Entertain, Made in Spain

How about entertaining with a bit of Northern Spain/ South of France influence? Stock up on Olives and Anchovies. Tip: Give Arbequina olives a try - they are grown in Catalonia, Spain and have a buttery flavor with hints of pepper.

Tapenade comes from the word tapeno which means capers in Provence. The addition of sun dried tomatoes adds a little sweetness.

Olive Tapenade

Recipe by George Hirsch | Makes 1 cup

2/3 cup black oil cured olives (Kalamata or Nicoise), pitted and finely chopped 

2 anchovy fillets in oil, drained and finely chopped 

4 cloves caramelized garlic 

2 Tablespoons capers, drained, rinsed under cold tap water and finely chopped 

2 small sun dried tomatoes, finely chopped 

4 Tablespoons virgin olive oil 

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

3 basil leaves , chopped

In a bowl, mix together the olives, anchovies, garlic, capers, sun dried tomatoes, oil, pepper, and water. Spread Tapenade on toasted French baguette bread, top with fresh basil, or serve with your favorite sandwich. 

Moroccan Spin

Moroccan cuisine has surely made its mark in the world of food. It’s considered one of the most diversified cuisines of the world; a result of the centuries-long melting pot of cultures from African, Berber, Corsican, Portuguese, Moorish, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Spanish cuisines.

Spices are used extensively in Moroccan food. While spices have been imported to Morocco for thousands of years, many ingredients, like saffron, mint, olives, and citrus are home grown. Chicken is the most widely eaten meat. Couscous, is the most famous Moroccan dish; as is tanjine and harina. Wash it down with some green tea, mint and lump of sugar.

"Here's looking at you, Kid." 

Lemon & Mint Chicken {recipe, George Hirsch

Makes six servings

2 pounds of boneless chicken, cut into 3-4 inch pieces

fresh ground black pepper

The Marinade: 

Juice of 2 lemons

1/2 cup olive oil

Puree from 6 cloves Caramelized Garlic

1 Tablespoon turmeric 

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 Tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon hot sauce

fresh ground black pepper 

pinch sea salt

In a shallow bowl combine the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, turmeric, cinnamon, mint, parsley, hot sauce, salt and mix well. Add the chicken, sprinkle liberally with black pepper. Marinate at least 2 hours in the refrigerator, turning occasionally.

Two hours later, remove chicken and drain marinade into a small sauce pot, and boil marinade until the liquid reduces by half.

Thread chicken on metal skewers or pre-soaked bamboo skewers. 

Pre heat grill to high heat.

Brush chicken with reduced marinade sauce when you first place them on grill. Sear chicken k-bobs on hot grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. 

Move k-bobs to medium heat or to cooler edge of the grill and cook until done, about 12 to 15 minutes, or until completely cooked. 

Place on a platter with couscous and serve. 

✥

For the Colony

The art of the apiarist is more about the preservation business these days. We taped a TV segment with a beekeeper in Ireland. I talked bees with J. Smith, who takes his bees very seriously. He is based in County Kerry where he has devoted his life to preserving the species and is constantly spreading the word of the critical condition the population is in globally. The one thing he said that really stuck with me was his explanation of how the bee colonies "live together with a collective consciousness - something humanity should adopt." His honey is available for local merchants and markets; sustainability is paramount.

My Honey Orange Cake

For more info: Tourism Ireland

Coupole

Serving cheese for outdoor entertaining may bring to mind several favorite options, but serving the right cheese does make a difference this time of year. You don’t want to feel weighed down by nibbling on too heavy a cheese in warm weather, or have a cheese that appears to be melting on your serving tray right before your eyes.

The solution is as easy as taking cheese out of its package. And, in this case, I’m offering a suggestion for serving an artesian handcrafted and slightly aged goat cheese. A distinct goat cheese, called Coupole. It is easily cut into wedges, making it an ideal way to serve in warmer and more humid weather.  

The Coupole is a fresh, young goat's milk cheese shaped like a small dome and lightly dusted with vegetable ash. It hails from the ambitious new Loire-Valley-style production facility at Vermont Butter and Cheese Creamery which has been pioneering innovative dairy products for over 25 years. Their fresh chèvres, spreads, butters and fermented creams can be found in chef's kitchens across the country. As the Coupole ages, a slightly wrinkled skin develops, and the paste softens. This creamy, delightful goat's milk cheese is a wonderful addition to America's dairy products. One piece weighs approximately 8 ounces.

Goat cheese is an ideal lead-in to most summer foods which are on the lighter side and also pairs well served along side grilled fruit, grilled vegetables and grilled fish.   

Serve with quartered fresh figs and spiced nuts, or drizzled with honey for dessert. You may also go Genoa style by topping it with a freshly made pesto. If you really want to gild the lily, top with pesto & honey; a serving suggestion that was served to me from the master himself, Val Manning of Manning’s Food Emporium in Ballylickey, West Cork, Ireland.

Serve with summer beverages; lagers to wines such as sauvignon blanc, chenin blanc, or rose.

 image credit: Vermont Creamery

Herb of the Year

Rose is the winner for 2012. Roses have been used for culinary purposes for centuries in syrups, jams, sweets and teas. It has also been used for its medicinal properties, like it's high in vitamin C. Teas steeped from tea leaves or rose hips have a delightful fruity flavor; ideally serve with scones or cake. Pair my Good Stuff Pick with My Scone Recipe for Mother's Day.

We let Nature speak for itself, hand-picking premium organic teas and herbs and blending them with only real fruits, flowers and spices.  Since we use real ingredients and high quality teas & herbs (not tea dust or fannings), there is no need to apply “natural” flavorings or fragrances to create flavor.  This means you can pronounce the ingredients, know exactly what you’re sipping and savor true gifts of Nature. 

George's Scones | chefgeorgehirsch.com
Recipe by Chef George Hirsch | Makes 8 scones in a 9 inch round pan 

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) very cold sweet butter, cut into small pieces 
1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons pure cane granulated sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk, *made into buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup raisins, **plumped
1/4 teaspoon white vinegar, for making milk into buttermilk

*Add white vinegar to milk to make the buttermilk. Allow to sit 5 minutes to sour. 

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees F. 

Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add cold butter to flour and blend in by hand until the butter resembles fine crumbs. Add granulated sugar and mix into flour. 

Combine beaten egg, vanilla, and milk. Add milk mixture to flour mixture, toss in plumped raisins and mix by hand until a dough forms. It will take about one minute of kneading until the flour is absorbed. Turn scone dough on to a floured surface. Form in the shape of a ball, do not over knead. With a rolling pin, flatten out dough to one inch thick.

Place the round scone dough into a 9 inch cake pan. With a bench scraper or knife cut though the dough across four times dividing into eight equal pieces. Immediately bake for about 16-18 minutes until dough sounds hollow, a sign it is fully baked. 

Serve warm with jam and clotted whip cream. 

**To plump raisins add 2 tablespoons of water and heat in microwave for 30 seconds.