August 23, 2006 Ask the Chef Article

Q). Forgot to ask if you filmed your recent trip to Favorite Bay (Alaska) and, if so, any idea when it might be aired? Herb Lister Via e-mail

A). This trip was strictly for pleasure. Daughter Gia, wife Cheryle and I had a tremendous time. Wild mushrooms galore, clamming, shrimping, crabbing, hiking and cooking with chef Pierre was a blast. Salmon and halibut were hot – you have to check out the 102-pounder. Master guide and native, Floyd Kookash, helped land that monster by subduing him with a scrub brush (someone had removed the club from the boat!). After

hooking up and fighting this enormous fish in only 90 feet of water, it had plenty of spunk left. Before you can bring such a fish on board, you must dispatch him, usually with a bat, a gun or a harpoon. In this case, we placed a giant hook in the lower jaw and had him in position to send him to fish heaven. Floyd looked around for the bat and it was nowhere to be found. The closest objects were a coffee thermos and deck chair – no good. So he went for the deck brush

(about 2 feet long with bristles on the end) and started banging away. True master outdoorsman that he is, he conquered that fish and cautiously dragged him on board. There was a lot of commotion on deck as we struggled to maneuver the giant into the fish box. What a day – first, we collected four 5-gallon pails of cockles and then the monster halibut. As usual, things were running smoothly at Favorite Bay. Kimmy Roberts and Dana Durant run a fabulous resort. Next year I’ll return with my film crew – God willing.

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Q). Does your Monterey’s Cookin’ Pisto Style cookbook have your cioppino recipe in it?
Ken Hahn Via e-mail

A). My cookbook features the version known as “lazy man’s cioppino” a favorite of many of my restaurant regulars over the years. In this case, the “lazy” person simply has to hunker over the bowl and ravage! No shells to remove, just all that beautiful ready to eat seafood in a hearty, garlicky-tomato broth.
Pisto’s Lazy Man's Cioppino Recipe
Serves 4-6
2 large fresh crabs,
12 each clams and mussels,
2 lbs. shrimp (whole peeled),
1/2 cup white wine,

2 - 28 oz. cans Italian tomatoes, 1 large yellow onion,
1 bunch Italian flat leaf parsley,
1/2 cup Italian green olives (pitted), 8 garlic cloves,
1 tsp sugar,
1 tsp sugar olive oil,
salt and pepper.
Bring a large pot (8 quarts) of salted water to a rapid boil. Carefully drop live crabs into pot. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until done. Remove from water (do not rinse) and set aside to cool. Remove crab meat from shell. Remove crab legs, crack gently and remove meat. Cut between knuckles and remove meat. Add crab butter from outer shell to sauce. You will need a large skillet to prepare remaining ingredients. Chop onion and garlic coarsely. Remember, the finer the chop the

more powerful the flavor. Remove stems from parsley and chop. Sauté onions, garlic and parsley in olive oil. Add white wine and continue cooking on high meat until onions and garlic are soft. With your hands, squeeze tomatoes into skillet with juice. Add green olives. Add sugar to balance tomato acid. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes. Add clams and mussels, cover skillet. and let steam for 6-8 minutes. Add shrimp to skillet 4 minutes after clams and mussels are added. Shake the skillet, as you would popcorn, to open the shells. Place mussels, clams and shrimp in large serving bowl. Add crab meat. Pour sauce over dish and serve immediately with crusty Italian bread.

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Q). Looking for a recipe for Croatian Cole slaw. it has a white vinegar and oil dressing – no mayo or sugar. Very light, crisp taste. L.R. Barber Via e-mail

A). Croatian cuisine which can be similar to Italy, just across the Adriatic, is usually defined as simple peasant foods, easy to prepare and delicious. Several Croatian dishes prepared with grated cabbage that could be considered a slaw, start out by salting the grated cabbage. Place layers of the grated cabbage in a large bowl, and salt each layer liberally. Cover the top with a towel and let marinate for at least 3

hours in the refrigerator (overnight is best). Remove the cabbage, wash well in a colander to remove the excess salt, and toss with white wine vinegar, some olive oil, a little cumin, some thinly sliced red and green bell peppers, chopped parsley and freshly ground black pepper. Allow to marinate another hour as cabbage takes some time to absorb the flavors.

Folks, here’s a doozie! In a travel magazine recently, a chef in Piedmont, Italy has got to be kidding – sardines and caramelized pepper puree with (get this!) bagna cauda gelato. If you remember my recipe for bagna cauda, it calls for

olive oil, butter, lots of garlic and anchovies. Must be running out of ideas over there – yuk!

Friend Nancy Mangiapane sent me the best new food item of the year. For those of you that make cannolis, making the shells can be a real pain in the “you know what”. Nancy used ice cream sugar cones, you know the ones that are used to make drumsticks. Not only are they easy to fill, but the shell is super crunchy. Folks, this is one of the best new ideas to come along in a long, long time. Thank you Nancy Mangiapane!