November 26, 2003 Ask the Chef Article

November 26, 2003 ... Ask the Chef ... John Pisto

Readers: About last week's recipe with the fabulous cherry tomatoes packed in water, make sure you drain off the water before you add them to the frying pan!

Q: I would like to know if one can DEEP FRY a turkey, stuffed with a duck. This is, of course, a variation of your popular "Turducken". I am concerned that the Duck might not cook thoroughly. Any ideas how to do that properly?
Ray
Santa Clara. Via e-mail

A: Ray,
You might lower the temp and cook it a little longer. My gut feeling is that it's too thick. I don't think I would try it. If you do, let me know if it turned out and make sure you have a spare turkey on hand just in case. Longer cooking might dry out the breast and make the meat stringy.

Readers: Need to unwind folks? Got the perfect spot: Villa Toscana in Paso Robles (805) 238-5600. My buddy, David Weyrich has duplicated Tuscany. The villa, with first class guest rooms, is smack-dab in the middle of the vineyards (Martin & Weyrich Winery). Perfect weekend spot for wine lovers or just lovers. Great wineries all over the place, and very good restaurants. www.myvillatoscana.com.

Readers: Got a great recipe for the holidays from our friend Barbara Michaels mother of the famous Mark "The Spark" Michaels. It's baked lamb heads and, believe it or not, I used to have a customer from San Jose of Sicilian descent who would request this dish from time to time. My old mentor Jack Allen a.k.a. Jack Aiello of Paulo's Restaurant, taught me how to make it. We used a large cleaver to split the head and the meat of course is extremely succulent. The only thing I would do different would be to cook it for a couple of hours at least. Nothing worse than lamb heads cooked medium.

Testine di Agnello at Forno Recipe (Baked Lamb Heads Recipe)
Here's a good way to become an unforgettable cook...

Ingredients:
2 lamb heads
4 abundant teaspoons of breadcrumbs
lots of chopped parsley
4 pinches of oregano
grated Romano cheese
olive oil
salt

Preparation: Wash the heads thoroughly and dry them. Remove the cartilage from the bottom. Leave the eyes and tongue and cut each head in half lengthwise. Put them into a greased baking dish with the inside of each half facing upwards. Sprinkle the surface and the cavities with breadcrumbs, parsley, oregano, Romano cheese, salt and pepper. Spread oil over everything. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for one hour. Serve on warmed plates with new potatoes baked with the meat.

Readers: Had a couple of gals from Alaska drop by the other day with hellos and some unusual gifts. Turns out they are regular viewers of the show up there. They were Paula Shan Weisel, owner of the Arctic Bar & Liquor Store in Ketchikan; and Christy O of the Red Onion Saloon in Skagway. I promised to visit them next time I'm up there and possibly do some shows there or at least do the cooking for an Alaskan BBQ. You know, stuff like beaver tail, moose haunch, seal and, of course, fish. Well anyway, it seems like a lot of fun. By the way, Paula's Arctic Bar

features a logo with two bears doing "you-know-what" and gives away a key chain containing a usable condom. Ahh those Alaskan fans! Thanks for coming down to visit and keep watching girls. THANK YOU Ketchikan and Skagway.

Readers: Many of you have asked about my favorite way of cooking a turkey. The first, without a doubt, is the "cone up the rear" method (a Teflon-coated wire rack that holds the turkey upright in an oven pan) it cooks fast, the breast is juicy, the skin is crisp and golden, and it makes the best gravy. The stuffing is cooked separately. The second way would be on a rotisserie, which is a little more difficult to do but the results are fantastic.

Q: Thank you for the additional information on Tri-Tip recipes that I originally requested in you weekly column, yum! Lastly, I have eggplants growing like mad, would appreciate some recipes and if you would consider giving out your fabulous recipe for "Marty's Special", an old Abalonetti favorite!

Thanks again, Steffie, Carmel Via e-mail

A: Okay, Steffie - Eggplant recipes - First let's talk about the Marty's Special! Did I ever tell the story about my grandmother who was lying on her deathbed. She could hardly move and was barely breathing when she motioned for me to come over. She asked me to bend over so she could whisper in my ear. Do you know what she wanted Steffie? It was the recipe for my Marty's special. She said, "ma, please Johnny Boy how do you

make the disha with calamari and eggplant?" Do you know what I said? "Grandma I love you, but I can't do it." Do you get the picture Steff? Thanks for asking though. I have lots of recipes for eggplant, here's an easy Eggplant Parmigiano Recipe: Cut eggplant into 1 inch slices, brush with olive oil and salt & pepper. Using my stovetop grill or your broiler, cook until done 10 to 15 minutes. Remove eggplant; turn on oven to 400 degrees. Top the cooked eggplant with warmed tomato sauce, seasoned breadcrumbs and Romano cheese, lightly brown and serve. Fabulous!

Q: Chef,
Is there not a recipe where one stuffs 6 different fowl just for Thanksgiving and it cooks for 24 or so odd hours? Turkey, duck, pheasant, squab, quail. Have you heard of this?
Via e-mail

A: Why not? Start with and ostrich, then an emu, a large turkey, a goose, a large chicken, a big duck, a pheasant, squab, quail, hummingbird, and, finally, a horse fly. Cook this one and you can name it!

Readers: Update on smooth Ricotta. Look for Polly-O brand. Make sure it's only whole milk not skim milk - that's the secret.

Folks, have a wonderful Thanksgiving and eat as much as you want, New Year's resolutions are right around the corner. And take the time to talk to your family. Sister, brother, mother, father, children and grandchildren - like a recent holiday conversation with my 19 year old, now in college. We were seated alone in a corner of the festivities, and I was talking to her about values, boys and parties. I was waiting for her to respond when out comes, "Dad, cut your nose hairs."

For more info about John Pisto's fine restaurants

in Monterey, California, click here.

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