Gazpacho as seen on George Hirsch Lifestyle

George Hirsch August 14, 2025

This time of year is perfect to dream about those farm-fresh veggies. But don’t just dream, enjoy one of my favorite refreshing soups anytime!

I also call Gazpacho "liquid salad" — for obvious reasons. Its origin and roots go back to ancient times in Andalusia, Spain, with a version of the recipe believed to be concocted as a re-energizing dish for Roman workers building roads in the early 2nd century Spain. Traditionally, gazpacho recipes include stale bread, tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, garlic, olive oil, and a touch of vinegar.

Gazpacho aka Liquid Salad

Makes four servings

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1/4 cup sweet onion, chopped very fine

4 cups low sodium tomato juice + Juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup each sweet red + yellow pepper, chopped very fine

1/4 fresh plum tomatoes, seeded, chopped fine

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/4 cup scallions, finely chopped

1/2 cup cucumber, peeled and seeded, chopped very fine

1 Tablespoon cilantro + 1/4 each teaspoon hot sauce, cumin, sea salt + fresh ground black pepper

1/2 cup stale bread, toasted and chopped fine

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Optional: 1 fresh gherkin cut into four wedges and a sprig of dill to garnish. Or, marinate very fresh scallops or shrimp in tequila & hot sauce--top mugs of ceviche style.

*In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients and chill for two hours before serving.

My recipe will give your knife skills a workout. Feel free to use a blender. Keep in mind that the manual chopping of the vegetables will preserve the flavor.

*Tip: Be aware, using a food processor or blender cooks the veggies with friction, in turn, changing the natural, uncooked flavor, which is the true essence of this dish. There are many versions of gazpacho, but I prefer this one without any meat broth, keeping it true to its veggie roots, and finishing it off with a drizzle of good olive oil.

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Creamy Tomato Soup as seen on George Hirsch Lifestyle

George Hirsch August 4, 2025

COMFORT and GOODNESS in a bowl. Tomato soup contains vitamins E, A, C, and K, essential minerals, and antioxidants that can keep you healthy.

Plus, one of the most popular types of comfort food combinations is soup and sandwiches. And one of the most popular soup/sandwich combinations is tomato soup and grilled cheese. For my Vintage Classics episode on GHL, I prepared Creamy Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese with farm-fresh bread, cured French ham, and aged cheddar. I combined a mix of fresh ripe San Marzano plum tomatoes and canned San Marzano tomatoes for the ultimate tomato soup. During peak harvest season, when there is a plentiful supply of fresh farm tomatoes, I would use all fresh, but during shoulder seasons, I will mix them with high-quality San Marzano canned tomatoes.

Once all your ingredients are assembled, comfort can be achieved in about thirty minutes. Mmm Mmm, Good!!!

George’s Creamy Tomato Soup

Makes 6-8 servings

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5 large ripe San Marzano Plum tomatoes, deseeded and chopped

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 medium sweet onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, chopped

2 Tablespoons sweet butter

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

2-4 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

2- 15-ounce cans of crushed San Marzano tomatoes

4 cups chicken broth

2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon each dried thyme, basil

hot sauce, sea salt, and pepper to taste

Optional: 1 cup half-and-half

Preheat a large 4-quart soup pot.

Add olive oil, onion, garlic, and fresh plum tomatoes. Stir and sweat for 5 minutes over medium heat. Add the butter; when melted, add the flour, stir, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add in the canned San Marzano tomatoes, stir, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the chicken broth, bay leaves, thyme, and dried basil, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add fresh basil and simmer for five additional minutes.

Remove bay leaves and take the soup off the stove. For a creamier soup, use a food pulser and puree slightly, leaving a few chunks of tomatoes. Return to the stove, bring it back to a boil, and add the optional half-and-half.

Lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes.

Add hot sauce, sea salt, and fresh ground black pepper to taste.

Served topped with crunchy croutons and a few drops of olive oil.

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Strawberry Mascarpone Crepes as seen on George Hirsch Lifestyle

George Hirsch July 28, 2025

In a professional kitchen, crepes are prepared using several pans at a time, usually making hundreds in only a few minutes. Making crepes is all about rhythm. Once the batter is made and rested for at least 30 minutes, you are ready to go. Don’t fret the first couple of crepes not coming out perfect; just give them up as your practice warm-up, just like a batter taking his first pitch or the orchestra warming up in the pit. Once you are on a roll, you’ll find yourself making crepes for both sweet and savory.

Strawberry Mascarpone Crepes

Makes four servings

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Crepe Batter:

1 cup all-purpose flour

Pinch of salt

1 cup milk

2 egg yolks, lightly beaten

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon fine grated orange zest

2 Tablespoons sliced almonds, crushed

2 egg whites

1 Tablespoon granulated pure cane sugar

Place the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Slowly add the milk and egg yolks, using a whisk to avoid lumps. Do not overmix. Stir in the milk, cream, melted butter, orange zest, almonds, and vanilla.

Cover and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.

Before making the crepes, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the flour mixture.

