as seen on George Hirsch Lifestyle Mousseline Potatoes

George Hirsch November 20, 2025

Enjoy a lighter version of mashed potatoes by cooking with a flavorful chicken broth and olive oil. Cutting out much of the dairy's heaviness and adding chicken broth makes this do-ahead recipe ideal for weeknight suppers and equally good for weekend entertaining.

For added flavor, after baking in hot oven finish potato casserole under a hot broiler for a delightful crunch — **For added flavor, after baking in a hot oven, finish potato casserole under a hot broiler for a delightful crunch**

Mousseline Potatoes

makes 6 servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

10 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced into small pieces

1 cup chicken broth, hot

4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

6 cloves garlic, chopped fine

3/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

4 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Black pepper and Sea salt, to taste

¼ cup fresh chives, chopped

Optional: ¼ cup cooked and finely chopped ham or pancetta

Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook the potatoes until very tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a separate small pot, add garlic to the chicken broth and simmer for 5 minutes to infuse the broth's garlic flavor. Optional: strain off the garlic.

Test the tenderness of potatoes by slipping the point of a small knife into a potato. The potatoes are done if the knife slips out easily—drain water when potatoes are tender. After draining, return the potatoes to the hot pot, add 2 Tablespoons olive oil and ½ cup chicken broth, and mash potatoes by hand or with an electric mixer. Add ¼ cup cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese. Mix in and add 2 more Tablespoons of olive oil. Continue to mash until the desired level of smoothness. Add remaining cheese, chives, black pepper, and sea salt to taste.

If preparing potatoes ahead, cool and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat a broiler or oven to 450 degrees F.

Grease an ovenproof 8 x 11 casserole dish with olive oil. Add potatoes and spread out evenly, leaving ridges on top. Top with an additional ¼ cup cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, and 2 Tablespoons olive oil.

Place under broiler and heat until potatoes are bubbly and golden on top. If the potatoes were made fresh and hot, the time would be approximately 3-5 minutes. If prepared ahead and the potatoes are cold, bake for 20-25 minutes or until hot and golden on top.

Serving suggestion:

Upgrade potatoes from a savory side dish to a satisfying main dish by adding your own twist. Start by pacing seasoned cooked ground beef chili, pulled chicken, or braised vegetables in an ovenproof casserole or ramekin. Top with the prepared potatoes for British-style shepherds or cottage pie. Served alongside my Oven-Fried Garlic Chicken.

Place under the broiler and heat until potatoes are bubbly and golden on top. If potatoes were made fresh and hot time will be approximately 3-5 minutes. If prepared ahead, and potatoes are cold, bake for 20-25 minutes or until hot and golden on top.

Serving suggestion:

Upgrade potatoes from a savory side to a satisfying main dish by adding your own twist. Start by pacing seasoned cooked ground beef chili, pulled chicken, or braised vegetables in an ovenproof casserole or ramekin. Top with the prepared potatoes for British-style shepherds’ or cottage pie. Served alongside my Oven-Fried Garlic Chicken.

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Pumpkin Crème Brulee

George Hirsch November 15, 2025

Make a great, easy fall crowd-pleaser dessert. I have made thousands of pumpkin brûlées this time of year, an ideal seasonal treat. The custards can be made in advance and refrigerated, actually improving the pumpkin custard flavor. However, burn the sugar just before serving to keep it crisp and crunchy. And what a show-stopper for your guests when you torch the sugar. Enjoy!

Chef George Hirsch’s Pumpkin Crème Brûlée

Makes 8 4-inch tarts

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

1 ½ cups milk

1 ½ cups heavy cream

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon orange zest

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

8 egg yolks

¼ cup light brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 Tablespoon light corn syrup

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch ground nutmeg

Pinch ground allspice

For the Brulee Sugar

3 Tablespoon granulated sugar

3 Tablespoon light brown sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon | RECIPE CONTINUED, SEE BELOW

**Enjoy another fall favorite, baked in under 30 minutes**

In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, cream, pumpkin puree, orange zest, and vanilla. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then remove from heat.

In the top of a double boiler, combine the egg yolks, brown sugar, granulated sugar, corn syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, and cook until the mixture is lemon-colored and coats a spoon for about 4-5 minutes. Slowly add the pumpkin mixture and continue cooking until the mixture has the consistency of thick custard, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and pour into eight 4-ounce ramekins or tart shells. Chill for 5-6 hours.

In a small bowl, combine the brulee sugars and cinnamon for the topping. Before serving, top each custard with 1 Tablespoon of the sugar mixture. Light a butane torch to burn the sugar—moving the flame back and forth over the sugar until it darkens. Do not overheat or the custard will melt. Or, preheat the oven broiler and watch carefully so the pumpkin custards don’t burn.

