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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Tuesday, February 22, 2011

 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!

Friday, February 18, 2011

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
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.

Friends Visit for Lunch

FRIENDS VISIT FOR LUNCH
Had a great time yesterday when some old friends from Italy who run a Vacation and Retreat place called Casa Garuda, located between Florence and Rome, came to visit. I didn't take any photos but here is the menu:
Celery Root Remoulade,  Marinated Red Peppers, Assorted Olives

Garlicky Bread

Sepia Tagliatelle with creamed Grape Tomatoes, Lobster, in a Lobster Butter Sauce
Braised Baby Artichokes
French-fried Parsnips

Wine-poached Bartlett Pears stuffed with a Ricotta and Chestnut Puree Cream
and topped with a sprinkling of cocoa and glazed almonds
Sugar-free Oatmeal Apricot Chocolate Chip Cookies

and then we took a walk.


VALENTINE'S DAY IMPROMPTU DINNER
I seem to have been doing a bit of entertaining lately since I also had a couple of friends here for Valentine's Day. I can squeeze two people in and that's about it. For a quickly prepared, same day, menu we had:
 Kir Royale

Salad of assorted baby greens, Belgian endive, radicchio, sliced pears, bleu cheese, dried cranberries, toasted pecans with a Maple-Sherry Vinegar/Walnut Oil Dressing*

Chicken Casserole with Vegetables 
(caramelized onions, mushrooms, carrots, celery, spinach in a creamy sauce topped with a mixture of breadcrumbs, ground almonds and grated parmesan cheese)

Chocolate Brownies and Rugelach
Moroccan Mint Tea

and lots of red wine.


*Recipe for Salad Dressing: equal quantities of Grade B Maple Syrup and Sherry Vinegar, double quantity of Walnut Oil (or a mixture of Walnut and Extra-virgin Olive Oil), crushed sage leaves, salt and pepper. Shake well. I usually use 1/4 cup maple syrup, 1/4 cup sherry vinegar, 1/2 cup walnut oil, about 3-4 dried or fresh sage leaves crumbled, pinch each of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.


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