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The Dish: A conversation with Tony Biagetti
Chef Tony Biagetti of Handsome Harry's
Handsome Harry's
1205 Third Street South, Naples, Fl
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Title: Executive chef at Handsome Harry’s, 1205 Third St. S., Naples, 434-6400.
What is your education and experience? “I am a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. I came to Handsome Harry’s from the Naples National Golf Club.”
What is your favorite ingredient to use? “Butter. It brings out the flavor of everything.”
What is your least favorite ingredient to use? “Any hot sauce. It masks the flavors of the food.”
What is your inspiration for cooking? “My great-grandmother, Nonny. She was from Italy, and I loved watching her cook.”
If you could travel anywhere where would you go? “Italy, because of my background and my fascination with Italian food.”
What music plays in your kitchen? “Country music because I really like it.”
Do you have a kitchen motto? “Always use the freshest ingredients.”
What is your favorite thing to do besides cooking? “Backwater fishing for red fish, snook and tarpon.”
What would you be if you weren’t a chef? “A backwater fishing guide.”
What is your favorite time of day? “Between lunch and dinner at 3 p.m. I have some downtime to re-organize and refresh.”
Do you have any superstitions before you start work? “I have a cup of coffee and do a crossword puzzle in pen before starting work.”
Which one person would you want to have dinner with? “My father, and we would have risotto. He loves risotto.”
What is your perfect meal? “A perfectly cooked bone-in strip steak and baked potato with sour cream, onions, chives and butter. Dessert would be anything chocolate.”
What was your childhood favorite dish? “Corned beef and cabbage. My mother wasn’t a good cook and everything was from a crock pot. She still makes corned beef and cabbage for me.”
What is your favorite food indulgence? “Dark chocolate.”
What is your favorite item on Handsome Harry’s menu? “There are two. The roasted stuffed chicken breast and our 16-ounce lobster tail.”
What is your most used cookbook? “The Escoffier Cookbook.”
What is in your refrigerator at home? “Peanut butter, cheese and Genoa salami.”
Do you cook at home? “I grill Sunday dinner. It’s usually vegetables and seafood.”
What is your biggest accomplishment? “My overall career. I was a chef for one of the top 100 golf clubs and a 1,500-seat catering facility.”
What are you afraid of? “Spiders. I was bitten once and swelled up.”
What is your most used kitchen appliance? “My stove.”
If you were a kitchen utensil, what would you be? “I’d be a mandolin.”
Biagetti gave us this recipe:
DAY BOAT “KEYS” MAHI MAHI WITH STONE GRAB, PAPAYA AND VIDALIA ONION RELISH
Serves four
Ingredients
Fish
4 mahi mahi fillets, 6 ounces each
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil
Relish
1 pound, stone crab meat
2 Vidalia onions, thinly sliced
1 small jalapeño pepper, diced
1 large, ripe papaya, diced
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups mixed greens
Preparation
Relish
Place all the relish ingredients except the crab meat into a large mixing bowl and toss well.
Refrigerate for one hour.
Add crab meat and mix well.
Fish
Preheat grill.
Rub mahi mahi with oil and season with salt and pepper.
Place fish onto hot grill and cook 5 to 7 minutes per side or slightly longer for well done).
Divide the mixed greens among four plates.
Position mahi mahi on greens and generously mound relish on top of fish.
(Please note Handsome Harry’s will be closed for renovations from Sept. 7 through Sept. 11.)
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