SAN DIEGO -- Downtown restaurant and music venue Anthology has a new executive chef, award-winner Todd Allison.

Allison is an elite Los Angeles chef whose skills and masterpieces in the kitchen have been described as having "marvelous flavor," "relit the kitchen fire" and a "creative menu." The culinary veteran shares his plan for San Diego.

"I am about to test San Diego's palate," Allison said. "I want to change the whole menu. I'm starting to plan and I'll see what I can get away with."

Mystery doesn't surround everything on the future menu though. Chef Allison will definitely wow Anthology diners with his signature Cranberry-Pistachio Pesto and unusual Harissa spice, which is a chili paste made from North African Piri Piri pepper that delivers a pleasant heat on the end of dishes.

He also plans to incorporate his favorite fish, Loup de Mar, which he says translates to "Wolf of the Sea," a perfect description.

"I don't like getting stuck with a signature dish," Allison said. "I want to have multi-use spices and pasts that you can use on a wide range of things. I've used harissa on chicken sandwiches and cheese plates and fish dishes. It goes with everything."

Chef Allison plans to shake things up not just in the kitchen but in the bar as well. At his former restaurant, Checkers Hilton, he experimented with truffle-infused rum and simple syrups mixed with peppers. Chef Allison is brings that same enthusiasm to cocktails so diners' taste buds are thrilled and enamored with not only his innovative dishes but with the perfect cocktail compliment.

He shares a little "taste" of his culinary genius with the recipe for one of his signature dishes.

Harrissa marinated Caledonia prawn skewers

Served in a saffron and smoked tomato broth, this delicious recipe serves five and is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Ingredients

Smoked tomato broth

5 smoked roma tomatoes

5 roughly chopped roma tomatoes

5 cloves of garlic chopped

1 Spanish onion chopped

2 ribs of celery chopped

1 fennel bulb chopped

2 stalks leeks chopped

1 large pinch saffron

2 cups white wine

1 quart chicken stock

1 sprig fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

1 handful fresh basil

Make it

In a large sauce pot sauté garlic, onion, celery, fennel, leeks for roughly five minutes, then deglaze with wine and add saffron.

Add tomatoes and chicken stock, bring to a simmer, add fresh herbs and cook for 40 minutes.

Puree and strain through a fine sieve.

Combine 1 cup of olive oil and 1/2 cup of harissa paste. Mix well.

Marinate 4 pounds of prawns in the harissa marinade for 30 minutes.

Place 4-5 prawns on a skewer with assorted vegetables (chipiollini onions, bell peppers, fennel).

Preheat your grill, once the grill is hot, grill your skewers on both sides for around 4 to 5 minutes. Heat the tomato broth.

To serve

In a large bowl or deep plate, place your skewers and pour the tomato broth over skewers (2 cups per serving)

Enjoy!

To learn more about Chef Allison's biography and resume click HERE.