August 7, 2002 Ask the Chef Article

August 7, 2002 ... Ask the Chef ... John Pisto

More on Alaska. Fishing! Let me tell you about Floyd Kookash, guide extraordinaire, mayor of Angoon, self-proclaimed master baiter, storyteller, and jokester. His lovely wife Lena (Angelina) and three beautiful daughters keep him very busy. After a nice breakfast Floyd met us at the lodge at about 9AM. None of the 5 in the morning stuff - I'm on vacation. We met another guide named Gil Peck, who is also from Monterey. He and his brother, Ray Peck are both Tlingit Indians (pronounced "klinkit"). Brother Ray is a world famous artist who lives in Angoon and does beautiful woodcarvings and other mediums. Both very nice gentlemen.

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Alaska Inlet

Now let's go fishing! We reach the fishing grounds in four minutes and immediately find the baitfish (herring), catching enough for the day's fishing (20 or so). Two minutes after baiting our lines we are trolling for five different kinds of salmon. The lines are in the water and now we wait, so I started asking questions. First, with all the bears here (one per square mile) are there many run-ins with people? Floyd tells that because of all the natural food, like 10 varieties of berries, abundant grasses and fish, they have learned to live and let live. White guys (as he calls us) don't have to worry because we smell like bologna and, apparently, bears don't care for bologna. My next question: Do Cheryl and I smell like bologna? He just laughed and flashed us a smile. FISH-ON! We get a strike and I let Cheryl bring in the first fish. A nice silver salmon that danced on the water like a ballerina. Fresh bait and were fishing again.

Time to talk native food. Floyd brought some dried sockeye and smoked king salmon from the Yukon River and some seal oil with cracklin' still in it. Okay, Floyd, what do we do next? You dip the salmon in the rendered seal oil and pick out a piece of cracklin'. I tried it. Hmm, not bad - I tried it again - not bad at all! I asked Floyd which of the seals is the best tasting. He said, without hesitation, the harbor seal. He also said that seal oil contains 3,500 calories per pound - pretty powerful stuff. Sea Lion comes in second, as far as flavor. Hmm, don't we have an abundance of Sea Lions around here? Idea coming! Sea Lions as a food source - the blubber is delicious, the meat succulent when roasted or fried, and the skin makes beautiful moccasins. Relax, folks, just kidding - I don't think it would sell in the restaurant - or would it? Another strike, FISH-ON! Here's another recipe from the resident chef at Favorite Bay Sport Fishing Lodge.

Pierre Coutou's Floating Island Dessert Recipe

Make a sweet meringue using 6 egg whites, a dash of vanilla, a drop of almond extract and a pinch of salt. Whip until stiff. Place four large scoops in a microwave-safe dish with 1/2-inch of water or milk in the bottom. Microwave 45 seconds to 1 minute. Check to see if done and maybe give it another 15-30 seconds.

Vanilla sauce: Heat to a simmer, 2 cups of cream with a shot of vanilla and a little rum extract. Whip egg yolks (left over from the meringue) with 1/2-cup of sugar until yellow. When cream simmers, remove from heat and add yolks, continuing to stir until it thickens. Give it a little more heat if needed, but don't let it boil.

Caramel sauce: Melt ½ cup sugar slowly in a heavy pan - watch it so it doesn't burn - until it becomes light brown.

Assemble: Fill the bottom of a bowl with cooled vanilla sauce. Place a meringue "Island" in the middle, then drizzle with warm caramel sauce. Finish with slivered almonds and a dusting of cocoa powder.

Chef Pierre Coutou

Q: Dear Chef Pisto, Can you please tell me why restaurants on the Monterey Peninsula insist on always referring to simple shrimp as "prawns?" I am from the gulf coast and, as you well know, people from the gulf coast know their shrimp.and what I am being served in our local eateries ain't prawns! I have had prawns before that were so huge that they rivaled a small lobster. Is it just that restaurant owners, managers and chefs believe that we, the dining public do not know the difference, or that we will be more inclined to order a dish with huge "prawns?" It really upsets me when I order prawns and I end up with bay shrimp.

Please help, and please, please, please publish my question.

The citizens of the Monterey Peninsula need to know!

Kind regards, Vince Garcia via-email

A: Hey, slow down brother! Nobody is trying to pull the shrimp over your eyes. This is really simple. On the east coast they are called shrimp. Here on the west coast larger shrimp are called prawns and shrimp are small, like bay shrimp. Because size has nothing to do with it, on the Pacific coast shrimp usually means small prawns - to back this up there is the expression
that I love to use for my little nephews, nieces and grandson - "Hey, you little shrimp!" I have never heard anyone say, "Hey, you little prawn!" Get it? I hope I cleared it up for you. By the way, I call Monterey spot prawns "Monterey shrimp" - both are okay.

Readers: Check out local guy, Clint Eastwood's new film this week. "Blood Work" was partially conceived (inspired?) during a dinner in our super-exclusive dining room, with Mr. Eastwood and some world-renowned cardiologists. I'm not looking for credit; I just remember it as a weird mix of dining during a medical seminar.

Q: Here I am in Florida. I found a fish called "Grouper" in the markets and I wonder if you have any suggestions as to recipes? What type of wine would accent this fish?

John - Sarasota, Florida

via-email

A: Is your name John Labonte? - I bet it is. Well, nephew, grouper is a fabulous fish with great texture and taste that makes great sandwiches. Any dry white wine will work such as sauvignon blanc or a dry chenin blanc. Another suggestion would be a nice cold draft beer - a much better idea in hot, humid weather. Keep in touch!

For more info about John Pisto's fine restaurants

in Monterey, California, click here.

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