Calendulas

Saying goodbye May..

from George Hirsch's Garden "Calendulas" Edible Flowers

Calendulas have beautiful daisy-like flowers that are tasty in salads and teas. As a "pot marigold" they were used during Tudor times as a poor man's saffron in cooking.

Aztecs introduced marigolds to Spanish and Portuguese explorers. Once the seeds made it to Spain, they quickly spread throughout Europe and North Africa. In Europe the plants were called "Mary's gold," referring to the brightly colored flowers and the Virgin Mary. 

As you see they bring color to a vegetable and herb garden. Pick as edible flowers for salads, cakes, and teas. Marigolds and calendulas are easy to dry and store for later use. Spread the flowers on a screen to dry in a well-ventilated, shady location and store in glass jars. 

Hello June!  

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May Crisp

Rhubarb Crisp is also known as early spring tart. Rhubarb, known as the pie plant, is a tart vegetable used to make tasty desserts + sauces; which happens to be rich in vitamins and minerals. Suggestion: I am sure Mom would love this baked for her on Mother's Day. Serve warm with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream.

Rhubarb Crisp

recipe by Chef George Hirsch | Makes 4-6 servings

4-6 cups rhubarb stalks, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

juice from one orange

1 Tablespoon orange zest, finely grated

1 cup Turbino sugar (sugar in the raw)

3/4 cup flour

Cover rhubarb with half of the sugar (1/2 cup) sugar, orange juice, zests and marinate 1 hour. Mix remaining sugar and flour together and combine with marinated rhubarb. Grease a 9 inch ovenproof casserole or several small individual ramekins; add marinated rhubarb and sugar flour mixture to greased baking dish.

For the topping:

3/4 cup flour

1/4 cup butter

1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon.

3/4 cup rolled oats (not instant oatmeal)

1/2 cup light brown sugar

Mix flour, butter, ground cinnamon until it makes a smooth pastry dough. Add oatmeal and brown sugar, crumble together and place on top of marinated rhubarb in baking dish. 

Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until top is light brown and the top is crisp and rhubarb is tender. Serve warm with coffee ice cream.

Tip:

Mix apples, pears, peaches, plums or berries in with rhubarb for seasonal dessert variations.

Mix in a hand full of pecans or walnuts for a crunchy addition.

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Benedictine Sandwich

If it seems like a busy week for celebrating, then you are spot-on. This is what's on the celebrations calendar; there's Cinco de Mayo approaching, and this weekend is the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby. The “fastest two minutes in racing or for most sports,” here’s how to celebrate like a triple crown winner!

To keep your entertaining true to form, here's a traditional Derby Day classic, invented by Jennie Benedict in the 19th century, The Benedictine Sandwich. This sandwich is to Churchill Downs as the Pimento Sandwich is to the Masters; and is one that John Montagu (The 4th Earl of Sandwich) would still be proud to eat.

To Make a Benedictine Sandwich:

In a food processor - mix 1 package softened cream cheese with 2 Tablespoons finely chopped watercress, 1/4 of a finely chopped Vidalia onion, 2 Tablespoons of olive oil mayo, a shot of hot sauce, and a pinch of sea salt. Pulse all ingredients until just blended smooth. Fold in 1 large peeled, seeded and finely chopped English cucumber. Spread cuke filling on thinly sliced white sandwich bread. Trim crusts, if desired. 

Equally as good enjoyed with Deviled Eggs

Wash down with a cool Mint Julep!

BTW: Each year, almost 120,000 Early Times Mint Juleps are served over the two-day period of Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby weekend at Churchill Downs Racetrack.

Wash down with a cool Mint Julep!

My Mint Julep Recipe

It's easy to make with only four ingredients; Bourbon Whiskey, mint, crushed ice and sugar. Simply muddle/pestle the sugar and mint; to release the oils in the mint, Add ice to top off highball glass, top with Bourbon. Traditionally served in silver cup with a straw. Hat, optional.

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Tres Leches

Tres Leches, aka pan tres leches (three milks bread) and three-milk cake - which is a cake perforated and soaked in a mixture of three different milk products; evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and whole milk or heavy cream. 

Why three milks? A cake using canned evaporated or condensed milk originated in Latin America to promote the use of the their canned product. Evaporated and condensed milk is widely available throughout the Caribbean, Central and South America. So it's only natural if a highly appealing dessert would use these products, product sales would increase. Both became an immediate success in urban areas where fresh milk was lacking distribution from farm regions. But who knew this cake would become such a highly appealing global dessert.

