COOKING ON THE RIVER

DON'T FORGET PHYLLIS' COOKIES

2012-01-21T16:10:00.001-08:00

http://amorebakedgoods.blogspot.com/

POLENTA

2012-01-06T21:12:00.000-08:00

Polenta Recipes
I don't often add a link for recipes but here is one I could not resist:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/06/creamy-polenta-recipes_n_1186914.html#s592133&title=WATCH_How_To

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012

2011-12-31T09:50:00.000-08:00

NEW YEARS GREETINGS

What are you eating for New Year's? Black-eyed Peas? Noodles? Lentils and Sausage?

Whatever you choose, wishing you some good times and good health. Don't forget your greens this year. Eat lots of kale, spinach, turnip greens, mustard greens, collards, Swiss chard and broccoli. My gift to you will be some recipes with all of the above. Coming soon.

POST-CHRISTMAS BIRTHDAY DINNER

2011-12-24T09:24:00.000-08:00

BIRTHDAY DINNER
It must be tough for people who have birthdays butted against Christmas. My friend, Vyt, is one of those. This year we'll sit down to a dinner I am making on request. It gives me a good opportunity to try and document it by posting the details here. Of course, shopping is ridiculous as the stores are all packed and not everything is available. I must have picked up the 'last one' of several items.

I've been baking lots of cookies to send out to friends and to sell a few here and there. Some of it is listed at my other blog: www.amorebakedgoods.blogspot.com

I found an interesting video of Jamie Oliver roasting a rib roast:
http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/beef-recipes/perfect-roast-beef

Here is the menu for this dinner :

CANAPES

Shrimp with Avocado Mousse on Brioche (Challah) rounds

Smoked Trout Pate on Westphalian Triangles

Kippered Salmon and Onion Jam on Crostini

SALAD

baby arugula, radicchio, frisee, watercress sprouts, julienned carrots, crispy beet curls

Dressing: Citrus juices, honey, garlic, shallots, salt and pepper, olive oil

ENTREE

Standing Roast Beef

Mushroom Gravy

Potato Pancakes

Creamed Spinach

DESSERT

Pumpkin Pie

Trifle

Shrimp Cooked & vacuum-sealed

Chopped Spinach vacuum-sealed

Much of it I can make in advance, for instance, yesterday I blanched and chopped the Spinach and packed it in a vacuum-sealed bag that will keep it fresh. I also made the Onion Jam with Balsamic and the last of some Port that was carried back to me from Goa (!) by a friend.

I deliberated about the Trifle quite a bit as it depended upon finding a Trifle Bowl and a rather longish drive to the Christmas Tree store where I last saw one for sale. I did it and there was one there. I'm a sucker for this place where you see bargain after bargain and start dropping them into your cart. Before getting on the check-out line I always review my knee-jerk purchases and take about half of them back. I've had discussions with other people shopping there and they do the same thing. So Trifle it is. The next quest was to find Sponge Cake. I suppose the Brits have a ready supply in their markets for this but we do not. We have Pound Cake and Angel Food Cake but no Sponge Cake. Driven, I found a recipe in the Cake Bible (it really is) by Rose Levy Berenbaum (genius) and had all the ingredients, including the cake pan that comes apart and has a hole in the center (what's it called?). Following her detailed instructions to a T, I succeeded, late last night to make a Sponge Cake! The real thing. It's like an Angel Food Cake except that you use egg yolks.

Today, I will prepare the Potato Pancakes and flash freeze them, and make the pie crust.

I've decided to add Parmesan Bread Sticks so I've got to go out now and find some puff pastry dough. I also still need some prepared horseradish for the beef.

SMOKED TROUT PATE

2 smoked trout

3 scallions, small slices

4 oz. cream cheese

¼ cup sour cream

1 stick unsalted butter

a few sprigs dill, plus some for garnish

½ teaspoon dried mustard

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

5-6 dashes Tabasco

juice of 1 lemon

Pick the meat off of the trout, eliminating the little bones. Put about two-thirds of the trout flesh into a food processor and add all the rest of the ingredients. Process until very smooth.

Break up the remaining pieces of trout into small pieces and add the processed ingredients. Mix well. Put into a ceramic or other container and let sit at least one hour.

Garnish with chopped dill.

Serve with Westphalian Pumpernickel slices.

Trout Pate before garnish

MINIATURE CRAB CAKES

Melt butter in a frying pan. (I happened to have some Lobster Butter in the freezer so I used that.) Saute about ¼ cup each of red pepper and red onion, both in small dice. Let cool.

Beat together 1 egg and the juice of 1 lemon with its zest, grated.

Add about ½ cup mayonnaise (I used the Smart kind), 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning, 2 tablespoons snipped chives, 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, about 4-5 splashes of Tabasco. Then add the sautéed onion and red pepper and fold in one 1-pound tin of Crab meat (drain and check for shells). Use Lump and Colossal if you can afford it, otherwise use the Crab Legs that are usually less costly. Mix it all together nicely, then mix in about 1/2 cup of Panko breadcrumbs.

Crab Cake mixture

You can let it sit in the refrigerator covered for a bit or make the crab cakes right away.

Pour some Panko into a bowl. Then scoop up the crab mixture into round little cakes about 1-inch in diameter or enough for one mouthful. Roll it in the panko crumbs and place on a parchment covered baking sheet. Make all the crab mixture into balls then either freeze or refrigerate.

Raw Crab Cakes

Since I am making them in advance of the party I am freezing them. However, I took a few and sautéed them in order to see what they might taste like. You can do this before making all the balls in case you want to alter the seasoning. These are quite spicy which is nice for an hors d'oeuvre.

Make a little bit of sauce for them to have dabbed on top. Just a little bit of mayonnaise is good enough. If you want to make a more complex sauce, add some lemon, capers and chopped cornichons, prepared horseradish and parsley with mayonnaise. Or, just add a bit of Sriracha sauce to the mayo to bring up the spiciness even more.


Ready to Serve

PUMPKIN PIE

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

I used a Cookie Crust made with:

1-1/2 cups flour

3 tablespoons sugar

10 tablespoons cold butter, cut in small pieces

1 egg

Using a food processor, pulse the flour and sugar together, add and pulse small pieces of butter until a fine crumb, then add the egg and pulse briefly until it holds together. Turn out on to a floured board and knead gently to pull it together, then shape into a flattened ball, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Pumpkin custard filling:

Put all the ingredients into a blender.

2-1/2 cups baked pureed squash

3/4 cup brown sugar, or other sweetener

1/2 cup heavy cream

3 whole eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

1 heaping teaspoon of each ginger powder, cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon, nutmeg, freshly grated

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

pinch of ground cloves

I like a lot of spice in my pumpkin pie; you may not like it this strong so use less...or more...up to you.

