I always look forward to the season change to Autumn – there’s something calming to the beautiful colors of the leaves, the cooler temperatures, and sunny skies. It’s a time of harvesting and celebration of autumnal fruits of the earth mixed with a sadness for the upcoming cold Winter months.
I love the heartier, warming foods Autumn brings, and there’s nothing better than a delicious bowl of homemade soup. It reminds me of when I was a kid – my Mom would always have a big pot of soup simmering away on the stove to warm us up after a day outside romping in the leaves in the brisk, cool weather. Mom’s soup was always something to look forward to and a safe haven to come home to.
This recipe for Italian White Bean, Vegetable & Pasta Soup is a simple and nutritious soup chock full of fresh vegetables and herbs, pasta and Italian Great Northern white beans. It’s great topped with some freshly grated cheese, served with crusty bread and a leafy green salad.
The good news with vegetable soup is you can substitute just about any veggies you want – throw in some kale or spinach, zucchini, green beans, peas, corn; whatever your heart desires. It’s healthy and filling and warming to the soul.
And it’s definitely worth taking a romp in the leaves if you know there’s a pot of goodness on the stove waiting for you.
Freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (for garnish)
Instructions
In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil and sauté onions, tomatoes, carrots, celery, bell pepper and zucchini over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and sauté another 1-2 minutes.
Add the pasta, white beans, salt and pepper to taste, paprika, fennel seed, chopped fresh herbs, water and vegetable stock; cover and simmer over medium-low for 30 to 40 minutes until cooked through and vegetables are tender. Add additional salt and pepper to taste, and extra stock or water to adjust desired consistency and thickness.
Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and freshly grated cheese; serve with crusty Italian bread and a leafy green salad.
Notes
Feel free to substitute or add any veggies you like to the soup: Zucchini, Green Beans, Squash, Corn, Peas, etc.
Adjust thinness or thickness of soup by adding more or less broth and/or water to the soup while it cooks down.
Spinach, Cheese & Green Onion Pie with Dill and Fines Herbes
There’s nothing better than a fresh baked pie on a dreary, Fall day. I decided to make a savory pie (quiche) with some fresh spinach, green onions, garlic, dill, Fines Herbes, eggs, milk, Parmesan and Sharp White Cheddar cheese I had on hand. So easy, and the perfect comfort food to warm you up on a gray day like today.
I used store-bought frozen pie crusts to save time and make my life easier, but if you’re in the mood to make your own pie crust, here’s a great basic recipe by Martha Stewart. If you’re into gluten-free, check out this pie crust recipe by Bea Peltre of La Tartine Gourmande. You can also make or cut the dough into smaller mini pies or use this recipe filling for a 9-inch tart if you prefer. This is a vegetarian recipe, but would also be fantastic with a little bit of crispy bacon or prosciutto and asparagus or broccoli if you’re not a spinach fan. You can also substitute Gruyere or Fontina cheese in place of the shredded White Cheddar if you like. Serve with leafy greens tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette and a latte or glass of white wine, and you’ve got a fantastic brunch! Enjoy.
Spinach, Cheese & Green Onion Pie with Dill and Fines Herbes
Rating: 41
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 6-8
Ingredients
1 9-inch unbaked pie shell (or handmade pie dough)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, sliced thin
1- 5 ounce package fresh baby spinach leaves
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon dried dill or 1 tablespoon fresh dill
1 teaspoon dried Fines Herbes
1 tablespoon minced onion
1/2 tablespoon garlic salt
Pinch of ground nutmeg (a few sprinkles)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups shredded White Sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Let frozen pie shell defrost and place in a 9 inch pie pan.
Heat oil and butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Saute spinach for a few minutes until wilted. Add minced garlic and green onions and saute for another minute or so. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat eggs with milk, herbs and seasonings. Add Parmesan cheese to egg mixture and stir well.
Place the spinach, garlic and onion mixture over the bottom of the unbaked pie shell. Sprinkle grated Cheddar cheese over the top. Pour egg, milk and herbs mixture over the cheese, spreading evenly inside the pie crust.
Bake pie in oven for 45 minutes until eggs are firmly set and crust is browned. If crust edges start browning too quickly, cover them with some foil half way through.
Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool and firm up for 10-15 minutes.
Slice into wedges and serve with a green salad.
Notes
*Alternative Recipe Suggestions: Add some crispy bacon or prosciutto to the quiche, substitute Gruyere or Fontina for Cheddar, or use asparagus or broccoli instead of spinach.
