When “Ciao” Means Aloha

Gabrielle Longhi and her brother Peter seldom get to cook together. That’s because she lives in Los Angeles and he lives in Maui, where he’s general manager of Longhi’s, the restaurant their father, Bob, founded 22 years ago.

Gabrielle has cooked, baked and waited on tables at Longhi’s, and she still maintains a close relationship with the restaurant even from a distance. In fact, she wrote a recently published cookbook on the restaurant, “Longhi’s” (Ten Speed Press; $29.95), with her father, and she shot the photos that illustrate the book.

When Peter flew to the mainland recently, brother and sister pooled their skills to cook dinner for friends. Gabrielle’s apartment was too small for what turned into an ambitious party with florist-designed centerpieces and professional servers. Fortunately, they were able to borrow the home of one of the guests, Jim Falk, who also divides his time between Maui and Los Angeles. And Gabrielle and Peter’s brother, Charlie, was able to join the party too. The only missing sibling was sister Carol O’Leary, Longhi’s current chef.

Longhi’s in Lahaina looks out onto the Pacific Ocean. The dinner guests here also looked out onto water--Falk’s West Hollywood swimming pool--and they ate the same dishes they might have ordered at Longhi’s, where the food is mostly Italian. The main difference was that the guests in West Hollywood were dressed up. At Longhi’s, anything goes.

Cooking here was quite a change for Peter. At the restaurant, ingredients and wines have to be have to be shipped or flown in. Here, he and Gabrielle could shop for everything locally at the last minute. They picked up much of the produce at the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market. Gabrielle was so entranced with the tomatoes that she added an heirloom tomato salad to the menu. Peter selected the wines, choosing moderately priced ($12 to $25) bottles that he carefully matched to each dish.

As the guests arrived, they were handed glasses of Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine, then they moved on to a table of appetizers served in such abundance they could have sufficed for dinner. Crostini were topped with goat cheese and a Mediterranean salsa that combined tomatoes, onions, zucchini, eggplant and red bell peppers. Then there were grilled mushrooms--shiitake, crimini, portabello, white chanterelles and button--seasoned with lemon juice, rosemary, roasted garlic and the oil used in roasting the garlic.

Frutti di mare, a chilled mixture of squid, scallops and shrimp, is one of Longhi’s most popular dishes. Peter spotted the salad at a small cafe in Florence and worked out his own version. It’s good for a party because it can be prepared the day before and left to marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

While guests were heaping their plates with appetizers, a big pot of water was boiling in the kitchen. A hearty Italian dinner demands pasta, and in this case, it was going to be spaghetti “putana.” This is Bob Longhi’s twist on pasta puttanesca. Greek feta cheese replaces Romano; there’s an exorbitant amount of garlic--about 10 times the classic quantity. In honor of these changes, Longhi replaced the Italian name with its Greek equivalent.

Peter Longhi chose 1995 Silverado Vineyards Napa Valley Sangiovese for the pasta. “It’s not a super-heavy red like a Cabernet or Merlot,” he said. “It’s a lighter wine, has nice fruit and is not oaky.”

Gabrielle’s tomato salad appeared with the next course, prawns Venetian--large shrimp in a sauce of white wine, lemon juice, butter, garlic and parsley. The wine: 1997 Zaca Mesa Chardonnay. In August, Peter made his first trip to the Santa Barbara County wine district. “It was so beautiful,” he said. “I wanted to serve something from there.” He chose the Zaca Mesa wine because its acidity would work as a palate cleanser.

Then came “filet Longhi”--Black Angus filet mignon grilled outdoors by Peter and garnished with peppers prepared by Gabrielle. What made the steak different was the buttery sauce flavored with anchovy, garlic and basil. The wine this time was 1995 Silverado Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon. “A heavier grape--with meat dishes, it’s a classic pairing,” Peter said.

Dessert brought chocolate-dipped macaroons and strawberries and a Hungarian wine, the 1993 Tokaji Aszu from the Royal Tokaji Wine Co. The name Aszu indicates that it was made from grapes affected with botrytis mold, which is desirable in sweet wines. Although the wine went well with chocolate and fruit, it was rich and sweet enough to serve as dessert by itself.

