is aka as Lebanese couscous. It is a nutritious grain-based pasta made from semolina flour rolled into pearl shaped pellets. Couscous is ideal for soups, stews, salads and side-dishes, like my Couscous and Tomato Salad.
Zürsun, well known for their heirloom beans now produces their own moghrabieh. Their wheat is the highest quality and sustainably grown on Lebanese farms, creating a creamy and authentic tasty couscous. Thumbs up.
Zürsun products, available at specialty food markets.
If you start off using the best ingredients, the proof is in the pudding; as is the case with my Chocolate Torta recipe; I use the Droste brand of cocoa which is dutched cocoa.
Dutched cocoa means the cocoa underwent a process that results in milder chocolate flavor notes by reducing acidity. The dutching process can also change the color from light red to brown to black. Dutched cocoa works well in chocolate desserts such as devil’s food cake or brownies.
My Torta Recipe requires just a simple whisk, spoon or spatula to do the job. Mix by hand + bake. Forty-five minutes later you’ll be savoring this delightful Italian Pastry!
George's Chocolate Torta
Recipe by Chef George Hirsch | Makes 12 servings
chefgeorgehirsch.com
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1-1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
1/3 cup sweet butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1 egg white, beaten into whole egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioners sugar
Preheat oven to 325°. Lightly grease a 9-inch cake pan; set aside.
In small bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In large bowl, combine cocoa and granulated sugar until blended. With wire whisk, beat in water, then melted butter, egg, egg white and vanilla until smooth. Add flour mixture and beat until smooth. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. On wire rack, cool for ten minutes in pan. With small spatula, loosen cake from sides of pan. Remove to a wire rack and cool completely. Place on plate and sprinkle with confectioners sugar. To serve, cut into small wedges.
Saint Petersburg, Russia is where the roots of today's Paris based Kusmi Tea company began. The creator, Pavel Michailovitch Kousmichoff started working at the age of 14 for a tea merchant who saw his talent and taught him the art of blending. You could say Pavel stepped into the right place at the right time. He married well, his boss gave him his first tea house, and prosperity followed. His peasant upbringing brewed into a life of great wealth and success; with a large family to carry on the tea business and make it flourish for generations to come.
Kusmi 25, rue Danielle Casanova Paris 01
The company became one of the three largest tea houses in Russia and was a supplier to the Court of Tsars. It would be the keen insight of Pavel's son, Viatcheslav, to open a workshop in Paris; escaping the pending Revolution in 1917. It would be known as the Maison Kusmi-Thé, a shortened version of the family's surname.
The company is no longer owned by the Kousmichoff family. The Orebi Family took over Kusmi in 2003, harnessing this 140 year old company to be the international Kusmi Tea brand. Kusmi expanded into North America this year, opening a location in Motreal, Quebec and there's word of a NYC expansion soon.
A Few Health Benefits Drinking Tea
Tea contains antioxidants. Antioxidants can help slow down the aging process, and help cells regenerate.
Tea aids your body in digestion. Tea has been used for thousands of years as a digestive aid after meals.
Tea keeps you hydrated. Every cup of tea you drink, especially low or no caffeine varieties, counts as a cup of water with the added bonus of providing antioxidants as well.
George's Cake Recipes that go well with tea.
images: Kusmi Tea
What to grill this weekend? How about some bread? Bruschetta is one of my most popular recipes and is so simple to prepare. It is an ideal snack to enjoy while you are waiting for the main dish on the grill to be finished.
Ideally, use day old or very dense thickly-sliced bread. The addition of the smoke from the grill adds magical flavor to the crust and it’s toppings. There is no limit in toppings for your bruschetta, just let your imagination run free. Think of your bread crusts as an artist’s canvas.
Join me for a bruschetta tour through Italy. Which, BTW, the variety in bruschetta toppings vary from region to region.
When canal-side in Venice, I must have my bruschetta with Baccala' Mantecato, that is topped with whipped salted cod. This cod is making me thirsty! Vino prego!
While in Siena, I’ve enjoyed grilled toasts di fegato, that's made with garlicky chopped liver.
The southern part of Italy is the region to feast on the superior quality of fruits from Italy's fertile soil, particularly Naples. Ahh, delicioso pomodoro. This is the bruschetta most people envision - crowns of sweet ripened tomatoes, basil and olive oil.
Before you take your first bite, let me transport you to my favorite place in Positano; Trattoria La Tagliata where Bartolo is the family's grill chef. He will take really good care of you - while you nibble on his bruschetta, enjoying the priceless view of the Amalfi Coast and await his grilled specialties.
Something wonderful happens to country-style bread when it’s brushed with olive oil and grilled. It’s smoky flavor adds another layer to olive oil, fresh tomatoes with lots of caramelized garlic, parmesan cheese, and capers. Dry day-old bread makes the best bruschetta, so this is a good way to use up yesterday’s loaf of Italian, French, or sourdough bread. Serve bruschetta with salad or soup, or as a snack with a chunk of sopressatta.
This recipe is from my first book, and to pass along just how much everyone enjoys bruschetta from the grill it’s my very first recipe in the book, page 14.
Bruschetta
From Grilling with Chef George Hirsch | The cookbook By George Hirsch with Marie Bianco © 1994
Makes 6
3 cups seeded and diced plum tomatoes
24 cloves caramelized garlic
2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon capers, rinsed
Salt and pepper, to taste
12 slices round country- style bread, sliced 3/4 inch thick
1/4 cup olive oil
6 basil leaves, chopped
Grated parmesan cheese
To make the topping, combine the tomtoes, garlic, parmesan cheese, capers, salt and pepper.
Brush the bread on both sides with olive oil and grill 10 to 15 seconds on each side. Press down on the bread with a spatula so that the bread picks up grill marks.
When the bread is grilled, top off the slices evenly with the tomato mixture and place them in a foil pan on the grill. Close the hood and heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan and sprinkle each bruschetta with basil and parmesan cheese.
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.
In French it’s know as le grand petit déjeuner or big breakfast, literally "the big little lunch". Against the wishes of the Académie—the typical French person refers to the phrase "American's brunch". Whether you call it le grand petit déjeuner or just brunch, it's an ideal time of day to serve a mixture of savory & sweet dishes, like my baked ham & biscuits + muffins.
Start with sweet Blueberry Nut Muffins. Today is the savory portion; a Spring Easter time favorite, Ham with a Honey Glaze served with my Warm Biscuits.
CLICK HERE for more ham glazes and sauces.
