Gameday Chili

George Hirsch January 30, 2025

Entertaining a crowd during Gameday Season?

Then, it's time to fire up the cooktop and start chopping. Those flavors will come together deliciously by gameday. This recipe calls for one bottle of IPA beer, my favorite from my local microbrew. I always advise you to use only what you would drink!

This basic chili recipe combines several flavors of the Southwest.

Options: Turkey and pork can be substituted for beef and combined for ultimate flavor. To make it vegetarian, use eggplant, squash, and extra onion in place of the meat.

IPA Chili

Makes 6- 8 servings

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2 pounds sirloin or chuck - cut into 1/2 inch pieces or a ground beef combo

4 slices maple cured bacon, chopped

10 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup sweet onion, chopped

4 scallions, chopped

2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped

1 fresh serrano chili pepper, chopped

1 Tablespoon each: cumin, oregano, basil and thyme

1 teaspoon cinnamon

12 ounces of a good microbrew IPA

2 cups canned plum tomatoes with juice, chopped

1 Tablespoon cider vinegar

1 16-ounce can of red beans, rinsed and drained

2 Tablespoons cilantro

Preheat a large soup pot over medium-high heat.

Add bacon and allow the bacon to get a light golden color. Add garlic, onion, olive oil, scallions, jalapenos, and serrano, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beef and cook until becomes lightly browned. Drain off any excess fat. Season with cumin, oregano, basil, hot pepper flakes, and cinnamon.

Add beer and reduce liquid for one minute; add tomatoes and vinegar.

Lower the temperature to a gentle simmer. Stir, cover pot, and cook for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add beans and cook for 30 minutes or until the meat is tender.

**LISTEN SATURDAY Feb 10th and SUNDAY Feb 11th at 10AM**

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Farmer's Grilled Potato Salad

georgehirsch August 15, 2024

*Grilled Summer Squash with Thyme and Thai Basil*

Summer's bounty from the farm inspired this salad, made with baby Yukon potatoes, colorful confetti of grilled peppers, eggplant, zucchini, sweet red, green and white onion & fresh dill. You can embellish this recipe by adding any grilled sliced meats or seafood.

George Hirsch Basket of Fresh Picked Farm Vegetables

Farmer's Grilled Potato Salad
Makes 8 servings

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For the Dressing:
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 Tablespoon horseradish
4 Tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon sea salt fresh ground pepper to taste

- Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.

For the Salad:
2 pounds Yukon, blue or red new potatoes - grill roast, or boil, cool—then chill in refrigerator overnight
1 each sweet white & red onions, sliced and grilled 6 green onions, trimmed and grilled
1 each: red, yellow & green bell peppers, split - grilled, and sliced 1 each eggplant, sliced and grilled1 each green and yellow squash, sliced and grilled1/4 cup olive oil
4 Tablespoons fresh dill, chopped1 teaspoon sea salt fresh ground pepper to taste

Two days before serving: Cook potatoes. If grilling, slice or split potatoes in half; if boiling, leave whole. Cool at room temperature, then place in refrigerator. The day before serving: Cut potatoes into 1/2-inch pieces. Combine potatoes and dill in a large bowl. Add 3/4 of the dressing and toss well. Refrigerate overnight. Grill vegetables for 2-3 minutes on each side. Brush with olive oil and top with dill, sea salt, and pepper. Cool at room temperature, then place in refrigerator.

Day of serving: Mix the remaining 1/4 of the dressing in the potatoes. Arrange grilled vegetables on a platter with potato salad. Just before serving. Top with a fresh sprig of dill.

Food Safety Tip: Never put hot or warm food in the refrigerator. Chill to room temperature, and then place in the refrigerator uncovered. After food has become fully chilled, then cover.

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George Hirsch’s Rosé Sangria

George Hirsch July 17, 2024

Summertime is full of outdoor activities, with family and friends enjoying the season. Why not share a refreshing beverage? When mixed with fresh seasonal fruits, you can’t go wrong. I was told by someone from Madrid, “This is the best Sangria I ever had!” A great sangria's secret is ripe fruit and a good rosé.

George Hirsch’s Rosé Sangria

Makes eight glasses

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1 bottle of Rosé wine

1/3 cup brandy

1/3 cup Cointreau or Grand Marnier

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2-4 Tablespoons pure cane sugar

2 peaches, peeled, pitted, and diced

1/2 cup sliced strawberries

1/2 cup blueberries

Just before serving, add:

2 cups club soda

Garnish with fresh lemon verbena or mint

Combine all ingredients except soda in a large glass container or sangria pitcher. Chill in the refrigerator overnight. Immediately before serving, add 1 cup of ice, and stir the club soda. Ladle or pour into chilled glasses, garnish with a slice of fresh peach, a sprig of verbena, and serve.

