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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Friday, March 25, 2016

NEXT CLASS APRIL 23RD

KNOW ANYONE WHO IS DIABETIC?

YOU MIGHT WANT TO TELL THEM ABOUT THIS CLASS.

We'll explore the options of a diabetic-friendly pantry and an unprocessed food diet with many plant-based options. The recipes are geared to spring ingredients with new potatoes, asparagus, chicken tostadas, a couple of fish recipes and the use of fresh herbs and spices. All quick and delicious. For the second session you'll pick ingredients you want to use and we'll create some personal favorites.

Bring an apron, your favorite knife, a container or two and a kitchen towel.
Class fee $69 plus $20 food fee payable to instructor

Two sessions April 23rd & 30th

Maximum students: 10

Where: Ulster Boces, 319 Broadway (9W), Port Ewen, NY
Call to register: 845-331-5050
www.ulsterboces.org

Wednesday, March 09, 2016

COCONUT CHICKEN SOUP (Tom Kha Gai)

This is a classic found in Thai restaurants. Once you have the ingredients it’s fairly simple to combine. I put it into the category of an infusion as it’s almost like making tea. You add all the ingredients together and add the chicken and mushrooms. I like to keep the lemongrass pieces in when serving. People unfamiliar with them might need to be told not to chew and swallow. The same for the ginger though you can chew and swallow. You can make this soup as spicy as you like or not at all.
 

CHICKEN COCONUT SOUP (Tom Kha Gai)

1 can (13.5 oz.) coconut milk
13.5 oz chicken broth or water
1 lemongrass stalk, cut in 1-inch pieces
6 thin slices fresh ginger or galangal
¼-1/2 pound boneless/skinless chicken, breast or thigh, bite-sized pieces
1 cup white or shiitake mushrooms, thin sliced
1 zest of one lime or 4-5 kaffir lime leaves
1 tablespoon lime juice, or more to taste
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce (nam pla), or more to taste
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon red Thai chili paste, or more to taste
seasalt
1 small red or green Thai chilies or 1 jalapeno, thin sliced diagonally, seeds removed
1 green onion, thin sliced
fresh cilantro leaves

Lemongrass: bottom one is peeled of the outer stalk.
Array of ingredients: Cut lemongrass, cut mushrooms, fish sauce,
Thai red chili paste, sugar, cilantro
Don't forget the ginger!
Two Thai red chilis sliced diagonally, seeds removed.
lime and lime zest

Add a can of Coconut Milk and water to a saucepan.
Whisk the Coconut Milk and water together while gently heating.

Combine and stir the coconut milk and broth or water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer. Add the lemongrass and ginger. Infuse for about a minute.

Add the lime zest, lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, chili paste and mix well. Let infuse for about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and chicken. Poach for about 5 minutes or until cooked through. Add the Thai chilis. Add a pinch of salt. Taste to see if it needs more salt or chili!

Serve garnished with the green onion and fresh cilantro leaves.

To make a heartier soup add vegetables like zucchini or carrots that are thinly sliced. Or add cellophane rice noodles that have been soaked in warm water for about 15 minutes. Or, serve with a side of brown or jasmine rice.


Soup with lemongrass and ginger added.
Stir the soup.

Add the lime zest, lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, and chili paste.
Then add the mushrooms.


Add the chicken meat (or turkey) to poach.
Finished soup, garnished with cilantro leaves and lemongrass.


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