Jamón Serrano

Jamón Serrano is Spain's dry cured country ham, much like the more popular Prosciutto of Italy, but slightly little less fatty. Jamón Serrano can come from any region in Spain, unlike Prosciutto di Parma, a certified product specifically marked from the Parma region in Italy. Jamón Serrano is aka mountain ham, a nickname given because originally the mountain regions were where the hams were cured, possessing ideal climate conditions for curing the hams for at least a year. This Serrano ham is a common ham, embraced and ingrained in the customs and traditions in all Spain's regions. And also, enjoyed on a daily basis at most Spanish meals.

Available at specialty markets.

Serve: carved paper thin with hard cheese and fresh fruit.

Open Fire Greek Style

"My art is a smoke-blackened empire" 
Quote; Athenaeus, Greek scholar c.200 A.D.

My travels to Greece have inspired this recipe. Usually the Greek custom is for a whole lamb to be prepared, but for ease of cooking I substituted a leg of lamb in lieu of the traditional whole lamb. Tried and true - this open fire spit recipe is always a crowd pleaser and was also one of the most requested dishes at my restaurant, and my TV crew loved it too. The fire-smoke combo flavors the meat while it slowly caramelizes on the spit. I know your guests will enjoy it as much as mine. Just use caution – your guests may get so into the mood, they will want to dance on tables and break plates. Opa, happy Friday! 

Grilled Greek Leg of Lamb  
makes 10-12 servings | recipe by George Hirsch

From Gather ‘round the Grill cookbook 1995, by Chef George Hirsch with Marie Bianco & From George Hirsch Living it UP! TV series

5-6 pound boneless leg of lamb, split
2 cups fresh spinach, cleaned
2 Tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
8 fresh mint leaves
1 head garlic, peeled
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
2 teaspoons sea salt

Place fresh spinach, garlic, oregano, mint leaves, and pepper in a food processor or blender. Blend until leaves are small, add lemon juice and vinegar. Blend one minute or just until all ingredients are well mixed.  Place lamb in a large bowl, pour marinade over the lamb, cover, and refrigerate for 4 hours or up to 2 days ahead of cooking; turning lamb twice a day.

Pre heat grill to high.   

Remove lamb from marinade, dry the surface of the meat with paper towels, sprinkle with sea salt and secure with butcher twine on a metal spit. Place leg of lamb with spit on an indirect heat on a gas or charcoal grill for 30-40 minutes, until the entire surface is nicely brown.  Use caution when grilling to cook on an indirect heat to avoid flare ups.  

Place marinade in a large braising pan (as wide as lamb) and bring up to a rapid boil.  When meat is brown, place braising pan with reduce marinade on grill under meat to catch juices dripping from roast. Cover grill and lower temperature of grill to low. Brush lamb with drippings every 5-10 minutes. 

Cooking the lamb roast on a spit low and slow keeps the meat tender and juicy, as the moisture is not forced out of the roast. I cook my lamb well done; more in the style of a braised lamb dish for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until lamb is fork tender. However, if you prefer your lamb medium-rare, after browning roast cook about one hour on low temperature or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 145 degrees. 

When meat is cooked remove to a serving platter, cover with foil and allow to rest for thirty minutes prior to removing from spit and carving.  While meat is resting bring juices in braising pan to a boil and reduce the juices until it is all homogenized, pour juice over sliced lamb.

Serve with Greek Salad, warm pita bread and Tzatziki.

Roman Style

Yes, it’s spring which means it’s time for Carciofi alla Romana- perfect time for artichokes Roman style. The key is freshness. That’s why in Italy - Rome especially you will only find artichokes in the market now and in the fall. So the lesson here is if they are fresh, they will be moist on the stem end. 

This is a dish to share with someone special. Get rid of your knives and forks and start the evening with finger food - making it all the more full of amore!

Garlic Artichokes

From George Hirsch Living it UP! TV series

chefgeorgehirsch.com | Makes 4 servings

4 Large Artichokes 
1 lemon, cut in half
1/4 cup mint leaves washed, dried and chopped
8 cloves garlic, chopped
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup white wine
Fresh ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes, *optional

Wash artichokes; remove outer leaves until pale yellow leaves are exposed. 

Cut off top two inches and stems so artichokes will sit upright. 

Remove fuzzy centers (choke) with the edge of a soup spoon and rub all surfaces with half of a lemon. Add juice of remaining lemon to water and dip artichokes to preserve green color. 

Mix mint, garlic, pepper, with wine, 1/2 cup olive oil and spoon into hollows of artichokes. Place in a pan just large enough to hold them upright. Add water to depth of three inches and remaining olive. Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer 25 minutes or until just tender. Check by either pulling off a bottom leaf with ease or inserting small knife through bottom and it slides out with ease. Cooking will vary with size of artichokes. 

Remove artichokes, drain, cover and keep warm. Reduce cooking liquid until a syrupy consistency, add optional hot pepper flakes. Spoon sauce over artichokes and serve.

Artichokes may also be stuffed with vegetables, sausage and bread stuffing and baked in a 325 degree F oven for 45-60 minutes. 

One Pan Breakfast

Everyone is always looking for the one-pot meal. The frittata can be more than just breakfast, including brunch and lunch. Fill it with fresh veggies and good eggs like my recipe below and you'll have a powerful one-pan breakfast. A frittata is also the perfect way to repurpose leftovers like roasted potatoes; or spring greens like chives and asparagus.

safety tip: The pan will be hot when taken out of the oven. Place a ktchen towel on the handle as a reminder to prevent burning yourself when dishing up.

Spinach Frittata

Makes six servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | As seen on George Hirsch Living it UP! TV Series

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup sweet onion, chopped

1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup smoked sausage, chopped

10 eggs, well beaten

2 Tablespoons water 

1 Tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

pinch fresh grated nutmeg

fresh ground black pepper

1 cup fresh baby spinach

1/4 cup shredded fontina or Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Beat eggs with water, basil, parmesan cheese, hot sauce, nutmeg, and pepper. 

On the stovetop, pre heat a large oven proof saute pan to medium temperature. Add olive oil to sauté pan, cook onions, mushrooms and sausage until slightly brown.

Increase heat to high temperature, add baby spinach, stir quickly until spinach wilts. Add egg mixture over the spinach filling and continue stirring while adding cheese. Place pan in oven for additional 5 minutes or until fritatta is firm yet moist. 

chefgeorgehirsch.com

Coffee Break

Here’s some trivia to share on your next coffee break or around the water cooler talk.

It is said that the first coffee break began in the US around 1880 in Stoughton Wisconsin. Mostly of Norwegian descent, the citizens of Stoughton's Coffee Street hired women because it was so near their homes that they could run home to check on their family and do some odd chores. There, a hot pot of coffee constantly was on the stove, so there was a cup at the ready to have a few minutes to relax and refresh with coffee before jogging back to work. 

I find it very convenient that the name derived from women who took breaks from work, only to go home and do some housework, then to sip coffee, before going back to work on a street named Coffee. Did you get that? I can’t imagine why the home-for-housework-with-the-coffee-thing didn’t stick and only the coffee part of the break did. How many people would actually return to work after the coffee break?

I’m ready for a good cup of coffee now! After 5PM - make it Irish please.
(WARNING: I don't advise drinking this version at work)

Irish Coffee 
recipe by George Hirsch | Makes one serving
From George Hirsch Living it UP! TV Series

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.