Chili Verde Recipe

June 27, 2016

Chili Verde

Loved by vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike! Also gluten-free! Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup chopped sweet onion
1 8-oz red or Yukon gold potato, peeled, and cut into 1/3-in cubes
1 8-oz sweet potato, peeled, and cut into 1/3-inch cubes
2 TBS of chopped garlic
2 large cubano peppers, stemmed, seeded: 1 diced and 1 cut into 4 strips
2 TBS dried oregano
1 TBS brown rice flour
2 tsp cumin seeds
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 28-oz can of hominy with juices (you can substitute 2 15-oz cans of chickpeas with juices)
1 cup vegetable broth
1 7-oz can diced mild green chiles
Garnishes, such as crumbled feta cheese and lime wedges

Directions: Heat the oil in a heavy, large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, potatoes, yams, garlic, and cubanos. Cover and sweat until the onions are tender, stirring often to prevent browning, about 8 minutes. Mix in the oregano, flour, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Add the hominy (or chickpeas) with the juices and the broth and bring the chili to a simmer. Place the green chiles in a processor. Using tongs, transfer the tips of the cubano peppers from the pot to the processor; blend just until smooth. Scrape the chile sauce into the pot. Cover and simmer the chili 20 minutes. Uncover and simmer until the potatoes and yams are tender and the chili is reduced to the desired consistency, stirring often, 20 to 25 minutes longer. Season with more salt and pepper, if desired. Ladle the chili into bowls and serve with garnishes. Serves 4 to 6.

Smoked Salmon and Leek Chowder

May 5, 2014

This is one of the new hit dishes at the workshop this year. The first time we served it we actually had several people request a second bowl instead of the rack of lamb being served as the main course! (The rack of lamb with the pesto and breadcrumb crust is another of the favorite recipes.) We’ve already had so many requests for the recipe, we decided to post it right away.

Ingredients:

3 Tbs unsalted butter
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1 large rib celery, thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
2 8-oz bottles of clam juice
3 small red potatoes, cut into a 1/2″ dice (about 2 1/2 cups)
2 bay leaves
6 oz hot-smoked salmon, skin and bones removed, flaked into bite-size pieces (about 1 1/4 cups)
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 Tbs chopped fresh dill
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

To Make:

Melt the butter in a 4-qt saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and celery, and cook, stirring, until tender, about 6 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring for 1 minute.

Slowly whisk in the milk and clam juice, then bring to a simmer. Next, add the potatoes and bay leaves. Simmer gently until the potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes.

Add the salmon, cream, dill, and lemon juice, and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper and serve!

Chocolate Beet Cake

March 29, 2013

One of the most popular desserts of last year was the Chocolate Beet Cake. A dense chocolatey cake that lets you also claim you are eating your vegetables! This cake is the only dessert of last year that we also serving this year – by popular demand.

We’d like you to come to a workshop to enjoy this cake, but if you want to recreate it at home, here is the recipe.

Cake Ingredients:
2 medium beets, trimmed
1/2 Tbs vegetable oil
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2/3 cup natural cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tap pure vanilla extract

Frosting Ingredients:
10 Tbs unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup natural cocoa powder
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 top pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp kosher salt

PREPARE THE BEETS (can be done a day or two before)
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F. Put the beets on a piece of foil large enough to wrap them. Drizzle with the vegetable oil and turn to coast well. Enclose the beets in the foil and roast until tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 1 hour. Let cool.

MAKE THE CAKE
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with pan spray. Dust the pans with flour, tapping out any excess. (We use cake pans with removable bottoms to make it easy to turn out the cakes.)

Peel and finely grate enough of the beets to make 3/4 cup. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-low speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the grated beets and the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and carefully add half of the flour mixture; mix until fully incorporated. Add 1 1/4 cups hot water and the remaining flour mixture, return to medium-low speed and mix until smooth, about 2 minutes. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans, smoothing the tops.
Bake the cakes, rotating halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool the cakes in their pans on a rack for 10 minutes and then turn them out onto racks. Let the cakes cool completely.

MAKE THE FROSTING
Melt the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar and cocoa powder and mix until combined. Stir in the cream, vanilla and salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until smooth. Pour the mixture into a bowl and cool slightly. Refrigerate, stirring every 10 minutes, until soft peaks form and the frosting is completely cool, about 1 hour.

