Inspiration of Summer Dreams

Labor Day does not put an end to my summer, as an East End September is celebrated for it’s bounty of the farms and water. I've shared a window of inspiration of a few summer dishes I prepared on the land and water this past summer. I hope you keep the spirit of summer alive!

Chef George Hirsch Summer Seafood

Not your mother’s fish sticks: L - R

Mini Grilled Shrimp Rolls, a snack while fishing Montauk waters with friends 

Portuguese Clams, shared with friends for a mid-summer BBQ gathering

Lobster Cocktail, magazine photo shoot  

Mussels Provençal, at home for quiet mid-week snack

Seared Tuna with Cuke Squash Slaw, benefit 11 course wine dinner Chef George signature cruise   

Herb Crusted Blowfish, starter course for a celebration seafood dinner kicking off summer 

Happy dreams! 

Montauk, Never Tired

Each time I visit Montauk, my neighborhood to the east it feels as though I've jetted miles away. Here's the reward of a recent fishing trip that brought in one of my favorite tasting fish, black sea bass. Having filmed fishing segments for George Hirsch Lifestyle in Montauk and other regions, I've found the secret to catching loads of fish, don't film..the fish are shy! 

Montauk Montauk LighthouseGeorge's Grilled Black Sea Bass

Over the years I've written and featured many types of seafood in my cookbooks and on my shows. The number one tip for great tasting fish, Know Your Fisherman. Maybe not personnaly, but know where your seafood is being sourced from. And, please be responsible and make sure you are cooking sustainable seafood. Use this guide to find ocean-friendly alternatives to seafood on the Seafood Watch  “Avoid” list.  

Open Fire Greek Style

"My art is a smoke-blackened empire" 
Quote; Athenaeus, Greek scholar c.200 A.D.

My travels to Greece have inspired this recipe. Usually the Greek custom is for a whole lamb to be prepared, but for ease of cooking I substituted a leg of lamb in lieu of the traditional whole lamb. Tried and true - this open fire spit recipe is always a crowd pleaser and was also one of the most requested dishes at my restaurant, and my TV crew loved it too. The fire-smoke combo flavors the meat while it slowly caramelizes on the spit. I know your guests will enjoy it as much as mine. Just use caution – your guests may get so into the mood, they will want to dance on tables and break plates. Opa, happy Friday! 

Grilled Greek Leg of Lamb  
makes 10-12 servings | recipe by George Hirsch

From Gather ‘round the Grill cookbook 1995, by Chef George Hirsch with Marie Bianco & From George Hirsch Living it UP! TV series

5-6 pound boneless leg of lamb, split
2 cups fresh spinach, cleaned
2 Tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
8 fresh mint leaves
1 head garlic, peeled
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
2 teaspoons sea salt

Place fresh spinach, garlic, oregano, mint leaves, and pepper in a food processor or blender. Blend until leaves are small, add lemon juice and vinegar. Blend one minute or just until all ingredients are well mixed.  Place lamb in a large bowl, pour marinade over the lamb, cover, and refrigerate for 4 hours or up to 2 days ahead of cooking; turning lamb twice a day.

Pre heat grill to high.   

Remove lamb from marinade, dry the surface of the meat with paper towels, sprinkle with sea salt and secure with butcher twine on a metal spit. Place leg of lamb with spit on an indirect heat on a gas or charcoal grill for 30-40 minutes, until the entire surface is nicely brown.  Use caution when grilling to cook on an indirect heat to avoid flare ups.  

Place marinade in a large braising pan (as wide as lamb) and bring up to a rapid boil.  When meat is brown, place braising pan with reduce marinade on grill under meat to catch juices dripping from roast. Cover grill and lower temperature of grill to low. Brush lamb with drippings every 5-10 minutes. 

Cooking the lamb roast on a spit low and slow keeps the meat tender and juicy, as the moisture is not forced out of the roast. I cook my lamb well done; more in the style of a braised lamb dish for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until lamb is fork tender. However, if you prefer your lamb medium-rare, after browning roast cook about one hour on low temperature or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 145 degrees. 

When meat is cooked remove to a serving platter, cover with foil and allow to rest for thirty minutes prior to removing from spit and carving.  While meat is resting bring juices in braising pan to a boil and reduce the juices until it is all homogenized, pour juice over sliced lamb.

Serve with Greek Salad, warm pita bread and Tzatziki.

