Savory and Sweet Brunch

In French it’s know as le grand petit déjeuner or big breakfast, literally "the big little lunch". Against the wishes of the Académie—the typical French person refers to the phrase "American's brunch". Whether you call it le grand petit déjeuner or just brunch, it's an ideal time of day to serve a mixture of savory & sweet dishes, like my baked ham & biscuits + muffins.

Start with sweet Blueberry Nut Muffins. Today is the savory portion; a Spring Easter time favorite, Ham with a Honey Glaze served with my Warm Biscuits.  

CLICK HERE for more ham glazes and sauces.

Spring Crisp

Rhubarb Crisp is also known as early spring tart. Rhubarb, known as the pie plant, is a tart vegetable used to make tasty desserts + sauces; which happens to be rich in vitamins and minerals. Rhubarb is also a sign of spring, being one of the earlier harvested vegetables of the season in the Northern Hemisphere. This is good news - happy first day of Spring!

Rhubarb Crisp

recipe by Chef George Hirsch | Makes 4-6 servings

4-6 cups rhubarb stalks, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
juice from one orange
1 Tablespoon orange zest, finely grated
1 cup Turbino sugar (sugar in the raw)
3/4 cup flour

Cover rhubarb with half of the sugar (1/2 cup) sugar, orange juice, zests and marinate 1 hour. Mix remaining sugar and flour together and combine with marinated rhubarb. Grease a 9 inch ovenproof casserole or several small individual ramekins; add marinated rhubarb and sugar flour mixture to greased baking dish.

For the topping:
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup butter
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon.
3/4 cup rolled oats (not instant oatmeal)
1/2 cup light brown sugar

Mix flour, butter, ground cinnamon until it makes a smooth pastry dough. Add oatmeal and brown sugar, crumble together and place on top of marinated rhubarb in baking dish. 

Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until top is light brown and the top is crisp and rhubarb is tender. Serve warm with coffee ice cream.

Tip:
Mix apples, pears, peaches, plums or berries in with rhubarb for seasonal dessert variations.
Mix in a hand full of pecans or walnuts for a crunchy addition.

Castraure

The perfect appetizer for the Spring and Easter holiday entertaining.

The isles of the Lagoon of Venice, and the Venetian coastal area is famous for its high quality castraure (baby artichokes). They are much smaller than Globe or Roman artichokes, and because of their size, they are very tender and flavorful.

The castraure are the first buds to come from the plant each year. A single artichoke plant produces more than one hundred hearts of artichokes. The most famous island for castraure production is the isle of Isola di Sant'Erasmo.

St. Erasmus is the largest island in the Venetian lagoon, only sparsely populated. In Venice's countryside, this agricultural area produces the renowned castraure. Unlike all of Venice’s canals and buildings, St. Erasmus’s landscape is flatlands with rural farms and homes; a pleasant change from the St. Marks Square crowds. 

Although castraure are only a spring time delight and hard to get outside the markets of Venice, there is an ample supply of Globe Artichokes in the U.S. from Castroville, Monterey County CA. Including soon to be available frost-kissed. Yes just as good, but somehow not quite the same as when I eat them canal side in Italy!

Buying Tip:

Select plump and heavy artichokes for the size with thick, green, tightly clinging leaves. 

It's ideal if you can get “frost-kissed artichokes". Fall and winter artichokes are usually darker or bronze-tipped with a whitish, blistered appearance because of frost, so-called "winter-kissed." These are the most tender with intense flavor. Look for tender green on the inside of petals. Frost-kissed artichokes are available only when temperatures in the growing area falls below 32 degrees.

Carciofi Fritto 

Cut baby artichokes lengthwise into two parts, then split into wedges. Toss artichokes in paper bag with flour, remove from bag and dip in gently beaten egg whites. Then dip in beaten egg yolks seasoned with pinch of fresh thyme, sea salt and black pepper. Put the yolk covered artichokes back in paper bag with more flour. Shake off excess flour and gently lay the pieces one by one in a pan with hot oil. When they are golden color remove.

Serve immediately with fresh lemon wedges and lemon aioli. 

For My Classic Aïoli Recipe

Know Your Fire Fridays: Carne Asada

Carne asada is more than just sliced grilled steak, it’s the equivalent to describing the social BBQ event. So when preparing a Carne Asada, you are really creating a social experience.

The Spanish name Carne Asada translates to roasted beef, meaning grilled marinated beef. Mexico is its origin, which lucky for us, this dish spread to America's bordering states Arizona, California and Texas. I've had some of the best carne asada while in San Antonio. Keep in mind, it's the marinade that really makes the difference here. 

The accompaniments are just as important as the beef itself. It must include a good pico de gallo (salsa) and naturally ripened avocados (when available); which will set it apart from just ordinary grilled steak. 

Serving Suggestions:

To improve on the juicy charred steak presentation, wrap in freshly made, warmed tortillas from the griddle.

The grilled sliced steak can be served simply as the main ingredient with fresh lemon or lime and chopped cilantro.

Other accompaniments; grilled sweet onions, quesso, and frijoles charros (cowboy beans).  