Roll out the crust and place it in a pie dish, crimp the edges the way you like. Pour the custard into an unbaked crust. Place on a sheet pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Check the pie about every 20 minutes.

Cool completely. Chill up to two days, covered. Decorate the pie with whipped cream!

This also works great as just a pudding without the pie crust.

Still don't have any more photos...coming soon...I do have a review of the meal by the client. Some people are challenged when they want to post a comment and so she posted this on Thumbtack. I've just copied it (with a few spelling corrections):

"If you are an able enough cook, hiring a chef to come in to the home and prepare a meal is a big deal. It was wonderful to come home from a day at work and have Phyllis Segura at work on a birthday meal. The guests oohed and aahed over the intricate yet hearty canapes. Everyone said the crab cakes were hands down the best they had had. The rib roast was succulent, the potato pancakes crispy and delicious and the creamed spinach was unbelievably light and creamy, elevating this dish to superb. All the little touches, her balsamic onion jam, the tangy salad dressing were of the highest order. It was fun to have a high quality restaurant meal in your own home without the pretension. I can't rave enough about the Trifle, which none of us had ever had before. The presentation was beautiful, the sponge cake, whip cream and fruit tasted glorious and it was a nice alternative to birthday cake. I've had her dense, elegant pumpkin pie before. It did not not disappoint. The servings were generous and planning the meal with Phyllis was easy. We requested the main dish and she followed up quickly with a complimentary menu. I would do this again in a heartbeat!"
Kimberly Lyons

THE GREATEST GIFT

2011-11-25T09:52:00.001-08:00

Cooking Lessons

Give the gift of cooking lessons.

Give the greatest gift of all - learning how to cook for yourself and others especially in indifferent economic times. Cook at home and save tons of money and get to eat in a much healthier fashion. Gift Certificates are available. Take the class along with your friend.

Cooking on the River is offering Special Recession Rates for individual and two person cooking lessons in the students own home (within a 30 mile radius).

One hour lessons for 1-2 people: $59.99

Two hour lesson for 1-2 people: $119.99

Three hour lesson for 1-2 people: $139.99

Includes all groceries necessary for the lesson. Does not include tolls and parking fees, if applicable.

Learn knife skills. Techniques. Specialties are Mediterranean, Tuscan, French, Indian, Jewish, Fish, Grains.

MAPLE & GINGER SWEET POTATOES WITH A PECAN CRUST

2011-11-23T09:37:00.001-08:00

One more Thanksgiving recipe:

A silky sweet and chunky dish that has very satisfying textures of soft and crunchy. While the compound butter is optional it certainly is recommended as it ups the taste a good deal, but if you don't opt to use it then unsalted butter will do fine. Also recommended is somewhat hard to find Grade B Maple Syrup (Trader Joe's). It has a stronger maple flavor than Grade A, so I prefer to use it. Make sure you put enough crust over the top as no matter how much you put, within reason, it won't be too much. Though pecans are used here you can use any nut and even combination of nuts (not peanut).

Sweet Potatoes - about 6 medium
Maple Syrup, preferably Grade B
Fresh ginger, peeled
Ground dried ginger
fresh nutmeg, grated
Compound maple/ginger butter - recipe below

Unsalted butter, room temperature
Salt

Organic Sweet Potatoes (or use Yams)

Preheat oven 400 degrees F.

Maple/Ginger Compound Butter:
Mix a softened stick of unsalted butter with about a 2 tablespoons maple syrup and about a 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated. Mix well and place on some waxed paper or plastic wrap and roll into a sausage shape. Place in refrigerator or freezer until needed.

Topping Crust:
1-1/2 cups of pecans, roughly chopped
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup fresh cranberries, optional

Rough grind of the pecans.

Procedure:
The sweet potatoes can either be peeled, boiled and mashed, or peeled and cut into wedges the long way. Use about half a potato per person or more to have leftovers.


Boil Potatoes

Boil then drain

If using mashed sweet potatoes then boil them in a pot with water to barely cover. Cook until soft, then drain well. Put them through a food mill or mash really well. Place into a bowl. Pour over about a 1/2 cup of maple syrup and grated fresh ginger to taste, about 1 teaspoon ground dried ginger, about 1/4-1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, and a sprinkle of salt. Mix well and add in about four 1/4-inch slices of the Maple/Ginger Compound Butter.


Put potatoes through a food mill or mash really well.

The Maple-Ginger Compound Butter

Smear some butter in a baking dish and add the seasoned sweet potatoes. Sprinkle the topping on to the sweet potatoes and smooth and press down to cover evenly. Put some compound butter pieces on top. Place into the oven and bake about 20-30 minutes for the dish to heat through and the topping to melt. The dish will start to bubble. Take out and let set about 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Smear dish with plain butter.


Add mashed sweets to baking dish.

If using the peeled wedges of sweet potatoes, do not cook them first. Pour the maple syrup, ginger, nutmeg and compound maple/ginger butter and salt over the wedges and toss well. Put the topping over the wedges and press down to fill in the gaps. Put some maple butter pieces on top. Bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft (may be less time). Test with the point of a knife.

Cover with topping and pieces of compound butter.

The dish will freeze well and can be reheated!

If you like this, check the comment box below and give it a +1. You will not get any emails.

SMALL DISHES

2011-11-21T20:31:00.001-08:00

SLICING AND DICING

Everyone's calling and asking..."what should I make"...you would think that this was the first Thanksgiving. In some ways it is. Either you make everything exactly the same year after year or you want to have something new.

Some friends came by the other day for a paella. I had just purchased a paella pan and wanted to experiment a bit. To start I made a selection of tapas or appetizers. I didn't photograph while I was cooking -- too nerve racking. These are each mostly very simple but with lots of variety. For dessert I made a Chestnut Cake (Rose Levy Berenbaum) covered with a chocolate ganache. I served it with a Chestnut puree and some Rum Raisin ice cream. We drank lots of wine...and enjoyed a post prandial promenade around the block.

Here is the list and a few recipes and photographs:

Celery Root Remoulade
Melon, Artichoke and Hard Salami
Garlicky Mushrooms
Green Beans with Pine nuts
Sweet and Sour Beets
Spicy Oil-cured Black Olives

Celery Root Remoulade

serves 4-6

1 egg yolk
1-1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3/4 grapeseed oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt
1 large celery root or 2 medium, peeled
2 tablespoons flat-leafed parsley, minced, optional

Whisk together the egg yolk and mustard. While whisking, pour in 1 teaspoon oil a few drops at a time to create a thick mixture. Continue whisking, adding oil in a thin stream
1 teaspoon at a time, until sauce is thick and creamy. Whisk in 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Season with salt then cover with plastic warp and chill. Yes, this is mayonnaise.