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Summer Time Whoopie

georgehirsch June 21, 2023

George Hirsch Lifestyle PBS TV Series Oven Fried Chicken Video Recipe

The whoopie pie, aka black moon, gob, black-and-white, bob, or the round Devil Dog, borders on a cookie, cake, and pie. My recipe for a Summer Time Whoopie Pie with grilled pineapple Piña Colada version is worth all the steps. How can you go wrong with chocolate pastry sandwiching a grilled rum-infused pineapple in coconut cream?

Summer Time Piña Colada Whoopie Pies

Make 15 small Dessert Burgers

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For Grilled Pineapple

1 ripe Pineapple

2 Tablespoons Brown sugar

¼ cup Dark Rum, such as Myers

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

1 Tablespoon mint, chopped

Cut off the top and bottom, and peel the outside skin of the ripe pineapple. Cut horizontally into 1/2-inch slices; remove the center core. Pour marinade over top of pineapple for 3-4 hours prior to grilling.

Remove the pineapple from the marinade. Grill at medium-high temperature for 2 to 3 minutes, basting on each side with marinade. Remove and cool.

Chocolate Pies/Cookies

Makes 30 small cookies to make 15 whoopee pies

3½ cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1¼ teaspoons baking powder

1¼ teaspoons baking soda

¾ cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder (such as Valrhona)

½ cup good strong warm coffee

2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

¾ cup canola oil

1 large egg, beaten

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ cup buttermilk, *or ½ cup milk with 1/4 teaspoon vinegar

2 Tablespoons Shredded coconut, lightly toasted

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

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda, and set aside.

In another large bowl, mix the cocoa powder and brown sugar. Add warm coffee and whisk until completely dissolved. Add oil, egg, vanilla, and buttermilk and whisk until smooth. Use a rubber spatula to fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients gently. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as you fold.

Use a small ice cream scoop to drop a heaping tablespoon of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the cookies are just starting to crack on top and can be lifted off the; use caution not to overbake. Let the cookies cool completely before removing them from the pan.

Piña Colada Filling:

5 large egg whites

1½ cups sugar

2 cups (4 sticks) sweet butter, room temperature, cut into ½-inch cubes

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pure coconut extract

Whisk the egg whites and sugar together in a medium bowl. Set the bowl over a double boiler with simmering water but do not let the water touch the bottom of the bowl. Heat the mixture until the sugar is completely dissolved and the color is milky-white, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer the egg mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer with a whisk attachment and start slowly at first; beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Remove the whisk attachment and replace it with the paddle attachment. Add salt and coconut flavoring, then the cubed butter. Starting slowly at first, beat on medium-high speed until the filling is light and creamy, about 5 minutes.

Chef George Hirsch Grilled Piña Colada Whoopie Pies

To assemble Summer Piña Colada Whoopie Pies:

Turn half the cooled cookies upside down (flat side facing up). With a pastry bag or spoon, drop a teaspoon of Piña Colada icing onto the flat side of the cookie. Top with grilled pineapple, a teaspoon of Piña Colada icing on top, and sprinkle a small amount of coconut on top.

Place the cookie with the flat side down on top of the filled bottom. Press down slightly so that the filling spreads to the edges of the pies. Repeat until all the pies are used. Put the assembled pies in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm up the icing before serving.

Allow the Piña Colada Whoopie Pies to adjust to room temperature before serving.

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Hampton+Baking+Co.+classic+all+natural+cookies.jpg

Cinco de Mayo Barbecue Burrito

George Hirsch May 4, 2023

This week Cinco de Mayo will be celebrated worldwide, honoring Mexican heritage and marking the defeat of the French Army after invading the Americas. But believe it or not, this commemorative holiday is celebrated by more people in California than in Mexico. And many festive ways are used to mark the occasion beyond cervesa and tequila. Dances and music keep the experience to preserve & educate the public about its historical significance and culture.

A quick fix burrito made even better with yesterday’s leftover grilled chicken. And what a great way to kick off grilling season! Although my grilled chicken burrito recipe is not traditional for Cinco de Mayo - you will still get rave reviews. I have.

Chicken Barbecue Burrito

Barbecue Burrito

Makes 6 serving

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2 pounds boneless and skinless chicken thighs

1/4 cup Barbecue Chicken Burrito Rub

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce

Twelve 10-inch flour tortillas

Season chicken with rub (see below) and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat the grill to high.

Brush chicken with olive oil, place on the grill, and sear for 2 minutes on each side. Move the chicken to a cooler side of the grill and continue cooking for 4 to 5 minutes longer. Remove the chicken from the grill and allow to cool for five minutes. Shred the meat, combine it with barbecue sauce in a small saucepan, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes on the grill or side burner.

To serve, place 3-4 Tablespoons of the chicken mixture in the center of each flour tortilla. Fold each side toward the center and roll up from the bottom. Place the burritos on a medium-hot grill and heat on both sides for 1 to 2 minutes.

Chicken Burrito Rub

Makes 1/3 cup

1 Tablespoon each of sweet paprika, oregano, black pepper, garlic powder, ground cumin, lemon zest

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Store in a tightly covered jar.