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Q). We like to
prepare seafood during Christmas. Can you advise where to buy the
freshest local products? Any tips on preparation?
Via-email
A). Royal Seafood and Monterey Fish Company, both located on
Monterey's Wharf #2, have whole petrale sole, local swordfish and
fresh-cooked crab. Super-fresh crab at $4.00 per pound (weather
permitting), that's a great deal. Speaking of petrale sole, boy was that
a popular dish a few years ago. Petrale filets grilled in butter with
sliced almonds, lemon and garlic (abalone style was extremely popular).
What a great fish - sweet, delicate and no bones. What most of us
Americans don't realize is that the best way to cook petrale is
baked whole, gutted, scaled and
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head-on in a simple combination of apple
cider, shallots, butter and a splash of fresh lemon. Once the fish is
cooked, which takes 15-20 minutes in a 350-degree oven (make sure the
broth is hot when you add to the fish), it will filet very easily down
the lateral lines and you will end up with four beautiful filets. Reduce
the pan juices by half and spoon over the filets, and now you are eating
fish the way it was meant to be eaten. Just don't eat the head, fins or
bones. Add to the list of the
Peninsula's good cooks, John Lockridge of Pebble Beach. Grilled rack
of lamb with vegetables and a nice dessert by wife Erica. John is a
wildcatter who hunts for gas and oil and he knows the secret of using
the best ingredients prepared simply. Speaking
of gas, make sure to always cook beans until they are |
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really done - not al dente. Give them a good
soaking and then slow, long cooking otherwise you will know why they are
sometimes called whistle-berries.
Hot tip. Carrots are at their peak
right now and they are the best I have ever tasted. Recently I made a
three-legume stew and added triple the amount of carrots. It was almost
too sweet and I had to add some vinegar to jack it up a bit.
Calling all Italian ladies, women
and girls! Time to fire up your cookie engines, get those recipes ready
and knock out some sesame cookies, fig cookies, chocolate balls, dead
bones and real anise biscotti. And, those of you who know some Italian
ladies, be real nice and they will give you a taste.
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Q). We were at your wonderful Blue
Moon Restaurant. It was sooo good and we loved the crab risotto with
peperini pasta . I tried to make it at home and it tasted nothing like
yours, I failed. For Christmas dinner we traditionally serve abalone and
I think your crab risotto de peperni would be perfect. Please, please
will you share your recipe thanks so much for your time happy holidays!
Bonnie Manicki
Newport Beach, California
A). Hi Bonnie, did you ever hear the story about the time my |
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grandmother was on her death bed
and she was barely breathing, I mean she was ready to go.
"Johnny boy, please tell me the recipe for the crab risotto that
you make at the Luna Blu." (that's blue moon in Italian). Grandma, I
love you and I'll miss you, but I can't - she replied in a weak squeaky
voice, "You always were a son of a b _ _ _ _." Sorry Bonnie, I
won't give that recipe to you either, but here is something pretty close
and very tasty.
Fresh Crab Risotto
One pound of rice equals 6-8 servings. 1 1/2 quarts of light |
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chicken stock and 1/2 quart of crab stock
made from shells of picked crab. Sauté one large onion and 2 cloves of
garlic, chopped fine in 1/2 butter and 1/2 olive oil. Add 1 pound of
Arborio rice and sauté for five minutes. Season with salt and pepper,
and then begin adding the stock one ladle at a time. In about 20 minutes
the rice should be al dente. Now the secret - add the fresh picked meat
of 3-4 crabs and fold it in gently. Add 1/2 cup heavy cream and 2
tablespoons of sweet butter. Let rest for 5 minutes and serve with a
lemon wedge on the side. |
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For Christmas everyone should give something to eat and drink. How about
saffron or 5 lbs. of swordfish or crabs. Doesn't that make a lot of
sense? Also, check out Andy's Orchard web site (www.andysorchard.com)
for some great things that he is doing with his dried fruit, including
jam with big chunks of his cherries and peaches. First class stuff.
Everything grown on his property in Morgan Hill (408) 782-7600 I highly
recommend.
Q). Hi, John! We just returned from Venice, Italy where we had a
delicious, leafy green, single stem |
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lettuce they called "Rocket." It tasted great as a bed of greens for
cold sardine and onion salad and lots of other dishes, too. Can we get
"rocket" now that we're back home in Pacific Grove?
Via e-mail
A). You bet you can. This peppery green is also called arugula.
Some are more peppery than others. Personally for me the hotta the betta!
Use as a salad or lightly sauté for any meat dish, use in sandwiches or
place on pizza after it's cooked! The Italians have a great fondness for
it. If you don't see it, ask for it!
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Just in time for the holidays - the perfect gift for that cooking man.
Monterey's Cookin' aprons in solid black (better to hide your
mess) with gold embroidery.
Get ready for me to reveal what southern Italian cooking is all
about. "Christmas Eve Dinner" featuring recipes from my sister Jo,
myself and mama-mia. God bless her! Also, next week - Italian cookie
recipes and the ever-popular Turducken recipe, for which I have received
a number of requests.
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