Welcome!

Award-winning Chef Phyllis Segura has cooked for people in all walks of life both in the U.S. and E.U. Chef Phyllis has been cooking for special people since 2000.
She attended the Apicius Cooking School of Lorenzo de’Medici in Florence, Italy; received a James Beard Foundation scholarship; attended various New York cooking schools; and watched her grandmother very carefully.
As a personal and private chef Phyllis cooks for individual clients and offers cooking demonstrations regularly. She specializes in small elegant dinner parties, and intimate dinners - plated or buffet, weekday meals and private and group culinary instructions.
The chef prepares a wide variety of cuisines. Whereas a restaurant chef might have a specialty that is served daily, as a personal or private chef Segura applies her skills to the requirements and palates of her clients. Fresh and seasonal ingredients make the best dishes. She is not shy with herbs and spices and will go out of her way to source ingredients.

Vegetarian, Vegan, Macrobiotic, Kosher, grain-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, blood type, diabetic and other special diets are available. Chef prefers to use organic, pesticide and antibiotic free, non-GMO and local products as much as possible.
Consultations with nutritionists are recommended for special needs and diets for proper guidelines.

References and a rate sheet are available. She currently lives in Saugerties, NY.
In 2013 she offered cooking classes in her home kitchen in Spencertown,NY www.reddoorcookingworkshop.blogspot.com

Send an email: info@cookingontheriver.com

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Saturday, December 31, 2011

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012

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.

Saturday, December 24, 2011

POST-CHRISTMAS BIRTHDAY DINNER

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 that were taken by Kim's sister, maybe they got deleted by mistake.   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

Here is a message from someone who made the crabcakes recently (February 2012). 
It was sent to me in an email:
The crab cakes were excellent.  I tried to make them the usual crab cake size but they wouldn’t keep their shape. [Yes, the recipe says miniature.] As I had about half more to cook, did so last night.  I added more panko, made them smaller and they were so good.   Don’t remember where I bought the crab.  It was the only acceptable kind to buy…big chunks. I hate the other in the can which says “lump” and what you get is shredded.  Restaurants too say “lump” and they either over mix the crab pulverizing the meat or are really not buying chunks.  Norma Assante
 

Friday, November 25, 2011

THE GREATEST GIFT

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.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

MAPLE & GINGER SWEET POTATOES WITH A PECAN CRUST


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!


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Monday, November 21, 2011

SMALL DISHES

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.



Thursday, November 10, 2011

FARMER'S MARKET DEMO IN NYACK NOV 10

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.

Tuesday, November 01, 2011

MUSHROOM, BLUE CHEESE & FENNEL GALETTE

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.


Wednesday, October 26, 2011

THANKSGIVING HARVEST MENU & CLAFOUTIS RECIPE

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 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

Oven 375 - 400 F degrees

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.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Vegetables Served

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. 

Saturday, September 17, 2011

CAULIFLOWER WITH TOMATOES AND PEAS

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.

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