Summer is for Steamers

georgehirsch June 11, 2020

Steamers aka soft shell clams are a tradition in the northeast for serving at a clambake. Although, rare to find and pricey today, by all means, substitute quahogs or hardshell littlenecks or cherrystones in place of steamers.

There are many ingredient options to add a flavoring infusion for the steamers. The basic New England version is pretty simple, allowing the briny taste of the clam to shine. But by all means, jazz up according to your personal taste. Such as red pepper flakes, or shallots, or lemongrass, and or chorizo.

Steamers White Wine

Makes two servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

2 pounds steamers or littleneck clams, scrub well and soak in cold water for 2 hours change water as needed to remove sand

1 Tablespoon olive oil

6 cloves fresh garlic, split in half, peel can be left on

1/2 cup white wine

1 sprig fresh oregano or thyme

2 Tablespoons fresh parsley washed & roughly chopped

juice of half lemon + 1 lemon, cut into small wedges for serving

Optional: hot pepper flakes and 1/4 cup melted butter

Crostini with Summertime Condiment

Preheat a large saucepot, large enough to hold steamers. Add olive oil, garlic, and optional hot pepper flakes or other ingredients. Cook for 1 minute. Add steamers, oregano, and white wine. Cover pot and cook until open, about 3-5 minutes, stirring once or twice. Shake the pot to mix up steamers. Caution to not overcook the steamers because they will become dry and rubbery.

Remove steamers with a slotted skimmer, leaving all the juice in the pot. Add parsley, bring juice to a boil and reduce the juice by half. Serve with juice, lemon wedges and melted butter in a separate bowl for dunking. And, you can always rev the steam up for a full boil or lobster bake to celebrate summer!

Serve with crostini on the side.

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13 EPISODES on 4 HD-DVD Disk Set, season one

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AS SEEN ON PUBLIC TELEVISION & CREATE TV- SEASON ONE
FEATURING CHEF GEORGE HIRSCH DEMONSTRATING HIS SAVORY COOKING, BAKING AND GRILLING RECIPES; WITH HIS EXPERT CULINARY TIPS & TECHNIQUES, ALONG WITH VISITS TO HIS INSPIRING HAMPTON LOCATIONS.

George Hirsch Living it UP! cooking & lifestyle book

$24.95

This easy to live with lifestyle plan; with more than 165 of George's easy-to-prepare gourmet recipes, you can lose weight, maintain energy, look better, and enjoy a longer active life, by eating great food!
M.Evans and Company, Inc.

George Starts your year off right!

George Hirsch Living it UP
Recipes for a Healthy Active Life
Product Details
Hardcover: 240 pages; $24.95
Publisher: M. Evans and Company, Inc.; 2000
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0871319241
ISBN-13: 978-0871319241
Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches

Creative Cooking tips
Fast Easy recipes that allow for an active lifestyle
A 30-Day Menu Plan you can adapt throughout the year
Support and motivation for staying on a healthy eating & exercise routine
Tips for easy food shopping & eating healthy on the run

Each book is personally autographed by George Hirsch.

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George’s Gameday Mac and Cheese

George Hirsch January 28, 2020

For my NY/LI friends tune-in/dvr WLIW21 Saturdays 2:30PM

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

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It's that time of year again; chilly evenings, more events going on and tailgates to organize. That's when I turn to my crowd pleasing Mac-N-Cheese. If you're planning your Super Bowl Gameday party menu, then my Mac and Cheese is a must; you can make my mac-mix ahead. Chill it, then just bake-it just before game time. It's good time food.

Use my recipe as a guide and feel free to add smoked ham, pancetta, pulled chicken or grilled shrimp to make your own home-spin. And, serve with some crowd pleasing Gameday Sliders

gamely sliders as seen on GHL — gamely sliders as seen on *GHL*

George’s Gameday Mac and Cheese

Makes 6 servings

George Hirsch Lifestyle | chefgeorgehirsch.com

2 Tablespoons Butter

1 onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, chopped

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups chicken broth

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 teaspoon hot sauce

pinch fresh grated nutmeg

2 cups half & half

1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup Jack cheese, shredded

2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

2 Tablespoons fresh italian parsley, chopped

1 1/2 pounds uncooked elbow, shells, or other small pasta

Melt Butter in a large soup pot or saucepan. Add onion, and garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Slowly add the broth, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, add the bay leaves, thyme, diced green chilies, hot sauce, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in the half & half and heat to a simmer. Slowly add the Cheddar, Jack, and Parmesan cheeses, stirring until they melt and the sauce is smooth. Stir in the cooked pasta. Place in a serving dish and eat immediately or sprinkle with Mac Topping, and bake five minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Optional Additions:

