9/17/03
Dana Oland
The Idaho Statesman

Ray DiLulo has always been one of Boise´s most energetic chefs. He has volunteered for countless benefit banquets, taught cooking classes, helped new immigrants find jobs, often in his own kitchen, raised his four kids and lent a helping hand whenever he could.

Now, the helping hand is moving in the other direction.

The Treasure Valley chef community will band together next week for a benefit to help DiLulo, who has Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig´s disease.

The neurodegenerative disease has eroded his physical form. It´s now difficult for the former executive chef at Emilo´s in the Grove Hotel to walk and speak.

?Lou´s a fighter,? says his friend Alan Turner of Sysco Food Services of Idaho, a food distribution company, for which DiLulo once worked. ?The only thing stronger than his physical stature is his will. He´s going to fight this thing.?

Through Turner, DiLulo´s wife, Linda, said, ?Ray is fighting a disease and is learning to cope.?

He´s planning on being at the event that evening but only for a short time.

The list of chefs cooking and helping out is as long as your arm.

Just a few of the chefs who will be in the kitchen that night are Gregg Anderson of Manhattan Grill, David Knickrehm of Asiago´s, Darrell Millich of Emilo´s, Lou Aaron of Westside Drive In and Catering, Jim Jozwick of the Boise Centre on The Grove, Mark Owsley of Gamekeeper Restaurant and Dwayne-Neal Horikami, the pastry chef at Cottonwood Grille.

The evening, emceed by actor George Kennedy, will include a silent and a live auction with copious dinners, vacation packages and wine up for grabs. Several of the chefs will auction off their services for private dinners.

They are hoping to raise about $75,000 for DiLulo´s medical expenses.

Though he´s having difficulty speaking, he can type. When DiLulo heard about this edition of Treasure Valley Chef dedicated to him, he wasted no time in writing these two wild rice recipes.

Wild Rice Stuffing or Wild Rice Salad

1 cup wild rice
3 cups water of chicken stock
1 carrot, finely diced
3 green onion tops, sliced thin
1 egg white
1 cup spinach chiffonade (very thinly sliced)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup pistachio nuts (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar of your choice

Boil wild rice in the liquid until the rice is split and tender. Drain and discard left over liquid.

Mix all ingredients into the rice. Use as a stuffing, side dish and or serve as a chilled salad. (If as a salad, omit the egg.)

Wild Rice Pancakes

Yield: 8 pancakes

2 cups cooked wild rice
2 eggs
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 teaspoons minced garlic
1/3 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt and fresh pepper to taste
3 tablespoons clarified butter
2 teaspoons oil

Place rice, eggs, shallot and garlic in a mixing bowl. Stir. Add flour, cream and season to taste.

Heat butter and oil in a sauce pan over medium high heat. Add spoonfuls of the batter to form pancakes. Cook 4 to 5 minutes or until golden. Flip and cook for 3 more minutes.

Keep warm and serve.

If you go:

What: A Gathering of Chefs, an Idaho Chefs de Cuisine benefit for chef Ray DiLulo.

When: 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25

Where: Boise Centre on The Grove.

Tickets: $75 at Select-a-Seat, 426-1494 or at the door.