August in NYC can have a lot of different meanings.  To some it is the end of the hot muggy summer months, to others its the end of BBQ and outdoor activities, to a lot of chefs its TOMATO SEASON.  This year the New York area seems to have a great crop of tomatoes.  The hot climate we have had the past few months makes the tomatoes grow faster and sweeter.

There are plenty of tomatoes out there to chose from but some of my favorites are heirlooms.  Heirloom tomatoes are not your ordinary variety.  They are original strains not genetically modified like the tomatoes you get in the grocery store.  They are not perfectly round, all one color and not all the same shape.  So if you are looking for unity go your local grocer and you will be satisfied.  If you are looking to break the mold of that boring red, round, plain, unsweet and flavorless tomato head to your local greenmarket and pick up some heirlooms.  They are the exact opposite of grocery store tomatoes.  They have not been ripened with green house gasses or genetically altered.  They are passed down through generations through seed saving and are delicious, juicy, sweet and bursting with flavor.  There are a lot of different types of heirlooms, all with different flavor profiles.  Some of the more common ones are Beefsteak, Cherokee Purple, Green Zebra, Black Krim, Oxacan Jewel, Yellow Valencia , Black Russian, Brandy Wine, German Stripe Sunday, Early Girl and Big Pink.

There is a lot of debate as what constitutes an heirloom tomato.  How long do the seeds need to be passed down for it to be considered heirloom? There is no exact answer for that but one thing everyone agrees on is heirlooms must be open pollinated.  Tomatoes mostly self pollinate and rarely cross pollinate, so if you plant heirlooms and save the seeds year after year you will most likely continue to generate the exact same fruit.  As with anything there are some disadvantages to planting heirlooms.  They are not as disease resistant as genetically modified tomatoes so they are prone to cracking and they don't have much of a shelf life.  That shouldn't be a problem though because once you taste them I am sure they will not last long.

Most people don't cook with heirlooms because they have such great flavor raw.  They are used a lot in salads.  Try just slicing an heirloom and pair it with some fresh mozzarella, sprinkle of fleur de sel and a drizzle of aged balsomic.  After the first bite you will see what I mean.  I like to use heirlooms in one dish that is cooked however: tomato tarte tatin.  This is a twist on the classic dessert, apple or pear tarte tatin.  It's normally sweet but I put some savory twists on it.  Sherry vinegar and the natural sweetness of the tomatoes combine to make this is a great first course for your next gathering.  It also can be made early in the day before your guests arrive then just popped in the oven, warmed and served.  Enjoy!

Caramelized Tomato Tarte Tatin

Yields 6 Servings

 

4-5 Medium Sized Heirloom Tomatoes

2 tsp Fresh Thyme, Chopped

2 tsp Pitted Kalamata Olives, Chopped

3 ea. Medium Shallot, Thinly Sliced

2 ea Cloves of Garlic, Minced

1/2 c Sugar

5 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter

2 Tbsp. Sherry Vinegar

1 Sheet Frozen Puff Pastry, Thawed

Salt and Pepper

 

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Depending on the size of the tomatoes you get core and ¼ them or 1/6 them.  Tomatoes as they bake will give off allot of moisture.  So when they are cut remove as much of the seeds and any other goop inside to reduce the amount of moisture you start off with.  If you leave too much you will have soup rather than a tart. 

Melt 1 tbsp butter in a 9-10 inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced shallots and cook slowly until caramelized.  When shallots are caramelized add minced garlic, cook for an additional 20 seconds, remove everything from skillet and reserve.  Add the remaining 4 tbsp butter and sherry vinegar to the skillet and melt.  Add the sugar to the skillet and mix with a wooden spatula, cook until liquefied, then remove from heat.  Spread sugar/butter evenly around that pan and arrange the tomato wedges, skin side down close together in skillet.  Try to fill in any voids. 