Using a mandoline or a large knife, cut celery root into 1/8-inch thin slices. Stack 2-3 celery root slices and cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch matchsticks. Repeat. Transfer julienned celery root and remaining lemon juice to a large bowl; toss to combine. Add reserved remoulade and toss. Cover salad; chill until celery root wilts slightly, about 30 minutes.

Garnish with parsley.

Sweet and Sour Red Beets

2 beets
about 2 tablespoons each of sugar or honey, and white vinegar

Boil the beets in water to cover until they are soft enough to slip a fork into. Cover with ice water and peel the skin off. When cool enough to handle, dice into small cubes.

Mix the sugar and vinegar in a small bowl, taste. Mix until you get the right balance of sweet and sour then pour over the beets. Toss well. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, or put into a jar and leave for a couple of days.

Garlicky Mushrooms

1 package of white mushrooms
1 teaspoon olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoons minced parsley
salt and pepper

Rinse the mushrooms and cut the stems even with the bottom of the mushroom. If some are large, cut them in half. The mushrooms will shrink after cooking.

Pour the oil into a non-stick frying pan and heat. Add the mushrooms and toss gently. Add the garlic. Cook until the mushrooms cook through and release their liquids. Stir in the parsley. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

This can be refrigerated and reheated. Serve warm.

Melon, Artichokes and Hard Salami

1 cantaloupe melon, peeled, cut into large dice
frozen artichoke hearts (Trader Joe's)
hard Salami (or artisanal chorizo), outside paper removed, diced small
olive oil
Dressing: 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar,
1 teaspoon dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon minced parsley, salt and pepper.

Use your own discretion as to how much you want to make. There should probably be a bit more melon than artichoke hearts, but combine how you like.

Heat the olive oil and add the artichoke hearts, saute until slightly browned. Cool.

Toss the melon, artichoke hearts and salami or chorizo together.

In a small bowl, mix the vinegar, mustard, and salt and pepper, whisk in the olive oil. Pour over the melon mixture and toss well. Serve room temperature.

Green Beans and Pine Nuts

about 1 pound fresh green beans, topped and cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces, roughly
1 tablespoons pine nuts
1/4 teaspoon smoky paprika
1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
mint and oregano, fresh if you have, or use dried, a few pinches of each, or to taste
Dressing: 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, salt and pepper

Boil the beans for about 5 minutes in salted boiling water then drain and run some cold water over them. They should still be crispy. Place in a bowl large enough to contain them.

Toast the pine nuts in a small frying pan until lightly browned then add the smoky paprika and add to the green beans.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in the pan and add the shallots then garlic to wilt. Add to the green beans along with the mint and oregano. Toss.

Mix the dressing but only add it right before you are going to serve the green beans. The acid in the vinegar will change their color. Mix the vinegar with the salt and pepper then whisk in the oil....you know: make a vinaigrette. [By the way, it's vin-ah-gret and not
vi-ne-ger-et.]

Spiced Oil-cured Black Olives

1 jar oil-cured black olives
zest of half a lemon
a pinch of red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper, if you have some
a drizzle of good extra-virgin olive oil

Mix all together.

I didn't serve this that night...but here is a nice cheese appetizer...that is very easy.

Easy Cheese Appetizer

1 log of plain goat cheese

2-3 tablespoons heavy cream

½ teaspoon z'atar and/ or fresh thyme, oregano, marjoram

Extra-virgin olive oil

Place the goat cheese, heavy cream and herbs into a food processor and blend until smooth. Into a ceramic serving bowl place a sprinkling of the fresh herbs on the bottom.

Scrape out the goat cheese mixture and smooth the top with a spoon. Sprinkle some more z'atar (or smoky paprika) and fresh herbs on top and drizzle with your best extra-virgin olive oil. Serve with a crusty bread and/or raw vegetables.

FARMER'S MARKET DEMO IN NYACK NOV 10

2011-11-10T12:16:00.001-08:00

COOKING DEMO AT THE NYACK FARMER'S MARKET

The day started off threatening to rain but did an about cloud and not only did the sun come out but the temperature went up to 67 degrees. This was great but it confused the bees. The bees surrounded me and all the pots and food as I did the demo. Apparently the bees are usually in their hives this time of year but any temperature above 50 brings them out. The problem is that there are no flowers and nothing for them to eat...so they came to my cooking demo!! They were rather frantic though and some of them died in the flames of the butane burners.

I made two dishes. A STONE SOUP, which is soup that is made from whatever anyone gives you. I went around to the vendors and asked for contributions. I also made a SAVORY AND SWEET APPLES ON TOAST. Since I had no assistant there are no photographs but here are the recipes as I improvised them:

STONE SOUP

Canola or Olive oil
3-4 skinless chicken thighs, diced (Dines Farm)
1/2 red onion, small dice (R & G Produce)
2 carrots, medium dice (R&G)
2 celery stalks , medium dice (R&G)
1 large bunch of mushroom, chopped (Piopinno mushrooms - Madura Farms)
1 potato, peeled, medium dice (R&G)
1 sweet potato, peeled, medium dice (Taliaferro - organic)
1 tomato, peeled, deseeded, chopped (R&G)
1 small Napa Cabbage or Bok Choy, chopped (Taliaferro - organic)
1/4 cup chopped parsley (Taliaferro - organic)
1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence (I brought it with me)
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil and saute the chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the onion, then the carrots and celery. Stir. Add the mushrooms, then the potatoes. Stir to saute. Then add the cabbage and parsley. Add a little more salt and pepper and the herbes de Provence. When it is all hot and steamy add enough water to cover all the vegetables by about one to two inches. Bring to a boil and simmer. That's it. Good vegetables/ingredients = Good soup.
Thanks to everyone who contributed.

Piopinno Mushrooms

Then I made something with apples. Here is what I did:

SAVORY AND SWEET APPLES ON TOAST

1/2 red onion, sliced (R&G)
2 sundried tomatoes, chopped small, with their oil (brought with me)
1 small Napa cabbage, chopped (Taliaferro Farms)

Saute the onion to caramelize, then add a bit more oil from the tomatoes and the tomatoes. Stir. Add the chopped cabbage and mix together until it wilts. Remove to a bowl.

2 Granny Smith apples, cored but not peeled and sliced into thin segments (Concklin Farm)
2-3 tablespoons raw honey (Rick @ Hummingbird Farms)
1 cup Doc's Hard Apple Cider (Warwick Winery)

Saute the apples in a little oil - whatever you have, or butter - until they are slightly cooked. Drizzle with a little bit of honey. Add the onion/cabbage mixture in with the apples. Pour the hard apple cider over it all and let it cook off.

