Q). I really enjoy your show and I
have some concepts you may want to consider. I had been a line cook in
my high school and college days, learned how to cook all sorts of things
at an early age, and I still cook a lot and barbecue a lot. Anyway, I
thought you should come to a Raider game tailgate party (if you haven’t
already) and check out what some of us are cooking up there, plus it’s a
very fun experience. Next, I’d love to see you do a show around the
Santa Cruz Harbor, right in my back yard! We have some great barbecue
parties right there at Harbor Beach. Those are just a couple ideas, and I
have many more.
Jim Hassett, Via e-mail |
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A). I will consider your suggestions.
There are so many ideas out there, all I need is time. By the way, I
don’t really follow football but am told that the only thing worth
checking out at a Raider game these days is the tailgate action.
Dear John, Last night Bob and I
tried your gnocchi recipe. It was FANTASTIC. Whenever I had a craving
for gnocchi I would go to a restaurant (yours of course) because I
didn’t know how to make them and the grocery store brand had a gummy
consistency. Now I can make them at home and have them whenever I want.
I no longer fear making gnocchi, I now fear putting on ten pounds.
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Your ecstatic gnocchi student, Stalee.
Via e-mail
Response: Made a student, lost a customer.
Stalee, I actually left one thing out, but I’m glad it worked anyway.
The traditional recipes have usually included egg. I was swayed by
someone who convinced me that the egg, used as a binder, only adds more
moisture while the preparation should focus on eliminating as much
moisture as possible, thus reducing the amount of flour needed,
resulting in the lightest little potato pillows possible. |
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Q). Dad, can you tell me how to make
chicken Marsala? I have a craving.
Tawni
Via e-mailA). Nice to hear
from you, daughter #3. Missing the old man’s food, are you? Veal Marsala
was the rage from the 1960’s into the early 80’s. However, because veal
became such a hot topic (don’t get me started! – foie gras, for
example), at the Whaling Station I used local “kip” veal, meaning it was
just starting on grass. It was a pale-red meat that cooked up white.
Okay Tawni, here’s the more politically correct chicken Marsala. By the
way, I’ve got a new nickname for you – “Tawni port”. |
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Chicken Marsala Recipe
2 boneless chicken breasts, sliced at an angle to produce medallions
that are then placed between two sheets of wax paper and gently pounded
(the side of a large cleaver works well) to create uniform thicknesses.
2 bunch green onions chopped to 1/2-inch
(use green and white parts)
1/2 bunch parsley coarsely chopped
6 cloves garlic coarsely chopped
2 fresh tomatoes diced
1/2 pound mushrooms sliced
1 cup Florio dry Marsala (important!)
1 cup flour
¼ pound sweet butter
olive oil
salt and pepper
Season the chicken medallions with |
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salt and pepper, dredge in flour and
shake off the excess. Using a large non-stick fry pan, sauté the
medallions in olive oil over medium high heat until cooked (juices run
clear). Set chicken aside and keep warm. To the pan add the garlic and
mushrooms with maybe a splash more olive oil and cook, stirring often,
for about 7 minutes. Add onions and the Marsala. Reduce by half, add the
tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Taste the sauce and season with salt
and pepper. Finish by stirring in 2 tablespoons of sweet butter. Place
the medallions on a serving platter and ladle the sauce over the top and
garnish with a generous sprinkle of chopped parsley. That’s it kiddo,
but now do your dad a favor and try this with veal chops or pork
medallions. |
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Q). A friend of mine and I meet
regularly to share a meal at Abalonetti's. We usually have the lobster
or crab, sometimes your sausage marinara or antipasto selection.
However, on Wednesday evening I tried the braised beef pasta dish. It
sounded intriguing. Well, it was much more than that - it was wonderful.
Rich and full of flavor and the pasta was cooked perfectly. The large
chunks of meat were so tender, all you needed was a fork. The sauce
tasted like it might have a hint of cinnamon. Any chance of getting the
recipe so that I can try it out on my husband? Meat sauce is his
favorite.
Thanks for continuing to provide new taste treats,
Brigid Ganahl
Via e-mailA). I am more
than happy to accommodate and thanks for going to my restaurant. Try
this Braised Beef
Recipe that serves 4 people:
4 lbs. chuck roast cut into 2” cubes
2 large onions chopped |
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10 garlic cloves chopped
1 bunch Italian parsley chopped
pinch of hot pepper flakes
4 28oz. cans of plum tomatoes (crushed with your hands)
1 T. cinnamon
2 glasses of red wine
2 T. sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and Pepper
Sauté the meat in a deep pot, brown well, and remove. Add all of the
fresh vegetables and sauté for 15 minutes just until they start to
brown. Add back the meat, then the wine and cook for 10 minutes. Add the
tomatoes (breaking them up well), sugar, salt, pepper, hot pepper and
cinnamon, bringing to a boil. Stir and cover cooking over medium low
heat for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the meat is real tender. Stir often
and if it gets too thick, add some water. 1 1/2 lbs. long pasta and
fresh pecorino. Serve pasta first, then the meat with a big green salad.
After eating this, I guarantee your husband will roll over and have you
scratch his belly.Tired of the
same old roast turkey? – try braised turkey in tomato sauce
with pasta – I swear its |
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great. Last night I was going to roast off a bird for a
former friend who had to be out of the country for the past
13 years. The plans fell through so I thought, let's try
something different. I remembered my mother telling me about some folks
that recently arrived from Sicily who never roasted a turkey before. So
they just did what came naturally, they put it
in pasta sauce, so...Starting with a 12 lb. bird break it down to legs,
thighs and breasts. Remove backbone and wing tips for soup. Cut the meat
into large chunks the size of a softball, then season and brown in olive
oil. Set aside, now sauté 4 onions, 1 stalk chopped celery, 20 garlic
cloves, 3 diced bell peppers, 1/2 lb diced bacon and 3 diced Cajun
sausages. Cook for 20 minutes. Add 2 lb cans of crushed tomatoes, salt
and pepper to taste, add 5 to 8 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning or
Sensational Seasoning. Throw in 2 bunches parsley. Add back the turkey
cover and cook until turkey is very tender. Boil pasta – serve turkey on
the side. Top pasta with chopped green onions and grated pecorino.
Fantastic! |
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