Return the skillet to medium heat and continue to cook until the sugar mixture is amber in color and reduced to syrup.  This should take approximately 10 to 15 minutes.  If your syrup is cooking to quickly reduce the heat.  About 10 minutes into the cooking add the olives and thyme. Season with salt and pepper.  When fully cooked your tomatoes should all be arranged as tight as possible with the skin side down.  The side that is down in the pan will be the top of your tart.  Remove from heat.

Trim the corners of the puff party to make a very rough 9 to 10-inch round.  Sprinkle the caramelized shallots and garlic mixture on top of the tomatoes.  Place pastry round atop tucking in the edges with a knife.  Cut a few small slits in the pastry.  Place skillet in the preheated oven and bake for 20-30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.  Remove skillet from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.  Cut around the sides of the skillet to loosen pastry.  Place a large enough plate over the skillet and quickly invert.  Let the tart settle and remove the skillet.  Replace any tomatoes that stuck.  Serve slightly warmed.

 Executive Chef Michael Goldsborough

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Rosemary Stuffed Grilled Rack of Lamb....

As the month of August begins it always sets off an alarm in my head.  The grilling weekend will come to an end soon and we must all retreat back into our kitchens.  The good news is that summer isn’t over yet!  There are a few more good grilling weekend left, so don’t waste them.  One meat I love to grill is lamb, which may not be the most popular (or the cheapest) but it is great choice done right.   There are a few different lamb chops to choose from for grilling:

Lamb Shoulder Blade Chops:

Lamb shoulder blade chops are cut from the blade portion of shoulder and contain part of the blade bone and backbone.

Lamb Shoulder Arm Chops:

Lamb shoulder arm chops are cut from the arm portion of shoulder and contain cross-sections of round arm bone and rib bones.

Lamb Rib Chops:

Lamb rib chops contain backbone and, depending on the thickness, a rib bone. The chops have a meaty area consisting of rib eye muscle. The outer surface is covered by fat but with the fell (a thin, paperlike covering) removed.

Lamb Loin Chops:

Lamb loin chops contain part of the backbone. Muscles include the eye of the loin (separated from the tenderloin by T-shaped finger bones) and the flank. Kidney fat is on the top of the tenderloin, and the outer surface is covered with fat, but with the fell (a thin, paperlike covering) removed.

Lamb Loin Double Chops:

Lamb loin double chops contain top loin (larger muscle) and tenderloin (smaller muscle), but with the flank removed from the cut. They are called double chops since this is a cross-cut of loin containing both sides of the carcass.

Lamb Leg Sirloin Chops:

Lamb leg sirloin chops are cut from the sirloin section of the leg and contain backbone and part of the hip bone, which vary in shape. Muscles include the top sirloin, tenderloin, and flank. There is fat on the outside, but the fell (a thin, paperlike covering) is removed.

* Source: http://www.mealsforyou.com/cgi-bin/customize?meatcutslamb.html

There is also ground lamb and leg of lamb.  Try ground lamb burgers, or mix lamb and beef and put a spin on your next bbq gathering.  Lamb legs works best B.R.T. (bone rolled and tied) but before you tie it up stuff it with some feta cheese, olives and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper and slowly grill it.  You won't be disappointed.

I personally like a good old rack of lamb which would be lamb rib chops in the list above.  You will also have to chose from Australian, New Zealand, or domestic/American lamb.  Domestic lamb runs bigger in size due to the way they are fed and finished, and they also tend to have a milder flavor because of this.  Australian and New Zealand lamb will have more of a gamey flavor compared to domestic but will be smaller in comparison as well.

I stuff my lamb with a blend of oven dried tomatoes, garlic, rosemary and olives, which brings an extra layer of warm Mediterranean flavor to it.  The markets are overflowing with ripe seasonal tomatoes right now, it's the perfect time to work with them.  When you dry them in the oven they retain more moisture than sun-dried and keep the inside of the lamb juicy.  I recommend making a big batch and serving some as a side for the lamb.