Potato Latkes with Caramelized Honey Apples & Cinnamon Sour Cream
In the spirit of the Jewish New Year holiday Rosh Hashana, I created a delicious dish for my client miditto, to pair with some of their late Summer and early Fall wine selections for our September photo shoot. Apples and honey are often eaten together to celebrate the New Year, and are typical symbols of hope for sweet and healthy new beginnings. What better way to serve them than with classic Potato Latkes? I used a traditional latke recipe with shredded onions and potatoes mixed with flour and egg and seasonings, then fried in oil into crispy potato cakes. Rather than serving them with traditional applesauce, I thought it would be a tasty variation to caramelize the apples in butter and brown sugar and top the latkes with the apples and a drizzle of honey and cinnamon sour cream. Delicious, heartwarming, and definitely something to celebrate! Shanah Tova. Happy New Year!
Combine potato and onion in a colander. Drain 30 minutes, pressing with the back of a spoon until barely moist. Combine potato mixture, flour, and next 4 ingredients (through egg) in a large bowl; toss well.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to pan, and swirl to coat. Spoon 1/4 cup potato mixture loosely into a dry measuring cup. Pour mixture into pan, and flatten slightly. Repeat to form 6 latkes. Cook in batches by sautéing them 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove latkes from pan, and keep warm in an oven on low heat.
Repeat procedure with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and potato mixture to yield 12 latkes total. Combine sour cream and cinnamon in a bowl. Serve with Sauteed Caramelized Apples over the latkes. (recipe follows)
Makes 6 servings.
Recipe adapted from myrecipes.com
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Sauteed Caramelized Apples with Honey
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large red or green apples
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or fresh chopped parsley
2 tablespoons honey
Preparation
Peel and core apples and cut into thin wedges.
Melt butter over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet.
Add apples, brown sugar and cinnamon to pan and sauté apples about 10 minutes until lightly caramelized.
Sprinkle with chopped fresh thyme or parsley leaves and let cool. Serve over latkes with a drizzle of honey and a side of sour cream mixed with cinnamon and additional parsley or chives.
Serves 4-6.
Pair the Latkes and Caramelized Apples with a full-bodied Pinot Noir or smooth Cabernet Sauvignon. See Miditto.com for more great organic and vegan wine recommendations and selections!
I recently had the opportunity to attend a special press dinner in support of the upcoming launch of Jackson Landers’s book, ‘Eating Aliens’ and of Matthew Weingarten and Raquel Pelzel’sbook, ‘Preserving Wild Foods.’The dinner was a preview of some of the recipes from their upcoming book launches this Fall with Storey Publishing, held at the lovely cooking school and event space at Haven’s Kitchen in NYC. I met the Chefs and Authors, publishers and other journalists from the food media world. We learned about invasive species and foraging wild foods as well as the philosophy behind sustainable eating, hunting and cooking and sampled wild and amazingly delicious dishes from their books.
Haven’s Kitchen NYC
So what kind of wild food did we actually eat? Delicious food it was, but stuff you wouldn’t normally think of or hear about or see on a restaurant menu for a Saturday night dinner out on the town. We ate Dandelion Jelly Toasts, Pan-friedSnakehead (a large, black, meaty invasive fish that is absolutely delicious and tastes like swordfish!), Lionfish with Furikake Seaweed Salt (my favorite dish of the night, see recipe below), Chinese Mystery Snails, Fiddlehead Ferns, Wild Ramp Pesto, Pickled Garlic Scapes, Pickled Wild Chanterelle Mushrooms with Crostini (another one of my favorites! see recipe below), Homemade Sausage, and Duck Prosciutto, Mulberry Shortcakes and more delicious wild, foraged foods.
This event was a great learning, tasting and meet and greet experience with other foodies and talented chefs, hunters and cookbook authors. They made this wild food taste so good it made me want to start foraging my own wild mushrooms, ramps and berries and start canning and pickling my own gourmet creations, while supporting sustainably and reducing the amount of invasive species around the world all at the same time. I can’t say I’ll be hunting my own game or diving to catch fish with my bare hands anytime soon – I’ll leave that to the masters that I met that evening…
Matthew Weingarten is a New York City-based chef who has garnered great acclaim for his heritage comfort food. His food reflects a strong sense of place and season, and he is a committed proponent of sustainability and authenticity. He is a director on the board of Chefs Collaborative and lives in Brooklyn, New York. Read more/pre-order ‘Preserving Wild Foods’ Cookbook online.
