Succulent and Savory: Standing Rib Roast

Every year as I'm contemplating what to make for Christmas dinner, I consider such tantalizing offerings as a beautiful glazed ham or a crown roast of lamb or pork. Invariably I return to my all-time favorite Christmas entrée, a succulent standing rib roast with its comforting accompaniment of Yorkshire pudding.  Expensive, yes, but it is Christmas!  And so simple to make.  Let the flavor of the meat reign supreme by adding only salt and pepper as seasonings.  About the only thing you could do wrong is to overcook it. Be sure to have an accurate meat thermometer.

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The Art of Being a Great Guest

The holiday season is upon us and it an ideal time to practice one of the most useful etiquette skills: the art of being a great guest.  A host can manage her event better when she knows her guests can take care of themselves socially.

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Tonic for a Hot Summer Day: Shrimp Ceviche

Also- bonus guacamole recipe!

Photo by Bill Brady
Ceviche is typically a white flesh ocean fish, scallops or squid in a citrus
marinade, the acidity of which "cooks" the seafood.  Its cool tartness is
deliciously refreshing.  In this recipe shrimp is first lightly cooked and
then marinated in the citrus juice.  

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Crazy for Kebobs? Dad Will Be, Too

Make Father’s Day sizzle by grilling his favorite meat or seafood in an oh-so-easy skewered style.  Succulent charred kebobs hot off the grill! Grilled buttery sweet corn on the side perhaps?   Or possibly a tart/sweet cole slaw for contrast?  What could be more enticing for your backyard barbeque?  And so easy to put together.

With fresh spring vegetables in abundance and options of lamb, beef, chicken and seafood available, these kebobs are a perfect fit for Dad’s day. Served on a bed of rice, you’ve got a meal to savor.

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Citrus Grilled Shrimp Salad-Bonus Recipe for May!

As June rolls around, the name of the game is easy cooking.  In fact, the less work, the better, so long as the results are fresh and mouthwatering. And since farmers’ markets and farmstands  are bulging with their summer best, select your favorite mix and match favorites and toss together a great salad.  Top it with citrusy grilled shrimp and pair it with a French baguette and you have a delicious lunch.

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Smoked Ham and White Bean Soup

Photo by Bill Brady http://bit.ly/9wFYxm

 

Does it seem that that big chunk of leftover Easter ham might remain in your refrigerator for weeks, even if you have a large family?  Fear not.  Here is an idea of how to turn that succulent, savory meat and ham bone into an invigorating soup.

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April 2011 Wine Finds

CHARDONNAY 2009, Les  Jamelles (France)  This  Chardonnay comes from an area called Pays d’Oc located in southern France.  It has a golden, clear color with  a bouquet  of pears and green apples. The taste is clean and lemony with just the right amount of vanilla from French Oak to retain the chardonnay characteristics.  Nice fresh finish and a great price.

 

PINOT NOIR  2009, Bogle Vineyards (CA)  Bogle Vineyards is a family affair and they produce some very attractive wines at very good prices. This Pinot Noir has the a lovely bouquet of wood strawberries followed by gentle flavors of berries with hints of vanilla reflecting aging for 12 months in French and American oak.  Really nice, elegant finish.

 

Both wines were priced under $15 the bottle and were purchased from local wine merchants.

 

March Wine Finds 2011

ALBARINO 2008, Bodega Castro Martin, (SPAIN)

 This wine is made from the Albarino grape grown in Rias Baixas, an area located on the Northwest coast of Galicia, Spain. It is both a delicate and rich wine with a bouquet of peach and honeysuckle followed by a fresh taste of citrus fruit and mineral. A very unique wine.

 CLANCY’S 2007, Peter Lehmann (AUSTRALIA)

 This wine is a blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. It is dark purple in color with a lively bouquet of berries and is packed with flavors of raspberry and licorice on the palate. The grapes were grown in the Barossa Valley which is considered Australia’s most famous wine growing region.

Both wines were purchased from your local wine merchants And were priced under $15 the bottle.

 

February 2011 Wine Finds

PINOT GRIS 2009,  Morgan (CA)  R & D Franscioni Vineyard.  All the grapes for this Single Vineyard  Pinot Gris came from an area comparable to France’s Alsace.  This wine has a tropical bouquet with lemon tones as a result of  four months in French oak barrels. The palate is well balanced , complex and rich in flavors.  A full, elegant  finish makes this wine a  perfect dinner partner.  The grape Pinot Gris  is also known as Pinot Grigio.

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Romantic Valentine's Day Dinner

Celebrating Valentine's Day with your sweetie? Skip the expensive restaurant this year. Forget fighting for reservations on one of the busiest nights of the year when restaurants are overbooked, overcrowded, understaffed and charging far more for a meal you can easily make in the comfort of your own kitchen. So how about a casual make-together dinner that can be prepared in well under an hour?