Preheat a crepe pan or a 7-inch nonstick skillet & lightly grease with melted butter or vegetable spray. When the pan is very hot, pour in 2 Tablespoons of the batter and swirl it around. Cook for 1 minute, turn, and cook for another minute on the other side. Remove and set aside. Crepes may be stacked one on top, up to ten high.

Continue making crepes with the remaining batter.

For Filling & Topping:

2 cups mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries)

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1 Tablespoon granulated pure cane sugar

1/4 cup strawberry preserves or jam

1 Tablespoon brandy or Grand Manier

1 Tablespoon granulated pure cane sugar

Confectioners’ sugar

1/2 cup fresh, softened mascarpone or whipped cream

8 Fresh Mint leaves

In a large bowl, add mixed berries. Slice strawberries to be about the same size as the other berries. Add orange juice and 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar to the berries and toss.

Mix brandy with jam and place two teaspoons of raspberry jam in the center of each crepe; add a few mixed berries in the center of each crepe. Roll up and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.

Serve two crepes per serving with a dollop of fresh mascarpone or whipped cream, and top off the crepes with fresh mint leaves.

Chef Notes:

To achieve good volume and soft peaks on the egg whites, make sure there is no yolk in the whites and that the bowl is grease-free. A good tip to ensure a grease-free surface is to wipe out the bowl with a paper towel with just a drop of white vinegar before adding egg whites to the bowl.

To make the above recipe savory, omit from the batter the vanilla, orange rind, almonds, and granulated cane sugar. Replace regular melted butter with brown butter for a slightly roasted flavor; add 1 Tablespoon of fresh chopped herbs such as Italian parsley, basil, or chives.

Crepes are a great do-ahead consideration for your menu. No need to prepare at the last minute. Simply stack prepared crepes in stacks of about ten, and when cool, wrap in plastic film. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days or freeze for up to one month.

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Summer Flavor Winter Wonder

georgehirsch June 30, 2025

You can make magic with a simple eggplant, squash, and tomato. Layers of flavor come together to create this meatless wonder. And the gratin only tastes better the next day.

Eggplant Squash Gratin

Makes 4 - 6 servings

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Slice the peeled eggplant and squash lengthwise. Coat lightly in flour. Sear in olive oil with a few whole garlic cloves. Turn the eggplant and squash when they are light brown, and remove. Cool. Slice tomatoes thickly. Layer vegetables in an ovenproof casserole, lightly oil, and layer eggplant, squash, and tomato; repeat using up the remaining vegetables—optional parmesan can be added between layers. Place whole sautéed garlic on top of the layered vegetables, sprinkle with fresh, ground breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, basil sprigs, and chopped parsley, and drizzle with olive oil on top.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

Note: For another perfect do-ahead meal or picnic addition, you can watch the OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN VIDEO recipe below.

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Oven Fried Garlic Chicken, as seen on George Hirsch Lifestyle

George Hirsch June 10, 2025

Many of you have requested this recipe from George Hirsch Lifestyle TV series. I am delighted to share.

Who doesn’t like fried chicken? However, frying chicken in the traditional manner can cause health concerns and take a long time to prepare correctly. The solution is my oven-fried garlic Chicken. It is as good as it looks. Perfect for making and taking to the tailgate or picnic, it tastes even better the next day! That's if you have any left.

Add a side of Mac and Cheese and wrap up with Double Chocolate Brownies for a perfect homestyle comfort menu.

George’s Oven Fried Garlic Chicken

Makes 8-10 pieces

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1 whole chicken cut into 8 - 10 pieces or pre-cut from a butcher

Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon

2 cups flour, approximate

paper bag or food-safe plastic bag

For The Chicken Rub

1 teaspoon each: dried basil, oregano, thyme, sweet paprika

1/2 Tablespoon garlic powder

Pinch of fresh ground nutmeg

Pinch sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Combine all seasonings for chicken.

Add seasoning rub to chicken, coating each piece, then squeeze lemon juice over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place half of the flour in a bag and add additional flour as needed.

Place two pieces of chicken in the bag of flour at a time, close tightly, and shake the bag, coating the chicken evenly. Remove flour-coated chicken with tongs and shake off any excess flour. Place flour-coated chicken in a low-sided heavy gauge roasting pan. Repeat until all chicken has been coated with flour. Make sure the chicken is not crowded in a roasting pan. See Tips.

Place chicken in the oven at 425 degrees F. for the first 15 min or until chicken begins to color (you will smell aroma), then lower oven to 350 degrees F. for 30 - 35 minutes until golden brown or until done. Time depends on the size of the chicken pieces.

After removing from the oven, let the chicken rest for 5 minutes and serve.

Tips:

- For crispy chicken, use a heavy gauge low-sided pan (to prevent the chicken from steaming).

- Do not overcrowd the chicken in the pan; allow air circulation.

- The oven-baked chicken fries in their own fat. Using just breasts (white meat) does not oven fry as well due to lower fat content; for best results, cook with a mixture of white and dark meat that has a higher fat content.

- Trust the cooking times. Avoid opening the oven door to peek at the chicken while cooking. It will still be there. The temperature drops each time you open the oven door, causing the chicken to steam.

- To keep chicken crisp after cooking, place chicken on a wire baking screen until cool.

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