Raquel Pelzel
Award-winning writer Raquel Pelzel has collaborated with professional chefs on thirteen cookbooks, including the James Beard-nominatedDamGoodSweet and Masala Farm. She is a former editor at Cook’s Illustrated and lives in Brooklyn, New York. Check out Raquel’s website for more info on her background, cookbooks and recipes.
Another great video “Close to the Bone” – An intimate and suspenseful portrait about hunting, sustainability and love by videographer Helenah Swedburg.
Here’s a couple of my favorite recipes from the Preserving Wild Foods Cookbook that we sampled at the press event. Enjoy!
Toast the spices over medium-high heat until fragrant and the fennel seeds take on a bit of color, about 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup kosher salt. Stir in the salt and continue to cook until the salt is warmed through, another 1 minute.
Pour the salt and spices over the mushrooms and herbs and set aside while you make the pickling liquid. In a medium saucepan, boil
2 cups water
1 cup fruity olive oil
1/2 cup aged sherry vinegar
1/4 cup dried currants
8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sugar
Pour over the mushrooms, tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside until the bottom of the bowl is cool to the touch and the liquid is at room temperature, 1 to 2 hours.
Sterlize the jars and divide the mushrooms among the still-warm jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Clean the rim of the jars with a clean kitchen towel before covering with the lids. Fasten the lid and band. Set up a hot water bath and submerge the jars placing gently on a canning rack, covering with 1 inch of water. Bring the water to a boil and process the jars for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath.
When processing is complete, use the canning tongs to transfer the hot jars to a kitchen towel-lined surface. Listen for the pops of the seals as the jars cool.
The next day, test the seal by pressing on the center of the lid (it shouldn’t bounce back). Simply put the jar in the fridge and use right away.
Store in a cool, dark, dry place preferably between 50 and 70 degrees F, for up to a year.
Eat alone or serve on an antipasti platter with smoked, cured meats, cheeses and vegetables with crusty bread or crostini and crackers.
Makes 2 pints (four 8 oz jars).
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Furikake Seaweed Salt (Fish and Meat Seasoning)
Furikake gives a blast of umami to the most ordinary of meals. Sprinkle it on plain sticky rice and any type of noodle, simply prepared steamed veggies and lightly grilled or pan-seared meats and fish. The sesame seeds reduce the amount of salt in the seasoning and the mineral-rich seaweeds ensure that you’re body gets what its craving when you hanker for a salty snack.
In a small bowl,
2 tablespoons fine sea salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup warm water
and set aside. Heat a medium skillet over medium-low and pour in
1 cup sesame seeds
Toast the sesame seeds, stirring often, until they are golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Pour the salt-sugar water over the sesame seeds. The liquid will bubble violently; once it calms down, stir the sesame seeds so they don’t clump. Reduce the heat to low and continue to toast the sesame seeds for 30 seconds. The pan will be almost dry at this point. Watch the seeds, as you don’t want the sugar to burn. Remove the pan from the heat and crumble in
2 sheets nori
1 (6-inch) sheet dulse (or 1/4 cup dry dulse flakes)
Set the pan back over low heat and stir the dulse and seeds. The seaweed will soften up a bit, and then become fragrant and dry. Once the seaweed is crisp again and dry to the touch, after about 30 seconds, remove the pan from the burner and turn out the seasoning onto a large platter to cool. Put the furikake into a glass jar or shaker and use to season anything that needs a wake-up call. (This is the seasoning we sampled on the Pan-Seared Lionfish – it was absolutely AH-MAZING!!!!)
Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
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All photos credited to Kristen Hess, The Artful Gourmet. Copyright 2012. Please do not share or distribute any of the photos or videos on this website commercially or for personal use without permission from the respected owners.
This dish is a special treat I created for a recent audition for a new cooking show for ABC – I decided to create a dish that would not only impress the food judges and producers but also one featuring fresh, seasonal ingredients and irresistible to the tastebuds! Fresh Pan-seared Scallops served in a Leek and Thyme Wine Cream sauce with a side of Orzo (a small rice-shaped pasta) made with Meyer lemon-infused oil, lemon zest, and leeks. Sauteed Zucchini and Summer Squash is a perfect accompaniment to the scallops and orzo; made with garlic, olive oil, herbs de Provence, and a touch of butter, topped with some Himalayan pink onion sea salt and fresh ground black pepper.