That course finished, it was time for one last drink for the road--coffee. Around midnight, as the guests said goodbye, many expressed the hope that this brother-sister team would get together again soon. They wanted another Hawaiian Italian dinner.

MENU

Frutti di Mare

Spaghetti Putana

Filet Longhi

Chocolate-Dipped Macaroons

Frutti di Mare

Total Preparation Time: 2 hours 10 minutes * Active Work Time: 45 minutes

Gabrielle Longhi says that if you’re in a real rush, you can poach the seafood in plain water rather than in the seasoned liquid called for in this recipe.

1 bay leaf

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 onion, chopped

Juice of 1 lemon plus 1/4 cup

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

5 black peppercorns

2 to 3 sprigs flat leaf parsley plus 1/4 cup chopped

1/2 pound squid, cleaned

1 pound scallops

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced thin

1/2 cup roasted red peppers, peeled, seeded and sliced thin

* Fill 4-quart stockpot 3/4 full of water. Add bay leaf, celery, onion, juice of whole lemon, 1 teaspoon salt, peppercorns and 2 to 3 sprigs parsley. Cook over medium-low heat 20 minutes.

* Strain liquid and return to stockpot. Bring to slow simmer. Add squid and poach 2 to 3 minutes.

* While squid is poaching, fill large bowl with ice and add water just to cover. Remove squid from poaching liquid, plunge into ice bath and drain again. Cut into 1/4-inch rings, leaving tentacles whole.

* Poach scallops in poaching liquid 2 minutes, plunge into ice bath and drain.

* Poach shrimp 2 minutes, plunge into ice bath and drain.

* Combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and mix well. Add olives and red peppers. Toss mixture with drained seafood until well coated.

* Chill at least 1 hour before serving.

4 servings. Each serving: 534 calories; 1451 mg sodium; 294 mg cholesterol; 32 grams fat; 11 grams carbohydrates; 49 grams protein; 0.56 gram fiber.

Spaghetti Putana

Total Preparation Time: 45 minutes * Active Work Time: 20 minutes

This is a great party dish because the sauce can be prepared as much as a day in advance.

12 oil-packed anchovies

1/2 cup milk

Salt

Dash extra virgin olive oil plus 1/2 cup

1 pound spaghetti

1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes

25 cloves garlic, peeled

1 to 2 hot green or red chiles, chopped

18 Sicilian-style colossal green olives or other large green olives

18 kalamata olives

1/2 cup coarsely chopped parsley

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Freshly ground black pepper

* Cover anchovies with milk in bowl and set aside to soak 15 minutes to 1 hour (up to 8 hours).

* Bring large pot water to boil. Add 1 teaspoon salt, dash olive oil, then spaghetti and cook until just tender to the bite, 7 to 10 minutes.

* Drain anchovies and chop. Drain tomatoes, reserving liquid, and cut each into quarters, reserving juices.

* Heat remaining 1/2 cup olive oil in saucepan over medium heat, add garlic cloves and saute 5 minutes. Add anchovies and cook 1 minute. Add chiles and cook 1 minute, then add tomatoes and saute 5 minutes. Add reserved tomato liquid and simmer 2 to 3 minutes longer.

* Toss together pasta and sauce. Add parsley and feta cheese and mix well. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste.

4 servings. Each serving: 828 calories; 1320 mg sodium; 17 mg cholesterol; 37 grams fat; 105 grams carbohydrates; 22 grams protein; 2.71 grams fiber.

Filet Longhi

Total Preparation Time: 45 minutes * Active Work Time: 15 minutes

4 filet mignon steaks, 1/2 to 1 inches thick

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 oil-packed anchovy, rinsed in water and minced

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch strips

1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch strips

1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter

1/2 cup chopped basil

Remove beef from refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking. Begin heating grill at least 20 minutes before cooking.

Cook steaks on hot grill until done as desired (about 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare 1/2-inch steak, 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare 1-inch steak), turning once.

While steaks cook, heat olive oil in skillet and saute garlic 30 seconds. Add anchovy, then red and yellow peppers and saute until peppers are soft.

When steaks are done, melt butter in saucepan over medium heat until foamy. Add basil and cook 30 seconds. Remove from heat.

Cut steaks diagonally into 1/4-inch slices and fan out on 4 plates. Pour butter sauce over steaks. Place red and yellow bell peppers beside steak slices.

