Winter 2009 - Oser Communications Group

MEALS OF THE SEASON
“Before Amereno’s, I’d been doing the regular jobs where people
can’t find their calling…but luckily, I found my calling,” says Wilkins
smiling. “You got to have passion for what you do, for what I do.”
Cooking as a kid, Wilkins remembers at the age of six to
seven, preparing Cream of Wheat. “It came out nice and
lumpy,” he says laughing. “From then, everyone’s been telling
me that they’re not surprised that I became a chef because I was
always cooking here and there when I was small.”
Not able to settle for anything less than the best, Wilkins
adheres to high standards as a chef. Dubbing himself as a
“workaholic” and somewhat a “perfectionist,” Wilkins says his
cooking represents who he is as an individual. “A lot of things I do
aren’t perfect, so I basically shoot from the hip, I see what [food]
is going to be good,” he says. “There’s a lot of trial and error.”
Alongside his knack for cooking Italian cuisine, Wilkins also dabbles
in other fare such as Mexican, American, Mediterranean, and Greek.
Tasting every dish that goes out of Amereno’s kitchen,
Wilkins certifies that what patrons are being served is “up to par.
“If it [food] is not ‘up to par,’ I will not send it out,” he
adds. “If one little piece of chicken is overcooked, I will throw it
away and start all over again.”
Just as he creates dishes for others’ palettes, his own is just as
important. “But when it comes down to it,” says Wilkins, “I’m a ham,
turkey, pastrami sandwich kind of guy. I like it simple. Filet mignon
is really good, I enjoy the flavors, but I’m a sandwich, potato chip,
French fries kind of guy and I love candy bars…cookies are great too.”
With his years of hands-on experience, Wilkins takes pride
in his work, and chooses to keep his dishes simple, clean. “I
really like to keep it simple, but also keep it flashy,” he says.
“Simple, yet it [dish] can catch your eye.”
Wilkins went on to explain that “volume is essential. I really
want to keep my patrons nice and full, but I really don’t want to
overdo it. But for the prices that they are paying, I want to make
sure they have at least some food for a little lunch the next day.”
Amereno’s Little Italy was established in 1997 by Victor
Amereno. The restaurant is currently owned by Jaqueline Piikkila.
“We [restaurant staff] all do try to provide the best service,
whether in the kitchen, greeting customers, serving,” says
Piikkila. “We’re actually a family.”
“The employees are treated as family, customers treated as
family…it’s a big camaraderie,” she adds.
So whether you’re in town during the Winter and need a
taste of home, or just in search for authentic Italian cuisine
made with traditional recipes in a warm, inviting, and familial
setting, Amereno’s Little Italy is your destination. Buon Appetito!
Amereno’s Little Italy
2933 E. Grant Rd. | Tucson
520.721.1210
FRUTTI DI MARE
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp garlic, minced
½ dozen fresh little clams
½ dozen fresh mussels
1 cup white wine
¼ cup seafood broth
3 to 4 ounces of marinara sauce, pre-cooked
7 shrimp, peeled and deveined
5 ounces of linguine pasta
Fresh basil to taste
Pepper to taste
Heat oil in pan and sauté garlic until golden brown. Add
clams and mussels 10-15 seconds before the garlic
browns. Add pepper. Pour in 1 cup of white wine and
cook down. Add basil for about 1 to 1 ½ minutes on a
high flame. Add broth and shrimp and simmer on
medium heat 3 to 4 minutes. Add ready, hot marinara
sauce. Toss with pasta and serve. Serves 1.
BRUSCHETTE
1 ½ cup fresh roma tomatoes, diced
1 to ½ tsp extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp fresh garlic, minced
¼ to ½ tsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh basil leaves to taste, sliced
Toss together in mixing bowl and pour over 4 to 5 slices
of garlic bread. Garnish with kalamala olives. Dress with
fresh basil leaves. Dust with Romano cheese. Serves 2.
18 ARIZONA GOURMET LIVING WINTER 2009