Carne Asada 
recipe by Chef George Hirsch | Makes 10-12 servings
Adapted from Adventures in Grilling with George Hirsch 

3 pounds flank or skirt steak, trimmed 
1 package corn or flour tortillas, 4-5 inch size
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup parsley, washed, dried and chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, washed, dried and chopped
juice from 3 fresh limes, about 6 Tablespoons
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 fresh jalapenos, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted
pinch of sea salt 
Freshly ground black pepper
1 ounce of tequila

In a small food processor mix parsley, cilantro, lime juice, vinegar, garlic, jalapenos, chili powder, cumin seeds, salt, fresh ground pepper, and olive oil just until blended.  Add tequila and pour marinade over steak. Allow to marinate for at least 1 - 4 hours. 

Light a grill on high or use an iron grill pan on the stovetop. 

Grill until the meat is charred on the outside and rare within, about 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a carving board and let rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steak across the grain. Warm tortillas on a griddle or pan, and serve with desired toppings and pico de gallo.

For Taco Toppings:

Use fresh chopped sweet onion, ripe avocados, tomatoes and queso fresco. 

Bologna Inspired

The cold weather seems to want to hang around in the low digits; so light a roaring fire in the fireplace and keep the big soup pot at the ready. Earlier this week I suggested my Baked Potato Soup as a quick way to warm up. Today, how about cooking-up a brothy and hearty tortellini soup. (The tortellini originates from the north-cental part of Italy). Serve with my Fennel & Green Bean Salad and Homemade Biscuits for a complete meal. 

BTW--To answer a much often asked viewer question about my TV show; yes, 100% of my recipes are cooked on air and are eaten by my TV crew. Hey, it’s part of their job!

image, © Robert Gubbins | istock This pasta soup dish is wonderful as an appetizer or a luncheon entrée. The best part is that it can be ready in under 30 minutes.

Tortellini Basil Soup

chefgeorgehirsch.com | From George Hirsch Living it UP! TV series

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 cup sweet onion, chopped

8 cloves caramelized garlic

1 cup canned San Marzano Tomatoes, chopped

4 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

1 quarter cup fresh spinach leaves, shredded

8 cups chicken or vegetable broth

8 ounces cheese tortellini

1 cup small white beans, cooked or canned

Pinch nutmeg

Grated parmesan cheese to taste

Fresh ground black pepper

Pre heat a medium soup pot to medium temperature.

Add olive oil, onion, garlic, tomatoes and cook for 4-5 minutes.  Pour in broth and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and add tortellini, spinach, basil, and white beans. Simmer until tortellinis are al dente and season with nutmeg, pepper. Add parmesan cheese to taste. Serve with a basil leaf on top. 

NOTE: This recipe requires a good quality tortellini if you are cooking the pasta in the broth. A lesser quality tortellini will make the soup starchy. If you are not sure of the quality, cook the tortellini separately and add pasta to the soup right before serving. 

Antica Cuvée

This is a superb grappa I discovered while toasting with new my Venetian friends. As holidays such as Easter arrive I will be toasting with this same grappa but with prayers and wishes of health, peace and prosperity.

Nonino's hand blown bottle may have a bit to do with catching your attention, but the quality content inside the bottle speaks volumes for the grappa industry in Italy. The Friuli based Nonino Family changed the way the world views grappa. This fine grappa is made from a blend of 3 grappas from the varietals: Ribolla Gialla, Moscato, and Verduzzo. Antica Cuvee is aged for 12 months in limousin oak barriques and bottled with no additives. It is described as a rich, round and warm on the palate with a long and warm finish. The aromatics are spices, brioche vanilla and almond. 

Serve at room temperature in wide balloon-type glasses, sip as a digestive. Perfect with foie gras, dark chocolate or hot chocolate dessert.

Roasted Success

This is one of those no-fail chicken recipes that you can always count on and deserves to be a regular dish in your dinner repertoire. My lemon and garlic roast chicken is also perfect for entertaining; it can be cooked ahead and is ideal to serve room temperature for large gatherings. 

side suggestions: my mashed potatoes + grilled asparagus

Lemon and Garlic Roast Chicken 

Makes six servings | recipe Chef George Hirsch

For the dry rub: 

2 teaspoons each: 

powdered garlic, thyme, rosemary, basil, paprika, cumin, black pepper, sea salt

Mix all dry ingredients in a small bowl. 

One 5 pound chicken

2 Tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, rough chopped

1 head fresh garlic, peeled and rough chopped

1 fresh lemon, cut into quarters

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Fresh ground black pepper

Wash and dry chicken. Rub dry rub over the outside and interior of chicken. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours. Before roasting chicken rub with 1/2 of the fresh garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. Place remaining fresh garlic, lemon quarters and fresh parsley inside of chicken cavity and truss or tie up chicken. 

Pre heat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place chicken on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast chicken for 25 minutes until it becomes a light brown color. Lower temperature to 400 degrees F roast for 30 minutes. Baste the chicken with the drippings every 10-15 minutes. 

Lower the temperature to 350 degrees F for an additional 1/2 hour, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

Remove chicken from oven. Allow chicken to rest for 20 minutes before carving.