1 cup each Chorizo or smoked sausage, chopped plum tomatoes

For the Mac Topping

4 Tablespoons butter, melted

6 Tablespoons bread crumbs

2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

1 Tablespoon each fresh cilantro & parsley, chopped

Fresh ground pepper, to taste

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

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13 EPISODES on 4 HD-DVD Disk Set, season one

$19.95

George Hirsch Living it UP! cooking & lifestyle book

$24.95

Meatballs for Goodness

georgehirsch November 1, 2019

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

After all these years, my nana's meatball recipe is still nurturing and comforting. I am delighted to share once again a simple recipe filled with goodness. Thank you nana for teaching me the essentials of a recipe, even those ingredients not listed here.

Nana’s Meatballs, as seen on George Hirsch Lifestyle

Makes 12 Jumbo, 24 large or 40 mini meatballs

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

3 pounds ground beef, 80 / 20 blend; can use combo of beef, pork, and veal

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 sweet onion, chopped fine

2 eggs, cracked and beaten

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

2 Tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

3 cups day old Italian bread, pulsed into crumbs

1/2 cup chicken broth, to soften bread crumbs (variable amount may have to add more broth just to soften crumbs)

Fresh ground black pepper

* Note all ingredients should be very cold before blending.

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In a mixer or by hand mix all ingredients until well blended. Dip hands in ice water before shaping into round balls.

Spray an oven-roasting pan with grease spray.

Use an ice cream and scoop up meatballs; roll by hand until they are shaped round. Do not over handle as to not over warm up meat. Repeat until all meat is used up. Do not over crowd meatballs to make it easier to move them while baking.

Refrigerate meatballs for at least 30 minutes to chill. Prepare Tomato Sauce below.

Pre heat a large heavy gauge sautÃ© pan to high heat, or if making a large quantity of meatballs brown in a hot oven at 425 degrees F.

Roast meatballs for five minutes in oven or on stovetop just until they begin to brown. If roasting gently shake pan to move meatballs to turn over, or use a spatula for meatballs if browning in sautÃ© pan. Continue cooking for a few additional minutes (or less if mini) or until meatballs are brown on the outside. Meatballs will not be fully cooked and will continue to cook in tomato sauce.

Remove meatballs with a spatula and add to gently simmering sauce and continue cooking for 20-30 minutes.

For the Tomato Sauce:

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1/2 cup minced sweet onion

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 (28 ounce) cans crushed San Marzano Tomatoes

2 (6.5 ounce) cans tomato sauce

1 Tablespoon dried basil leaves

1/2 teaspoon oregano

Fresh ground black pepper

2 Tablespoons each fresh chopped parsley and basil

In a large saucepot sautÃ© add olive oil, onion, and garlic over medium heat until light brown. Stir in crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Season with dried basil, oregano, Italian seasoning, pepper, and half of the parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cooked browned meatballs and top with fresh chopped parsley and basil before serving.

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13 EPISODES on 4 HD-DVD Disk Set, season one

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Regional City Dogs

georgehirsch June 19, 2019

Tune-in GHL Create TV Sat 6/22 6AM/6PM, Sun 6/23 12PM est.

What could be better than going out to the ball park? Bringing the ball park home and getting creative with franks by using a mix of city savory toppings. Impress your guests with premium toppings and enjoy some tasteful and fun regional spins on the All-American wiener for your next cookout.

LA Taco Wrap Use farm fresh veggies, sweet caramelized onions, and my 60-sec guacamole as a topping wrapped in a warm flour tortilla.

Chicago 2nd City Dog How do you improve a Chicago Hot Dog that has been served up in ballparks for over 100 years? for the 2nd city serve up two dogs. AND Infused Hot dogs are gently heated in a good quality beer.