So what’s the three milk difference? 

- Condensed milk first came into use in the mid-1850’s as a way to preserve milk in cans without refrigeration. 

- Evaporated milk first became available during the 1870’s when milk companies were able to heat the evaporated milk so that it would not spoil in the cans, thereby making the sugar unnecessary. 

Butter or sponge cake is the foundation of this dessert; I suggest sponge cake since it's a better option for a lighter, airy texture and not as soggy, because it can better absorb the cake soaking up the three milks. 

Sponge Cake Tips: 

- It’s all in whipping the egg yolks and egg whites separately to build a light airy cake batter. 

- Use the freshest eggs. The quality of the eggs affects the cake's volume and texture.

- Prepare cake pans by brushing with melted butter, dusting with flour and lining with parchment paper.

- Whisk the eggs and sugar until they have increased in volume about four times it’s original volume and the strands from the whisk are stiff enough to hold a trail on top of egg batter for at least 30 seconds.

- For maximum lightness, use sifted flour; and add flour into the mixture in three stages. 

- Fold in the whipped egg whites using a long-handled spatula with an up-and-over motion, while turning the bowl in the opposite direction.

Pastel de Tres Leches

Makes about 10-12 servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle 

For the cake:

5 large eggs, separated

1 cup granulated pure can sugar

1/3 cup milk, warmed

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 Tablespoon melted butter

Preheat oven to 350F. 

Grease a 13 x 9-inch cake pan or baking dish with butter and flour. 

In a mixer, beat 3/4 cup sugar and the egg yolks until light and fluffy for about 5 minutes. 

With a very clean wire whisk or whip, beat the egg whites to soft peaks, adding the cream of tartar after 20 seconds. Slowly add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue beating until the whites are glossy and firm, but not dry.

Into the egg yolk mixture fold in the flour, baking powder; milk and vanilla. Then, gently fold the whites into the yolks. Add melted butter. Pour batter into cake pan. 

Bake the cake until it feels firm about 30-45 minutes, you can test by inserting a skewer or a toothpick and it comes out clean. Cool completely in baking pan. 

Pierce the cake all over with a skewer about every 1/2 inch to allow the milk syrup to soak into cake. Prepare milk syrup as directed. 

Milk Syrup

1 12 ounce can evaporated milk

1 cup sweetened condensed milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon Myers Dark Rum 

Combine the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, cream, vanilla and rum in a mixing bowl. Whisk until well blended. Pour the syrup over the cake, spooning the overflow back on top, until it is all absorbed.

When ready to serve top with additional fresh whipped cream or ice cream.

And, Tres Leches is ideal serve after a bowl of Posole, my pre-Columbian soup or stew from Mexico! 

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Divided BY Chowder

If there is one thing I have learned as a chef, there are many chowder recipes as there are people who enjoy this soup, err…I mean stew..no I think soup?  

Each of my cookbooks and TV series has a version of some sort of a chowder recipe. I have judged chowder contests, participated in chef chowder tastings, and been a referee at a few chowder-boxing matches. Well, not really, but people do get heated up over red or white chowder. 

What really is chowder? The word "chowder" comes from the French word chaudiere, or caldron, the vessel in which the dish was cooked. And, derives from the word "jowter," meaning fishmonger, a term that was used in 16th century coastal regions of England.

Is it soup or stew? Early versions of chowder simmered from the New England area: a frugal recipe of pork fat, onions, potatoes, fish, herbs, dry biscuits or flour for thickening, and layered in a pot and cooked in water, with a bit of milk added at the end. In the 1800s, the Manhattan clam chowder was notable because it contains tomatoes. Manhattan clam chowder has been described as "that rather horrendous soup resembling a vegetable soup that accidentally had some clams dumped into it." All respect Mr. Beard, but those are fighting words. As a New Yorker and from coastal Long Island, an East Ender, we take our chowder VERY seriously. 

Tomato-based clam chowders came about with the newfound popularity of the tomato in the mid-1800s with the large population of Italians and Portuguese in the New York and Rhode Island region. In 1939, Maine legislators introduced a bill outlawing tomatoes in chowder because it is far more of a vegetable soup. What?

I can end this entire soup divide right now. Aside from any vegetables, corn, chicken or other non-seafarer ingredient for the stew--here are three versions you can enjoy from my TV series and cookbooks. They have satisfied many and with hope can prevent a nation from future chowder conflict. 

Manhattan vs. New England Chowder N.E. not my fav..

Seafood Chowder Yes, now this is a stew!

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