January 29, 2003 Ask the Chef Article

January 29, 2003 ... Ask the Chef ... John Pisto

Q: Dear Chef:

Whenever I cook shrimp it turns out flavorless and tough. Do you have any suggestions for better tasting and tender shrimp? I 'm looking for something quick and easy if possible.

Anne Phillips
Pacific Grove

A: Boy, do I have the greatest shrimp recipe in the world for you! Only thing is you need extra large or "under 15 count", which means there will be 15 or less to a pound. About three of these jumbo shrimp per person should do. Also, folks, don't get hung up on exact measurements. This isn't baking, just add the ingredients as you like and try to have fun.

Shell, devein (remove the gray-black vein from the back of a shrimp) and butterfly the shrimp. By butterfly I mean to carefully open them up with a sharp knife

so that they resemble a butterfly, being careful not to cut them all the way through. Dip each shrimp into seasoned flour, then into beaten eggs that have also been seasoned. In a large frying pan gently sauté the shrimp in unsalted butter and a bit of olive oil. This takes only a few minutes. Do not brown or over cook them - shrimp cook very quickly. Drain on paper towels and place on a large platter. Next, in another small frying pan, sauté a bit of chopped garlic, shallots and parsley over medium heat (don't brown). Remove from heat, add a shot of brandy and flame off the alcohol (watch out, don't burn yourself, the cat or your house), and then add some unsalted butter. For 1 lb. of shrimp use about 1/2 a cube of butter. Don't over melt or over cook. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon and salt & pepper to taste. Pour over the sautéed shrimp. That's it; not only simple but delicious!

Dear Mr. Pisto,

No questions just want to let you know that I enjoy watching your show everyday. I learn what I can because I love to cook. Trying new recipes is a plus with my family. We hope to visit one of your restaurants on our vacation from Bakersfield. Keep up the good work.. Thank you, a big fan,

Mario via e-mail

A: Thanks Mario. You are on to the real secret. Try things folks. Experiment on your friends and family and have a good time doing it. There is a whole world of food out there waiting to be discovered. Loosen up, open up a good bottle of Monterey County wine and cook up something. You may just surprise yourself.

Dear John,

How do I keep my pasta water from overflowing? Every time I boil pasta, I have to watch it or the bubbles build up unless I give it an occasional stir.

Jackson B.
Via e-mail

A: The answer for you is simple: get a larger pot! You need about 4 quarts of water for each pound of pasta. Every kitchen should have a good-sized stockpot.

Mushroom Tasting vs. Super Bowl:

With our backs to the Super Bowl this past Sunday, we tasted 10 varieties of wild fungi. David Arora (author of Mushrooms Demystified and All That The Rain Promises and More) and friend Tanya invited us to hunt up north and boy what a day! In two and a half hours we collected delicious milk caps,

western anethist, king boletes, white king boletes, springtime amanita, five varieties of aquarius, princes wild button, purple veiled, cypress agaricus, and the bleeding agarigus. I can sure tell you one-thing folks, tasting ten shrooms at a sitting is pretty heroic. We decided that the preferred cooking method was #1: butter and #2: olive oil. The winner of the bunch was without a doubt the springtime amanita. It sure was fun hunting with the MASTER. Hot tip for wild foragers! Wild mustard is just starting to come up, so round up the kids, the in-laws and anyone else you can find and hit the side roads of central California. Now listen up, only pick the new tender shoots that look like tiny broccoli. These guys really boil down like spinach (that's why you need a lot of help out there). Once you have 4 or 5 bags full. Then take them home rinse them well. Par boil, drain and squeeze out the excess water. Now you are ready to fry with garlic, olive oil, hot pepper

flakes, and salt & pepper to taste. Serve with Italian sausage or pork roast & fried apples and watch out. Wild mustard grows all over the place. You can spot it by its yellow flowers. What you need to find is a large dense patch that hasn't yet flowered or is just beginning to. Use only the tops, do not trespass and watch out for the mud. Some places where I usually find it: any side road in Salinas, Watsonville or Castroville. Pick only 15 feet from the road; I call it spitting distance from the car. It's free, it's fun, and it gets you out of the house!

Q: Dear Chef,

It seems like I am always throwing food away that is left in my refrigerator or open in my pantry. Can you suggest any ways to use this stuff or any guidelines to tell when it is better just to throw it out?

Joanne R., Salinas

A: Common sense is a usually a pretty good guideline. I don't like to waste anything but you don't want to try to save money by serving those you love food that has lost its nutritional value (sounds better than "rotten"). Anything in your fridge that is either moving or has acquired a greenish fur coat should be the first to go into the trash. Paying attention to expiration dates

is a good idea, so is using dried items (beans, legumes, wild rice or pasta) as ingredients for vegetable soup. Remember my famous "refrigerator soup?" Always keep things like flour in a container with a sealed lid or else you might not know when the bugs arrive. Kept sealed, it should be good for at least six months.

For more info about John Pisto's fine restaurants

in Monterey, California, click here.

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