4 servings. Each serving: 368 calories; 295 mg sodium; 86 mg cholesterol; 35 grams fat; 5 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams protein; 0.11 gram fiber.

Chocolate-Dipped Macaroons

Total Preparation Time: About 40 minutes * Active Work Time: 17 minutes

If you have time, melt some extra chocolate and dip large strawberries too.

5 egg whites

2 cups finely ground unblanched almonds

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

4 cups shredded sweetened coconut

Grated zest of 1/2 lemon

1 1/2 tablespoons dark rum

8 ounces semisweet chocolate

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes in mixer, about 7 minutes by hand.

Add almonds and 1 cup powdered sugar and fold in.

Fold in remaining powdered sugar, coconut, lemon zest and rum.

Spoon batter by tablespoons onto baking sheets lined with wax paper. Bake at 300 degrees 20 minutes, or until golden brown on outside and soft on inside. Cool on baking sheets.

While macaroons bake, place chocolate in top of double boiler and set over gently simmering water. Stir occasionally as chocolate melts. When melted, lower heat to warm. (Or microwave on high 30 seconds, If not melted, stir and microwave 30 seconds longer.)

Dip macaroons into melted chocolate, coating 1/3 to 1/2 of each cookie. Place on wax paper-lined tray and refrigerate 5 to 10 minutes, until chocolate is firm.

3 dozen. Each macaroon: 135 calories; 35 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 8 grams fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 0.49 gram fiber.

INGREDIENTS

SHOPPING LIST

3 or 4 lemons

1 bunch celery

1 bunch flat-leaf parsley

1/2 pound squid

1 pound scallops

1 pound shrimp

1/4 pound Kalamata olives

1 jar roasted red peppers

1 can oil-packed anchovies

1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes

18 Sicilian-style colossal green olives or other large green olives

About 2 ounces feta cheese

4 filet mignon steaks

1 red bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper

1 bunch basil

1 pound unblanched almonds

1 pound shredded sweetened coconut

STAPLES

Bay leaves

Celery

Onions

Salt, pepper

Black peppercorns

Extra virgin olive oil

Milk

Spaghetti

Garlic

Salted butter

Eggs

Powdered sugar

Dark rum

Semisweet chocolate

GAME PLAN

3 hours to 1 day before: Chop ingredients for fish poaching liquid, add water and put on stove to simmer. (30 minutes)

2 1/2 hours to 1 day before: Strain poaching liquid, return to stockpot and bring to slow simmer.

2 hours 20 minutes to 1 day before: Poach squid and remove to ice bath. Poach scallops and remove to ice bath. Poach shrimp and remove to ice bath.

2 hours 10 minutes to 1 day before: Make frutti di mare dressing and toss with seafood, then chill salad.

2 hours to 1 day before: Beat egg whites for macaroons and fold in ingredients to make batter.

1 hour 45 minutes to 1 day before: Spoon macaroon batter onto baking sheets and bake.

1 hour 35 minutes before to morning of party: Put chocolate over simmering water to melt for macaroons.

1 hour 25 minutes to 1 day before: Remove macaroons from oven and let cool. (Store, covered, at room temperature if making day before.)

1 hour 15 minutes before to morning of party: Dip macaroons in melted chocolate and refrigerate until set.

1 hour 5 minutes before to morning of party: Begin soaking anchovies for spaghetti putana.

1 hour before to morning of party: Remove dipped macaroons from refrigerator and store at room temperature.

1 hour before: Remove steaks from refrigerator and let stand 30 minutes.

55 minutes before: Begin sauteing peppers and anchovy for steak.

50 minutes before: Begin heating grill for steaks and continue sauteeing peppers.

45 minutes before: Set aside peppers and make putana sauce.

30 minutes before: Bring water to boil for spaghetti. Remove frutti di mare from refrigerator.

20 minutes before: Grill steaks. Cook spaghetti and combine with sauce.

10 minutes before: Melt butter for steaks.

When guests arrive: Serve frutti di mare as appetizer. Slice steaks, fan on plates and top with sauce. Garnish with sauteed peppers. Place spaghetti putana in pasta bowl or on individual plates.

After dinner: Bring out macaroons and coffee.