At the Waldorf

George Hirsch September 22, 2025

This is one of the sides that brings me right back to my humble days of early chef-dom - a very classical and very good Waldorf Salad.

Waldorf-Astoria Hotel c1899

A bit behind the salad history: Oscar Tschirky, maître d’hôtel at the Waldorf Hotel in NYC, is credited with creating this recipe in the 1890s, as well as many other recipes. Veal Oscar, anyone? I'll save that for another post.

The Waldorf Salad is simply apples, celery, and mayonnaise served on a lettuce leaf. But that’s where it all begins. Walnuts became a common addition years later, as did grapes and other dried fruit such as raisins, apricots, and sultanas. My friend Tony even opted to add the aforementioned and cut the mayo with good Greek yogurt, which is very refreshing and lighter than all mayo or a combo of mayo & unsweetened whipped cream.

Things have changed since the 1890s, so go ahead and put your own spin on the Waldorf; Oscar won’t mind. Use a culinary license, prepare it with apples and toasted nuts, cut the mayo, and even substitute it with today’s olive oil mayo, which I prefer. Serve some grilled chicken or shrimp on the side, and then you are talking about a healthy main dish.

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Gazpacho as seen on George Hirsch Lifestyle

George Hirsch August 14, 2025

This time of year is perfect to dream about those farm-fresh veggies. But don’t just dream, enjoy one of my favorite refreshing soups anytime!

I also call Gazpacho "liquid salad" — for obvious reasons. Its origin and roots go back to ancient times in Andalusia, Spain, with a version of the recipe believed to be concocted as a re-energizing dish for Roman workers building roads in the early 2nd century Spain. Traditionally, gazpacho recipes include stale bread, tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, garlic, olive oil, and a touch of vinegar.

Gazpacho aka Liquid Salad

Makes four servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | from George Hirsch Lifestyle TV

1/4 cup sweet onion, chopped very fine

4 cups low sodium tomato juice + Juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup each sweet red + yellow pepper, chopped very fine

1/4 fresh plum tomatoes, seeded, chopped fine

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/4 cup scallions, finely chopped

1/2 cup cucumber, peeled and seeded, chopped very fine

1 Tablespoon cilantro + 1/4 each teaspoon hot sauce, cumin, sea salt + fresh ground black pepper

1/2 cup stale bread, toasted and chopped fine

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Optional: 1 fresh gherkin cut into four wedges and a sprig of dill to garnish. Or, marinate very fresh scallops or shrimp in tequila & hot sauce--top mugs of ceviche style.

*In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients and chill for two hours before serving.

My recipe will give your knife skills a workout. Feel free to use a blender. Keep in mind that the manual chopping of the vegetables will preserve the flavor.

*Tip: Be aware, using a food processor or blender cooks the veggies with friction, in turn, changing the natural, uncooked flavor, which is the true essence of this dish. There are many versions of gazpacho, but I prefer this one without any meat broth, keeping it true to its veggie roots, and finishing it off with a drizzle of good olive oil.

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Panzanella

George Hirsch August 1, 2025

Panzanella is a salad originating in Tuscany, Umbria, Marche, and Lazio regions. It’s a cuisine of homegrown ingredients and is traditionally prepared during the summer season in Italy.

Almost any type of vegetable can be added to the garden, such as radishes, peppers, carrots, corn, and green onions. Hard-boiled eggs, olives, grilled chicken & shrimp can also be added to round out the dish.

In the Lazio Region of Italy, tomatoes and onions are omitted. Instead, capers, garlic, anchovies, hot red pepper flakes, and parsley are pulverized together with a mortar and pestle.

This dish's original intention is to use day-old or, sometimes, few-day-old bread. Traditionally, the bread is cubed and then soaked in water until soft; then, all the moisture is squeezed out until dry. The bread is then chopped or crumbled into small pieces.

I personally prefer to use the day-old bread cubes and either sauté slowly in olive oil with a little garlic for 5-10 minutes or toast in a 350-degree oven until light brown. Either way, you choose to start with really good bread, and you can’t go wrong.

Panzanella

Makes 4 servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

2 cups day-old, very good Italian or French bread, cubed

1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, split; or 4 vine-ripen tomatoes quartered

4 leaves of basil

1 fresh thyme leaf, chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

1 large red onion, chopped 1/4 inch pieces

1 stalk celery, chopped 1/4 inch pieces

1 medium-sized cucumber, peeled & split, seeded, and chopped

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt

Fresh ground black pepper

2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 cups hearts of romaine, torn into small pieces

Soak bread in water until it softens, then squeeze all water out.

Or, heat a large sauté pan to medium temperature and add 1 Tablespoon olive oil to the pan. Add bread and slowly cook until bread is light brown tossing occasionally.

Make a dressing in the bottom of a large salad bowl with vinegar, Dijon, salt and pepper, garlic, and onion. Allow to marinate for two minutes and then add olive oil and mix well. Add tomatoes, celery, and cucumber, Tear basil leaves, and add to salad with romaine. Toss and serve immediately.

Additional Greens: radicchio, the heart of escarole, Arugula, chicory

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Grilled Show Stopper

George Hirsch May 8, 2025

Try a new spin on an old salad recipe of mine—a great way to impress your guests or enjoy a quick mid-week fix.

This was one of those recipes I did for my PBS grilling shows that made people scratch their heads years ago. Here's the how-to on grilling up a delicious appetizer or side. And it only takes a few minutes! Serve with No Yolk Caesar Dressing.

Grilled Romaine

Makes four servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | Adapted from Adventures in Grilling, 1996

2 heads of hearts of romaine lettuce, split in half & washed

4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 cloves caramelized garlic

A pinch of sea salt

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 Tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, roughly chopped

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Shaved Parmesan cheese

Preheat the grill to high heat.

Cut the romaine heart in half lengthwise, leaving the stem end intact. Soak romaine heads in a bowl of cold water. Brush with olive oil.

Put romaine halves on a hot grill. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side until lettuce begins to blister slightly and lettuce gets a slight char. Turn over and grill for 2 additional minutes.

Remove and plate cut side up. Top each with the remaining olive oil, balsamic, garlic cloves, Parmesan, prosciutto, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Serve while still warm. Optional: Serve with thinly sliced prosciutto.

Note: Serve Oven Fried Garlic Chicken with Grilled Romaine Salad for a perfect meal combo.

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Making of a Great Salad

George Hirsch June 11, 2024

Les Salades Composées

George's Garden Mesclun Greens

The best salad is not complicated but made with the freshest possible greens and garnishes. Les Salades composées or mixed green salad can be made from an infinite list; the only consideration is freshness. But you say you bought it fresh. Just because you purchased from the fresh bin at the market does not guarantee the pick date. Consider the source and how far that head of lettuce traveled.

George's Garden Sweet Nectar Yellow Grape Tomatoes

Substitute ingredients at will when shopping or picking fresh.

George_Hirsch_Sugar_Snap_peas_Garden .jpg

George's Garden Snap "Sugar Daddy" Peas

My dad was a Master Gardener, and fresh veggies were always steps away. Here’s the inspiration for a salad I prepared today and served from my garden to plate in under 5 minutes.