Rosemary Stuffed Grilled Rack of Lamb

Yield 4 portions

For the Lamb:

2 racks of lamb, cut into 4 bone-in portions

1-2 Tbsp vegetable oil

kosher salt and ground black pepper

For the Stuffing:

4 med cloves garlic, minced

8 sprigs fresh rosemary from the garden

¼ cup Kalamata olives, chopped

--combined with, for oven-dried tomatoes--

6 whole ripe plum tomatoes from the garden

3 sprigs fresh thyme from the garden, chopped

2 springs fresh oregano from the garden, chopped

1 med clove garlic, minced

2 tsp vegetable oil

1 tsp kosher salt

½ tsp sugar

Procedure for Stuffing:

First prepare oven-dried tomatoes.  Halve the 6 tomatoes and remove the seeds.  Toss tomatoes in a bowl with vegetable oil.  Arrange on a baking sheet atop parchment paper cut side up and season with herbs, garlic, salt and sugar.  Place into a preheated 250° oven for approximately 2 hours or until the tomatoes appear dried, and have shrunken slightly.

Roughly chop the oven dried tomatoes and mix with garlic, rosemary and olives.  Set aside until lamb is ready to be stuffed.

Procedure for the Lamb:

Insert a paring knife into the cut side of the lamb and push it through to the other end.  Insert the handle of a wooden spoon in the cut and make a ½ in diameter hole.  Mix together the garlic, rosemary, tomatoes and olives and stuff this mixture into the lamb from both ends being sure it is evenly distributed.  Coat the lamb with oil and season generously with salt and black pepper. 

On a med-high preheated grill cook the lamb approximately 8-10 minutes each side for medium rare.  Once cooked let the lamb rest 5-10 minutes before serving. 

Radicchio Coleslaw .....

 

The summer months in NY brings a host of different fresh produce to all the farmers markets as well as farm stands. When I have off I love to go out to the East End of Long Island and explore all the farms and wineries, especially on the North Fork. The farm stands on the east end have a great variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. You can find fresh sweet corn, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage and a variety of other fresh produce. I love to use these trips to come up with some new and interesting salads and side dishes. One of these that I will share with you today is a radicchio cole slaw. Try this at your next gathering and I am sure you will not be disappointed.

For those of you are a not as familiar with radicchio, radicchio is an Italian chicory. It has bitter and spicy tastes that help add great deal of depth and complexity to a coleslaw salad. You can not only use radicchio in salads but you can also grill, braise or used in soups. When you are grilling radicchio you add another dimension of flavor, the grilling actually allows for the bitterness to be less forward and allows for a layer of sweetness to be present.

Bridgewaters

radicchio coleslaw                                                                         

yeilds 6-8 servings

1ea.                  small head radicchio, shredded thin

1ea.                  small head green cabbage, cored and shredded thin

1ea.                  Medium carrot, shredded

½ ea                 small red onion, sliced thin

1pc.                  Jicama, shredded

1cup                 sugar snap peas, sliced thin lengthwise

¼ c                   sliced scallions

1 ½ tbsp            toasted sesame seeds

6 tbsp               rice wine vinegar

4 tbsp               extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp               sugar

½ tbsp              Dijon mustard

1-2 tsp             salt

1 tsp                 ground black pepper

In a small bowl mix the rice wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, sugar, salt and black pepper.  while whisking the vinegar mixture slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil.  In another bowl mix all the vegetables and 1 tbsp of the toasted sesame seeds.  When veggies are mixed add the vinaigrette and mix again.  Chill the coleslaw for 1 hour prior to serving.  Sprinkle the remaining ½ tbsp toasted sesame seeds on top when ready to serve.

Lemon Garden Herb Stuffed Branzino

Entertaining is an art. Being a chef, a lot of people ask me if when I am off do I still like to cook at home. My answer is always yes.  Cooking at home for my friends and family is one of my favorite things to do.  I can cook for a group of 20 people and still have time to mingle with my guests and enjoy myself.  There are a few things you can do for your next gathering to prepare yourself so you too can enjoy the party.

  First plan a simple menu.  The larger the guest list, the simpler it should be.  There are plenty of great simplistic recipes and ideas out there, anything that requires multiple pots and pans to finish preparing should not be part of your menu.

