The Rooster's Beak

George Hirsch August 13, 2024

You must want to know why Pico de Gallo is referred to as the rooster's beak. It actually refers to the bite-size (beak-size) proportions of fresh tomatoes in this chunky salsa of Mexican origin. How about that! You may also be familiar with its other name, Salsa Fresca.

The garden tomato bounty is here for a few more minutes, so this is an ideal week to make my pico de gallo from my own tomatoes and peppers. Serve Pico de Gallo with corn tortillas or my Cilantro Shrimp Nachos for más divertido! And watch my Crispy Shrimp Salad recipe video below for more flavorful ideas.

George Hirsch's Salsa Fresca

Makes 3 cups

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8-10 San Marzano plum tomatoes, split de-seeded

1 small sweet white onion or sweet red onion + 1 green onion

2 jalapeño peppers, split and de-seeded chopped (optional)

1/2 cup peeled, seeded, and diced cucumber

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro

Salt and pepper, to taste

Juice of two fresh limes

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Cut all veggies into 1/4-inch pieces. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix and set aside one hour to allow flavors to develop. Serve at room temperature.

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Sardinian Style

George Hirsch August 8, 2024

If there was ever a fish perfect for the fire, tuna fits the grill. Anyone who has tried to turn a delicate fish fillet only to find it stuck to the grate will appreciate the firm flesh of a tuna steak.

Fresh tuna is ideal for rich spices. Soy and ginger lend an Asian flavor, maple syrup gives a hint of sweetness, and a salsa topping adds a Mexican flair. Start with fresh fish that has springy flesh and no fishy odor. Use caution; overcooking will quickly dry it.

Sardinia is an island off the coast of Italy where fishing is a way of life. When the tuna is running, most families have tuna for dinner many nights in a row. The tuna in this recipe is quickly seared for only a few minutes on each side, but you can cook it to your liking. And, any fish, such as swordfish, may be substituted for tuna.

Tuna and Tomatoes, Sardinian Style

Makes 4 servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | From Adventures in Grilling cookbook, by George Hirsch with Marie Bianco

Four 6-8 ounce tuna steaks

4 Tablespoons olive oil

12 plum tomatoes cut vertically through the stem ends

1 onion, sliced

1/4 cup dry white wine

8 cloves caramelized garlic

4 Tablespoons chopped green olives

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Fresh ground black pepper

Preheat the grill to high.

Brush the tuna with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, place it on a hot grill, and sear for two minutes on each side. Remove the tuna, set it aside, and keep it warm.

Preheat a sauté pan and add the remaining olive oil, garlic, onion, tomatoes, and olives. Cook for two minutes, and add white wine, basil, and black pepper. Stir the tomato mixture and add it to the warm tuna steaks.

TIP: Serve with a good chilled Sauvignon Blanc.

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Rosé Peach Pie

georgehirsch August 7, 2024

George Hirsch's Rosé Peach Pie

Makes 8 servings

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1 recipe pastry for George’s Favorite 3, 2, 1 Pie Crust, see below

There are three main ingredients in a Pate Brisee basic pie crust: 3 parts flour, 2 parts fat, and 1 part liquid. Flour forms the structure of the crust, and fat adds flavor and a flaky texture while the liquid binds the dough.

Fresh peaches as seen on George Hirsch Lifestyle

Chill the fat (butter, margarine, shortening, or lard) and liquids (milk or water) before you begin. Chilling keeps the pie crust flaky, preventing the fat pieces from melting into the flour and becoming tough. Next, mix the flour, cut the chilled fat into the dry mixture using a pastry cutter, or pinch the fat into the mixture with your hands. The resulting mixture should have fat lumps no larger than the size of raisins. If making pie in the summertime, cool off the flour by measuring your flour and refrigerate one hour before making dough.

Pour in the chilled liquid until the flour is absorbed, mixing gently with a fork after each addition. You should be able to gently press the dough into a ball. Mix the dough as little as possible: you don't want to cream the lumps of fat into the flour, as a crust without lumps of fat will be dense, not flaky. Note that humidity will affect how much liquid the flour will absorb.

Split the dough into two equal parts. Pat them into balls, flatten them slightly, and wrap them in plastic wrap. The dough needs to rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes but overnight is preferred. Chilling lets the flour absorb all of the liquid, let the dough relax and become more elastic, and keep the fat in separate pieces, giving the crust a lighter texture when baked.

To make the pie shell:
Dust a clean, dry surface with flour; avoid using too much flour, as this will dry out the crust. Remove and unwrap one of the discs of dough from the refrigerator. Flatten the dough slightly with your hands and dust lightly with flour before rolling it out with a rolling pin. Start rolling at the center of the dough and work outwards.

Working quickly, roll the dough into a circle a quarter-inch thick. The size of the dough round should be wider in diameter than your pie pan; the amount will vary depending on the depth of your pie plate. Use a dry pastry brush to sweep away any excess flour.

Gently roll the dough around the rolling pin and roll it out over the pie plate. Press the pastry firmly into the pan without stretching the dough, and trim any excess dough from the edge. Leave a one-inch overhang to make a decorative fluted edge, or trim it to a half-inch if you add a top crust. If the dough cracks a little during this process, press it back together with your fingers or patch the cracks with a bit of dough from the outer edges.

Place filling in the bottom crust and unwrap the second dough ball. Repeat the above step to roll out the pie dough. Brush the bottom pie dough around the edges lightly with water to seal the edges of the crust. Carefully lay the top piece of pie dough over the filled pie. Tuck the edges of the top crust under the lower crust and press together lightly. Using the rim of the pie plate as a guide, create a fluted edge with your fingers or the back of a fork.