ASSEMBLE THE CAKE
Place one of the cakes on a cake plate and spread a generous 1/2 cup frosting evenly over the top. Top with the second cane and spread a generous 1/2 cup of frosting over it. Frost the sides with the remaining frosting.

HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT, TOO!

Sweet Potato Ginger Soup

January 9, 2013

The oohs and ahhs always fill the dining room when we serve the Sweet Potato Ginger Soup!

I just got a request to post the recipe to our blog and we are always happy to do so.

Sweet Potato Ginger Soup

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 inch chunk (1 ounce) fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 fresh jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, and left whole

2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 medium), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

5 1/2 cups low-salt canned chicken broth

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 Tablespoon light brown sugar

Freshly ground white pepper

Greek Yogurt

Melt the butter in a soup pot over low hear. Cook the onion in the butter, stirring occasionally, until very soft but not browned, 10 to 13 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and cardamon and cook for another minute. Increase the heat to high and add the jalapeño, sweet potatoes, 4 cups of the broth, and the salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are very soft, 15 to 20 minutes.

In a blender, puree the soup in batches until very smooth. Rinse and dry the pot and return the pureed soup to it. Add the remaining broth and bring to a simmer over the medium-low heat. Add the lime juice and brown sugar, and season with salt and white pepper to taste.

To serve, ladle the soup into individual bowls and add a dollop of the yogurt on top.

Serves 4 to 6.

Spinach Salad with Lemon Dressing

May 1, 2012

After many requests for the recipe of this popular salad served during the workshops, here it is!

Spinach Salad with Lemon Dressing

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup of sugar
1/3 cup of salad oil (canola or olive oil)
1 teaspoon dry mustard

Whisk together the ingredients and drizzle on top of fresh baby spinach leaves. We add dried cranberries and sliced almonds. Also good are fresh sliced strawberries.

Dutch Baby Breakfast Dish

November 4, 2010

Everyone has been asking for the recipe for the “Dutch Baby”, a breakfast dish that is sort of like a large puffed pancake that is baked in oven. It is one of my favorite dishes and I don’t get to make it that often, mainly because I usually only make it for small groups, as it does take a little longer to prepare and I only have so many small skillets!

So here is the recipe:

Dutch Babies (or German Pancakes)

For four servings,

4 Eggs

1 Cup Milk

1 Cup Flour

approx. 6 – 8 Tablespoons of butter/margerine

Preheat oven to 425 while you are blending the the egg mixture. Crack the eggs into a blender and whirl at high speed for about a minute. With the motor running, gradually add the milk, and then the flour. Continue whirling for 30 seconds.

Portion the butter into one large oven-safe non-stick skillet (3 – 4 quart size) or 4 small oven safe non-stick skillets (1 quart size) (I use a 8″ teflon oven-safe skillet to make individual servings), then put in the oven to melt. If you are using 4 skillets, divide the butter equally between them. I also spray the pan with non-stick coating to make sure the Dutch Babies don’t stick to the pans, which would spoil the presentation!

When the butter is melted, pour the egg mixture into the skillet/skillets and bake for 20 – 25 minutes. It is done when edges are browned and the center is firm.

Serve immediately. May be served plain, sprinkled with powdered sugar, syrup, lemon wedges, or fruit.

Rose Water, Saffron Pistachio Ice Cream

May 2, 2009

I just love rose water ice cream and I love pistachio ice cream and, well, everyone loves my banana saffron ice cream and their equivalent caramels. So, what better combination than rose water, saffron pistachio ice cream.

To my saffron ice cream base I add, before I put it into the machine, 1/8 cup of rose water and 3 cups of chopped pistachio. I use the Cuisinart to do a very course chop on the pistachios.

Saffron Ice cream base

1 qt heavy cream
1 qt 1/2 and 1/2
1 1/2 cup sugar (normally I use only 1 cup but felt that this should be a little sweeter.)
3 tea spoons saffron
2 table spoons vanilla paste (normally in my ice cream I only use 1 bean equiv. This is 2 bean equiv.)
10 egg yolks

Add
1/8 cup rose water
3 cups chopped, toasted but unsalted pistachios. (Do not use salted. I use raw pistachio and then lightly toast at 300 degrees for 15-20 minutes.)

