August 4, 2004 Ask the Chef Article

August 4, 2004 ... Ask the Chef ... John Pisto

Just returned from Ketchikan and Angoon, Alaska. First Ketchikan - what a party and what a great group of people! I'll tell you one thing, Sensational Seasoning and salmon were born to be together. They all swore it was the best salmon they ever had. Of course it helps that we caught these fish just the day before. Erik and Jeff took us out and we caught a 35 lb king, an 80 lb halibut and numerous silvers, too many to count. It took us a while to get them cleaned and filleted. I also served them Mills Brothers whole leaf romaine Caesar style with some tomatoes, red onions and capers. Several local restaurants chipped other dishes and the local wine distributors threw in a bunch of great wines It was an invitation-only party, but at least 120 people showed up - what a blast!

Special thanks to Paula Weisel at The Arctic Bar; Christy O'Shaughnessy - manager of The Red Onion Saloon in Skagway; and His Honor, Bob Weinstein, Mayor of Ketchikan for making us all feel right at home.

This is the way I cooked the salmon: Salmon over briquettes - Leave the skin on and oil the salmon portions well and dip only the meat sides in Sensational Seasoning. Spray Pam over a medium hot grill (hold your hand to the count of 4 or 5 over the grill) then lay the fish on skin side down. Close the top of the grill (Weber works best) and don't touch. Grill until it is barely done 10 to 12 minutes. Don't over cook it. The sauce is simply melted butter, garlic, salt and pepper - that's it.

Tomato salad - Wedges of tomatoes with red onions, capers, parsley, basil (chopped fine), a few garlic cloves and a bit of fresh thyme. By the way the ling cod was the sleeper, maybe because it was 2" thick - what a fish!

On to Angoon, Alaska - Destination: Favorite Bay Lodge. Menu: spot prawns, Dungeness crab, king salmon, silver salmon, whole giant red rock cod. Four kinds of wild berries and pasta with fresh salmon. The most comfortable beds in the world, great host and hostess, Chef Pierre, Gil, Larry, the one and only Floyd, David and Terice Clark, the wife, grandson Johnny boy and a great couple from Santa Cruz. What a great, great time. Favorite Bay Sportfishing Lodge, Angoon, Alaska www.favoritebay.com.

Q). Hi Chef, I was watching your show in which you were showing two kids trying different kinds of vegetables. You mentioned that one vegetable had recently become popular since two years ago and you mentioned sweet anise. What vegetable were you talking about?
Dan, Via e-mail

A). This show was a rerun, done in 1999. Sweet anise is now a year-round product. Previously anise was only a winter product. It has now become main stream and found year around.

Sicilian picnic - My bother-in-law, Jean Mercurio, called this morning and told me to be at Lake El Estero at 12 noon. What's going on Jeano? Barbecued
anchovies and salmon, homemade olives, pickled eggplant, green salad, bread and wine. Then there is the cast of characters: John Crivello, Tommy DiMaggio, Ross

Ravazzini, Pino Savona, Ronny Aliotti and Sal Balestreri - all comedians. Folks, these picnics are positively medicinal. You laugh and you eat. Chef Mercurio did a splendid job of cooking fresh salmon with a garlic tomato vinegar sauce. I asked if some of the public could be invited to taste this wonderful Sicilian style home cooking. Give Tommy DiMaggio a call - he just might invite you. Every Wednesday afternoon at a different place, sort of like a floating crap game. Call Tommy for an invite (372-6272) and be prepared to have a good time.

Q). As a chef, if your food cost is too high, what will be the most important things to do to fix it?
Tito
Via e-mail

A). Check the back door for what we call "shrinkage" (better known as stealing). Also check the garbage cans for waste and keep tables on portion sizes.

Q). Chef Pisto, I am a transplant from New York, and I have looked all over for an Italian food store like I left in New York. I have found some stores that say and advertise they cater to the Italian trade. I went to some of them and I just can't see how they can make such a claim. All I found in most of them was olive oil, spaghetti and some had no idea what I was talking about when I asked for imported provolone. I could really use your help in finding a good Italian food store. Thank you.
Tom Angley, Marina, CA
Via e-mail

A). Good Luck Tommy! Call my guy Phil at Ital Foods (901-9149). Ital Foods has a showroom in South San Francisco where you can buy the Italian foods you long for. Also go up to San Francisco and check out Molinari on Columbus (North Beach). Sadly, Monterey's Italian Deli's have all been converted to either convenience stores or they have been de-ethnicized!

For more info about John Pisto's fine restaurants

in Monterey, California, click here.

Current Article ♦ Index of Articles, Recipes and Subjects