Meanwhile, take a baguette and make some toast. I got the bread from Meredith Bakery and Panzarella Foods and used a Portuguese tin toaster I bought at the Museum of Modern Art. Don't be fooled by that, it's a very rustic tool made of a square of tin with some holes and a screen on top. Put it over a flame and it makes great toast. You have to watch it because it will burn quickly.

Also, got some nice cheese slivers from Valley Shepherd that we enjoyed on the toast.

Put the Apple mixture on top of the toast. Eat. Drink more Hard Apple Cider with it.

MUSHROOM, BLUE CHEESE & FENNEL GALETTE

2011-11-01T08:27:00.000-07:00

Mushroom, Blue Cheese & Fennel Galette

This past Saturday I taught a small cooking class of six participants in a home kitchen. The day started off with a freak snow storm that was totally unexpected. All but one of the six arrived. The small river village that I live in, Piermont, was an exception as, for some unknown reason the storm spared this village though all around was covered with snow and people endured days of being without electricity. The menu for the class consisted of this galette, a Bouillabaisse, and a Plum Clafoutis. I had made the dough for the galette earlier and brought it with me. For some reason, the dough did not cook up well and fell apart like sand. Yesterday I made the same recipe and it was fine. As the instructor of this class, I was not happy. Two of the participants just couldn't stop chattering and this made it really difficult for the others to follow. I was not very skillful in getting them to quell and I almost could not teach. I never found a way to interrupt their conversation. My experience proves that when I am in a situation that irritates me and I don't love the people, the food turns bad.

We also made a Bouillabaisse with fresh red snapper, sea bass, mussels, clams, squid, and head-on shrimp. It was accompanied with two types of Rouille to show that you can make Rouille, a saffron mayonaisse mixture even from breadcrumbs and no eggs.

But the day got worse because the electricity went out just about the time we were going to make the Clafoutis, so that never happened. The recipe and photographs for that are in the previous post...so scroll down past the Thanksgiving menu and you will find it.

Then it got worse still as the home got it it's water from a well...so there was no water to do any clean-up and I had to take all the dirty pots and utensils home to clean.

The next day the sun come out.

Here is the recipe for the Galette, a rustic open type of pie, and some photos:

Savory Galette Dough
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup fine cornmeal
(or use 2 cups of all-purpose flour)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
6 tablespoons olive oil
4-5 tablespoons ice water (water with ice cubes)

Place everything but the ice water into a food processor. Buzz/Pulse about six times until the pieces are distributed. Gradually add the ice water until the dough holds together. You may not need all the ice water, or, depending upon how dry the dough is, you might need a little, and I mean a little, more. Take out and place on a floured board. Pull and knead together gently. Form into a ball, then flatten into a disc about 1-inch thick. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

When ready to make the galettes, take out of the refrigerator and leave for about 15 minutes then roll into a circle about 1/8th of an inch thick. Trim the outer circle, if you like. The photo above shows how rustic it can be.

The Filling:
1 pound of mixed mushrooms
1/2 fresh fennel, shaved thin, tough parts cut off
Blue cheese, crumbled (extra-creamy Blue, Gorgonzola, etc.)
2-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, small dice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
1 egg mixed with a tablespoon of water

Sauteed Mushrooms: Shiitake, Oyster, Paris


Sauteed fennel

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Choose a mixture of shiitake, oyster, white, crimini, and portabello mushrooms, or, if you are feeling very flush add some chanterelles, maitakes and other pricey wild mushrooms. Slice or break them up into thin bit-sized pieces then saute in batch in about 2 tablespoons of heated olive oil, add the shallot, garlic, rosemary, thyme. Saute until the liquid begins to leave the mushrooms. Adding some salt will make the mushrooms weep out a bit. Don't add too much salt because the blue cheese you will add later is very salty. Add a few grinds of pepper.

In another pan, take the thin shaved pieces of fennel and saute them briefly in olive oil. Add some of the fennel fronds.

Preparing the Galette:

After you have rolled out the dough place some sauteed fennel in the center of the circle.

Then add the mushrooms:

Mix the crumbled blue cheese on top, or mix them in with the mushrooms. Leave about a 1-inch border. Turn the sides of the dough up and over the ingredients. Leave the center open. You are not enclosing the filling. Brush the turned up part with the egg mixture. Place on a baking sheet that is covered with parchment.


This is roughly what it should look like prior to baking.

Here it is cooked. I sprinkled a little bit of freshly ground pepper on the dough.

Bake until crispy, golden and bubbly. Remove and serve hot.

As you can see, a galette is a rustic pie. The irregularity and insouciance is part of its charm.

SCROLL DOWN FOR A THANKSGIVING MENU AND THE RECIPE FOR CLAFOUTIS.

THANKSGIVING HARVEST MENU & CLAFOUTIS RECIPE

2011-10-26T10:50:00.000-07:00

Soon it will be time to celebrate and voice our appreciation for life, for each other, for gratitude and to praise each other. Here is a list of some items you might like to share with relatives and friends. I and my staff are available, so far, this Thanksgiving to cook for you from this menu or from your special and traditional recipes. Whatever you do, enjoy the day.

Give a call to discuss your plans: 845-365-0042.

Thanksgiving Harvest Menu

Hors D'oeuvres:

Stuffed Mushrooms *

Spiced Walnuts *

Crudites and Dip

Radish, peppers, carrot, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber,

Cherry tomatoes, celery, asparagus

Dip: Walnut Garlic Potato

Red pepper

Artichoke Garlic

Smoked Salmon Horseradish

Onion Spinach

Shrimp or Scallops with Bacon *

Shrimp on Bread Rounds with Curried Mayo

Coconut Shrimp

Crabcakes with Sauce

Pissaladiere (onion, anchovy, tomato on puff pastry)

Prosciutto with fig, salad or fruit or mozzarella

Fried Oysters

Crostini: Liver Pate

Mushroom Pate

Caponata

Seafood

Artichoke

Black Olive Tapenade

Roast Goat Cheese w/honey walnut

Corn cakes with sour cream and lox *

Smoked Salmon with horseradish and dill on dark bread *

Buckwheat Blini with crème fraiche and caviar

Soups:

Pumpkin/Squash (served in a pumpkin if available) *

Roasted Root Vegetable

Corn Chowder *

Mushroom and Leek

Oyster and Ginger

Corn and Lobster Chowder

Salads:

Mixed Greens with Raspberry Vinaigrette

Fennel, Radicchio, Parmigiano with Pear Vinaigrette

Beet and Fennel

Waldorf

Pear, Endive and Gorgonzola

Main Dishes:

Roasted Turkey or other fowl ( Capon, Goose, Pheasant, Quail, Moscovy Duck, Cornish Game Hens, Squab, Guinea Hen, Poussin)