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and leeks and saute for about 5 minutes until soft.
Add orzo, broth, wine, thyme, lemon zest, sea salt and pepper to taste; mix ingredients together and bring to a boil. Cover and immediately reduce to a simmer on low heat.
Cook orzo for about 15 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed and stir ingredients together. Pasta should be al dente and will be an opaque color when done. (Read the package directions if adjusting quantity to ensure cooking time is correct).
Set aside, covered, and keep warm. Serve with the Pan-seared Scallops and Leek-Thyme Wine Cream Sauce and Sauteed Zucchini Squash.
Pan-Seared Scallops in Leek & Thyme Wine Cream Sauce
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 leek, rinsed, trimmed and sliced
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 tablespoon parsley
1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1/2 cup half and half
1 pound jumbo sea scallops
Kosher or Sea Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Saute garlic and leeks in olive oil over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes, being careful not to burn garlic.
Add the wine, chicken broth, parsley and thyme, raise the heat to medium-high and let the liquid thicken and reduce to about half, stirring often (cook about 5-7 minutes until you get desired thickness).
Stir in the cream, reduce heat to low and let simmer for another minute or so, mixing the sauce well.
Rinse sea scallops and pat dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Heat olive oil in a cast iron saute pan over medium-high heat. Sear the scallops for about 3 minutes on each side, until a golden brown crust forms and scallops are no longer pink (do not turn scallops until each side is done).
Serve scallops with the Leek and Thyme Wine Cream Sauce garnished with some extra parsley and thyme with the Lemon-Leek Orzo and Sauteed Zucchini (recipes follow). A crisp white wine such as a Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc is the recommended pairing for this dish.
In a large saute pan, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat.
Saute garlic for about 1 minute until lightly browned.
Add zucchini, yellow squash, herbes de Provence, onion salt and black pepper; mix well. Saute for about 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until zucchini and squash are slightly browned and soft.
Serve as a side dish to the Pan-seared Scallops and Lemon-Leek Orzo.
There’s some new kids on the block – and some mighty tasty ones at that. Buitoni reached out to me and asked me to create some recipes to go with their two new stuffed pasta flavors which are totally rockin’!
The RoastedButternut Squash Agnolottiis a luscious half-moon pasta generously filled with oven-roasted Butternut Squash, Impastata Ricotta, aged Parmesan and Grada Padano cheeses, accented with amaretti cookie crumbs. I decided to create a luscious sauce with Brown Butter, Sage, Pancetta, Shallots, and Toasted Pine Nuts.
The savory Chicken Marsala Ravioli is a delicate pasta filled with all-natural white meat chicken, roasted portabello mushrooms and caramelized onions with Impastata Ricotta, aged Parmesan and Asiago cheeses, accented with Marsala wine. To compliment the savory chicken and mushroom flavors inside, I created a Wild Mushrooms, Leeks, and Thyme in a Garlic, Wine and Cream Sauce to go with.
The fresh pasta cooks super fast (approximately 5-6 minutes) so you’ll want to get your sauce going first before you cook the pasta, or you can cook the pasta first and set it aside until you add it to the sauce at the end to coat.
I recommend a dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or or a dry Rose to go with the Butternut Squash Agnolotti, and a light red table wine such as Montepulcciano d’Abruzzo or Pinot Noir to accompany the Chicken Marsala Ravioli. Serve both with a side of toasty garlic bread and a simple Arugula or Romaine salad with some shaved Parmesan cheese a light lemon vinaigrette dressing (a few tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, two teaspoons of Dijon or grainy mustard, a squeeze or two of lemon and salt and pepper).
Roasted Butternut Squash Agnolotti w/ Brown Butter, Sage, Pancetta, Shallots and Toasted Pine Nuts
Butternut Squash Agnolotti with Brown Butter, Pancetta, Shallots, Sage, and Toasted Pinenuts
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Serving Size: 4
Ingredients
1 package Buitoni Butternut Squash Agnolotti
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot, minced
4 oz. pancetta, diced
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, chopped
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated, plus extra for garnish
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted, for garnish
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
Boil water in a large saucepan and season with salt and olive oil. Cook stuffed pasta according to package directions (about 4-6 minutes) and drain; set aside.
