Mini Cake Hors D’oeuvres

You can't go wrong with serving crab cakes as appetizers; they're a crowd-pleaser. They are also a good complement when meat is being served as a main course dish. I suggest making mini cakes so guests can easily nibble while having an interesting pre-dinner conversation. 

Savory Crab Cakes

Makes four-six entrée servings or 20-24 hors d’ oeuvre size

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

Step One

3/4 pound Maryland lump crabmeat

2 teaspoons each- thyme, basil, parsley

3 cloves garlic, chopped fine

1/4 cup mayonnaise

3 drops of hot sauce

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/4 cup fresh plum tomatoes, chopped

1 egg, beaten

5 drops of lemon juice

1/2 cup Fresh ground bread crumbs

1/4 sweet onion, minced

1 rib celery, minced

1 green onion, minced

Step Two
1/4 pound Maryland lump or super lump crab meat
1 cup each- fine corn meal and fresh bread crumbs, mixed for breading of crab cakes
Olive oil for sautéing crab cakes
- Mix all ingredients in step one. 
- Gently mix the remaining crabmeat in Step Two; do not over-mix.
- Preheat a non-stick pan to medium heat.
- Form crab cakes into desired-size serving pieces and place in breading mix. Lightly coat the outside of crab cakes with bread crumb mixture, forming into patties.
- Add olive oil to sauté pan and carefully place crab cakes in the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown, turning once. 
- Serve crab cakes with lemon and cocktail, tartar, or marinara sauce on the side.

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Gather 'Round the Grill Cookbook, Vintage (new)

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WHITE TURKEY CHILI

New season of GHL Celebrating Chef George's 25th anniversary on PBS and Public TV Stations. Check local listings. Click to watch TV Series Preview

What to do with all that turkey? You gave goodie bags away, but there seems to be so much left, still. Well, here are a couple great ideas beyond the old turkey-n-gravy sandwich, which isn't that bad either. My number one requested one-pot meal recipe is my White Turkey Chili. It's so easy to prepare; just give all the ingredients time to simmer; a spicy and a warm way to serve turkey. 

Chef George’s White Turkey Chili

WHITE TURKEY CHILI

Makes six servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | from George Hirsch Living it UP! Cookbook 

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2cupsonion, chopped

1/4cup celery,  chopped 

1/2cupyellow bell pepper, chopped

1  Tablespoon jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped

4cloves garlic, chopped

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon thyme

fresh ground black pepper

3cups cooked turkey or chicken, skin removed and chopped 

3cups cannellini beans, drained and mash 1 cup

3 cups chicken broth

1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn

4 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

optional: 1cup half & half or low fat milk

Pre heat a large casserole pot to medium.

Add olive oil, onion, celery, yellow pepper, jalapeño, and garlic; cook for 5 minutes. Add cumin, chili powder and black pepper. Add turkey, 2 cups of beans, broth, corn and bring to a boil. 

Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Add 1 cup mashed beans and half & half to the turkey mixture. Simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes or until mixture is thick, stirring frequently. Stir in chopped cilantro.

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Divided BY Chowder

If there is one thing I have learned as a chef, there are many chowder recipes as there are people who enjoy this soup, err…I mean stew..no I think soup?  

Each of my cookbooks and TV series has a version of some sort of a chowder recipe. I have judged chowder contests, participated in chef chowder tastings, and been a referee at a few chowder-boxing matches. Well, not really, but people do get heated up over red or white chowder. 

What really is chowder? The word "chowder" comes from the French word chaudiere, or caldron, the vessel in which the dish was cooked. And, derives from the word "jowter," meaning fishmonger, a term that was used in 16th century coastal regions of England.

Is it soup or stew? Early versions of chowder simmered from the New England area: a frugal recipe of pork fat, onions, potatoes, fish, herbs, dry biscuits or flour for thickening, and layered in a pot and cooked in water, with a bit of milk added at the end. In the 1800s, the Manhattan clam chowder was notable because it contains tomatoes. Manhattan clam chowder has been described as "that rather horrendous soup resembling a vegetable soup that accidentally had some clams dumped into it." All respect Mr. Beard, but those are fighting words. As a New Yorker and from coastal Long Island, an East Ender, we take our chowder VERY seriously. 

Tomato-based clam chowders came about with the newfound popularity of the tomato in the mid-1800s with the large population of Italians and Portuguese in the New York and Rhode Island region. In 1939, Maine legislators introduced a bill outlawing tomatoes in chowder because it is far more of a vegetable soup. What?

I can end this entire soup divide right now. Aside from any vegetables, corn, chicken or other non-seafarer ingredient for the stew--here are three versions you can enjoy from my TV series and cookbooks. They have satisfied many and with hope can prevent a nation from future chowder conflict. 

Manhattan vs. New England Chowder N.E. not my fav..

Seafood Chowder Yes, now this is a stew!

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Craft Brewed Onion Soup

The Addition of a good craft beer to this classic recipe adds another dimension of flavor which compliments the caramelized onion. An IPA or dark beer is better but you can use your favorite brew.

Beer Onion Soup

Makes 4 servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

6 cups Vidalia or sweet onions, sliced  

1 Tablespoon olive oil  

1 head caramelized garlic  

2 pints craft brewed IPA beer  

6 cups beef or vegetable broth  

1 teaspoon fresh thyme  

1 teaspoon fresh parsley  

pinch nutmeg  

4 large sour dough bread croutons  

4 slices of Gruyere cheese  

1 Tablespoon Parmesan cheese 

Preheat a soup pot. 

Add olive oil, onions and garlic. Cook onions until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add beer and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Add broth, thyme, parsley and nutmeg. Simmer for 45 minutes. 

Place sourdough croutons in 4 bowls. Add soup to each bowl. Top with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and a slice of Gruyere. Broil for 2 minutes or until cheese melts and is slightly browned. 

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The Midweek Salad

Grilled Romaine

Did you know lettuce made the top ten garden vegetables in America? It ranked number nine; trailing behind hot peppers, onions, zucchini, carrots, beans, sweet peppers, cucumber and tomatoes. The good news is lettuce beat out beans!

I received an email request that inspired this post. This was one of those recipes I did for my live PBS grilling shows that made people scratch their head years ago. The audience in the Disney Parks was at first shocked, then amazed! Now, its considered all the buzz, appearing on other cooking shows including chain restaurants. I guess they Know their Fire! Ha! Well, here's the how-to on grilling-up a delicious appetizer or side. I'll be making it this week. Enjoy! Top with this dressing.

Grilled Romaine

Makes four servings 

chefgeorgehirsch.com | Adventures in Grilling, 1996 by George Hirsch w/ Marie Bianco

2 Heads of hearts of romaine lettuce, split in half & washed

4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 cloves caramelized garlic

A pinch of sea salt 

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 Tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, rough chopped

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Shaved Parmesan cheese

Pre heat grill to high heat.

Cut the romaine heart in half lengthwise, leaving stem end intact. Soak romaine heads in bowl of cold water. Brush with olive oil.

Put romaine halves on hot grill. Cook for about 2 minutes each side, until lettuce begins to blister slightly and lettuce gets a slight char. Turn over and grill for 2 additional minutes.  

Remove and plate cut side up, and top each with remaining olive oil, balsamic, garlic cloves, Parmesan, prosciutto, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve while still warm.

Optional: serve with thinly sliced prosciutto, grilled chicken, or grilled shrimp. 

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