Rubbed with Sage and Parsley Butter or Butter and Fresh Truffles

Giblet Gravy

Stuffing:

Sausage and Sage *

Sausage and Chestnut

Sausage and Apple

Chestnut

Sage and Chestnut *

Cornbread and Oyster

Giblet and Mushroom

Walnuts and Currants

Wild Rice and Hazelnuts *

Wild Rice and Dried Cherry

Vegetables:

Mashed Potatoes

In Skins - Twice Baked *

Plain Mashed

Garlic Mashed

Sweet Squash Pudding

Sweet Potatoes

Maple Whipped *

Roasted with Ginger and Maple Syrup

Candied with (marshmallows)

Celery Root Puree

Diced Roasted Vegetables

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Chestnuts *

Corn Pudding with Roasted Garlic *

Succotash

Broccoli with Roasted Garlic Oil

Steamed Rutabaga with Butter

Green Beans with Almonds

Peas and Pearl Onions

Baked Rosemary Onions au Gratin

Turnip Puree with orange and nutmeg

Root Vegetable Puree (potato, parsnip, celery root, carrot) *

Braised Fennel with Parmigiano

Wild Rice Cakes

Red Cabbage with Blueberries

Other: Turnips, Rutabaga, Jerusalem Artichokes, Acorn Squash, Butternut Squash,

Beets, Carrots, Fennel, Endive, Corn, Brussels Sprouts

Cranberry Sauce:

Sweet Traditional

With Orange Zest and Ginger

With Grand Marnier

With Pineapple

Etc.

Gelatin Mold

Breads:

Sweet Loaves::

Maple-Pecan Cornbread

Pumpkin Chutney

Cranberry Walnut

Tropical Banana

Mocha Pecan

Iron Skillet Cornbread

Carrot Walnut

Savory Loaves:

Parmigiano Herb

Dill and Cheese

Popovers

Sorbets:

Pear Lime

Pear Ginger

Lemon Apple

Persimmon

Pomegranate

Desserts:

Apple or other seasonal fruit Crisp

Apple Pie with Cheese Crust or Standard *

Apple or Pear Cake with Chocolate Disc

Pumpkin Pie *

Chocolate Cake

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Southern Sweet Potato Pie

Whipped Cream

HERE IS A RECIPE FOR A CLAFOUTIS (Cla-foo-TEE) OR (Cla-FOU-tee):

PLUM CLAFOUTIS

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 eggs, room temperature
2-3 tablespoons sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for the dish
pinch salt
1 cup milk, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 pound cherries, pitted, or other seasonal fruit
confectioners' sugar

Butter the dish well then sprinkle with sugar. Roll the sugar around to cover all the insides.
Put the eggs, sugar, milk, vanilla into a blender. Whirl briefly on low. Add the flour and whirl until mixed. You may have to scrape the side down once, then whirl again briefly.

Spread the cherries or other fruit in the baking dish or use a 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Pour the batter over the fruit.

Bake on the middle shelf for 30-40 minutes or until the clafoutis puffs up and is slightly browned (see picture). Remove and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. The clafoutis will deflate somewhat. Eat hot or room temperature. Great as a dessert or for brunch.

For Thanksgiving, it's great the day after if you have guest who have stayed over. It's really easy and impressive.

Vegetables Served

2011-10-10T13:56:00.000-07:00

A RECENT ASSORTMENT of Vegetable and near-Vegetable dishes made at a high altitude. Don't let anyone tell you that there is no difference in the cooking style. You need to cook everything with lots more liquid. Here are the platters:

IMAM BAYALDI otherwise known as the Imam Fainted...

An eggplant dish with onions, tomatoes and raisins, slowly braised in a covered pan with plenty of olive oil. Decorate with fennel fronds.

STEAMED GREENS (KALE AND SWISS CHARD fresh from the garden)

in a Lemon Vinaigrette with Zucchini that were steamed whole.

Some tomato flesh on top.

STUFFED PEPPERS fresh from the garden.

(Yes, they grow that way...complete with the stuffing...not...)

Stuffed with rice and ground beef, pine nuts with who-knows-what and then some...

The sauce is made from whole plum tomatoes put into the food processor and

some Pomegranate Molasses added. Cook in a covered pot with plenty of liquid.

Whole pomegranate seeds, orange zest and mint tossed on top.

CAULIFLOWER WITH TOMATOES AND PEAS

2011-09-17T16:41:00.000-07:00

I have been looking for ways to eat more cruciferous vegetables and to incorporate more turmeric in my diet. Cauliflower is sometimes challenging. It's great pureed with some potatoes or even without potatoes. I also like it baked with red wine and tons of garlic. The classic way, steamed with some nutmeg is always nice, as well as baking a whole head with breadcrumbs. But now that I've made this recipe it is my new favorite. Give it a try.

CAULIFLOWER WITH TOMATOES AND GREEN PEAS

Serves 4.

1 medium cauliflower, cut into flowerets
2 tablespoons grapeseed or olive oil
1 small onion, chopped fine

Dry Spice Mixture (Masala):
1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

3 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 bay leaf
1 cup green peas, frozen is okay
2 tablespoons cilantro, for garnish

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet or wok and saute the onion until it is golden.
Add the dry spices and saute for 3 minutes, stir.
Add the cauliflower flowerets and saute another 3 minutes. Stir to coat the cauliflower with the spices.
Stir in the tomatoes, salt, bay leaf and 1/4 cup water.
Stir in the peas.
Cover and simmer a few minutes until the vegetables are just tender.
Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Eat hot. This recipe would also freeze well.

THREE COOKING CLASSES

2011-09-12T18:06:00.000-07:00

I'm glad to be able to offer you some very special cooking classes. The classes will be held in a beautiful home kitchen in Blauvelt, NY.

Three classes are scheduled, all on a Saturday for 3 hours, from 1:30pm to 4:30pm: October 29th, November 19th, and December 10th.

There is room for only six people; that's five people plus the homeowner.The cost will be $60 for each class, including groceries, payable at the session or in advance.

The menu will be comprised from the countries bordering the Mediterranean: France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Morocco. Here are the menu possibilities I am thinking of for the first class in October:

Three Courses to include one of each of the following:

Mushroom and Blue Cheese Fennel Galette OR a Spinach and Feta Oregano Galette

Bouillabaisse with Rouille OR Duck a l'Orange

Grilled Vegetables with Romesco Sauce

Castanaccio (Chestnut Cake) OR Fruit Clafoutis

And I will bring a special cheese to share along with one of my
homemade seasonal fruit jams to taste.

The November and December class menu is still to be determined and will be based upon what the class would like to learn. The Farmers' Markets will be open for October and November and I might alter the menu depending upon what is locally available.