Heat a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Cook garlic and shallots for about two minutes until lightly browned. Add pancetta and cook until crispy and browned. Add chicken stock and sage to the pan and reduce over medium-high until sauce thickens. Lower heat and add cooked Agnolotti to the sauce; toss to coat.
Toast pine nuts in a small pan over medium heat until lightly golden brown, remove from heat.
Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with extra Parmesan cheese, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste), toasted pine nuts and a few sage leaves for garnish.
Notes
Serve pasta with a simple Arugula salad tossed in a light lemon Vinaigrette dressing and some toasted garlic bread. Wine pairings: Sauvignon Blanc, dry White table wine or Rose.
Chicken Marsala Ravioli with Wild Mushrooms, Leeks, Thyme in a Garlic Wine Cream Sauce
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4
Ingredients
1 package Buitoni Chicken Marsala Ravioli
3 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 shallot, minced
1 leek, rinsed, trimmed and sliced
3.5 ounces Wild Mushrooms (Chanterelle or Porcini)
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup half and half or heavy cream
1 tablespoon thyme leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Dash of Sea Salt (I used Pink Himalayan Onion Sea Salt)
Fresh ground black pepper
5-6 sprays White Truffle Oil (equal to 1 teaspoon) - optional
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
Instructions
Boil water in a large sauce pan (with some salt and olive oil). Cook pasta according to package directions (approximately 5-7 minutes). Drain and set aside.
Melt butter over medium heat in a large saute pan; add garlic and shallots and cook about 2 minutes until translucent. Add leeks and mushrooms and saute until brown, about 7 minutes. Turn heat up to medium-high and deglaze the pan with wine and broth, until sauce thickens and reduces by half, for about 5 minutes. Add cream and stir in chopped thyme and parsley and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook on low for about 1 minute, stirring often.
Return cooked Ravioli to sauce pan and toss to coat with the sauce, cooking over low heat for about 1 minute. Add a few sprays of Truffle Oil if using.
Transfer pasta and sauce to a serving dish and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Garnish with additional chopped thyme and parsley if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
Serve Chicken Marsala Ravioli with a simple green or Arugula salad with shaved Parmesan cheese and a light lemon Vinaigrette dressing and some toasted garlic bread. Wine pairing: Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir or light red Italian table wine such as Montepulcciano d'Abruzzo.
There’s a great little place in my neighborhood called Todaro Bros. – a small, locally-owned deli and grocery store that sells fresh and imported Italian food and other gourmet groceries. I usually stop in at least once a week to peruse their cheese department and sample some of their fresh house-made mozzarella, just for kicks (it’s that good!).
It’s impossible to walk in there and just buy one thing – I’m like a kid in a candy store! I found these gorgeous sun-dried tomatoes marinated in herbs and oil and picked up some fresh mozzarella, basil, oregano, chives, tomato sauce, cream and pasta to make a fresh, tasty Summer pasta dish with a Vodka Cream Sauce.
I made it with spaghetti but you could serve this tasty Vodka Sauce with virtually any pasta you wish. It’s tangy, velvety and full of flavor, and the fresh basil gives it a peppery flavor which is rounded out by the creamy fresh mozzarella and sweet sun-dried tomatoes. I also threw in a few pieces of crumbled cooked bacon into the sauce to give it an extra layer of flavor (which is totally optional but also totally worth it!)
Top off the pasta with fresh basil leaves, red pepper flakes, coarse Mediterranean sea salt and fresh ground pepper…
6-8 marinated sun-dried tomatoes, cut into halves or quarters
1 quart tomato sauce (store bought or homemade, pureed smooth)
1 cup of vodka
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced
1 teaspoon fresh chives, chopped
Coarse sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
fresh unsalted mozzarella, torn into medium pieces, for garnish
fresh basil leaves, whole or torn, for garnish
red pepper flakes (optional), for garnish
1 pound package of cooked and drained pasta (spaghetti, linguine or penne)
Instructions
Cook pasta in a large saucepan according to package directions (until al dente) and drain (reserving a few tablespoons of the pasta water for later); set aside. Meanwhile, cook the bacon over medium heat for about 15 minutes until crispy, drain and crumble.
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan or pot. Add garlic and shallots, saute until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add crumbled bacon and sun-dried tomatoes, add salt and pepper to taste. Saute for an additional 5 minutes and turn heat down to medium-low.
Stir in tomato sauce and vodka into the same saucepan and let simmer (approximately 20 minutes) until the sauce thickens and cooks down. Stir in the heavy cream, fresh oregano and chives and let simmer on low for another few minutes until sauce is heated through.
