The Rooster's Beak

George Hirsch August 13, 2024

You must want to know why Pico de Gallo is referred to as the rooster's beak. It actually refers to the bite-size (beak-size) proportions of fresh tomatoes in this chunky salsa of Mexican origin. How about that! You may also be familiar with its other name, Salsa Fresca.

The garden tomato bounty is here for a few more minutes, so this is an ideal week to make my pico de gallo from my own tomatoes and peppers. Serve Pico de Gallo with corn tortillas or my Cilantro Shrimp Nachos for más divertido! And watch my Crispy Shrimp Salad recipe video below for more flavorful ideas.

George Hirsch's Salsa Fresca

Makes 3 cups

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8-10 San Marzano plum tomatoes, split de-seeded

1 small sweet white onion or sweet red onion + 1 green onion

2 jalapeño peppers, split and de-seeded chopped (optional)

1/2 cup peeled, seeded, and diced cucumber

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro

Salt and pepper, to taste

Juice of two fresh limes

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Cut all veggies into 1/4-inch pieces. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix and set aside one hour to allow flavors to develop. Serve at room temperature.

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Making of a Great Salad

George Hirsch June 11, 2024

Les Salades Composées

George's Garden Mesclun Greens

The best salad is not complicated but made with the freshest possible greens and garnishes. Les Salades composées or mixed green salad can be made from an infinite list; the only consideration is freshness. But you say you bought it fresh. Just because you purchased from the fresh bin at the market does not guarantee the pick date. Consider the source and how far that head of lettuce traveled.

George's Garden Sweet Nectar Yellow Grape Tomatoes

Substitute ingredients at will when shopping or picking fresh.

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George's Garden Snap "Sugar Daddy" Peas

My dad was a Master Gardener, and fresh veggies were always steps away. Here’s the inspiration for a salad I prepared today and served from my garden to plate in under 5 minutes.

Chef George's Salad Simples

Salade Simple

Sugar Snap Peas, steam for 30 seconds, shock in cold water

Mixed Mesclun Greens

Arugula

Red Kale

Sweet and Neat Cherry Tomatoes

Juice 1/2 lemon

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

pinch sea salt + a few sprigs of fresh mint leaves

Add lemon juice, olive oil, mint, and salt in a bowl. Mix well. Add all ingredients, toss, and serve immediately.

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George Hirsch Lifestyle Creamy Custard Dessert

Mini Cake Hors D’oeuvres (Copy)

George Hirsch March 21, 2024

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

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Step One

3/4 pound Maryland lump crabmeat (for Fishcake, substitute an equal amount of cooked salmon, cod, or shrimp)

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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Holiday Spiced Nuts

George Hirsch November 18, 2023

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Need a great snack in about 1 hour? And, with no concerns about added fat intake, like the usual snack mix with butter. A viewer favorite and most requested made-at-home snack is my candied spiced nuts recipe. These nuts are ideal as a make-ahead topping for an added crunch to cheese platters, salads, desserts, and ice cream! Once prepared the nuts last a month and are kept in a tightly sealed container.

Candied Spiced Nuts

Makes about 5 cups

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1 pound pecan or walnut halves

1 egg white

1 teaspoon water

2 teaspoons hot sauce or chipotle Sauce

3/4 cup pure cane sugar

2 Tablespoons curry powder

1 Tablespoon kosher salt, See preparation below

Line a 1/2 or 1/4 size sheet pan with parchment paper. Mix sugar, curry powder, and salt. Heat oven to 250 degrees F. Place the nuts on a cookie sheet and toast, occasionally stirring, until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Allow nuts to cool thoroughly. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the egg white and water until frothy. Stir in the nuts and sprinkle with the sugar, hot sauce, chipotle sauce, curry powder, and salt. Mix well. Replace parchment paper if needed; some parchment paper can be used multiple times. Spread the nuts in a single layer on the sheet pan.

Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour at 250 degrees F or until the pecans are dry, stirring once or twice.

Cool, and store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

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Vine Ripen Pizza

George Hirsch September 1, 2023

FLATBREAD PIZZA When it comes to making any type of pizza, let imagination and the season rule your toppings. I love this Caprese-style pizza in the summer with an abundance of vine-ripe tomatoes. And if you are up to expanding your hand-tossed style, take the dough to the grill for an added fire-roasted flavor.

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Caprese Flatbread Pizza

Makes four servings |

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the art of making pizza dough, easy as 1, 2, 3

Mix Dough and place in a bowl lightly oiled with olive oil. Cover loosely with a towel or plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator overnight.

The next day, preheat *oven to 475 degrees F.

Stretch out the dough to a rectangular shape and cut it into two pieces. Sprinkle a teaspoon of fine-grind cornmeal on the surface of a heavy gauge pizza pan or sheet pan. Place the two pieces of dough on the top of the cornmeal. Brush top lightly with olive oil.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until pizza flatbread crusts is fully baked. You can check for doneness by tapping on the edge of the dough with your finger. It should be hollow.

Remove from oven, place two pizza flatbreads on a rack, and allow to cool.

When cool, top with sliced vine oak leaf lettuce, ripened tomatoes, fresh basil, and pesto; sprinkle a small amount of sea salt, fresh ground pepper, and olive oil.

*NOTE: If grilling, pre-heat the grill to high heat. After stretching and right before placing dough on the grill surface, brush heavy with olive oil.

George's Pizza Dough

Makes enough for 2-3 pizzas

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1 teaspoon active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water (between 105 and 115 degrees F)

1 teaspoon sugar

3 1/2 cups bread flour

1/4teaspoon salt

3/4 cup warm water

1 Tablespoon olive oil

In a small bowl, combine the yeast and water. Add the sugar and stir well. Set aside for 10 minutes or until tiny bubbles appear on the surface.

Place 3 cups of the flour in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and pour the yeast mixture and the water. Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, using the additional 1/2 cup flour if the dough is sticky.

The dough is sufficiently kneaded when you can stick two fingers into it, and it springs back without leaving an indentation.

Cut the dough into four pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Let the dough rest in an oiled bowl for 45-60 minutes. Lightly oil the top of each ball with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for 3 hours.

- Mixing with a mixer & dough hook: Mix for eight minutes at medium speed

- Mixing with a food processor: process for 40 seconds until smooth; add one additional Tablespoon of flour until all of the flour is combined into the dough.