The class will be very small and will fill up quickly. Since it will be in a private home, if I don't know you already I will have to meet with you prior to confirming your attendance.

If you have any questions, please email (info@cookingontheriver.com), OR
phone (845-365-0042),OR leave a comment here.

I am very happy to be able to offer you these special sessions! If you are interested, do not delay.

MUSHROOM PATE

2011-08-24T13:52:00.000-07:00

MUSHROOM PATE

Do you forage for wild things, like mushrooms? This recipe was created after foraging with the experts. I don't recommend doing it on your own because we don't want to lose you! Hunting for mushrooms is one of my pleasures and I don't get to do it frequently enough. This recipe was created after a hunt where we found a copious amount of a mushroom called "Hen-of-the-Woods," or Maitake. Ground nuts are used for flavor and filler. Just take some whole nuts, toast in a hot pan, then pulse in a food processor, or purchase them already ground.

1 nice big piece of Maitake (Grifola frondosa), about 2 cups
2-3 shallots, minced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil or other nut oil
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, minced
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
Port
Vodka
Dash hot sauce
Sea Salt
Black pepper, freshly ground
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup ground hazelnuts
1/4 cup breadcrumbs, preferably fresh
1 teaspoon lemon juice
a few scrapings of nutmeg, optional

Clean off the Maitake, or other mushrooms (you can create this with an assortment of wild mushrooms as well), by dusting away any leaves or forest matter and wash thoroughly. Slice into small pieces.

Maitake Mushroom

Chopped Shallots

Saute the shallots and garlic in a combination of butter and olive oil.

Sauteing Shallots and Garlic

Olive oil and butter

Add the mushrooms and saute for about 15 minutes, until they release their moisture and are cooked through. While stirring add the fresh herbs, celery seeds and a splash or two of Port and Vodka. Cook another 5 minutes. Add a bit of salt and pepper. This might look a dry but don't worry.

Chopped Mushrooms

Thyme and Rosemary

Mushrooms added to the shallots and garlic, celery seeds, herbs, Port, Vodka, salt and pepper and saute.

Port and Vodka

Coarse Grey Sea Salt

In a separate pan, dry toast the ground almonds, hazelnuts and breadcrumbs.

Ground almonds, hazelnuts, breadcrumbs toasting

Put everything into a food processor and pulse to puree, add a little bit of extra virgin olive oil, water and several pieces of butter, lemon juice and some freshly scraped nutmeg. The mixture should be smooth. Add enough water to make a creamy mixture. Not too tight and not too loose. Taste. Adjust seasonings.

Everything in the food processor.

The mixture. Nice and smooth.

Take out and put into a serving dish. Cover and refrigerate to let the flavors mingle. Tastes better the next day, or at least after a couple of hours. Serve on crusty bread or crackers.

If you don't have any Port or Vodka in your pantry just add a dash of honey and a bit more water, or use a good dry Sherry. You don't have to run out and purchase some just to make this recipe.

However, that said, sipping a bit of Port or Sherry, or Vodka, with friends, while enjoying this pate would add a great deal to everyone's day. Bon Appetit.

FARMERS' MARKETS AND GARDENS

2011-08-23T16:56:00.000-07:00

FARMERS MARKETS AND GARDENS
Thought I would show you what is at the local farmers' markets in Nyack and Piermont this week. See if you know what all of the vegetables are and what you would do with them. The Piermont Market has a selection of more unusual vegetables as well.
HERE ARE SOME PHOTOS FROM THE NYACK FARMERS' MARKET
SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

AND HERE ARE SOME PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE

PIERMONT FARMERS' MARKET - SEPTEMBER 4, 2011

2011-08-10T11:43:00.000-07:00

www.localharvest.org

2011-07-20T20:47:00.000-07:00

RECESSION RATES 2011
Award-winning Chef Phyllis Segura has cooked for people in all walks of life, including dentists, artists, actors, storytellers, film and art critics, contractors, designers, dancers, musicians, anesthesiologists, martial artists, holographers, bakers, lawyers, financiers, brokers, photographers, poets, princes and princesses, accountants, cross-dressers, realtors, gurus, disciples, statisticians, booksellers, publishers, doctors, comedians, meditators, yoga teachers, mask-makers, gourmands, and other chefs, both in the U.S. and E.U. She attended the Apicius Cooking School of Lorenzo de’Medici in Florence, Italy; received a scholarship from the James Beard Foundation; attended various cooking schools; and watched her grandmother very carefully. Chef Phyllis cooks for private clients, teaches and gives cooking demonstrations regularly in Rockland and Westchester counties. Chef Phyllis specializes in everyday food, small dinner parties, intimate dinners, plated or buffet. Chef Phyllis has been cooking for special people in Rockland and Westchester Counties, and Manhattan since 2000.
References are available.

RATES

PERSONAL CHEF SERVICES: Rates begin at:

3 MEALS: 2 SERVINGS OF EACH: BI-MONTHLY SERVICE $299.99 per month,
plus groceries
4 MEALS: 2 SERVINGS OF EACH : BI-MONTHLY SERVICE $349.99 per month,
plus groceries

A meal is: 1 entree, 1-2 vegetables portioned in glass storage containers, labelled, ready to eat, reheat or freeze. Glass containers are reusable and are purchased separately.

Menu item add-ons: side dishes, salads with dressing, etc. : add $15, per item, per session

Price includes menu/recipe planning, shopping, cooking and clean-up.

Vegan, Vegetarian, all Organic and Macrobiotic available. All cooking is done in your kitchen.

DINNER PARTIES: Rates begin at:

6 people: 3 courses $399.99 and up, plus groceries

Intimate Dinner for Two: $149.99 and up, plus groceries

COOKING CLASSES IN YOUR HOME KITCHEN:
$139.99 for 3 hours, up to 2 people, plus groceries

CONTACT INFORMATION

Phone: 845-365-0042
Webpage : www.cookingontheriver.com
Read the blog: www.cookingontheriver.blogspot.com
Recently published: Little Black Book, Memories & Recipes

GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE

2011-07-14T10:53:00.001-07:00

Little Black Book by jc | Make Your Own Book

2011-05-26T16:17:00.000-07:00

HIP STEVE FOOD

Last week friend, actor & comedian Steve ben Israel fell and broke his hip. Not so funny. He has been moved to a rehab place and was ready for some better food than what is offered there. However, because of the pain relieving drugs he isn't too hungry. What to do? Bring him some good food mixing colors, techniques and tastes. Steve is a lifelong vegetarian.

I'd like to share with you some of the recipes created just for him along with the photos. I would just like you to wish Steve a speedy and painless recovery while you read them. Deal?