   Second and most important is preparation.  Chose menu items that can be partially to fully prepared hours to a day ahead of time. If you are having people over for a summertime BBQ you might want to make some sort of potato salad, coleslaw or a pasta salad.  All of these can be made the day before.  You can even put in decorative bowls and store in the fridge until you are ready to serve. For the entrée portion of the meal, try a grilled branzino.  This delicate fish can be stuffed with aromatic herbs picked strait from your garden, tied up and kept cold until you are ready to grill.

  Don't overdo it.  You want to give your guests a variety but having appetizers, 6 sides, 3 entrees and 4 desserts will do nothing but give you a headache and leave you with a lot of uneaten food.

   Keep your liquor selection to a minimum.  You might want to avoid putting out any liquor all together and just make a pre-determined cocktail such as a sangria.  Chose something that you can make the base for ahead of time, then when your guests arrive, just finish it with ice or a splash of soda and serve in a glass pitcher.  No need to take out the whole liquor cabinet.  Just serve your specialty cocktail, beer and wine.

Lemon Garden Herb Stuffed Branzino

Yields 4 portions

4 small Branzino, head and tail on, skin on

1 lemon

1 sprigs Sage, from the garden

6 sprigs thyme, from the garden

4 sprigs parsley, from the garden

2 sprigs rosemary, from the garden

1 Garlic Clove, Thin Sliced

1 Small Shallot, Thin sliced

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Vegetable Oil

Lay all 4 branzino open skin side down on a tray.  Cut 4 slices of lemon and those slices into half moons.  Season the inside of the branzino with salt and pepper and lay 2 half moons of lemon in each fish.  Pick all leaves from herbs and combine in a small bowl with shallots and garlic.  Divide the herb mixture evenly over the four fish and fold over to close.  With a few pieces of butchers twine gently tie the branzino in 3 spots to keep it from opening on the grill.  Brush with oil and season with salt and pepp

 Preheat your grill to med-high heat and oil the cooking surface.  Grill the branzino for 5-7 minutes per side being careful not to rip the skin when flipping.  Remove from the grill and cover with foil for a few minutes to finish cooking before serving. 

Cedar Planked Maple Glazed Salmon

Smoking meats and fish is a great American pastime. It was done in the past in combination with curing not to impart flavor as much as it was to preserve meat and fish though the months and on long journeys. There was no selection of wood chips available, electric or gas smokers like so many of us use today.  Whatever grew natively in the land was used to smoke with.  Some of our favorite dishes, like pastrami, gravlox and smoked salmon come from these techniques. I've included two salmon recipes here, including one that smokes it on the grill, and another that cures it into a version of pastrami.  The pastrami is not cooked, but cured in a multi-day process that infuses layers of flavor into the fish and renders it succulent and ready to eat.

Today we have a variety of woods to chose from.  Smoking with fruit wood such as apple or cherry wood will impart sweet smoky flavors.  Smoking with heavier woods such as hickory and mesquite will produce a smokier and almost bitter flavor.  There are so many ways to get that oh so good smoke flavor onto your meat and fish, from brining to dry rubs and cures, using a bbq with a side smoker box or fashioning an old 50 gallon drum into a smoker.

One inexpensive and easy way to get a smoke flavor is to use cedar planks.  You won’t find too many people who use cedar chips to smoke with, because cedar is a conifer.  Woods such as pine, fur, cedar and Cyprus are very soft and contain a lot of sap.  They burn very fast and in doing so will impart bad flavors.  However if you soak a plank of cedar in water for a day it will impart sweet smoky cedar flavors on your delicate fish. 

At Bridgewaters and Twenty Four Fifth we cedar plank salmon on our outdoor grill during the summer months and serve it right on the planks to our guests.  It’s a great way to present your fish and an interactive way of cooking in front of your guests.