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Tangy Roasted Pumpkin Soup

It's not too early to start planning your Thanksgiving dinner.  How about beginning the festivities with a rich and savory pumpkin  soup?  Roasting the pumpkin for the soup encourages the natural sugars to caramelize and enriches its flavor creating a more complex soup.
Ingredients
1 medium pumpkin, about 4 pounds
Olive oil
1 T butter
2 slices bacon, diced
1 large yellow onion, chopped
6 cups chicken stock
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup orange juice
1/8 t freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup crème fraiche, thinned with milk just until pourable
1 cup julienned roasted pumpkin
Roasted pumpkin seeds*
Procedure
1.      To roast the pumpkin, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2.      Cut pumpkin in half through stem end and then cut each half into several pieces.
3.      Remove strings. Reserve seeds for garnish.. Place pumpkin on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
4.      Roast in oven until tender but not falling apart, about 45 minutes.
5.      Let cool and peel away skin.
6.      Julienne a cupful for garnish.
7.      Dice the remainder.
8.      Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bacon and onions and cook stirring occasionally until onions are soft and bacon is just turning golden.
9.      Add the pumpkin and stock and simmer until pumpkin falls apart, about 30 minutes. Let cool about 20 minutes.
10.     In batches, puree soup in a food processor until smooth.
11.     Strain through a mesh sieve; add cream, orange juice and nutmeg.
12.     Reheat.  Ladle into bowls and garnish with julienned pumpkin and toasted pumpkin seeds.*
13.     Drizzle on crème fraiche.
6 servings
*How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds
1. Rinse pumpkin seeds under cold water and pick out the pulp and strings. (This is easiest just after you've removed the seeds from the pumpkin,
before the pulp has dried). Simmer seeds in salted water for 10 minutes. Pat dry thoroughly.
2. Place the pumpkin seeds in a single layer on an oiled baking sheet, stirring to coat.
3. Sprinkle with salt and bake at 325 degrees F until toasted, about 25 minutes, checking and stirring after 10 minutes.
4. Let cool and store in an air-tight container. There is no need to crack open to remove inner seed. Another suggestion for serving pumpkin soup is to ladle it into scooped out pumpkin shells or acorn squash shells.
Photographer Bill Brady  http://bit.ly/9wFYxm

Recipe by Phyllis Kirigin sweetpaprika.wordpress.com Phyllis is a resident of Croton-on-Hudson and is an avid cook and food blogger.  She loves all things culinary, focusing on using fresh ingredients and promoting local farmers and artisans. She can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

 

Crimson Halloween Punch with Frozen Ice Hands

Photographer Bill Brady http://bit.ly/9wFYxm
What would your Halloween party be without a ghoulish punch? This one only
looks creepy, but tastes refreshing and crisp. For a children's party, just
omit the vodka.

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July 2011 Wine Finds

HUGEL ‘GENTIL’ 09, Alsace (FR) Here is a great summer white wine. Made from grapes of the great 2009 vintage, this blend shows a very aromatic bouquet that includes peach and apricots. It is dry on the pallet, crisp with a touch of spice that follows right into the very flavorful finish. Alsace is a geographical area in north-eastern France. The wines from this area are mostly white and you will find them in a green “flute d’Alsace” bottle.
MERLOT ’09 Lockhart (CA) This merlot is produced from grapes grown in northern California. This is a real “food friendly” wine. Deep color and a fine bouquet of currants and herbs and a hint of cherry. The pallet is refined and medium bodied with nice fruit that is not overshadowed with wood. Clean finish. Another great summer wine.

Both these wines were purchased from your local wine Shops and are priced under $15 the bottle.

Grilled Pizza with Ham and Pineapple

You don’t really want to light the oven to 500 degrees on a hot July day, do you?  This easy grilled pizza should get you in the mood for some outdoor summer relaxing.  Just a few simple ingredients showcase the smoky flavor and crispy crust.

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Time to Get Out the Ice Cream Maker!

There's something special about homemade ice cream. Nothing artificial, no fillers, just pure flavor.  And now that summer's here, who doesn't crave the cold lusciousness of a scoop or two of a creamy gelato or an icy sorbet? Chef Jonathan Pratt, owner of Peter Pratt's  Inn, the award-winning American regional restaurant  in Yorktown, recently shared his culinary expertise to a full house of eager food lovers at the Croton Free Library.  He prepared a Moroccan lamb tagine with couscous  and a surprising two-ingredient dessert-maple syrup gelato, the sap of which was recently tapped from his own maple trees.  The intense flavor and mouthfeel sent me home to get out my ice cream maker and check my supply of maple syrup.  The procedure couldn't be easier.

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Stone Barns

Stop by our last indoor winter Farm Market of the year on Sunday, April 10 from 1:00PM – 4:00PM. Beginning Friday, May 6 our weekly Farm Market returns. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 1:00PM – 4:00PM, shop for just-picked Stone Barns produce, pastured meats and fresh eggs. Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture 630 Bedford Road Pocantico Hills, New York 10591

Blueberry Lattice Pie

Need a luscious Easter dessert? Something both sweet and tart with a light buttery undertone? Think blueberries. They're available year round and often sport a more than reasonable price. And if that weren't enough, blueberries have been found to be a "superfood", so good for you that you should go out of you way to eat them. And what could possibly be better than eating them out of hand? How about a mouth-watering blueberry pie? You may be picturing a pie with the juices running amuck or worse, a gluey texture. I think you'll find this recipe to have the perfect structure with a combination of jammy and whole berries. Enjoy!

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Raisin, Dried Cranberry and Pecan Scones

It’s St. Paddy’s Day!  Make Some Scones

St. Patrick’s Day breakfast or tea time just wouldn’t be the same without homemade sweet or savory scones.  Serve them warm with jam, clotted dream, butter or syrup as you enjoy your cup o’ tea.

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Super Bowl Crowd Pleaser: Goat Cheese Stuffed Jalapenos Wrapped in Bacon

A sure-fire crowd pleaser, this Super Bowl party finger-food couldn't be easier to prepare. The spicy jalapenos, tart goat cheese and smoky bacon offer an irresistible contrast of flavors. Your guests will be back for more.

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