Winter Pesto

George Hirsch January 9, 2025

There is a chill outside, and I’m still six-plus months away from fresh basil from my garden. But I'm not waiting until then to make one of my favorite dishes made with pesto. Solution? My Winter version of pesto. A robustly flavored style pesto made with arugula + spinach mix. The peppery flavor makes a nice and welcoming flavor and a bold way to serve an ingredient commonly available year-round.

Winter Pesto

Makes one cup

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

1 cup packed arugula, washed and dried

1 cup fresh spinach, washed and dried

4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled

2 Tablespoons pine nuts, chopped

1 ice cube

3 Tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

6 Tablespoon olive oil, See Instructions Below

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Place garlic and pine nuts in a food processor or blender. Pulse gently. Add ice cube, arugula, and spinach, and slightly pulse. Do not over-grind for too long, or you will be cooking the tender leaves. Add the olive oil and cheese and process until it makes a paste. Refrigerate until ready to use. Keeps for about a week in the refrigerator.

Use for more than pasta. Pesto is an excellent addition to salad dressing, poultry, seafood, and vegetables.

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The Feast of Seven Fishes

George Hirsch December 19, 2024

The Feast of Seven Fishes

The Feast of the Seven Fishes is a popular Southern Italian tradition celebrated worldwide. In Italy, it is called “la Cena Della vigilia,” or Christmas Eve Dinner, December 24th, observed by abstaining from eating meat on Christmas Eve and enjoying the holiday meal with family, filled with a seafood spread.

WHY SEVEN? Some say the number seven represents the seven sacraments, seven days of creation, or simply the fact that seven signifies perfection in the Bible. This may be speculation; however, what is known is that this celebration is much appreciated and shared by most Italians and fish lovers.

Fish: You will find virtually any Mediterranean fish prepared from this region—everything from anchovies to eel. Popular fishes in the feast include calamari, smelts, clams, and shrimp.

One of my favorites is baccalá, a dried, salted cod.

Baccala How To: To reconstitute the baccalá, you soak it for two days, changing the water three or four times.

I prepare the baccalá in several ways, including sauteed and with tomatoes. Still, it's also quite popular to prepare it in the oven with potatoes or even in a salad with potatoes and black olives.

The Seven Fishes is a feast that brings family and friends together to celebrate a significant evening. The seafood is only the centerpiece of what really takes place..keeping a tradition alive with family and friends. Isn’t that what holidays are really about? Buone Feste!

Seafood Chowder

Fritto Misto

Linguini Calamari Sauce

Baccala and Potato Recipe

Capitone Arrosto & Fritto

Clam Pie Recipe

Mussels in White Wine Sauce

Stuffed Calamari Recipe

Shrimp Risotto Recipe

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Beacon of Light

georgehirsch May 27, 2024

Our nation's Beacon of Light honors those who serve and have served.

A National Historic Landmark, the Montauk Point Lighthouse is located on the easternmost point of Long Island, New York. It is the oldest lighthouse in New York State. The Second Congress, under President George Washington, authorized the Lighthouse in 1792. Construction began on June 7, 1796, and was completed on November 5, 1796.

This beacon and its military significance: Civilian keepers maintained the Lighthouse until World War ll when the U.S. Army took over as part of the Eastern Coastal Defense Shield. Adjacent to the Lighthouse, Camp Hero was opened by the Army in 1942 and was heavily fortified with massive guns during the war. Those gun emplacements and concrete observation bunkers are still visible as a reminder of our freedom due to the bravery of those who serve.

Never taking for granted the freedom and beauty of American shores, I have been drawn since I was a child to the Montauk Lighthouse's towering structure. Years ago, my culinary students won one of many gold medals in a culinary competition from the Société Culinaire Philanthropique for an all-Long Island theme submission in food and pastry based on local food and geography. Our table stood apart from the competition as the Lighthouse was replicated in pastillage sugar work.

Montauk, A symbol of great fishing, its beaches, and surfing, the Lighthouse has been featured in the opening of George Hirsch Lifestyle and several episodes of the TV series as a strong image of Long Island and our place in history. The Montauk Lighthouse has been part of Long Island's land and seascape for over 200 years and still serves as an active aid to navigation and a beacon of light to all who have served.

More Facts:

- Fourth oldest active lighthouse in the United States

- Foundation is 13'deep and 9' thick

- Constructed of sandstone blocks from Connecticut, 8" high and varying in length from 18" high to 44"

- The walls are 6' thick at the base, tapering to 3' thick at the top

- The height of the tower is 110' 6"

- There are 137 iron steps to the top of the tower

- The light flashes every 5 seconds and can be seen at a distance of 19 nautical miles

For more information and to visit the National Historic Landmark, the Montauk Point Lighthouse

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Whats a Scape? tune-in George Hirsch Lifestyle

George Hirsch May 14, 2024

Just in time for Spring! Hard Neck Garlic, grown in the northeast and featured on GHL from Quail Hill Farm, located on the East End of Long Island, is a green garlic-like scallion. Scapes are slim, bright-green, foot-long shoots with a curled top that new garlic bulbs send up in Spring. Crisp and flavor-packed with an onion garlic-like taste. The scape growing season is very short, so you need to be on the lookout when available in spring.

So what to do with a garlic scape? Use in the same manner as you would use garlic or green onions. Chop and toss into sautéed vegetables, sauces, and grilled seafood. And, my favorite is chopped and used for making pesto.

Garlic Scape Pesto from George Hirsch Lifestyle TV series

Garlic Scape Pesto

makes one cup

chefgeorgehirsch.com | as seen on George Hirsch Lifestyle TV series

1 cup Garlic scapes, washed, dried, and chopped

1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, washed and dried

2 Tablespoons pine nuts, chopped

1 ice cube

3 Tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

3 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Place garlic, scapes, and pine nuts in a food processor. Puree gently. Add ice cubes and basil and slightly grind. Do not over-grind too long, or you will actually be cooking the tender leaves. Add the olive oil and cheese and process until it makes a paste. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Use for more than pasta. Scape pesto is a great addition to salad dressing, topping bruschetta, poultry, seafood, grilled seafood, and vegetables.

Tips:

- Use good quality extra virgin olive oil.

- Great make-ahead dish for a work-week dinner crunch. Simply make the pasta and toss in refrigerated pesto sauce, top with grated cheese.

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Classic Brownie Cookies as seen on George Hirsch Lifestyle

George Hirsch February 9, 2024

a Classic, cookies, and milk on George Hirsch Lifestyle

Chocolate treat, under 30 minutes - mixing and baking. But can you wait 24 hours? Probably not, but just save a few because these cookies actually taste even better a few days after baking. Eyes go wide open on the first bite. Try my recipe for yourself, and you'll agree. For best results, use a good-quality cocoa powder.

Classic Brownie Cookies

Makes 3 dozen large or 6 dozen small

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

1 1/3 cups butter

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 Tablespoon vanilla

2 each eggs

2 1/4 cups flour

2/3 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons milk

1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped

1 cup mini chocolate chips, semi sweet, or chopped chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar one minute, or until creamy.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating lightly after each.

Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk beating at low speed about 1 minute, or just until blended.

Stir in nuts and chocolate chips.

Drop dough with cookie scoop (heaping 2 Tablespoons) on parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Bake at 350F for 10 to 12 minutes. Cookies will still appear soft and moist when baked, but firm up on cooling.

Cool slightly, then remove to cooling rack. About 3 dozen cookies.

Tip: Smaller cookies can be made using 1 Tablespoon dough for each cookie, baking for 8 to 10 minutes.

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