1/4 cup olive oil (extra-virgin or virgin preferred)
10 to 15 live blue crabs (quickly pre-boiled and cleaned)
3 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
1/2 pound squid
1 pound shrimp (25 to 30)
12 to 15 clams
12 to 15 mussels
1 pound any nonoily fish (optional)
2 (28-ounce) cans Italian tomatoes (Progresso Pomodori Pelati con Basilico preferred)
1 pound linguine
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat olive oil in large pot. Place crabs and garlic in pot and toss or stir for 10 minutes. Place lid over pot and simmer for another 10 minutes. Add all other ingredients—except pasta—and cook over medium flame for 30 minutes, stirring often. Boil pasta, drain, and pour bouillabaisse over pasta. Serves 4.
As we were eating and talking, I brought up the subject of the late Stanley Gerstenfeld. “You know, Robbie,” I said, “Stanley had a hunch that something was wrong, because before he died he kept trying to reach me. In fact, he did reach me, and wanted to talk to me, but we never got together. I think he knew what was coming.”
“He didn’t know a ____ing thing,” Robbie spat out, like a true tough guy. “When I put the bag over his head, then he knew he was going. I put three or four in his head, and one in his heart so he wouldn’t bleed all over the car.”
“Oh, does that stop the bleeding?” I asked, playing dumb.
“Yeah, Joey. You’re putting me on. You know it does.”
This entire conversation took place right in front of John, who did the right thing by sitting there nice and quiet, just listening and letting that little Nagra tape recorder roll under his shirt. We got the whole thing on tape. But the authorities never went after Robbie—maybe it was just a good story. Who knows?
After Robbie left I mentioned to John that, deep down, Robbie was nothing less than a maniac. “Did you hear him say he wishes he was Italian?”
“More Italians like him we don’t need,” John answered. “We need some nice quiet ones, like your pal Tommy A.”