Pastrami Salmon

Cure for 1 side salmon

One 4-5 lb side of salmon, skin on, pin bones removed

½ bunch cilantro, chopped

½ bunch parsley, chopped

2 medium shallots, chopped

2c Kosher Salt

2 Tbsp saltpeter (sodium nitrite or pink salt)

¼ c light brown sugar

¾ c turbinado sugar (sugar in the raw)

1 tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground allspice

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

Glaze for 1 side salmon

 ¼ cup molasses
1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp chili powder

3 bay leaves
2 tbsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp coriander seed
2 tbsp fresh ground black pepper

To cure the salmon, combine all ingredients for the cure in a bowl.   Place a cut piece of cheesecloth large enough to wrap around the entire side of salmon in a disposable pan or sheet tray.  Place half of the cure mix on the cheesecloth and spread it around so it will cover the skin side of the salmon when you lay it on top.  Lay the salmon on top of the cure mix, skin side down and use the remaining cure mix to coat the flesh side of the salmon.  Once covered, wrap the cheesecloth over the salmon.  Place another pan directly on top of the wrapped salmon and use a few cans of tomatoes or anything you have laying around to weight the pay/tray down.  This will help push the moisture out of the salmon and cure evenly.  Rest your salmon in the fridge with the weight on top for 3 days.

 

When 3 days have passed, remove from the fridge and unwrap.  Scrape off the cure mix and wipe the surface of the salmon off with a damp paper towel.  Place back in the fridge until ready to be glazed. 

In a small saucepan, combine the molasses, cayenne pepper, chili powder and bay leaves and bring to a simmer. Let cool to room temperature. In a small sauté pan gently toast the whole coriander seeds until they become aromatic.  Crush them in a mortar and pestle and combine with smoked paprika and fresh ground black pepper. 

Brush the molasses onto the flesh side of your cured salmon and sprinkle the spice mixture on top.  Refrigerate the salmon uncovered overnight and enjoy the next day. 

 Cedar Planked Maple Glazed Salmon

Serves 4 people

4ea. 8-10oz portions of Salmon, skin off

1ea. 8inx18in cedar plank

¼ c. Maple Glaze

Vegetable Oil

Kosher Salt

Ground Black Pepper

For the Glaze:

¼ c Pure Maple Syrup

¼ c Dark Rum

1 ½ Tbsp Dijon Mustard

Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pot.  Cook over Medium heat until reduced by half and has a glaze consistency. 

For the Salmon:

    Purchase Cedar Planks for grilling or you can purchase a plank of Cedar from you local Hardware store.  Be sure if purchasing from a hardware store that the Cedar has not been treated with any chemicals. 

    Soak Cedar plank in cold water for a minimum of 2 hours.  Season your salmon portions with salt and pepper and brush on the maple glaze.  Preheat your grill on high.  Place your plank on the grill for 1 minute or so to get it hot.  Turn it over and with an oiled paper towel wipe the surface.  Place your seasoned and glazed salmon on top of the preheated plank.  Close the grill cover and let the salmon cook for 5-7 minutes.  You should see smoke and may hear a popping sound from the moisture in the wood.  If you see an excess amount of smoke you can lower the flame on your grill.  You want it to smoke but not to ignite.  Present your salmon to your guests right on the plank.   

Strip Steak with Red Bliss Potato Salad

The 4^th of July is one of my absolute favorite holidays. I love having a big barbeque, which of course always involves a great cut of meat and terrific sides.  I was a guest on Martha Stewart Radio last week discussing fresh Greenmarket potatoes and how to turn them into potato salad and casual dishes perfect for a day outdoors. I'll share those recipes here and also talk about how to grill a steak your family and friends are sure to love.

This year, at home I'm going to go with a nice strip steak with Red Bliss Potato Salad, I love the classic matchup of meat and potatoes.  You could spend a lot of money and get a prime sirloin but I personally think for a back yard bbq that is unnecessary.  I feel that going with a USDA certified angus beef grade of sirloin is well worth it.  It will be more expensive than your normal choice grade but the difference is noticeable. Certified Angus beef is normally a choice product but it is an upper 2/3 rd’s choice so you tend to get more marbling and a steak that has a lot more flavor.  If you haven’t tried it already I highly recommend doing so

Cooking a great steak takes patience and skill, but if you start out with a good cut its not necessary to marinate and tenderize.  The first step is to buy a good piece of meat whether that be certified angus beef or Prime.  Before cooking your steak take them out of the fridge and let them come up to room temperature, this will allow them to cook more evenly.  Next put a light coating of vegetable oil on both sides and generously sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Be sure to use kosher salt and not sea or ionized salt, kosher salt will yield a better crust on your steak. 