Combine the heavy cream, 1/2 and 1/2, sugar, saffron and vanilla into a heavy sauce pan and bring to a boil. Take off the heat. Let steep at least 5 minutes, 10 is better. In this recipe, I use the vanilla paste, 2 T, which is the same as 2 beans. You can use 2 beans or you can use 2 t of vanilla extract. If you use the extract, put it in after you make the custard.

Reheat the mixture and after tempering the egg yolks, add into the base in a thin stream. Stir until either 170-180F or until the custard allows you to put a clean line through it on the wooden spoon. I use a spoon not a whisk. You do not want to put air into the ice cream. Stir all the time.

Strain into a bowl or a metal measuring cup. I strain because I don’t want to have saffron threads in my ice cream, just the taste. If you have not done the custard properly, straining will also take out any scrambled eggs. If you don’t want to, don’t strain, you’ll have threads in your ice cream which may not be a bad thing.

Put the ice cream into an ice bath. Now, if you have a great ice cream machine like mine, it takes hot ice cream into and churns until done, put in the rose water now and make your ice cream. If you don’t have a great ice cream machine and the ice cream has to be cold, then wait till the ice cream is cold from the bath, put in the rose water and then churn. Add pistachio as you churn. I add the pistachio almost immediately. I let it churn for about 30 seconds before I add the chopped pistachios.

It’s that simple. I made 3 batches, two with pistachio and one without, that is a saffron rose water ice cream sans nuts. Yummy. Now you can make this at home and pretend you are attending an art workshop or a fiber art workshop at the Greenville Arms.

Recipe: Holiday Top Chef Tiffany’s Salted Butterscotch Pudding Recipe

December 8, 2007

Question before the committee, can one make Tiffany’s Salted Butterscotch Pudding as seen in the edits on TV. If you look at the recipe above, click on this posts title, and count up the hours, an eyebrow or two may raise in inquiry as to whether it is possible to actually make said recipe in the allotted time. (OK, I have to stop channelling Steven and Marcel at the same time. 😉 (Actually, I believe they had 3 hours of cooking time and a half hour between each course. However, that hasn’t stopped me from seeing if this could be done in one hour.)

Seriously, you can make the Tiffany’s Top Chef Recipe very quickly if you take some short cuts. Strike that, not short cuts but if you understand the ins and outs of cooking. First of all, let me say that when I make desserts or my chocolates, I take my chef hat off and put on my pastry chef and chocolatier hat, both figuratively and literally. When doing pastry you have to slow down, change your attitude about almost all aspects of cooking, and basically, Ooooooommmmmmmm! To do this recipe, I stayed as Chef Mark and didn’t make that transformation to Pastry Chef Mark. So, Valerie and Ann, there IS a Butterscotch pudding!

I was able to cool down the mixture in a scant 15 mins to 75-80 degrees using a salted ice bath with plenty of cold water. I used that same ice bath over and over adding ice to it. Remember, in a water bath, you want to have the water line up to the line of the liquid in the pot. I didn’t change pots or do any of the nice things I normally do. I didn’t even change into my whites. I just banged this out. The waiting time I could have used to cook other things but in this time, I’m writing my blog. Not even a half hour has elapsed. And the temperature of the mixture is down to 72 degrees.

Now, I made sure that the water in the water baths was hot before I put it in the oven. I even heated it up on the stove. I even had a Top Chef moment. I was moving so fast that I must have either filled the boats up too much or the hotel pans too much, and some of the water from the water bath go into the custard. So, I threw those out, refilled two of them, still having 9 boats filled with pudding. So, I made 12 all told though I did wind up throwing out three because of the water bath. (Another got water in it, as I was putting it in the oven, I think I burned my hand again, so what’s new?, and I just left it, hoping that the water would bake out fast enough. I whisked it in.)

Remember I am preparing this for my guests so it still have to be good. So, within 35 mins, I had it in my preheated oven in a water bath. I couldn’t get the bread in there as well, urfh, and Kim came in while I was putting it in the oven to tell me that Megan, our dishwasher, was sick and that she’d be doing the dishes. Thanks sweety. I love you.)