Carolina Double Dip Carolina BBQ is a multi-hour long process, low and slow. For the ultimate mix of 100% Beef hot dog, wrapped with what Carolina does best--pork. And smokey bacon kicks up the flavor and texture.

NYC Street Corner Frank Home to Hot Dog street carts with over 1.5 billion franks. Split top soft buns with spicy deli-style mustard, caramelized red onion sauce, sauerkraut, relish and handcrafted potato chips on the side.

Jersey Red Hots Think flatbread pizza meets hot dogs. Grilled or pan fried and stuffed into Italian bread pizza along with crispy pancetta, potatoes, provolone, fried onion, and grilled red hot pepper.

Chef George Hirsch’s Caramelized Onions Preheat a nonstick saucepan to a medium heat. Place 2 cups sliced onions in the pan and cover. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the onions begin to brown. Stir and cover again. Continue the process until the onions are a golden brown. Remove the cover. Cook off any excess moisture. Remove the onions from the pan and cool.

Chef George Hirsch’s Red Onion Sauce Preheat a nonstick saucepan to a medium heat. Place 2 cups sweet sliced onions and 4 cloves of chopped garlic in the pan and cover. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the onions begin to brown. Stir and add 1⁄4 cup ketchup, 1 Tablespoon paprika, 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1⁄4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Stir all ingredients into onions and cover again. Simmer for 10 minutes. Serve warm with sausage, franks or burgers.

Hot Dog Grilling & Cooking Tips

1 - Start with a clean grill, pre heat grill to high heat; always light grill with the cover up

2 - Place a high sided casserole pan with *seasoned liquid on grill or side burner and bring up to a boil. *Seasoned Liquid: 1 Bottle of beer, sliced onion, brown sugar, or 2 Cups beef or chicken broth, sliced onion, bay leaf. Or, 1/2 Bottle Beer, 1 Cup Broth, Sliced Onion, juice from drained can of baked beens!

3 - Add Hot Dogs, and very gently simmer and heat until warm 4-5 minutes. With tongs remove hot dogs from liquid and quickly sear on grill surface turning to brown on each side

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13 EPISODES on 4 HD-DVD Disk Set, season one

$19.95

George Hirsch Living it UP! cooking & lifestyle book

$24.95

keeping peace with Irish Coffee

George Hirsch March 17, 2019

I had an enjoyable afternoon tea with fellow Create TV host and Ireland’s TV chef, cookbook author Rachael Allen of Ballymaloe. Rachel and I exchanged our foodie stories and the like beginnings in our culinary careers. She shared with me her simplistic approach to food. I can't agree more. We agree that most are learning from this approach; getting back to the roots of growing and eating locally grown foods. The thing is, this in nothing new in Ireland, in fact they never lost their connection to sustainability.

Chefs Rachael Allen and George Hirsch, Adair Manor, Adair Co. Limerick, Ireland However, one topic of discussion is as serious as rugby or politics. I asked just about every person I meet in Ireland which brand of tea they preferred better, Lyons or Barry's. Barry's seemed to hold the lead during our filming. But then upon departure at Irish Customs I was told I was bringing home the wrong brand. They preferred Lyons. I can't be swayed, Barry's fan here.

So in keeping peace let’s drink Irish Coffee, a warming beverage on a chilly evening. Served first to arriving passengers in County Limerick, what is now Shannon International Airport. Ideal served with a slice of Chocolate Torta from George Hirsch Lifestyle. Sláinte!

Irish Coffee

Makes one serving

chefgeorgehirsch.com | from George Hirsch Lifestyle

1 ounce Jameson Irish Whiskey

1/2 ounce Baileys Irish Cream

1/2 cup hot strong coffee

Lemon wedge

Sugar to coat glass

Whipped cream

Prepare a sugar-rimmed glass by rubbing a piece of lemon or orange around the rim of a large wine glass. Dip 1/4 inch of the rim of the glass into a plate of sugar, coating the edge.

Place a teaspoon in glass. The spoon will diffuse the heat when hot coffee is poured into the glass.

Add whiskey and Baileys. Pour coffee into glass over spoon. Remove spoon. Top with a dollop of whipped cream.