Return the pasta back to the large saucepot and ladle some of the sauce into it, along with a few tablespoons of reserved pasta water and toss to coat.
Ladle coated pasta into serving dishes and top with additional vodka sauce. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, mozzarella, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste.
Summertime is always my favorite time of year – when the sun is always shining, a warm breeze is in the air, and all the flowers, fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables are in full bloom. Everyone is out grilling BBQ, visiting the farmer’s markets, having picnics in the park and enjoying the sunny, lazy days with friends and family. With Summer quickly approaching, I created this great Father’s Day Menu you’ll love: Grilled Rosemary and Garlic Steak with Portabella Mushrooms and Peppers, a Bistro-Style Herbed Potato Salad and a refreshing Watermelon-Strawberry Salad.
Roasted Garlic Rosemary Steak
This is an easy and delicious recipe for Grilled Rosemary and Garlic Steak with Portabella Mushrooms and Peppers that has a tangy garlic and red wine flavor. Start with Tavern Direct Roasted Garlic Cabernet (or any red-wine and garlic vinaigrette dressing) to marinate the steak and veggies before grilling to give it a tender robust flavor. After grilling, top it all off with Steak Sauce, fresh rosemary and a bit of Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper for a healthy, tasty Summer BBQ!
Strawberry-Watermelon Salad
This Watermelon and Strawberry Salad is a simple combination of fresh watermelon, strawberries and a few blueberries mixed in with a little bit of lemon juice, sugar and water to make a simple refreshing syrup to macerate the fruit. This is how we traditionally make the fruit salad but you can also toss the fruit in a citrus-infused balsamic vinegar for a tangy contrast with the sweet fruit – I recommend Tavern on the Green Citrus Balsamic– a refreshing blend of orange, tangerine and lime essence.
Bistro-Style Herbed Potato Salad
The French-Bistro Herbed Potato Salad is made with salt potatoes and fresh herbs, a lightened up version from the heavier mayonnaise-laden salads from our family picnics of the past. It calls for salt potatoes (red or yellow), shallots, parsley and thyme tossed in an oil, vinegar and Dijon mustard base making it light and tangy. Fresh parsley adds some green…and the sweet shallots mixed with thyme, dill and onions gives it a nice tangy flavor. I added some dried dill (you could also use fresh) and a few chopped green onions for an extra dash of flavor – enjoy!
Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Steak with Portabella Mushrooms and Peppers
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 23 minutes
Yield: 4
Ingredients
4 steaks (T-bone, NY Strip or Ribeye), about 1 ½ inches thick
3 red, yellow & orange peppers, julienned
3 Portabellos, stems removed, sliced
1 cup Tavern Direct Roasted Garlic Cabernet Marinade (or red-wine vinaigrette dressing)
Kosher Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Steak Sauce, for serving if desired (Tavern Direct or desired brand)
A few sprigs of fresh rosemary, snipped
Instructions
Preheat a charcoal grill or grill pan to medium high. Preheat a separate medium-sized sauté pan over medium heat.
Place steaks in a baking dish or large freezer bag and pour marinade over steaks, coating evenly. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper and rosemary and let marinate for up to 1 hour at room temperature uncovered.
Slice bell peppers and Portobello mushrooms and marinate in separate mixing bowls. Sprinkle salt and pepper over both and mix through, marinating for approximately 30-45 minutes.
Spray the sauté pan with cooking spray or olive oil. Sauté the sliced peppers until soft and slightly browned about 5-7 minutes. Remove and cover with foil.
Spray the grill or grill pan with cooking spray or olive oil and place Portabella mushrooms on grill. Cook approximately 5-7 minutes per side until soft and grill marks appear. Remove and cover with foil on a separate plate.
Let the charcoal grill or grill pan heat up to high again. Spray with oil and cook steaks approximately 5 minutes per side (for medium rare), 7-8 minutes per side (for medium).
Remove steaks from grill and let sit for 5-10 minutes under foil tent to let juices redistribute. Plate and serve steaks with mushrooms and peppers.?Drizzle the Steak Sauce over steak, if desired.
Sprinkle Kosher salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh rosemary.
