Classic Apple Charlotte

COMING FEBRUARY 25th

28 years. That is how long we have been together since you first welcomed me into your home to share my take on cooking and baking. Always with my belief that if I can do it, you can do it! Food and culture have come a long way, only going back to the way it should be. Keep it simple, prepared with love.

This week George Hirsch Lifestyle TV releases on PBS Passport, Feb 25th; you will be able to watch episodes on your schedule any time you choose. Thank you for being part of my culinary journey.

As long as you have fresh apples and sliced bread you can make this elegant dessert. A classical sweet, Apple Charlotte, aka Charlotte de Pommes was created by Chef Marie Antoine Carême, who confectioned and cooked for Chef King George IV in London; also for Talleyrand, the Rothschilds in Paris and at his longtime Pâtisserie de la rue de la Paix. It is said he created the Charlotte during his brief stint in St. Petersburg in honor of his Russian employer Czar Alexander. 

Who would think that a classical French dessert would become a favorite traditional English dessert? It's up there with bread and butter pudding and fool. Recently it received notoriety on the BBC and PBS TV airings of Downton Abby. The Crawley's cook, Mrs. Patmore was not able to fulfill the wish of Lady Crawley's request to serve Apple Charlotte for a very important dinner party. If only Mrs. Patmore had known just how simple this dessert is. Basically, it's a tart that uses day-old sliced bread in place of sliced sponge cake with a homemade apple sauce filling. In fact, it's so simple that every one of my students who prepared this dessert could have served it with pride for Lady Crawley's elegant dinner.

But not to fret if you don't live in a grand manor house or have no culinary degree, try this dessert for a casual weeknight and you will make Chef Marie Carême proud. And yes, I have even prepared this recipe on a grill!   

Classic Apple Charlotte

Makes 8-10 servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

For the Crust:

About 10-15 slices good firm white bread, remove crusts and cut accordingly:

- Cut approximately 6 slices into triangles, resulting in 12 pieces to fan around the bottom of the cake pan - (use more if using a larger pan)

- Cut enough slices in half and trim the height of bread to the same height of the cake pan, as directed below

- Cut remaining slices to place on top, after filling with apple mixture

8 Tablespoons sweet butter, 1 stick melted

Line the bottom of a nine-inch cake pan or oven-proof mold with 12 bread triangles that have been dipped in melted butter, overlapping them slightly as they are put in place.

Next, line the sides of the cake pan with bread pieces in melted butter as the same length as the height of the cake pan, overlapping them slightly as they are put in place. Continue until the entire inside of the cake pan is covered. Hint: the bread acts like a pastry so it is important to slightly overlap all pieces of bread while assembling the Charlotte. 

For the Filling:

6 apples (3 Granny Smith, 3 Gala or other sweet variety); peeled cored, and chopped small

1/4 cup white wine, or water

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup raisins

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch, freshly grated nutmeg

Optional: 2 Tablespoons rum

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. SEE DIRECTIONS BELOW

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a saucepan and add chopped apples to the saucepan with the wine, sugar, raisins, lemon zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook until apples are soft and slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Remove and cool slightly. 

Drain any remaining liquid from the apple mixture into a small saucepan. Over low heat, reduce the remaining liquid from the apple mixture to a syrup-like consistency, flavor with rum, and pour back into the apple mixture. Place apple mixture into the bread-lined cake pan and press cooked apples down lightly with the back of a spatula. For the top, cut pieces of bread to cover Charlotte also dipped in butter. 

Bake on the center rack in a 375 degree F oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Check after twenty-five minutes. If the top of Charlotte starts to brown too much, place a loose piece of foil or parchment paper on top. 

Remove from oven and let the Charlotte cool and set for a few minutes. Place a serving plate over the baked Charlotte and turn it out carefully.

Serve warm or chilled with fresh whipped cream and an optional Apricot Sauce on the side.

Apricot Sauce

Serve on the side | Makes about one pint

1 cup Apricot Marmalade 

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

2 Tablespoons brandy

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Combine all ingredients. In a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes while blending all ingredients. 

sold out

13 EPISODES on 4 HD-DVD Disk Set, season one

Add to Cart

George Hirsch Living it UP! cooking & lifestyle book

Quantity:

Add to Cart

Hushpuppies or Cornballs?

COMING FEBRUARY 25th

Where does the name Hushpuppies come from?

The name "hushpuppies" is often attributed to southern cooks who were frying some basic cornmeal mixture. They possibly had been bread-coating or battering their own food with and feeding it to their dogs to "hush the puppies" during cook-outs or fish fries.

Depending on where you are in the world, some hushpuppies or cornballs are cooked in every culture. Either savory or sweet - such as the falafel, sorullitos, and festivals. Typically you may think of hush puppies as a BBQ or seafood side dish. Originating in the southern region of the USA - tasty comfort food. Yes, I included my own version of it in my cookbooks and TV series. Enjoy cooking some up for yourself.

AIOLI is a perfect dip for Hushpuppies, click for recipe

Hush Puppies  

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

1 cup cornmeal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup milk

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 Tablespoons melted butter

1 Tablespoon fine chopped parsley

Peanut or Vegetable oil for frying

* optional suggestions: onions, hot pepper, crisp-cooked bacon, finely chopped ham or crab meat

Combine cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Add the milk, add egg and beat with a whisk or fork until the batter is smooth and no lumps remain. Stir in the butter, parsley and set the batter aside for 15 to 20 minutes.

Fill a deep saucepan or deep-fat fryer with 2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil and heat to 360 degrees F.

Scoop up a scant tablespoon of batter off the spoon into the hot fat. When the hush puppies rise to the top in about 1 minute, turn them over and cook until evenly brown, about 2 minutes total. Remove and drain on paper towels. Hush Puppies should always be served piping hot.

sold out

13 EPISODES on 4 HD-DVD Disk Set, season one

Add to Cart

George Hirsch Living it UP! cooking & lifestyle book

Quantity:

Add to Cart

Strawberry Mascarpone Crepes as seen on George Hirsch Lifestyle

COMING FEBRUARY 25th

I invite you to Subscribe to my You Tube Channel, enjoy + Like as you view

In a professional kitchen, crepes are prepared using several pans at a time, usually making hundreds in only a few minutes. Making crepes is all about rhythm. Once the batter is made and rested for at least 30 minutes you are ready to go. Don’t fret the first couple of crepes not coming out perfect, just give them up as your practice warm-up, just like a batter taking his first pitch or the orchestra warming up in the pit. Once you are on a roll you’ll find yourself making crepes for both sweet and savory. 

Strawberry Mascarpone Crepes

Makes four servings

 chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle 

Crepe Batter:

1 cup all-purpose flour

Pinch of salt

1 cup milk

2 egg yolks, lightly beaten

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon fine grated orange zest

2 Tablespoons sliced almonds, crushed

2 egg whites

1 Tablespoon granulated pure cane sugar

Place the flour and salt in a medium bowl and slowly add the milk and egg yolks, using a whisk to avoid lumps.  Do not over mix. Stir in the milk, cream, melted butter, orange zest, almonds, and vanilla.  

Cover and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.

Right before making the crepes, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks.  Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.  Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the flour mixture.

Preheat a crepe pan or a 7-inch nonstick skillet & lightly grease with melted butter or vegetable spray.  When the pan is very hot, pour in 2 Tablespoons of the batter and swirl it around.  Cook 1 minute, turn, and cook another minute on the other side.  Remove and set aside.  Crepes may be stacked one on top of another, up to ten high. 

Continue making crepes with remaining batter.

For Filling & Topping:

2 cups mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries)

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1 Tablespoon granulated pure cane sugar

1/4 cup strawberry conserves or jam

1 Tablespoon brandy or Grand Manier

1 Tablespoon granulated pure cane sugar

Confectioners’ sugar

1/2 cup fresh softened mascarpone or whipped cream

8 Fresh Mint leaves

In a large bowl add mixed berries. Slice strawberries to be about the same size as other berries. Add orange juice and 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar to berries and toss. 

Mix brandy with jam and place two teaspoons of raspberry jam in the center of each crepe; add a few mixed berries in the center of each crepe. Roll up and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.  

Serve two crepes per serving with a dollop of fresh mascarpone or whipped cream and top off the crepes with fresh mint leaves.

Chef Notes: 

To achieve good volume and soft peaks on the egg whites, make sure there is no yolk in whites and that the bowl is totally grease-free. A good tip to ensure a grease-free surface is to wipe out the bowl with a paper towel with just a drop of white vinegar before adding egg whites to bowl.

To make the above recipe savory, omit from batter the vanilla, orange rind, almonds, and granulated cane sugar. Replace regular melted butter with brown butter for a slightly roasted flavor; add 1 Tablespoon of fresh chopped herbs such as Italian parsley, or basil, or chives. 

Crepes are a great do-ahead consideration for your menu. No need to prepare at the last minute. Simply stack prepared crepes in stacks of about ten and when cool, wrap in plastic film. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days or freeze for up to one month.

sold out

Add to Cart

George Hirsch Living it UP! cooking & lifestyle book

Quantity:

Add to Cart

Gumbo Time

COMING FEBRUARY 25th

For my NY/LI friends tune-in/dvr WLIW21 Saturdays 2:30PM

Check local listings for the new season of GHL Celebrating Chef George's 25th anniversary on PBS and Public TV Stations. Click to watch TV Series Preview

A good gumbo takes time, a great gumbo takes longer…

Whether it’s a stew or soup-like, there is nothing more satisfying than a hearty bowl of Gumbo, which reminds me Mardi Gras + Carnival Tuesday March 1st - aka Fat & Shrove Tuesday. 

Gumbo is truely Cajun and the official state dish of Louisiana; one that celebrates their heritage of sustenance off the land. I have on several occasions been part of a true Cajun 'Gumbo' party which is an all-day outdoor celebration. There is nothing like cooking a gumbo with a little outdoor flavor - especially if the meats or vegetables have been pre-grilled or smoked before being added to the gumbo pot. 

There are numerous ingredients that can be added to a gumbo, but it's really all about utilizing what’s on hand. Chicken, duck are the usual meats, along with ham and smoked sausage. A seafood gumbo can contain shrimp, crab and oysters. However, the basics ingredients used in any gumbo are the “holy trinity” consisting of onion, celery and green peppers, thickened with a dark roux.  

A FAT TUESDAY FAVORITE

Additionally, the make up of a Cajun Gumbo is the use of heritage ingredients such as the African vegetable okra, together with the cooking influences of local Choctaw Indians, French, German and Spanish settlers. The addition of tomatoes is more Creole and not of Cajun influence. I believe the addition of tomatoes with all the other ingredients in the gumbo pot provides a wonderful mix of culture and full flavor. With such a rich culture as Louisiana has it is important to note that the preparing of a gumbo goes far beyond the making of this ‘stew’ and really brings together the community.  

This new kind of gumbo may just be stepping back to the Cajun way - with everyone contributing to the pot for the goodess of the stew. Laissez les bons temps rouler!

This full flavored gumbo is a lighter version than the Cajun traditional, yielding to the heavier butter and flour versions making a more traditional stew or soup. However, the basics of broth and rice carry true and the rest is up to you. Make it seafood with crab, shrimp, or crawfish. Or, with chicken, duck or all vegetable.

George's Gumbo

Makes six servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | GHL Adapted from George Hirsch Living it UP! cookbook.