Making the Best Fish and Chips

Buying food and reading labels can be a dizzying task. One can't help but be overrun with questions like - Is this good for me and my family? Is it safe to eat? Where did this come from? Is this sustainable? Reading labels can work most of the time, but what if there’s no label, as with fish? You would think if a fish has been around since the beginning of time and spawned billions of eggs - there wouldn’t be any problem, right? But not so fast, too much of anything can be harmful, even cod. 

Here's a solution - Seafood Watch, provided by the same folks who operate the Monterey Bay Aquarium; which by the way is a fantastic experience to visit in itself. I’ve had the occasion to visit for both leisure and as a keynote speaker and celebrity chef a few years back to kick off the Monterey Food & Wine Classic. 

Pardon me while I digress, I will get right back to cod...While I have you in Monterey, I want to mention a one degree of separation between John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row (the gritty side of life in this seaside post depression novel) and lovely Monterey. One of my friend’s families was the basis of a character in Steinbeck's tome. It is also that same good friend, Bert Cutino from the famed Tortilla Flat neighborhood on Canary Row who owns the famed Sardine Factory, a must stop when in town. 

Now, back to the cod. With it’s mild flavor, low fat content and a dense, flaky white flesh, it's no wonder cod is one of the most common fish used for fish & chips along with haddock and plaice. But, did you know it is currently at risk from over fishing in UK, Canada and other Atlantic waters? So be in the know with Seafood Watch. Use this guide to find ocean-friendly alternatives to seafood on the Seafood Watch “Avoid” list. It’s a good thing to use discretion and follow their lead so in the future when we are calling all cods, there are still some around.

Best Choices: Cobia (US farmed), Cod- Pacific (trap, hook-and-line, longline from AK)

Good Alternatives: Cod- Atlantic (Northeast Arctic and Iceland), Cod- Pacific (U.S. trawl)

Avoid: Cod: Atlantic, Iceland and Northeast Arctic (trawled),  and Pacific (imported)

The carbonation in the beer makes the batter exceptionally airy and produces a crispy coating. Malt vinegar is a British favorite on fish and chips.

George Hirsch Beer Batter Cod

George's Beer Batter Cod
Recipe by George Hirsch, Know Your Fire Cookbook, Putnam 1997 

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 eggs
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 cup beer, a strong full flavored Stout or IPA
vegetable oil for frying
2 pounds cod fillet, cut into serving pieces
Malt vinegar for serving

Combine 1 cup of the flour, sugar, baking powder and black pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in the eggs and hot sauce. Slowly pour in the beer, stirring constantly, until the foam subsides and the batter is smooth. Let the batter rest for 15 to 20 minutes.

Heat 2 to 3 inches of oil to 370 degrees F. in a deep sauce pan or deep-fat fryer.

Dredge the the cod in the remaining 1/4 cup flour, shaking off any excess, and dip into the batter.

Carefully slip the pieces into the hot fat and cook until brown on both sides, turning once. Drain on paper towels. Serve with french fries and malt vinegar.

New Years Eve, Cotechino Con Lenticchie

In Italy, people welcome the New Year by tossing old things out of their windows to make room for the new and bring luck into their lives in the upcoming year. In regards to food traditions, Italians cook up a dish called Cotechino Con Lenticchie, pork sausage served over lentils. This dish is eaten during the New Year because of the presence of a rich and robust pork sausage with lentils in the dish. Cotechino sausage is a symbol of abundance because it is rich in fat; while the coin-shaped lentils symbolize money. 

I love it served with a steamy dish of gnocchi and sautéed garlicky greens, another symbol of prosperity. 

Cotechino Con Lenticchie: Pork Sausage Served over Lentils

by George Hirsch | Makes six servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com

If you can't find cotechino, a high quality fresh pork sausage flavored with nutmeg, and pepper a good hearty italian style sausage will suffice. 

1 pound cotechino, pork sausage
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic
1 large carrot, chopped
1 bay leaf
8 whole black peppercorns
1 sprig fresh thyme 
1 pound dry green lentils
4 cups chicken broth
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped 

Pierce the cotechino with a fork in several places. 

Pre heat a large pot and add olive oil, chopped onion, garlic, carrot, 1 bay leaf, peppercorns and thyme. Simmer vegetables for two minutes and add cotechino, cook two minutes and add lentils, cover with 4 cups broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 45 to 50 minutes or until lentils are soft. Add additional water if necessary. 

Remove the bay leaf and discard. Spoon the lentils into a serving dish, drizzle with olive oil and slice rounds of the cotechino over the top. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve.