Garlic Artichokes

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This is a dish to share with someone special. Get rid of your knives and forks and start the evening with finger food, an artichoke with a delicious savory garlic dip makes it all that more interesting!

Garlic Artichokes

Makes 4 servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle from Know Your Fire Cookbook

1 Lemon, cut in half

1/4 cup mint leaves washed, dried and chopped

8 cloves garlic chopped

3/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup white wine

1 Tablespoon flat leaf Italian parsely

1/4 cup mixed Sicilian olives 

juice of 1 fresh lemon

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Optional: 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes

Wash artichokes; remove outer leaves until pale yellow leaves are exposed. 

Cut off top two inches and stems so artichokes will sit upright. 

Remove fuzzy centers with the edge of a soup spoon and rub all surfaces with half of a lemon. Add juice of remaining lemon to water and dip artichokes to preserve green color. 

Mix mint, garlic, pepper, with wine, 1/2 cup olive oil and spoon into hollows of artichokes. Place in a pan just large enough to hold them upright. Add water to depth of three inches and remaining olive. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, cover and simmer 25 minutes or until just tender. Check by either pulling off a bottom leaf with ease or inserting small knife through bottom and it slides out with ease. Cooking will vary with size of artichokes. 

Remove artichokes, drain, cover and keep warm. Reduce cooking liquid until a syrupy consistency, add optional hot pepper flakes. Spoon sauce over artichokes; top with parsley, olives, lemon juice, olive oil and serve.

Note: Artichokes may also be grilled over a very high heat and topped with above flavorings. 

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Gnocchi

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Gnocchi is an excellent accompaniment for meat and poultry dishes. When prepared right, they are light as pillows, like dumplings. The secret is to not over mix the dough and to use just the right amount of flour. There are so many ways to make gnocchi; I prefer to bake the potatoes instead of steaming them, making a softer dough. Gnocchi is quite popular in the Mediterranean, with each country having their own version. I share below my version of Gnocchi which pairs well with bitter greens, like spinach.

Potato Gnocchi

Recipe Chef George Hirsch | chefgeorgehirsch.com

2 pounds russets (baking potatoes)

Approximately 2 cups flour (variable) 

1 large egg

A pinch of sea salt

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake potatoes until easily pierced with a fork or a paring knife will easy slip through potatoes. Cool slightly, then peel the potatoes. 

Mash them while they’re still warm (a potato ricer or food mill works best). Season the potatoes with a pinch of salt and slowly knead in enough flour to obtain a fairly firm, smooth, non-sticky dough; exactly how much flour depends on the moisture from the potatoes. Add the egg, and enough flour so the dough does not stick to your hands. 

Knead the dough for 4-5 minutes, as it will resemble regular pasta dough. Divide the dough into four pieces.

Roll the dough out into a rope shape about 2/3 of an inch thick, cut the rope into one-inch pieces, and gently score the pieces crosswise with a fork to obtain slight ridges. With your finger, gently roll the pressed dough back off the fork. This may take a little practice. If the dough sticks to the fork, dip the fork in flour before you press the dough against it. Making this shape will help the gnocchi grab on to the tasty sauce it’s served with. 

Cook the gnocchi in abundant salted boiling water, removing them with a slotted spoon a minute or two after they rise to the surface. Drain them well and serve them with a few leaves of sage, melted unsalted butter and Parmesan, or meat sauce, or pesto sauce. 

Serve immediately while they are full of steam. The gnocchi are wonderfully light when hot. Once they cool off they become dense like a tire without air.

Gnocchi with Spinach

recipe Chef George Hirsch | Makes four servings

 1 lb. Gnocchi

2 Tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 cup onion, chopped

2 cups fresh spinach, washed

4 fresh plum tomatoes, split de-seeded & chopped

2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese

2 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

Fresh ground black pepper

Heat a large pot with boiling water.

Pre heat sauté pan to medium temperature.  Add olive oil, garlic, onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add spinach and cover, reduce heat and cook for one minute. Remove from burner until the gnocchi is cooked. 

Add Gnocchi to rapidly boiling water. Simmer, until all gnocchi float to the top. Then cook one more minute.

Remove gnocchi from water and place directly into sauté pan.  Add fresh plum tomatoes and 1 cup of water from gnocchi pot, heat gnocchi with spinach sauce for 2 minutes.

Serve Gnocchi & Spinach topped with cheese, basil and pepper.

Make ahead Tip: Place any remaining uncooked Gnocchi in a container, dust with corn meal and freeze until you are ready to boil.

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Know Your Fire

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Be very careful saying BBQwhen you should be saying grilling - especially in BBQ country.

BBQ: It's a science of cooking protein by indirect heat, with dedication. I emphasize the word dedication because there is NO speedy way to BBQ. Two words, low and slow. I spent many years teaching the art of heat and fire, and in this case Q. There really is so much to learn and each Q occasion is always an unique experience with many factors; like air temperature, humidity, moisture, wind, etc. One of the best ways to Know Your Fire is to experience it first hand. It's one of those things you intrinsically feel and only come to understand when you are in the fire pit - so to speak. I tip my hat to all pitmasters. 

Grilling: This is the way most people will cook with their backyard grill; grilling proteins such as burgers, steak, chicken, seafood, as well as veggies. This is the use of direct heat cooking at a higher temperature for shorter cooking times over the fire. Again, practice makes perfect, so there's no time like the present to learn or expand your current grilling skills. 

Every Friday I will dedicate Daily FOOD posts to Know Your Fire Fridays; which happens to be the title of my fourth book and fourth PBS TV series. So whether you are a weekend griller or well seasoned in Q - I will be glad to share my tips and tricks with you right here.

This week let's start off with my Bourbon Sauce. I dedicate this recipe to my friends in Kentucky; the inspiration for this recipe. I've used this as a great finishing sauce for most proteins; including beef, pork and chicken.

Hope you have a great weekend! 

Bourbon Sauce

Makes 5 cups

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

1 cup Dijon Mustard

1 cup steak sauce

1 cup bourbon 

1 cup honey

1 cup ketchup

1 Tablespoon orange zests

Juice of one lemon

Juice of one orange

In a small saucepan, combine all of the ingredients; simmer gently for 4-5 minutes. Serve with ribs, steak, or grilled meats.

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a vintage classic, Grilled Cheese Sandwich

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Cooking bread and cheese is an ancient food prepared by many cultures; the U.S. version of the grilled cheese sandwich originated in the 1920s when inexpensive bread and cheese became available. A vintage staple easily prepared and enjoyed today in most households.

Grilled Cheese Sandwhich, aka A Classic Good Time Sandwich

Is it really really grilled? No, more like griddled. Although I've grilled this toastie before, for todays purpose this sandwich sizzles on the griddle playing a staring roll, a vintage classic.

The recipe is simple, fresh farm house white pullman bread, sliced and brushed with melted butter, sharp farm house cheddar, and cured French ham all toasted on the griddle until the cheese begins to melt. The result ia a cheesy goodness that can be enjoyed any time of day. Today, mini grilled cheese toasties are even being served during cocktail parties as hors d'oeuvres.

The benefit of this recipe is there is no one right or wrong way. Change up the bread, the fillings, or expose your fillings as on open face sandwich and toast it up! 

TIP: Butter the bread on the outside when assembling the sandwich before placing on griddle or sauté pan for toastie crisp goodness.   

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Patatas Bravas

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This past week has included yet another food celebration with the national French fry week, which I prefer to call Pommes Frites. But for a more flavorful spud I offer a dish called Patatas Bravas. 

Legend has it that patatas bravas came about at Barcelona’s Bar Tomás. Native to Spain also called patatas a la brava or papas bravas. Simply served topped with a sauce mixed with a little flour and chile and paprika. That mix was the original salsa brava; an easy dish and cheap sauce.

As a low cost high appeal tapas dish the boiled then fried potatoes can be found today served in an infinite number of ways. My favorite is with a sauce of tomato based chicken broth, vinegar, red pepper, paprika and chili pepper sauce. Topped with a good garlic aioli, frizzled onions (french fried onions), and fresh chopped spring chives.

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