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 pound boneless chicken thighs, diced

1/2 pound smoked sausage (chorizo or kielbasa), chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

3 green onions, chopped

1 rib celery, chopped

1 cup okra, fresh or frozen, sliced

6 cloves garlic, chopped

2 cups canned whole tomatoes, chopped

4 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon each, oregano, thyme, sage

1 Tablespoon fresh parsley

1 Tablespoon hot sauce, or more to taste

2 teaspoons gumbo file powder, dissolved in 1/4 cup chicken broth (for thickening)

Fresh ground black pepper

Optional: 

1 pound large (26-30) size shrimp, peeled & devein, save shells for broth

2 cups cooked steamed white or brown rice

Heat a large soup pot to a medium temperature. Add the olive oil and chicken, and smoked sausage. Add the onion, and cook until a light golden color, stirring occasionally. Add the green bell pepper, green onion, celery, and garlic; cook for 2 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, chicken broth, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, hot sauce, and fresh ground black pepper. Bring the soup to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes. Add the okra and gumbo file. Simmer for at least an additional 35 to 45 minutes. Additional time of slow simmering will intensify flavors.

Before serving, add shrimp and cook for 5-8 minutes until done. 

Serving suggestion: serve with a scoop of steamy hot rice

Note: If using shrimp, cook shrimp shells in chicken broth for ten minutes to extract additional flavor, strain shells and use broth.

Gumbo file can be found in the spice section of your market.

sold out

13 EPISODES on 4 HD-DVD Disk Set, season one

Add to Cart

George Hirsch Living it UP! cooking & lifestyle book

Quantity:

Add to Cart

Hot Brown

A Hot Brown is a hot sandwich originally created at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, by Fred K. Schmidt in 1926. It was one of two signature sandwiches created by chefs at the Brown Hotel shortly after its founding in 1923. The Brown Hotel is a grand property, of distinctive English Renaissance design and is on the National Register of Historic Places. 

According to The Hot Brown legend, "In the 1920's, The Brown Hotel drew over 1,200 guests each evening for its dinner dance. In the wee hours of the morning, the guests would grow tired of dancing and retire to the restaurant for a bite to eat. Diners were growing rapidly bored with the traditional ham and eggs, so Chef Fred Schmidt set out to create something new to tempt his guests' palates. His unique creation was an open-faced turkey sandwich with bacon and a delicate Mornay sauce." 

The dish is a local specialty and favorite of the Louisville area, and is popular throughout Kentucky. Think fondue-like only more of a pub-ish lunch; ideal and comforting during cold weather. The Hot Brown is an open-faced sandwich w/ turkey and or bacon, covered in Mornay sauce and baked or broiled until the bread is crisp and the sauce begins to brown. Other varieties of Hot Browns may include ham with the turkey, and either pimentos or tomatoes over the sauce. 

Making The Sauce

A béchamel or white sauce can be spiced up with a pinch of cayenne pepper, or hot sauce, 1/2 cup IPA (or another good ale), 1 teaspoon prepared English mustard, and pinch of paprika.

Finish the sauce off with 1 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese. Whisk in and simmer just until the cheese is melted. Serve a couple tablespoons of sauce over a slice of good wheat toast. Serve as is, or you may want to place the 'Hot Brown' under a broiler for 30 seconds to brown lightly. Top with chopped chives or green onion. I've also topped this with a slice of good ripe tomato + sweet onion. Enjoy.

A Light Béchamel Recipe

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

1 Tablespoon sweet butter

1 Tablespoon flour

1/2 cup half & half (can use milk for a lighter version) 

In a small sauce pan over low heat add butter and flour and cook for 2-3 minutes. With a wire whisk add in milk and allow to simmer until slightly thickened.

If using béchamel for Hot Brown, continue adding ingredients as above and simmer for 5 minutes while continuing to stir. 

George Hirsch Living it UP! cooking & lifestyle book

Quantity:

Add to Cart

sold out

13 EPISODES on 4 HD-DVD Disk Set, season one

Add to Cart