Gazpacho as seen on George Hirsch Lifestyle

George Hirsch August 14, 2025

This time of year is perfect to dream about those farm-fresh veggies. But don’t just dream, enjoy one of my favorite refreshing soups anytime!

I also call Gazpacho "liquid salad" — for obvious reasons. Its origin and roots go back to ancient times in Andalusia, Spain, with a version of the recipe believed to be concocted as a re-energizing dish for Roman workers building roads in the early 2nd century Spain. Traditionally, gazpacho recipes include stale bread, tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, garlic, olive oil, and a touch of vinegar.

Gazpacho aka Liquid Salad

Makes four servings

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1/4 cup sweet onion, chopped very fine

4 cups low sodium tomato juice + Juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup each sweet red + yellow pepper, chopped very fine

1/4 fresh plum tomatoes, seeded, chopped fine

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/4 cup scallions, finely chopped

1/2 cup cucumber, peeled and seeded, chopped very fine

1 Tablespoon cilantro + 1/4 each teaspoon hot sauce, cumin, sea salt + fresh ground black pepper

1/2 cup stale bread, toasted and chopped fine

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Optional: 1 fresh gherkin cut into four wedges and a sprig of dill to garnish. Or, marinate very fresh scallops or shrimp in tequila & hot sauce--top mugs of ceviche style.

*In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients and chill for two hours before serving.

My recipe will give your knife skills a workout. Feel free to use a blender. Keep in mind that the manual chopping of the vegetables will preserve the flavor.

*Tip: Be aware, using a food processor or blender cooks the veggies with friction, in turn, changing the natural, uncooked flavor, which is the true essence of this dish. There are many versions of gazpacho, but I prefer this one without any meat broth, keeping it true to its veggie roots, and finishing it off with a drizzle of good olive oil.

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Sausage Campagnola, an Old World Tradition

georgehirsch August 11, 2025

Cooler nights and a bounty from the garden. Campagnola, an italin style hearty country dish fitting for this time of year.

The old world tradition of sausage and vegetables makes this rustic country dish ideal for cooking on the grill or stovetop. Cook it today and it will taste even better tomorrow.

Note: With this country-style dish, you can add seasonal and readily available vegetables such as mushrooms, zucchini, and peeled carrots.

Sausage Campagnola

Makes 4-6 servings

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2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 pound Italian Ring Sausage or 4 links

½ sweet onion, chopped

6 cloves of garlic

1 red bell pepper, cut into small strips

2 small Yukon potatoes, sliced thin

¼ cup dry white wine

pinch red pepper flakes

3 Tablespoons Fresh Basil, torn

¼ cup pecorino Romano cheese

Preheat a large sauté pan over medium heat.

Add olive oil and sausage and cook until the sausage has browned. Add onion, garlic, red bell, and Yukon potatoes and cook on low to medium heat until soft and a rich golden color and fully cooked.

Add Kale, red pepper flakes, fresh ground black pepper, and wine, cook 4-5 minutes.

Serve topped with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.

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Late Summer Cobbler

George Hirsch July 19, 2025

A peach berry cobbler is one of my favorite desserts, especially during the summer when the fruit is at peak ripeness. This cobbler combines a variety of summer fruits, and the natural sugars from the soft, ripe fruit provide just the right amount of sweetness.

Baking it in a cast-iron skillet makes serving a breeze at any barbecue. With plenty of summer left, you'll want to make this delicious treat before the season bids farewell.

George’s Warm Peach Berry Cobbler

Makes 4 –6 servings

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For Topping:

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup flour

3/4 cup rolled quick oats

1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1/2 cup melted butter

Mix all sugars, flour, oats, and nuts. Pour in butter and mix until the topping looks like wet sand. Do not over-mix; the topping should have a lumpy consistency.

For the Filling:

4 cups Fresh Peaches- sliced and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces.

2 pints of Fresh Blueberries or mixed berries

1 loaf of pound cake, sliced thin

1/3 cup water or *simple syrup

Preheat a 375-degree oven.