1/4 cup olive oil (light yellow, not extra virgin)
3 tablespoons Dijon or grainy mustard
2 tablespoons Champagne or white wine vinegar
1 small shallot, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tablespoons fresh dill
½ teaspoon dried Fines herbes
1/4 small Vidalia onion, chopped fine
1-2 green onions, sliced
Instructions
Place potatoes in a large pot of cold salted water so that potatoes are covered approximately under 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
Cool potatoes under cold water then drain and set aside.
To make the salad dressing: whisk together oil, mustard, vinegar, shallot, and herbs in a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Add cooked potatoes and chopped onion and 1/2 of the green onions to the dressing and toss to combine.
Let salad cool and marinate at room temperature, then garnish with additional green onions and parsley for serving.
To make the simple syrup, bring sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan, let simmer for about 5 minutes and cool.
Place watermelon, strawberries and blueberries in a large bowl and add the syrup, mixing well. Add a dash of lemon juice and garnish with mint or microgreens.
*Chef’s Note: The only thing missing is dessert and wine to make it a full meal: I recommend a lovely lemon or pistachio gelato for dessert, and a bold Cabernet or hearty red wine to pair with the Steak and salads.
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Find Tavern on the Green Products online at www.taverndirect.com – all their products were designed by Lou Bivona, a Rochester native, in conjunction with the legendary NYC restaurant in Central Park, Tavern on the Green. With every sale, a portion of all proceeds goes to the charity National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
This is a lovely Thai dish, not only in taste but in presentation. I made this with some good friends of mine in Atlanta over Memorial Day weekend on their Big Green Egg grill. If you haven’t seen one of these things – its totally cool and easy to use. And it’s BIG. And GREEN. And looks like and EGG. It’s actually a ceramic grill and smoker that reaches temperatures up to 700 degrees F and has the ability to grill, smoke or steam everything on the planet in about 15-20 minutes. Very cool. Anyways, we decided to make this Thai Sea Bass in Banana Leaves recipe from their Big Green Egg Cookbook and took a trip over to the Dekalb Farmer’s Market (which is also totally awesome if you haven’t been there – you must!). We picked up some fresh Sea Bass steaks (you can also use fillets), herbs, red curry paste, and banana leaves (which actually come frozen and need to be defrosted and cut down to size first before using).
Banana leaves are often used in Thai cooking to wrap around fish and add subtle flavor to whatever food they surround. This recipe was surprisingly easy to make and had wonderful tasty Asian flavors from the fresh herbs (basil, mint, cilantro, ginger and garlic and Thai chile) and lime. The red curry sauce is also easy to make by adding some paste to coconut milk and chicken stock and letting it simmer down while you grill/steam the fish in the banana leaves on the Big Green Egg. You just lay down a strip of the herb mixture, top it with some fish and lime slices, drizzle a little bit of oil, salt and pepper and then wrap the fish up in the leaves into cute little packets and throw them on the Big Green Egg (or any covered grill will do). After about 15-20 minutes you just unwrap the little packets, and top the fish with the curry sauce and serve with a side of lemony buttered green beans and fresh corn on the cob to go with it. Fresh, healthy and delicious.
Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can coconut milk
1 teaspoon red curry paste
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup firmly packed chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup firmly packed chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup firmly packed chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup grated fresh ginger
1/4 cup crushed garlic
1 thinly sliced red jalapeno or serrano pepper
4 banana leaves (cut to 12 inches square)
4 (6 to 7 ounce) sea bass fillets or steaks
1 lime, cut into 8 thin slices
2 tablespoons canola oil or spray
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation
Big Green Egg
Preheat the EGG (or grill) to 350 degrees F.
Sea Bass and lime
Prep fish and lime and set aside to begin making coconut curry.
Red Curry Coconut Sauce
To make the sauce, combine the coconut milk, curry paste and chicken stock in a small saucepan. Simmer on the stovetop over medium heat for 10 minutes, then keep warm.
Chopped Herbs
Combine all the herbs (basil, mint, cilantro, ginger, garlic and chile) in a medium bowl and mix well.
Banana Leaves
Lay the banana leaves out flat,
Sea Bass & Herbs on Leaves
and place 3 to 4 tablespoons of the herb mixture on the center of each leaf and top each mound of herbs with fish.
Fish, Herbs and Lime on Leaves
Top each packet with 2 lime slices and 1/2 teaspoon canola oil (or some oil spray).
Folding Banana Leaf Packets
Season with salt and pepper and begin folding packets by folding the sides of the leaf inward, then fold the top and bottom over and tucking the ends under (kinda like making a banana leaf fish burrito!!).
Folded Leaves ready for the grill
Secure each packet with butcher’s twine and brush or spray more oil on the outside of the leaves.
Grilled Banana Leaves
Place the leaves directly on the EGG porcelain-coated grid (or regular grill if using) and close the lid. Grill for 7 to 8 minutes per side, until the interior of the fish is opaque (unwrap a package and insert a knife into the fish to test). Transfer the fish to individual plates, remove the twine, open the top, and spoon the curry sauce over the fish. Serve while hot and with a side of buttery lemon green beans and fresh corn on the cob. For wine pairing, serve with a Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay.
There’s an interesting theory that in the Summertime heat, eating spicy foods actually lowers your body temperature as well as a plethora of other health benefits such as raising your metabolism, improving digestion, mood and aids in better sleep. For a recent photoshoot I did for Miditto.com, we decided to pair some of their monthly wine selections with a spicy dish – and what better than some delicious fish tacos made with a kickin’ spice rub and a fresh mango-avocado-jalapeno salsa?
You can always adjust the heat by increasing or decreasing the amount of cayenne red pepper (or omit it all together if you like the spice flavor without the heat), and to be perfectly honest this spice rub and fruity fresh salsa combination would go great with grilled chicken or shrimp too! I used tilapia for this recipe but you can also substitute any other mild flaky white fish such as cod, orange roughy, flounder, halibut or haddock.
Spicy Fish Tacos
Garnish the tacos with some extra cilantro, jalapeños, fresh cracked black pepper. Some sliced red cabbage would also add a little bit of fresh crunch too. Add a splash of fresh lime juice, a dollop of chipotle cream (recipe follows) — both great toppings to cool the spicy heat!
Cool off with some Spicy Fish Tacos & Summer Wine pairings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: Serves 4.
Serving Size: 1 taco
Spicy Fish Tacos with Mango, Avocado & Jalapeño Salsa and Chipotle Crema. Perfectly paired with Summer white wine or rose to cool the heat!
Ingredients
Spicy Fish Fillets:
1/2 tbsp cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound white fish fillets (cod, tilapia,haddock)
1 tablespoon canola oil
Avocado-Mango-Jalapeno Salsa:
1 cup sliced peeled avocado
2/3 cup finely chopped peeled ripe mango
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced (optional)
1 cup red cabbage, shredded (optional)
1 lime, fresh juice of for garnish 8 (6-inch) corn or flour tortillas
Chipotle Crema:
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream or plain yogurt
1 tbsp low-fat mayonnaise
2 teaspoons chipotle pepper (finely chopped) in adobo sauce
fresh lime juice from 1/2 lime
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepare Spicy Fish:
Wash fish fillets and pat dry, set aside.
Prep all fresh ingredients (chop garlic, herbs, fruit, onions, avocado, etc.) and set aside.
Measure out all dry spices (cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, paprika, cayenne, black pepper) and add to a mixing bowl, combine well. Rub spices over fish and let sit covered in plastic wrap for about 10-15 minutes in the refrigerator.
Cook fish in a skillet with oil for about 2 minutes on each side (check to make sure the fish is done by cutting a slit in the thickest part. If still pink, cook another minute or so until done). Keep the fish warm tented with some foil on a side plate while preparing the salsa.
Avocado-Mango-Jalapeno Salsa:
To make the salsa, add together the rest of the salt (1/4 teaspoon), avocado, mango, onions, cilantro, lime juice, red pepper and jalapeño (if using).
Rub a small amount of canola oil on the tortillas on both sides and heat in a skillet over medium-low. (You can also put them in the microwave for about 1 minute or warm them in the oven at 350 for about 5-10 minutes).
Cut the fish into medium size pieces and add them to the tortillas. Top each taco with a couple tablespoons of the mango-jalapeno-avocado salsa.
For garnishes, add a squeeze of fresh lime juice, cilantro, jalapeno slices, cabbage, salt and pepper to taste.
For a little extra flavor, add a drizzle of chipotle cream or top with a dollop of sour cream to cool the spicy heat.
Chipotle Crema:
In a small to medium mixing bowl, add all ingredients and mix together well. If you like a smoother cream texture, throw everything into a blender or food processor until blended well. Add chipotle cream to a squeeze bottle or plastic bag with a hole cut from one of the corners and squeeze over top of the tacos, or add a dollop of sour cream as a cool topping. Makes 1/2 cup.
