3 Recipes by Christopher Walken

Christopher Walken’s
T.N.T. Shrimp Appetizer


(serves four)
1 cup dark rum
Juice of 1 orange
4 jumbo shrimp, fresh, with shells left on
Salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil

Combine the rum and orange juice. Leaving the shell on, butterfly the shrimp by slicing them with a sharp knife, cutting from back to legs, so that the shrimp lies flat, shell side down, and the two halves approximate the shape of a heart. Wash and devein the shrimp under cold water. Salt and pepper the shrimp liberally. In a skillet over medium heat, brown the garlic. Arrange the shrimp in the pan, shell side down, and sauté for about four minutes, or until most of the shrimp body has become opaque. Turn the heat to high. When the skillet begins to sizzle, add the rum-and-orange-juice mixture and immediately slam a tight cover on the skillet, pressing down firmly so that very little steam can escape. Keep the cover pressed down for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and uncover. Shrimp should look fat, blackened and engorged. Serve from the pan, shell-side down, covering the shrimp with the remaining rum sauce.



Christopher Walken’s
Zucchini Linguine


(serves four)
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 red bell peppers, diced
2 zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch half-wheels
2 summer squash, cut similarly
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup fresh dill weed, chopped
10 large kalamata olives, sliced (optional)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 box De Cecco linguine
4 tablespoons sour cream

Lightly brown the garlic in the olive oil in a large skillet, on medium heat. Add the onion and red peppers, and sauté until soft. Add the zucchini and summer squash, and sauté until soft but not wilted. Salt and pepper to taste. Finally, add the dill, lemon juice and olives. Toss together and remove from heat. Toss the mixture with al dente linguine. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream.



Christopher Walken’s
New Delhi Salmon


(serves four)
1 1/2 pounds fresh salmon fillet, skin left on
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 onion, chopped into 1/2-inch segments
1 jar Major Grey’s chutney
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon

Preheat the broiler. With a sharp knife, cut the salmon fillet crosswise into four portions, but do not break the salmon skin. Rub about two tablespoons of olive oil on the scored piece of salmon and into its crevices, then rub in about a tablespoon of sea salt. Put aside. In a saucepan, lightly brown the onion slices. Pile the browned onion into a cookie sheet or Pyrex plate, forming a bed of onions with the approximate area as the salmon fillet. In a small mixing bowl, combine the chutney, garlic, cilantro and lemon juice. Massage this mixture onto the top of the salmon fillet, making sure that some sauce falls into the crevices. Then take the salmon fillet and slam it down on top of the onion bed, so that the skin is facing up and the sauce side is down. Place the pan close to the broiler and broil for about 20 minutes, or until the skin is burnt and the middle of the fillet is hot to the touch and dark pink. Remove the skin and serve from the pan, sauce-and onion-side down.
Source: New York Observer - September 18, 2000