Here is the list of dishes:

GRILLED EGGPLANT with preserved lemon peel, mint, parsley, sumac, olive oil, s&p
CANNELLINI BEANS with garlic, sage and olive oil, s&p
GREEN BEANS with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, s&p
YELLOW LENTILS & GARBANZO BEANS with onion, mustard seeds, nigella seeds, turmeric & lemon juice
RAW ZUCCHINI STRANDS with Moroccan black olives, red onion, Turkish Biber pepper, oregano, basil, champagne vinegar
RAW RED CABBAGE with mint leaves, honey, apple cider vinegar, chili powder
OAT CAKES: pinhead oats, smart balance, water, sea salt
CHOCOLATE OATMEAL COOKIES: oats, chocolate, walnuts, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, sultanas, flaxseed, chia seeds, etc.

You can probably already figure out how to make these dishes just from the ingredients.

Slice the eggplant in rounds about 3/8" thick. Your choice to leave the skin on or not. Soak in salted water about 10 minutes, then drain well. Heat a cast-iron grill pan very hot. Sear the eggplant on both sides and in two directions. Remove to a plate. Cut up some rinsed, preserved lemon peel into small square pieces.
Drizzle with a copious amount of olive oil, sumac, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Tear pieces of fresh mint and parsley. Toss well breaking up the eggplant in bite-sized pieces. Let rest about 20 minutes to have the flavors bloom. Eat room temperature.

Take a quantity of dried cannellini beans and cover them with water. It's always best not to use a metal pot, but if you have to go ahead. Bring to a boil, then cover and turn off heat. Let sit about an hour or overnight. Drain the water and put some fresh water in the pot. Bring to a boil, adding a couple of bay leaves, if you like. Boil, then simmer low for about an hour or until tender. Drain well. Toss with lots of olive oil, freshly torn sage leaves, slivers of fresh garlic, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Let sit. Eat room temperature. Add some more olive oil when ready to serve.

Pinch off the stems of some unblemished green beans. Slice into sections about 1-1/4 inches, or whatever size you prefer. Cover with water and a little bit of salt. Bring to a boil, simmer about 5 minutes, then cover and turn off the heat. Let sit until soft and tender - about 10 minutes. I like my green beans cooked so my teeth are not met with resistance. Put about 3 tablespoons of Sahadi tahini into a bowl, add some lemon juice, minced garlic, and enough water to make a sauce. Toss in the drained green beans. Add some sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Taste. I usually add some more lemon juice.

These so-called yellow lentils start out coral colored. I wish they would stay that way, don't you? Rinse them well, over and over, until the water runs clear. Drain. If you have ghee use it, if not, use grapeseed oil. Saute some red or yellow onion, toss in some mustard seeds - black or white - and some nigella seeds, if you like. Cook until the onion is a bit caramelized and the seeds are popping. Add the coral lentils, (1 cup to 2 cups plus of water), bit of sea salt, boil until soft and mushy. Add a good amount of lemon juice, toss in some canned garbanzo beans that have been drained and rinsed. Taste. Add salt? Add pepper? More lemon? Stir well. Hey, leave some for everyone else.

You can't do this without one of those spiral cutting gadgets. I just got one and I'm going raw vegetable spaghetti crazy! Cut off the ends of a zucchini and cut to fit the gadget, turn the wheel and out comes strands of zucchini. One zucchini makes a ton. Take your hands and break it up a bit - permission granted to play with your food. Slice some red onion very thin and toss in along with a handful of Moroccan black olives, or whatever kind you like. Sprinkle with dried or fresh oregano , some basil, Turkish Biber pepper (www.kalustyans.com). Drizzle a bit, not too much, champagne vinegar to add an acidic note...or vinegar of your choice. Whatever you like. I like something lighter than balsamic here. Toss well. Fluff those strands!

Cut red cabbage into slivers. The idea here is to make it a bit sweet and sour. Drizzle honey, apple cider vinegar and toss well. Taste. More honey, more vinegar? Tear in some mint leaves and a dash of chili powder. Sea salt and fresh black pepper, too. Smallest amount of water. Toss. Toss.

Haute Oat cakes. Veddy haute. I have some Scottish pinhead oats (remember Archie comics?). There is a recipe on the package. Just melt some butter, or Smart butter. It says a dessertspoon...maybe that's 2 tablespoons? Pour into the center and mix well. Add salt and hot water to make a paste. Well that didn't work. So I put the mass into a food processor to break down the oats, then let it sit for a bit. Kneaded it well until it held together, well almost. Rolled it out on the board, then cut it irregular triangles. I did the best I could. Placed on a sheet pan and into a 400 F. oven...until the ends started to curl and they got a bit brown. Success! They held together and, though a bit dry, taste great. Put something nice on top and they aren't dry at all. Perfect. Such ruffage.

And then there's the cookies. Sorry folks. No recipe. You can order them from me. PHYLLIS' COOKIES. www.amorebakedgoods.blogspot.com
phcookies@gmail.com

Ask for the 'Hip Steve' cookies and I'll know what you mean. They are $20 a pound plus shipping. These are vegan too but not gluten free. Loaded with nuts, seeds, etc. Very rich. No eggs. Sugar, but not tons.

That's it for now. It took longer to post this than I thought. I'm starving. Gotta go make dinner.
Ciao...... PH

2011-03-27T21:01:00.000-07:00

HAMANTASCHEN

(adapted from NY Times, Shmil Holland's "Schmaltz" and 2nd Avenue Deli cookbook)

There was a recipe in the New York Times in March 2011 for Hamantaschen and since I had not made any before, though I had collected several recipes, I thought it was time to give it a go. Some friends were coming by for Corned Beef and Cabbage and I thought Hamantashen would be a great dessert, even though I was also making Flummery (more on that later). St. Patrick's Day and Purim were about a day apart this year, so I decided to celebrate St. Purim's Day!! I tried making the dough from the NY Times recipe and found that it did not hold together so I turned to the 2nd Ave Deli cookbook for the dough and pretty much followed that recipe except that I added some lemon zest. I like to put lemon zest in almost everything. Either use organic lemons or wash a lemon very well with dishwashing soap and hot water, then wipe dry. The Hamantaschen turned out pretty good (see hips) and they weren't very sweet so if you like sweet, add sugar to both the dough and filling, you silly person.

Almond Dough

3 cups flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2teaspoon salt

1 cup pulverized almonds (Trader Joe's Ground Almonds)

Mix the above together.

1 cup or less of sugar

1 stick unsalted butter

Beaten together, then add

3 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Add dry to wet. Mix until it forms a ball then take out and knead.

Egg glaze:

1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon heavy cream

Divide the dough into four sections. No, you don't have to refrigerate it first. Roll each section to about 1/8-inch thick. Cut into 4 inch diameter rounds. Put about a teaspoon of filling in the center. Fold two sides together and pinch. Fold up bottom but leave an opening in the center so you can see the filling. Brush with egg glaze. Sprinkle with sugar.