Grease small individual ramekins, or a 9-inch ovenproof casserole, or better for baking and serving, a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Line the bottom of the pan with sliced pound cake. Add peaches, blueberries, and simple syrup. Top with a generous amount of crumb topping. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until the crumb topping is crisp and light brown.

Serve warm, topped with powdered sugar, whipped cream, or ice cream.

*To make simple syrup:

1 cup of water

2 cups of sugar

1 orange, cut into quarters

Place all ingredients into a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. Remove and cool.

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***Enjoy my perfect summertime garden accompaniment to the late summer cobbler***

George Hirsch’s Cedar Plank Salmon

George Hirsch July 6, 2025

I've introduced the age-old art of hot smoking on wood planks for over twenty-five years in my TV shows and cookbooks. It's foolproof and quite impressive for entertaining, and as I say at the end of my show.."If I can do it, you can do it!"

However, this technique of cooking on planks is far from new. The Indians in the Pacific Northwest cooked on cedar and alder, a tradition done for many centuries, as all cooking was done on an open fire. Once you try it yourself, you'll see why.

Chef George’s Cedar Plank Salmon

Makes four servings

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*1 cedar plank

One 1 1/2-pound salmon fillet

Juice of one fresh lemon

1 teaspoon each: thyme, rosemary, paprika, black pepper

3 Tablespoons olive oil

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill

1 lemon, sliced

Soak plank in water to cover for 2 hours; drain.

Preheat the Grill to high.

Rub the plank with one tablespoon of olive oil.

Place fillets on the plank; season with thyme, rosemary, paprika, black pepper, dill, and lemon juice. Top with remaining olive oil.

Grill for 10-14 minutes on a covered grill for optimum smoke or until the fish is cooked. The thickness of the fillets will determine the final cooking time.

Before serving, top with fresh dill butter and serve with extra fresh lemon slices, or grill lemon slices along with salmon.

Tips:

Planked Salmon as seen on George Hirsch Lifestyle TV Series — Planked Salmon as seen on *George Hirsch Lifestyle* TV Series

*Soak planks for at least 2 hours or more in cold water before you fire up the grill.

Make sure the grill is good and hot; this is key! Grilled cedar-planked fish takes on a wonderful smoky flavor. The plank will be charred, but the fish will be perfectly cooked. When opening the grill, if the planks do not fit up, spray the plank with water to douse the flame and immediately close the grill cover to reduce oxygen.

Note: Cedar plank should be untreated non-resin wood, no thicker than 1 inch.

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Strawberry Cornbread Shortcake

George Hirsch July 2, 2025

This Southern strawberry shortcake is baked in a black iron skillet, giving it a crunchy crust—the perfect foil for berries and sweetened whipped cream. Using cake flour will give the shortcake a lighter, more tender texture. If you have any strawberries left over, you may want to try my Rosé Sangria from George Hirsch Lifestyle.

Strawberry Cornbread Shortcake

Makes 6 - 8 servings

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For the Cornbread:

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup cake flour or all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

2 eggs. lightly beaten

1/4 cup sweet butter, melted

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the whipped cream:

1 cup heavy cream

2 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

2 pints mixed fresh strawberries and optional blueberries

1/2 pint fresh blueberries

Granulated sugar, if necessary

Strawberry Shortcake

Preheat oven or grill to medium temperature or 375 degrees F.

Combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix the milk, eggs, butter, vanilla, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until no particles of the dry ingredients remain. Do not over-mix.

Spoon the mixture into a well-greased, 8-inch, black iron skillet or cake pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool the cornbread for 5 minutes in the pan; remove and cool completely on a rack.

Beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add the confectioners’ sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Wash the strawberries and pat them dry gently with a paper towel. Cut half of the strawberries into slices and leave the rest whole. If the berries are not sweet, toss with a small amount of granulated sugar.

Slice the cornbread in half horizontally. Spread the lower half with half the whipped cream and sliced strawberries and blueberries. Replace the top half and cover with the remaining whipped cream and berries.

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