For the peach pie, cut a small hole to vent the top, allowing excess steam to escape during baking. Brush the surface with egg wash, made of one egg and one teaspoon of water, and bake as directed.

This recipe made with butter will result in a lighter and more flavorful crust.

George’s Favorite Pie Crust Recipe
Makes one pie or two bottom crusts

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup cold milk

Chill the butter and milk before you begin. Chilling keeps the pie crust flaky, preventing the fat pieces from melting into the flour and becoming tough.

Next, mix the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder. Cut the chilled butter into the dry mixture using a pastry cutter or pinch the fat into the mixture with your hands. The mixture should have fat lumps no larger than the size of raisins. If making pie crust in the summertime, cool off the flour by measuring your flour and refrigerate one hour before making dough.

Pour in the chilled liquid until the milk is absorbed, mixing gently with a fork. You should be able to press the dough into a ball gently. Mix the dough as little as possible: you don't want to cream the lumps of butter into the flour. A crust without lumps of butter will be dense, not flaky. Note that humidity will affect how much liquid the flour will absorb.

Split the dough into two equal parts. Pat them into balls, flatten them slightly, and wrap them in plastic wrap. The dough needs to rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Overnight is preferred. Chilling lets the flour absorb all of the liquid, lets the dough relax and become more elastic, and keeps the fat in separate pieces, giving the crust a lighter texture when baked.

To Make Peach Filling with Rosé Simple Syrup: In a small saucepan, add 3/4 bottle of Rosé wine and ¼ cup pure cane granulated sugar. Simmer and reduce to about 1 cup. Chill. Pour rosé reduction over 8 sliced peaches and marinate overnight, covered in the refrigerator.

Drain the rosé simple syrup after the 8 sliced peaches have marinated in rosé overnight. *Reserve the peach-flavored rosé syrup. Add the additional 2 sliced peaches.

8 medium-sized fresh ripe peaches, cut into 1-inch slices

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 medium-sized fresh ripe peaches, cut into 1-inch slices

½ cupcake crumbs; use pound cake, sponge cake, etc.

Mix flour and brown sugar, add to peaches, and toss until fully combined.

Roll out the pie dough and place the bottom in a 9-inch pie pan. Cover the bottom with cake crumbs.

Fill with peaches, mounded slightly. Roll out the top pie dough and cover it with a top crust or a lattice crust. To add a richer color to a double-crust or lattice-topped pie, brush the top crust with an egg wash (1 egg beaten with a teaspoon of water) before baking. Refrigerate peach pie before baking for 1 hour to slightly chill the dough.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Bake directly on the oven rack; do not use a sheet pan. After 15 minutes at 425 degrees F, reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F. Continue baking for 30 additional minutes or until done. To test doneness, tap the edge of the crust lightly with a finger, and you should hear a hollow sound.

Chefs Note: *The drained marinated peach syrup can be added to Prosecco or club soda for the best Bellini or peach mimosa!

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Affogato

George Hirsch July 24, 2024

Affogato literally means "drowned" in Italian. This Italian dessert with espresso + gelato perfectly combines bitterness and sweetness. Some might say it's a sophisticated version of a Gelato Domenica.

Affogato

4 servings

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4 cup premium vanilla gelato or ice cream

4 2 ounce servings of fresh brewed espresso

Brew fresh espresso. Dish-up four servings of ice cream or gelato. Pour hot espresso over the ice cream and serve immediately.

Optional: Add a tablespoon of your favorite liqueur, or crush a few of my favorite biscotti on top!

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Backyard Street Food

George Hirsch July 18, 2024

A national dish of Indonesia, the satay, is a marinated skewered meat with sauce, usually spicy. Satay is often served in Malaysia by street-side vendors. It's an easy and quick solution to backyard grilling. I thought this would be a fun dish to cook street-side on 67th Street in NYC on Live! The three of us had a blast making this on a NYC street - imagine the fun you and your guests can have in your backyard. It's also one of those informal dishes that doesn't require a fork and a knife.

TIP: I always prefer using metal skewers as I find the food cooks faster and more uniformly. But bamboo skewers are very handy when in a pinch and when cleanup of the skewers is not practical. Just make sure to soak the bamboo skewers in water for 10 minutes before threading to avoid the skewers from burning up on the grill.

Pork Satay with Sesame Dipping Sauce

Makes 6 servings

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1 1/2 pound pork tenderloin, cut crosswise into 3-inch-long pieces

For the Marinade:

1/3 cup sweet onion, chopped fine

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 Tablespoon cilantro, chopped

3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

2 Tablespoons oyster sauce (Chinese BBQ sauce)

2 Tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Juice from two limes

Three cloves garlic, chopped

Two teaspoons each of soy sauce and sesame oil

1 green onion, chopped

6 long skewers

Mix marinade ingredients in a medium bowl.

Cut pork lengthwise into thin 1/4-inch slices. Tip: It is easier to cut meat when it is very cold.

Thread pork onto each of the six skewers. Reserve 1/3 cup of marinade in a small bowl. Brush the remaining marinade over both sides of the pork. Cover the pork, and refrigerate for one hour.

Preheat the grill to high heat. Grill pork until cooked through, two-four minutes per side. Brush pork with reserved marinade. If available, serve on a fresh banana or ty leaf and top with chopped green or red onion.

Although serving a peanut dipping sauce with a satay is very common, I find my Sesame Dipping Sauce to go better with the pork.

For the Sesame Dipping Sauce

Recipe George Hirsch | Makes one cup

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup lite soy sauce

2 Tablespoons honey

2 Tablespoons ketchup

2 Tablespoons Mae Ploy Chili Sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro