Anchovies, chicken,
pasta create a
memorable platter

The Assaggio restaurants chain opens a new location in Kapolei soon and will participate in the Taste at Kapolei benefit event next weekend.

Taste at Kapolei Benefit event: 5:30 to 9 p.m. Sept. 25 Place: Ko Olina Resort & Marina, fourth lagoon Tickets: $60 until Friday, when price goes up to $75. Children's price is $30. Tickets available at Ticketmaster outlets and at Chevron Kapolei. Charge-by-phone: (877) 750-4400. Online: Visit the Web site www.tasteatkapolei.com for information and ticket purchase.

In celebration of both events, why not hit 'em up for a recipe? This would be to grant the request of Stephanie McKinley, who enjoys the Linguine Chicken Anchovy Olio at Assaggio at Ala Moana Center.

"It's my favorite menu item at Assaggio, and I'd like to try making it at home sometime," she wrote.

Luong Nghiem Nguyen, who is opening Buono Pasto Assaggio Ristorante in December, came through with the recipe.

Nguyen will operate the restaurant as the first franchise under the Assaggio name.

The Assaggio restaurants were founded by Thomas Ky, an immigrant from Vietnam with a remarkable story. His family sent him away at age 14 with the mission of making a home for them in the United States. He arrived with no cash and little knowledge of English. With the help of a foster family -- but mostly thanks to his own determination, Ky learned the restaurant business and eventually opened Assaggio in Kailua, followed by outlets in Mililani, Hawaii Kai and Ala Moana.

(For his story, see https://archives.starbulletin.com/1999/04/28/features/story1.html.)

Nguyen has been working with Ky since he signed on at the Kailua restaurant in 1993. He eventually became head chef in Mililani and helped open Ky's other Assaggio restaurants.

He plans to maintain the familiar Assaggio menu, with the addition of more seafood selections, such as crab cakes and stuffed shrimp. The Anchovy Olio -- served with sautˇed fish as well as chicken -- will be the house specialty.

At the Taste at Kapolei, Nguyen will be serve Ziti Arrabiata, a spicy dish of bacon, garlic and ham in a white wine and tomato sauce, as well as Chicken with Creamy Pesto Sauce.

The Taste event, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Kapolei, is in its fourth year as a benefit for Leeward area schools. The event has raised more than $200,000; last year's proceeds funded 24 college scholarships.

It's a "grazing" event, which means for one price you can sample all you want of dishes prepared by 21 restaurants, plus beverages (beer and wine included).

Besides Assaggio, expect these restaurants: Roy's Ko Olina, BluWater Grill, Buca di Beppo, Canoe's at the Ilikai, Chili's Bar & Grill, Compadres Bar & Grill, Dave & Buster's, Don Ho's Island Grill, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, Hana Sushi, Hong Kong Harbor View Seafood Restaurant, Naupaka Terrace, Kolohe's Bar & Grill, Marbella, Mediterranean Cafˇ, Nick's Fishmarket, Outback Steakhouse, Prince Court, Tiki's Grill & Bar and Thai Kitchen.

Entertainment includes Halau Hula Olana, Rolando Sanchez & Salsa Hawaii, Sonya Mendez and the Groove, and The Honolulu Jazz Quartet. For kids: McDonald's Kapolei is sponsoring a KidZone play area.

Also: A silent auction and fireworks display.

And now, the recipe. Note that it is a huge portion for one. You could easily prepare more pasta and spread this among four people.

Linguine Chicken Anchovy
Olio and Sautˇed Opah

2 chicken thighs
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
3 to 4 tablespoons chopped anchovies
Pinch dried basil
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 ounces cooked linguine noodles (a little more than 1/2 cup)
Chopped Italian parsley, for garnish
>> Sautˇed opah:
1 7-ounce opah fillet
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup flour
Salt and pepper, to taste
Pinch dried basil
2 teaspoons olive oil
>> Sauce for fish:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
Salt and pepper, to taste
Pinch dried basil
1/2 teaspoon butter

Heat oil in oven-proof sautˇ pan. Add chicken, skin-side down. Add garlic, anchovies and basil; cook until chicken is browned

Place pan in oven and bake 2-1/2 minutes, until skin is brown and crisp. Turn chicken and cook another 2-1/2 minutes.

To prepare fish: Dip fish in beaten egg, then coat with flour. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and basil.

Heat olive oil in frying pan. Add a pinch of salt to keep fish from sticking to pan). Sautˇ fish 2-1/2 minutes; turn and cook another 2 minutes.

To make sauce: Heat oil in a pan. Sautˇ garlic lightly, then add salt, pepper and basil. Add butter and stir to incorporate.

Serve chicken and fish over linguine. Top fish with sauce; garnish with parsley. Serves 1.

Asterisk (*) after nutritional analyses in the Body & Soul section indicates calculations by Joannie Dobbs of Exploring New Concepts, a nutritional consulting firm.