Stawberry Longcake? Nothing simpler. Think of it as shortcake on steroids. Start with a double batch of the shortcake recipe on the Bisquick box. Spread it into a long log on a baking sheet. Use a spatula to make it as even as possible. Smooth out spikes in the dough. Sprinkle the top with course or raw sugar. In the Bisquick box recipe the cakes are baked for … [Read more...]
Beach Plum Jelly – Reduced Sugar Recipe
It's been a banner year for wild beach plums. We returned to Maidstone Beach up in Springs where the pickin' was easy, more so than ever. In this case foraging seems too austere a word to call harvesting nature's wild bounty. The bushes were laden with plump plums. Clear sky, gentle breeze, boats on the bay, perfect. We gathered twice the amount of beach plums in half the time … [Read more...]
CHIMICHURRI SAUCE
The wonderful tasting, wonderfully named chimichurri sauce is another fabulous Argentinean import, right up there with dulce de leche and provoletta. A fantastic topper for hot-off-the-grill steaks, chimichurri's charm lies in the freshness of an array of summer herbs spiked with vinegar and lemon juice. The basic idea is simple enough. Armed with the concept and the core … [Read more...]
BLACKBERRY GRAPEFRUIT JAM
Spectacularly Delicious. Not the blog -- I'm talking about this Blackberry Grapefruit Jam. From out of the blue this recipe takes its place in the highest tier of favorite jam combos. Its winning characteristics: A juicy, ripe fruit flavor with the berries and grapefruit working in harmony. Both are tamed somewhat, with half of the blackberry mash getting sieved for seeds … [Read more...]
SOUR CHERRY JAM
Fresh sour cherries are a rarity here on Long Island as well as back in the city. I imagine they can be found at certain times, in certain markets, but I've never come across them. Being more fragile and having a shorter shelf life than the popular grocery store varieties, sour cherries can't travel far from home without first being canned or frozen. Delicacy … [Read more...]
RED CURRANT JELLY
How often have you seen red currant jelly specified in a recipe? I've seen red currant jelly called for literally countless times over the years, most often (but not only) as a glaze for fruit tarts. For these my go-to red currant jelly stand-ins are my beach plum and pomegranate jellies, which have been better than adequate, thank you. And yet... Wouldn't it be nice to … [Read more...]
JOSTABERRY JAM
What's a Jostaberry? I didn't know either. The Balsam Farms guy said it was like a gooseberry, which was information enough for me to make this sweet-tart Jostaberry Jam recipe. My extensive research (the first Wiki page that popped up) revealed the Jostaberry is another modern miracle of German genetic sciences. - The Jostaberry is a hybrid of black currant, American … [Read more...]
JULIA DELLA CROCE’S SPECTACULAR LENTIL SOUP
I got involved in the Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club Decorator Show House this spring -- House Beautiful partnered with KitchenAid and designer Christopher Peacock to create an über glam kitchen in a grand Manhattan townhouse. Helping pull the kitchen together, working with the above and as well as friends at Caesarstone, Grothouse Lumber and Frontgate, was a lot of fun and the … [Read more...]
CHATEAUBRIAND
Châteaubriand: the most glorious of all grilled meats. And while everyone's sort of heard of it, most people are quite sure what exactly it is. So here's the 411 with a step-by-step Guide to Châteaubriand recipe. Châteaubriand is a large cut of the center-most part of beef tenderloin, grilled or broiled and carved at the table. The cut of meat is non-negotiable, as is a … [Read more...]
SOFT SHELL CRABS: HOW TO CLEAN, HOW TO COOK
There are any number of reasons one should know how to clean and cook soft shell crabs -- here are my top three: 1. Freshness is essential and they must be cooked right after cleaning. 2. Cleaning soft shell crabs falls into the collection of skills every good cook should possess along with opening oysters, boning fish, boiling lobsters, starting fires. 4. It's a great … [Read more...]