Ask the Chef

March 30, 2005  ...  by Chef John Pisto

Q). A couple of years ago I was watching your TV show and you were making shrimp pasta California style. I have made this delicious meal more than once for my family and they love it. However, I think my memory is forgetting a few ingredients. Would you please e-mail me the recipe? Thank you so much.
Rodney from PA
Via e-mail

A). This pasta dish is often copied but never duplicated, Pasta Capri. I don't share it often, so put it in a safe place.

Pasta Capri Recipe
Serves 2
1/2 lb linguini pasta
1 ripe tomato
1/2 cup black and green olives, pitted and chopped
1 oz. olive oil
1/2 cup sliced black olives
2 med. Shallots
6 green onions
6 oz. butter
12 oz. bay shrimp, cooked and peeled
1/4 dry white wine
lemon and parsley garnish
fresh cracked black pepper
Cook pasta according to package instructions, in lightly salted, boiling water. Drain and toss lightly with 1 oz. of olive oil. Chop onions and shallots coarsely. Dice tomato. Pre-heat a large, oiled sauté pan over high heat. Add butter, shrimp, tomato, onions and sauté for 1 minute. Add shallots, olives and black pepper and sauté for 1 minute. Add wine, reduce heat and simmer until creamy. Add more wine or pasta water if it becomes too dry. Place drained pasta in bowl and pour sauce on top of pasta. Garnish with sliced lemon and parsley.

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Q). Hi John! Please! The Sammy Hagar Waborita recipe! Your restaurant is just too far from "Joisey" to enjoy it there! Thanks lots!
Kathy
New Jersey, Via- e-mail


A). OK Kathy, but you be careful with these babies!

Sammy's Waborita Recipe
2 oz. Cabo Wabo tequila
1/2 oz. Cointreau orange liqueur
1/2 oz. blue Curacao liqueur
2 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice
ice

In a shaker over ice combine the ingredients, pour into a salt rimmed martini glass and garnish with a slice of lime.

Q). We have been catching some of the giant Humboldt squid. We lightly breaded and sautéed them like the usual squid steaks. The texture is kind of spongy and the

taste is on the bitter side. We were told by some people to soak them ahead of time in milk and sugar for at least an hour, other people said soak in vinegar. Unless you have some better advice, it isn't something we are going to eat again. Some of the other fishermen love them; maybe it's an acquired taste? Thanks. Martha and Jess
Big Sur, Via e-mail

A). First of all, ask the guys that like them and see what they are doing. Have you soaked the meat in salt water? This is done with Bluefin tuna to get rid of the wild taste. Same goes for game or shark. I have heard that in Mexico they soak in lime, but don't try that. I would give it to the cat or catch and release, or bring me a piece and let me try playing with it.

Q). So John, what's your favorite recipe for canned Alaska Salmon?
Sam Mercurio,
Monterey native and Alaska salmon fisherman, Office visit

A). I remember my father making this salad for lunch. I recently whipped some up and it really tasted good.
Canned Salmon Salad Recipe
I started with one can of pink salmon emptied into a large bowl. Then I added 1 small sliced red onion, 2 sliced tomatoes, a large amount of dried oregano, a pinch of crushed red pepper, a couple shots of my best olive oil and a shot of red wine vinegar. I mixed it all up and, let me tell you something, not only is it good for you but man it's delicious! Try splitting a loaf of Palermo's French bread lengthwise. Dig out the inside then put in the salmon salad and a few hot peppers. Press it down till it all kind of oozes out and dig in! Hey Sam, thanks for the chum, pinks, silvers and red salmon.

By the way folks, Vital Choice Seafood has a great newsletter and they also ship Alaskan seafood anywhere in the world! www.vitalchoice.com

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Q). Dear Mr. Pisto: I love your shows and restaurants: Abalonetti, Domenico's & my favorite - The Whaling Station. You have this great crab & pasta dish which I truly enjoy. I would very much appreciate if you would be so kind to provide a no-fail recipe for a crab & pasta in red marinara sauce. I've experimented but have yet to find anything like your dish at The Whaling Station.
Respectfully,
Lupe Hernandez
Via e-mail

A). Isn't that the best crab and pasta you've ever had? I've got one for you that is similar but not the original, that's mine only.
Crab Meatballs and Pasta Recipe
Serves 4 to 6 people
1 lb. your favorite pasta
1 28 oz. can San Marzano tomatoes (crushed by hand)
1 medium chopped onion
6 cloves chopped garlic
1 small chopped leek
1 pinch saffron (12 threads)
1/2 bunch chopped parsley
2 tbsp. dried fennel seeds
bread crumbs
pinch crushed red pepper
2 whole crabs cooked (crack, pick out the meat and hold)
 
Lightly sauté till brown the onions, garlic, leeks, saffron, parsley and fennel seeds. Add crushed tomatoes, crushed red pepper and stop. To the pure crab meat, add one egg, 1/2 cup chopped parsley, 1/2 cup grated Romano, a small amount of bread crumbs that have been soaking in water and rung out so they are still very damp and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well make into meatball shapes and fry lightly just until brown. Start up sauce and drop in the crab balls. Don't stir, just cook for 20 minutes on medium or until the sauce thickens. Boil pasta, drain. Pick the crab balls out, mix the pasta and sauce together and serve the crab on the side - sounds good to me!
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