after cooking. Kaitlyn, I will guarantee that these will taste three times as good as the filets - I promise! Dredge them in well-seasoned flour and grill in a hot pan with butter or olive oil until done - but not overdone. Don't flip-out if you find a bone - just remember to bite with your front teeth.

Q: Dear John, My husband went out fishing on the bay and brought back a big, beautiful salmon. How about some simple recipes?

Angel M. - Monterey

A: How about that! Boy, the salmon season has kicked off with a bang. Here's one of my all-time favorite ways to prepare salmon filet.

Salmon Recipe
Start with one salmon filet per person of at least 8 oz. Heat an iron skillet or my grillpan. Oil or butter your fish and lightly sprinkle with Sensational SeasoningT or a blend of salt & pepper, granulated garlic, powdered ginger and onion powder. Spray your pan with non-stick oil or use a Teflon pan. Place the fish in your pan and DON'T TOUCH for at least five to six minutes, then gently turn over and finish cooking for three to four minutes more. Do not overcook - medium is perfect. By then it should have a nice crust, and still be in one piece. Mix some softened butter with fresh garlic and lemon juice and spoon a little on top when serving.

Salmon Recipe #2 One of the more unusual recipes I've tried and which is pretty easy, is salmon chowder with fresh dill. Serves four. In butter, sauté 3 medium chopped leeks, 3 medium chopped yellow onions and 3 diced and peeled medium red potatoes over medium to medium-low heat. Do not brown. When the vegetables are pretty soft and the potatoes are just cooked, add 2 quarts of heavy cream, 1 cup of chicken broth or light fish stock, salt & pepper to taste and 2 lbs. of cubed, skinned salmon filet. And now, here is the ingredient that makes this fabulous! 6-8 bunches of fresh chopped dill. Just let the salmon poach in the liquid - the chowder is ready to serve when the salmon is done.

Q: Dear Chef, I enjoy reading your column and thought I had kept the March 27th column with reference to Boston Butt and how to prepare it. Alas, when I combed through the newspapers, it was not there. I spent a lot of time on the Herald's web site but it doesn't seem to be there. If you have time, could you please repeat the recipe?
Celeste Williams

A: Great timing, Celeste! As of this week, all you have to do is check out my web site www.pisto.com. Click on "Newsletter" and, not only will you find my most recent column, but every column written this year, indexed by subject. You can also contact me using my new e-mail address john@pisto.com. It's getting so easy, even I can understand it!

Parking Update: The next Wharf Association Board of Director's meeting is being held this morning. They have made a formal request for a meeting with city parking personnel and we should expect some action soon. Two-hours free parking for all Monterey-area locals!

TV Schedule Update: People are always asking when Monterey's Cookin' Pisto Style is on. Yes folks, the schedule has changed often, however beginning May 1st, it will be on 7 days a week at 8 pm. So now you (and I) will always know when it's on.

Q: I love fresh, raw oysters. Why do they cost so much?
Nicholas M. - Marina

A: My oyster expert, Jon Rowley of Seattle, says most of our oysters are now farm-raised rather than wild. The labor-intensive process of raising oysters from seed to final product is all hand-done and expensive. We should however appreciate the fact that the quality has never been better and they have never been safer to eat. According to Jon, when you look at an oyster on the half-shell, it should look beautiful with light dancing over the meat and juices. It should never look dull - hmm, nice visual there Jon! By the way, good oysters need nothing on them - I mean nothing. That way you can enjoy the ice-cold, salty, sweet, flinty, creamy, smooth, slightly tangy natural flavors. I think it's time for oysters, folks - see ya!

oyster042302.jpg (10837 bytes)

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