I set my alarm for 22 mins to see how much time it will take to bake it. I should be able to do the sauce in 10 mins. that’ll mean about 1 hour for this recipe. As it turns out, it took for some about 30 mins. The ones in the hotter part of the oven were done in 20 mins and the ones in the cooler part in about 25 mins. If I had a deck oven, this would have went better. Plus, you really have to watch the water levels. Don’t fill them up too much.

OK. so, then I made the sauce. It looked very thin for a caramel sauce and it doesn’t have any milk in it so it’s not going to get any browning from the Maillard reaction and it really isn’t a caramel but we’ll see. I just made it and it only took about 15 mins. I heated the apple cider four mins in the micro to keep it from seizing the sugar. I didn’t whisk. I used a wooden spoon. (Ah hem, I didn’t use apple cider. I didn’t have any. We produce some very good ciders around here but you know what, all I had was, %-}, apple juice. Still all in all, not bad.)

So, all told, 55 mins for the custard, which I could do and also do other things in the background. So, basically, if I were Tiffany, I would have started the custard and finished it by the end of the first round as I was serving. Then right before the third round, I would have just banged out the sauce and voila, done. If she had an hour between courses, which I think they did not, she could have done the whole thing in one hour because while waiting for the custard to cook, she could have banged out the sauce. Or she could have started in during round 2. Same diff. The custard would have finished by the middle to end of round three while she banged out the sauce.

— Later after eating it —

Boy, that is sweet. It’s not only sweet but it is very butterscotchy. I like it but I think I’d tone down on the sugar. Maybe half it. 3/4 cup brown sugar to maybe 1 cup. Those judges must have a sweet tooth. Ouch. Most of the diners like it, some thought it too sweet. Oh, well. And it does seem more of a pudding than a custard though it’s made like a custard. Most of the dinners just loved the caramel sauce. When I made it, I just left the cinnamon stick in it and never took it out.

I also had to reboil the caramel until that it got thicker. I wound up taking it to 230 F.

I’ll put my version of the recipe below. I followed her recipe and weighed almost every ingredient so that you’ll have a more baker like recipe to follow. I also added temperatures to the recipe. I also added some tricks so that you wont have too many issues. Enjoy.

Butterscotch Pudding:

Ingredients

Pudding
100 g butter
225g brown sugar
1 vanilla bean (I used 1/2 of a Tahitian and it was very vanilla.)
480g whipping cream
280g milk (I used 2% with about 20g of cream in it.)
1t Fleur de sel
10 large egg yolks, beaten
blueberries as needed for a garnish. (Trust me on this.)

Caramel Sauce:
260g sugar
60g water
9g light corn syrup
1 cinnamon stick (I used True Cinnamon, Indonesian)
1 1/4 cups apple cider

Recipe:

Melt butter with brown sugar and cook until sugar is complete dissolved. Cook until boil In a separate pot, scrape vanilla from the bean and steep in cream with the whole pod. Heat to 200 degrees Fahrenheit and let cool to around 100F before using. Add cool cream to sugar mixture, slowly. Add in milk and salt and just barely bring to a boil. Temper mixture (at 144F) into eggs and then do a thin drizzle into the mixture while stirring briskly. Put in well salted ice bath for 15 mins or until the mixture has reached 75 F. Place pudding in containers and bake in a shallow water bath for about 20 mins in a 350F preheated oven or until firm but jiggly.

Caramel Sauce:

Combine sugar, water, corn syrup and cinnamon until sugar dissolves and mixture reaches 300F. Heat cider in the microwave for 4 mins or until mixture is between 110F and 120F. Add cider to sugar mixture while stirring with a wooden spoon and return to heat. Heat until mixture is 230F. Let cool and thicken. Serve over pudding warm.

Enjoy. This whole dish takes about 1 hour and 5 maybe 10 mins.

Hey, it isn’t chocolate but it’s yummer.

Recipe: New variation on chicken dish in pot

September 12, 2007

Basically, you make the edible mirepoix just like normal, then don’t put in the ham or the spicy capicola and instead, when about to serve, put a little bit of white truffle oil on the chicken or better, slice some fresh white truffles on top.

I used Roland which has some real truffles in it.

OK. This is bare bones. So, go to the following recipe and then rather than put the ham in, do the above.