Do the same to the rest of the dough and re-roll the scraps. Place on a greased or parchment covered sheetpan. Bake 20 minutes at 375 degrees F., until golden. Cool. Serve with some powdered sugar sprinkled on top, if you like.

Rolling out the dough.

The poppy seed filling.

Some filling on the round of dough.

Cutting out the dough.

Pinching two sides together.

Pinch three sides together.

Hot out of the oven.

Eat one!

The Filling:

3/4 cup poppy seeds
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped

3 tablespoons honey

¼ cup brown sugar

grated zest of ½ orange

2/3 cup raisins or sultanas

juice of ½ lemon

2 teaspoons lemon zest

½ tablespoon brandy

½ tablespoon cointreau or other orange liqueur

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Soak the poppy seeds in boiling water then drain. Process with honey, brown sugar, raisins, juices, zests, liqueurs, vanilla extract. If you are not thrilled with how ground up the poppy seeds are then put the entire mixture into a large mortar and grind away with a pestle until you love what the mush has become. Put it all into a saucepan and cook it, while stirring, until the ingredients all meld together. The end result looks like a poppy seed caviar. If you love it, everyone else will too.

2011-03-03T12:15:00.000-08:00

RECIPE: COMPOTE WITH GREEK YOGURT

Half-full jar of compote with Parfait

in the background.

The Parfait.

1 pound assorted dried fruits (pears, apricots, apples, peaches, prunes, cranberries, raisins)

1-2 cinnamon sticks

Lemon peel, about 3 strips off of a lemon, without the white pith

Star anise (optional)

7 oz. Plain Greek yogurt

Cinnamon powder

Real Maple syrup (optional)

Toasted Almond slivers

Put all the fruits into a saucepan. Cover with water. Add the cinnamon sticks and lemon peel and optional star anise. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the fruit is soft. No need to add sugar. If the water level goes down, add more. The fruits, as they are plumped will absorb the water. The water turns into a nice sauce and you want to have that moisture. Depending upon how dry the fruits are...the simmering should be for only about 15-20 minutes. I always let the fruit sit in the saucepan to cool and absorb the flavors before I remove them and put the Compote into jars.

To make the Parfait: Take a glass that pleases you and begin layering starting with a bit of the compote and sauce, then the yogurt (it helps to stir the yogurt well first), then a layer of compote. Top with the toasted almonds and a sprinkle of cinnamon and a drizzle of maple syrup.

2011-03-03T12:00:00.000-08:00

SKILL SHARE ON FEBRUARY 20, 2011 IN WALDEN, NY

at the Hodgson Farm

Went to check out some things and was pleasantly surprised. Event put together by the Hudson Valley Food Network www.hvfoodnetwork.com

I sat in on a really good talk by Jay Levine of the Hudson Valley Backyard Farm Company, about pest management in the organic garden. He specializes in helping people set up organic gardens in their backyards (or frontyards). The talk was mostly about identifying the beneficial and harmful pests. I purchased some fresh eggs from Barbara Taylor-Laino of Midsummer Farm. She teaches lots of good workshops at the farm in Warwick, NY. The eggs were so fresh that the chickens there (see photo) were so relaxed that they were laying eggs in front of our eyes!

I also attended the workshop about Creating Water Kefir Sodas by Dina Falconi, an herbalist of Wild Earth Programs. She gave everyone part of the 'mother' to make their own sodas. I think I managed to 'kill' mine the other day. They require a temperature of 65-80 degrees so I kept it in the oven which was off...until I turned it on forgetting it was there....

Barbara in background. Chickens in foreground.

Dina Falconi discussing the kefir sodas.

One of the workshops ending.

Attendees browsing.

2011-02-22T14:15:00.000-08:00

Great Article about Grains

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/21/health/nutrition/21recipehealth.html?_r=2&src=tptw

in today's NY Times by Shulman. She says she doesn't know what to do with millet. Too bad. Just toast it dry and then add water or stock and cook until soft and the liquid is absorbed. Rule of thumb (literally) is to add liquid about 1-inch above the grain, or the distance to the first knuckle on your thumb. You can also make a millet cake using millet and eggs and fry in a small frying pan. I think I saw that in one of Jean-Georges Vongerichten's cookbooks and might have changed it a bit. Once I was stuck somewhere and only had a bag of millet with me, no kidding, I have no idea how that happened. The only thing that saved me and my daughter from hunger that night was cooking the millet. Nothing ever tasted so good. So now I have great respect for millet. It's a nice round grain and if you look closely it has a little dot in the center. It definitely tastes better if you dry toast it first, except if you are planning to eat it for breakfast, then don't bother. Adding some dry fruit and cinnamon, with either milk or a non-milk (nut milks) sure helps the millet go down.

I don't eat enough grains myself. When I do make rice either white or brown I'm so happy because I use it as a delivery system for my favorite hot sauces and kimchi. Spice it up!

2011-02-18T09:14:00.000-08:00

COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS IN MARCH 2011

MARCH 8, TUESDAY, 7PM, NANUET PUBLIC LIBRARY - FREE

no reservation necessary (big room)

Mardi Gras theme

demonstrating the making of JAMBALAYA

MARCH 26, SATURDAY, 2 PM, TAPPAN PUBLIC LIBRARY - FREE

(reservations required)

demonstrating Chicken Kiev, French Peas, Chocolate Fondue with dipping fruits

2011-02-18T09:05:00.000-08:00

COOKING CLASSES OFFERED - SPRING 2011

This year I am offering two cooking classes through the Rockland BOCES Adult/Continuing Education Program. Sign up anytime now. Go to www.rocklandboces.org, or phone 845-348-3500.

The classes are:

FOODS OF TUSCANY

Meets from 6:30-9:30pm, Thursdays, March 31 - April 14

(3 sessions)

Cost: $119, includes $15 supply fee

Join us in making foods from our favorite region of the Mediterranean, from starter to dessert in each session. For example: Garmugia (a spring vegetable soup), Pappa al Pomodoro, Saltimbocca, Ricotta and Spinach Crespelle with Tomato Sauce, Flourless Chocolate Cake, Prato Biscotti.

AND

BISTRO FOOD AT HOME

meets from 6:30-9:30pm, Thursdays, April 28 - May 12

(3 sessions)

Cost: $119, includes $15 supply fee

Join this class in making hearty classic, simple satisfying meals from starter to dessert. For example: Frisee Salad with Pancetta and Poached Egg, Salmon with Sorrel Sauce, Coq au Vin, Gratin Dauphinois, Tarte Tatin, Fruit Clafoutis.