Q). Dear Chef Pisto,
I would like to get the recipe for your onion soup that you prepared on
the GoodLife TV Network on 9/22/04.
L. Joe, Via e-mail
A). Now that Fall has arrived, it's hard to imagine a heartier
soup on a chilly day.
Onion
Soup Recipe: Finely slice 6 medium yellow onions and sauté in 1/4
cup olive oil over medium-low heat). Don't burn too much, you want the
onions to caramelize gradually, bringing out the flavor. Cook for at
least 1 hour
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then add a cup of sherry or port wine and
let it reduce for 15 minutes or so. Add 2 quarts of good beef stock and
let that simmer for 20 minutes more. Skim off the excess oil and adjust
salt and pepper - you may add a dash of Worcestershire to zip it up. Now
toast off a thin piece of French bread. Ladle soup into individual heat
resistant bowls. Place toasted bread on top the soup, cover the bowl
with grated Gruyere cheese and melt it under a broiler. Be VERY careful
here. Now serve with a good red wine.
FYI: "The best ham in the world!"
Just talked to Big Bob and Little Danny at Carmel Meat Company
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(883-3555) and they will carry these
babies again this year. Folks these are so good that they will make you
jump up and down with happiness! And very simple to cook: Trim the fat
to 1/2", and then cut diamonds into the top of the ham. Now put a whole
clove of garlic in the middle of each diamond. Paint the whole ham with
a mixture of prepared mustard and brown sugar - (70% mustard 30% brown
sugar and splash of bourbon). Bake for 4 to 5 hours at 325 degrees.
These hams are 24 - 26 lbs. Leftovers are better than the main meal -
sandwiches, beans, with eggs or just nibbling - Order yours early!
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I love octopus but have never
tried to prepare it at home. Can you share an easy way?
Via e-mail
A). Here is an easy way to cook your octopus. This came from my
neighbor Joe Cricchio - a fellow Sicilian whose family comes from "Shoe
of the Horse", Sicily (it sounds better in Sicilian). If I didn't know
better, I would think this was a native American recipe.
Octopus Recipe Here goes: 1 -
3 pounds of frozen octopus (Monterey Fish Company - ask for Sal or
Buster 831-375-3511). Defrost, rub with salt and place in a small
covered casserole. Bake for 45
minutes to an hour at 350 degrees. Remove, cut into small pieces and
toss with olive oil, chopped garlic, fresh |
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lemon juice, black pepper, hot pepper - and eat.
Good one, neighbor! Folks, there are many more great Sicilian town names
out there - stay tuned.
Readers: Just returned from a fabulous Chestnut Festival in
Yorkville, CA. I couldn't wait so I went to the first of two festivals
in that area. It was called the Zeni Family Chestnut Roast. All the nuts
you can eat, homemade wine and a great potluck lunch. Fuji apples,
persimmons, pears, rabbit
stew, beans and polenta - and the chestnuts
were unbelievable. I'm hoping to tape a show this weekend at the
Chestnut Festival starting at 11:00 am on Saturday, November 6th. We'll
be picking chestnuts and eating polenta and tri-tip at a |
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volunteer potluck. Then some dancing and
tasting wines from 100 year old vines. This area was an Italian
immigrant homestead over a hundred years ago - this is real historic
stuff folks. Call Jennifer at (707) 895-2670 and also see the largest
living chestnut tree in North America. A $10.00 donation for American
Cancer Society gets you in.
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Q). My husband and I grew up in
Monterey and both went to Pacific Grove High School. My husband is in
the Army so every time we visit the first thing we do is eat dinner at
one of your restaurants. We love your food so much that whenever the
subject of great food comes up we tell people that Monterey is the only
place that has the best restaurants. I always get the steamed mussels,
so my question is how can I make them? The sauce is delicious!
Thank-you,
Rachel Norton
Via e-mail
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A). The secret to steamed
mussels is actually the mussels, not the sauce. Try to open one up and
see that it is nice and full and wet - that's the secret. Rinse them
well and pull out the little beard and discard any open ones or one that
smells bad. Check each one carefully - very important. Figure at least 1
pound of mussels per person and this recipe will serve four people:
Again, first make sure they are fresh. Smell a hand full and if they
smell good, buy them, if not try another time.
Steamed Mussels Recipe Sauté 2 medium sliced onions, 4 cloves |
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chopped garlic and a bunch of chopped fresh
parsley in 1/4 cup olive oil and cook for 15 minutes or until just
starting to brown. Add 4 lbs. of washed mussels and add 1/2 cup of dry
vermouth, 1 bunch of fresh thyme and 1 cup of heavy cream. Cover and
start shaking the pan in 5 minutes. Shake and stir - these babies cook
really fast. When they are all opened, finish with 2 tablespoons sweet
butter. Portion the mussels into bowls with some of the broth and serve
with a dry white wine and some crusty Italian bread. |
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