Next, preheat your grill, covered, and give it a good brushing to prepare it for your steak.  Once your grill grates are clean and hot, place your steak down and leave them.  Resist the urge to play with them, turn them, check them or anything else.  Just let them be.  They will form a nice char on the surface.  If your grill isn’t that hot you may want to cover them to get a better char but this will also bake them so if you want medium rare to medium I don’t recommend doing this.

After 4-6 minutes depending on how hot your grill is a crust should be formed and they will easily release from the grill.  You can give them a ¼ turn to get those nice cross hatch marks or just give them a flip.  Again don’t fuss with them for another 4-6 minutes.  By now you should have medium to medium rare and you can remove them from the grill onto a platter.  The final stage is to let them rest.  This allows the meat to absorb all the juices that would normally come flowing out if you cut into it right away. Let them rest for at least five minutes, then enjoy. 

Summer Grilling Recipes

The herb garden on the terrace at Bridgewaters has been planted and is doing great. This year we planted russian tarragon, parsley, rosemary, peppermint, basil, za’atar, sage and thyme.  I love cooking with fresh herbs, especially when they are from my own garden. With the warm weather and the First day of summer on the horizon it is the perfect time for me to share some of my favorite grilling recipes with fresh herbs.

This weekend I am planning on grilling up some Skirt Steak with a tequila lime cilantro marinade, basil pistou marinated grilled vegetables and a grilled potato salad.

Summer Time to me means grilling with friends and family and having a good time. All of these dishes are grilled, and are perfect to make for the family to share.

Fire Roasted Potatoes                               4-6 people

1 lb Fingerling potatoes

1 lb Red Bliss “C” potatoes

1 lb Purple “C” potatoes

½ Tbsp Chervil

½ Tbsp Parsley, sliced

½ Tbsp Thyme, chopped

½ Tbsp Basil, sliced

2pc. Scallion, sliced

1 cup Cremini mushrooms (baby Bella) stems removed and sliced thin

2 Tbsp Good Extra Virgin Olive Oil

    Toss all whole potatoes in oil salt and pepper and grill.  Start out on high heat to get some char then reduce the heat to low and cover grill.  Cook for approximately 20 to 30 minutes or until done.  (The “c” on the red bliss and purple potatoes denotes the size.  Smaller potatoes will cook faster and for this application will work best).  While the potatoes are cooking preheat your sauté pan on high and use a dab of vegetable or canola oil to sauté the sliced mushrooms. Depending on your stove or side burner the mushrooms will take 5 to 7 minutes to cook.    

    Check to see if the potatoes are fully cooked by inserting a fork or a knife into the center.  If it goes in easy they are done.  The will be very hot so remove from the grill and let them cool for a 10 minutes.  Slice the fingerling potatoes and quarter the red bliss and purple potatoes and toss in a bowl with the cooked mushrooms, fresh herbs, extra virgin olive oil and more salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.      

Skirt Steak with Tequila, Lime and Cilantro Marinade                    4-6 people

3-5 lbs Skirt steak

1cup Tequila

¼ cup Dark brown sugar

¼ cup Lime juice, freshly squeezed

1 lime, zested

¼ c Vegetable or canola oil

2 tbsp Cilantro, chopped

1 Tbsp Salt

1 tsp Ground black pepper

In a bowl mix all ingredients but the steak.  Whisk until all sugar and salt are dissolved.  Add steak and toss.  Marinade in a Ziploc bag or in a covered bowl and refrigerate for 1-4 hours.  Remove steak from marinade and grill to desired doneness on medium heat.