January 14, 2004 Ask the Chef Article

January 14, 2004 ... Ask the Chef ... John Pisto

Q). Watched your program this morning on TV and you prepared Corsican Style Lamb. Sure would love that recipe! Thanks from Juneau, Alaska. :-)

A). Corsican Style Lamb Recipe
Buy a whole shoulder of lamb and have the butcher saw it into 3" X 3" pieces. Next rub each piece with olive oil, salt and pepper, fresh minced garlic and fresh thyme. Throw in some black olives and put into a slow oven (250 degrees) for 3 hours or more. You want the meat to come out with that wonderful lamb flavor, but still with plenty of moisture. Serve your lamb with roasted potatoes and a big green salad.

FYI: I'm starting to film my 2004 cooking season this week and the show will have a new segment

called "Ask the Chef" where I'll answer your questions during the last segment of each show. Send in your questions and watch for yours to be answered. E-mail me, or mail to Ask the Chef, 786 Wave Street, Monterey, CA 93940.

Chef Pisto, First of all, I had seen your segment of you at Star Market with a recipe for prime rib. I bought the meat there and cooked it as you suggested. It was the best prime rib I have ever had. Now, to the real reason I was emailing - SWISS SAUSAGE. I'm sure the term Swiss sausage is in the eye of the Swiss. But here in Salinas there are many Swiss who originated from the Ticino region of Switzerland. The sausage we are fond of is similar to Italian sausage but with red wine and different spices. Star Market does

have a version of the sausage I'm referring to. But the best I have ever had comes from Greenfield. In fact, I know you would love to visit with the sausage maker, Roy Riccina who owns and operates Roy's Swiss Sausage Factory on Cherry Avenue. He makes a very clean product. He is well known by hunters who bring their game in to be made into sausage and other special orders. He has a great cookbook ($10) using this Swiss sausage in a variety of ways. His sausage cooking times and method are excellent. His dad was a sausage maker. His dad was from Switzerland. (674-2070) Factory phone number. Roy is a colorful character. I know you would love to visit with him and share some food stories and wine.
Jean Steinbruner, Via e-mail

Q). Hello John, in regard to your January 7, column, Don was asking about Swiss Sausage, for your readers information, taking a short trip to south county, you can purchase Swiss Sausage fresh daily. In King City, at the Fairway market meat counter, Lino Mornini makes Swiss Sausage, which he sells out most every day. In Greenfield at Roy's Swiss Sausage Factory, he makes his at his meat processing plant. Both are very good, grilled, barbequed or the old boiled way with potatoes. Check these out and enjoy a day wine tasting in South County and bring

home some real Swiss Sausages. I enjoy your column, keep up the good work, is there any chance that your cooking show will appear on the Food Network Satellite systems?
Jim Devine, King City, Via e-mail

A). Jim Devine and Jean Steinbruner both had the same idea. Swiss sausage hotline! Great idea Jimmy boy! As for the Food Network, who knows maybe some day - thanks for the compliment. While you're down there wine tasting make sure to visit the Scheid Vineyards Tasting Room.

Take U.S. Hwy 101 South from Salinas approximately 35 miles exit on the right at Hobson Ave. If you're traveling north it's about 8 miles north of King City (driving time from Monterey - 1 hour).

Sightseers: Right outside Blue Moon last Saturday a huge Grey Whale. It shocked everyone, only 200 yards out. Now that's what I'm talkin' about!

Q). Dear John, for years I've had fond memories of the hot Italian beef & pepper sandwiches I used to buy and enjoy so much as a boy in Chicago. They were great, but I can't seem to find one like them locally and although I've tried, I can't figure out how to make them. Can you help me find a place that makes them or a recipe for making them, or both? The beef is thinly sliced and cooked in a juice with Italian spices. Ditto for the cooked green bell peppers. I know this doesn't sound very exotic, but I must have tried about 50 different sandwiches, always with disappointment. Thanks.
Ron, Via e-mail

A). Well Ron, the reason you can't find a taste of your youth is because there are so many recipes for this sandwich. Doing some research, I found that there are more than 50 different ways to make this sandwich. To get the exact flavors you remember, may I suggest a hypnotist? The way I would do it is to stick to some basics: Hot Italian Beef and Pepper Sandwich Recipe
First you need a soft roll or bun, then a roast (cross rib or rump) seasoned with salt, garlic, bottled Italian seasoning, lots of black pepper and oregano. Roast till 140 degrees and make sure you add beef broth to the pan to make your juice. Next sauté some green bell peppers with onions, garlic, salt and

pepper (ratio 3 parts peppers to 1 part onions). Drain the juice from your cooked roast into a saucepan (at least 1 quart, add more beef broth if needed). Now add some sliced onions, more pepper, oregano, Worcestershire, 10 crushed garlic cloves and fair amount of oregano. Have ready some sliced hot peppers, cherry peppers or hot banana peppers (the ones in vinegar). Slice the roast on a slicer, like lunchmeat. Drop into warm juice. Dip the roll into the juice and pile on the meat. Add some fried green peppers and finish off with hot peppers. If this doesn't work for you I suggest you call your travel agent for a quick trip to Chicago.

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