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classic apple pie

George Hirsch November 9, 2025

Looking forward to a wedge of mile-high apple pie at your Thanksgiving dinner? Make your own. I have included my winning flaky pie crust recipe in addition to the ultimate traditional apple pie recipe. I'll be using a mix of local tart and sweet apples. I will be making a few apple pies since one is never enough. Enjoy!

George Hirsch Apple Pie as featured in Celebrate Magazine

Q & A with George:

Why do you consider pies a strong technique of yours?

My mother and grandmother were both excellent bakers. Plus, the early stage of my professional cooking and baking practical experience required baking a pie to perfection. Most European chefs I trained with were not about giving a second chance if it did not come out well.

Why are people hesitant to make their own pies?

Baking can be intimidating. If someone has experience with set baking skills, sometimes it just comes down to the available time one has to spend in the kitchen. Mixing the dough, allowing it to rest, preparing the filling, assembly, and baking takes time. And the hardest part of all is the after-baking waiting, letting the pie cool down so the filling sets. Have you ever stared at a well-baked pie and not wanted to dig in?

Premade pie crust versus homemade pie crust?

Acceptable to use a premade crust for efficiency on time and for someone who is just beginning to bake because it’s a good way to gain pie-making experience. However, I encourage giving from scratch a try, as making a pie crust is easy and should be attempted. The worst thing that can happen—is you eat and start again.

What is the most common mistake people make when making a pie?

–Underbaking the bottom crust. 99% of pies have a bottom crust that is not baked.

–Tough and chewy pie crust.

–Runny fillings.

What are the must-have tools for pie baking?

A good rolling stick, a heavy-gauge metal pie pan—and I love rolling dough on marble to keep the crust cold.

as featured in Celebrate Magazine

Apple Pie Recipe

Makes 8 servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

1 recipe pastry for George’s Favorite Pie Crust, see below
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
6 medium-sized Granny Smith apples; peeled, cored, and sliced
2 medium-size Rome, gala, or a sweeter apple; peeled, cored, and sliced
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of fresh ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar, and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer for two minutes—cool and mix with sliced apples.

Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, and mound slightly. Cover 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.

Bake for 15 minutes at 425, and reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.

For a nice shine, mix a quarter cup of light corn syrup with a couple of Tablespoons of water as soon as the pie is removed from the oven. Boil for 3-5 minutes. When the pie is done, brush the thinned syrup over the top of the crust.

Optional:
Add 1/4 cup of plump raisins, cranberries, or walnuts to the apple filling.

*George’s Favorite Pie Crust

Makes 1 pie or 2 bottom crusts

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 and prevents 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 it one hour before making the 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 butter's lumps 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 parts: 2/3 and 1/3 (2/3 for the bottom and 1/3 for the top). Pat them into balls, flatten them slightly, and wrap them in plastic. 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, becomes more elastic, and keeps the fat in separate pieces, giving the crust a lighter texture when it is baked.

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Still Upper Crust

George Hirsch November 7, 2025

Click watch Pork Sliders Cheddar Jack Mac.jpg

Mac-n-cheese was considered to be upper crust until the end of the nineteenth century. Believe it or not, Thomas Jefferson served mac-n-cheese at a White House dinner in 1802. I am sure his Mac was made from scratch and not the out-of-the-box version.

I encourage you to make your own. It is easy to do and can be made ahead. It's one of those dishes that pleases children of all ages. It is a fine dish to put on the menu for numerous occasions, from backyard BBQs to state dinners at the White House. Today, I encouraged a family member to serve it at their formal wedding during the reception. It happens to be the bride and groom’s favorite one-pot dish. Just use fresh ingredients, like good cheese, and you can't go wrong. Why not? It was good enough for President Jefferson!

A crowd pleasing favorite served with Oven Fried Chicken, WATCH TV SEGMENT — *A crowd pleasing favorite served with* **Oven Fried Chicken,** **WATCH TV SEGMENT**

Put your own spin on this one-pot dish by adding a variety of ingredients, such as:

Vegetables: peas, broccoli, or mushrooms, cauliflower

Meats: prosciutto, smoked baked ham, or pulled pork

Seafood: crab, lobster, or shrimp

For my Mac-N-Cheese Recipe.

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Spring Crisp

George Hirsch November 3, 2025

Rhubarb Crisp is also known as an 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. Rhubarb is also a sign of spring, being one of the earlier-harvested vegetables of the season in the Northern Hemisphere. This is good news - happy Spring!

Rhubarb Crisp (*see seasonal options below)

Makes 4-6 servings

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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), orange juice, and zests. Marinate for 1 hour. Mix the remaining sugar and flour and combine with the marinated rhubarb. Grease a 9-inch ovenproof casserole or several small individual ramekins; add the marinated rhubarb and sugar-flour mixture to the greased baking dish.

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

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

Tip:

*Substitute Rhubarb in fall, winter, or summer with apples, pears, peaches, plums, or berries with the rhubarb for seasonal dessert variations.

Mix in a handful of pecans or walnuts for a crunchy addition.