Weekday Quick Fix: Portobello Burgers

Time is always of the essence in our busy lives. So, what do you do when you want to create something different, very casual (finger food preferably), and you've had your fill of beef and chicken? This Portobello burger recipe includes very basic ingredients that you can cook up in about 8-10 minutes, pair it with some local corn or your "finger food" of choice and you've got a great summer weeknight dinner.

Portobello Skillet Burgers

Heat your stovetop skillet with a generous amount of Extra Virgin olive oil. When hot, place freshly sliced yellow onion rings into the pan. Then add sea salt and minced garlic. Now, drizzle balsamic vinegar around the skillet and place your Portobello mushrooms in, stem down. Reduce heat to medium/medium-low and cover. After about 3 minutes, flip the mushrooms and be sure the ingredients are blended around them. In the meantime, prepare your burger buns of choice with a slice of fresh tomato and a thin slice of sharp cheddar. (Place cheese on the bottom of roll.) After another 3 minutes, flip mushrooms back with the rounded side on top. Reduce heat to low, cover again and let simmer. At this point, the mushrooms will be a bit smaller but will absorb some of the flavoring. After another 3-5 minutes, you are ready to serve. Place on the buns and let the heat melt the cheese before serving.

You'll have a delicious, moist burger that is quite filling so have your appetite ready!

A Celebration of Food, Wine and the North Fork

What makes a meal special? What do we really expect when dining on the North Fork? Is it truly a North Fork experience if it's not farm-to-table?

If you are a follower of this blog, chances are that you expect the same things I do. From ambiance and a comfortable setting, to true local ingredients and creativity with those ingredients. There should be unexpected flavors that still hint at tradition. We celebrate with food and wine. We celebrate the food and wine itself.

The occasion of a farewell "send-off" to a dear friend and co-worker brought us to the newly revived Luce Hawkins Inn & Restaurant or more affectionately known as Jedediah Hawkins Inn in Jamesport, now operated by the renowned Chef Keith Luce. Chef's belief in the local movement is evident in his menu, which is strong in sustainably sourced food as well as items from the kitchen's own garden. He feels it is "essential to provide a true earth to table dining experience."

Comfortable and inviting are the two descriptives I can come up with for the Luce Hawkins formal dining room. This unpretentious setting surprisingly plays with combining cool modern elements with grand Victorian structure and it works. I never thought I would pair those two themes together but items such as the almost tropically designed drapes with the whimsically striped booth patterns work with the tall, leaded window panes and 1800's era interior trim.

Although we would have liked the staff to relax a bit more, they were attentive and professional nonetheless and presented beautifully delicious dishes on the Chef's tasting menu. Courses included items such as squid two different ways: cornflower fried and grilled over a corn relish with tomato, tarragon and popped corn; Bay scallops over a cauliflower and potato puree presented in a scallop shell; duck paired with a Pecorino gnocchi; Kobe beef; a bleu cheese course with a floral honey and smoky almonds; coconut and melon with tapioca; and as a perfect finish (an additional course we added) homemade cinnamon and sugar donuts and chocolate cookies. Everything was fresh, using innovative styles with each dish as well as pairing with sides. It was an experience unlike any other I've had personally. I definitely recommend trying the restaurant and the tasting menu itself.

My post would not be complete without my (last but certainly not least) report on the wine. Perfectly selected, we began with a Gruner Veltliner that was refreshing with precise levels of acidity and fruit in a dry style that I always love. We moved on to a 2007 Turley zinfandel that brought the words "dark chocolate" and "luscious" to mind as we tasted it. The finish was matched with a Wolffer Estate Late Harvest Chardonnay that was perfect with the less-than-sweet, raw coconut in the dessert course. What would a fine dining experience be without a bit of espresso to round out the meal?

The celebration could not have been better. It was a wonderful experience that we will reminisce about for a while. Of course, a good point to remember in choosing a place on the North Fork is the company you choose to enjoy it with. Thank you to my good friends and colleagues!

Tellers: The Ultimate Steakhouse Experience

Glasses lined up on top of crisp linen. Plush seating among dark wood accents. A carefully selected vault filled with some of the most cherished wine bottles. A romantic, welcoming dining room complemented only by the grand windows and three-story-high ceilings. The hostess desk bustles. The staff dressed their best with bright smiles. The kitchen is on fire with energy. All await you- the guest, with your party of 2... 4... 8, to make your dining experience absolutely out of this world.

Sometimes a unique opportunity presents itself and you are able to learn about a place from the inside out. Fortunately for me, I was able to try Tellers Chophouse in Islip from the staff's point of view. It made me appreciate the restaurant so much more. I can hardly wait to go back with my family as guests.

Last weekend, I worked at Tellers as Raphael's wine representative. The sales manager and I poured wine for guests table-side as a special to celebrate their 11th Anniversary. One could purchase a glass for $10 and taste any wines on the menu, delivered personally by wine professionals. What a nice touch! I learned so much about wines working with Paolo, sommelier for the Bohlsen Restaurant Group. It was a busy dinner rush but the hostess team, waitstaff and managers handled everything with ease and made absolutely sure that each party that walked through their doors were treated as family, or VIP customers if you will. (One of the reasons I plan to return with my father, a steakhouse aficionado.)

The menu you ask? Well, later on in the evening, when the last of the tables lingered over their delectable dishes of perfection, we sat down for a family-style meal. It is evident that their obsession is focused on the details and creating an unforgettable meal for your palate. Personally, I tasted their Lobster Quesadillas, Country Salad and Steak Wellington. Each was amazing! The Lobster Quesadillas had a rich filling and were accompanied by a fresh guacamole and smoky, creamy spread. The salad consisted of mixed greens with walnuts, cranberries, pears and a goat cheese dressing. The Wellington - words cannot describe the melt-in-your mouth texture and the flavors of the highest quality filet wrapped in buttery puff pastry atop an au jus and Brie sauce.

Tellers receives my highest recommendation. Not only for the magic they create on the menu but for the overall ambiance and feeling you have while there. Seeing this from another viewpoint was perfect and means even more for me writing to you. Please share any experiences that you've had at this spot if you've been. If you haven't, put it on your "must do" list.

The Salt of the Earth

The value of taking the time once in a while to slow down for a country breakfast, an early morning stroll or just a moment to sit outside in the cool, refreshing breeze is immeasurable. This morning I cooked a western omelet with fresh jalepenos from our garden, orange tomatoes from a local farmstand in Peconic, and brown farm-fresh eggs from my parents' hens. It was amazing! All while Roger picked veggies from the garden and helped to turn over my dried out pansy flower bed in preparation for transplanted mums next month. It's nice to make time for things like this although it's not always easy.

I couldn't wait to write this post about a new find of mine and one of my first creations with it. My obsession with Food & Wine Magazine continues and was brought to life while in Le Gourmet Chef last Sunday. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I recalled an article that truly piqued my interest, explaining gourmet sea salts and how world-renowned chefs were using them creatively in their dishes. I thought it would be interesting to play around with salts but wondered where I would find some. Well, we happened to be wandering through the Tanger Outlets gourmet shop to look for a burger patty press and stumbled upon a shelf with various seasonings. There were some of the salts I had read about in a variety pack/sampler. I bought them for $8.00 (5 varieties in one container) and proceeded to do a salt tasting with Roger at home.

I knew a salt tasting would be risky but all of them were really interesting except for the Eurasian Black. That one tasted completely like sulfur. Not sure where that would fit into a meal but the others were very bold and specific. You could almost begin to imagine the various meats and seasonings that they would complement well.

My first trial was with the Sel De Guerande coarse sea salt. I ground slightly (not too fine) and added it into a pork rub that I created. The rub was neither a dry or a marinade. I suppose you'd have to call it a moist, basting rub. I combined the Sel De Guerande, fresh grated ginger, spicy brown mustard, Worcestershire, onion powder, seasoned salt (red), and cracked peppercorns.

When preparing the pork chops for the grill, I rubbed them entirely with sesame oil then I brushed on the above blended mixture. I covered all of the meaty areas of the pork and continued to brush on while turning on the grill as well. The flavor cooked in and the last of it formed a bit of a crust on the top. The seasoned salt may have taken over a bit but the rub was delicious nonetheless. I think I will become a bit more brave with my sea salt as I research some ideas. I think the Hawaiian Red Salt will be great for a smoky flavor either on a fish or a meat. I will certainly report it when I figure it out!

We should all have more salty creativity in our life.

Flounder, Fire and a Flick

The weather could not be more glorious. Clear and warm with a breeze. All free of the dreadful humidity we've become so accustomed to all month long. This weekend perfection is the kind of scene set for us to truly revel in our backyards and outdoor set-ups without having to hide in the shade or our air conditioners.

Our Friday evening began with a happy hour filled with gourmet cheeses, fruit, spinach dip and Chardonnay. A little celebration turned into a full out party equipped with Roger's famous crisp-skinned, grilled chicken wings, alot more wine and a campfire where we all roasted hot dogs and marshmallows until very late.

Tonight promises to be a bit more of a low-keyed dinner by the campfire while watching the new Sherlock Holmes movie on our outdoor theatre. What's Cookin' on this summer Saturday? Here's the menu:

• Dill seasoned hummus with Triscuits and some cheddar with pepper/poppy water crackers.
• Baked clams
• Fresh flounder filet (from Buoy One's seafood market, Riverhead) in foil packets cooked on the grill with a butter, lemon and oaked chardonnay; seasoned with fresh chives.
• On the side I will dice our fresh squash and zucchini, then add some brown tomatoes, chopped onion and lemon with some basic seasonings.
• Toasted pine nut cousous will also accompany the dish.

I could very easily choose a wine to pair with this but instead, I will be brewing a Keurig summer special "tea" of Tropical Breeze White Iced Tea flavored with passion fruit.

I'm looking forward to trying the vegetable medley and also rating the seafood from this Riverhead market. It's my first time in a long while buying from somewhere other than Braun's in Cutchogue.

Hope you enjoy this mid-summer's night of dreamy weather!

Tuesday Quickie

After a three and a half mile run at six o'clock in the evening, there are certain things that you want and absolutely things that you do not want. The first thing you want is water (and to catch your breath). The second is a refreshing shower. Last but not not least, after that, you really want to eat. What you do not want to do at this point is fill up on useless snacks or a particularly rich dinner because after you work up a sweat and feel healthy, you truly don't wish to ruin it with anything greasy or too cheesy.

This evening, we whipped up a "quickie" that took about twenty minutes from prep to table, and we literally pulled together whatever we had from the freezer, refrigerator, pantry and garden. Our creation was a Greek-style shrimp, pastina and feta with spinach. (I told you it was an interesting mix of items we could scrounge up.)

The highlight of this meal was the olive oil. It was the key to the flavor without a doubt. I used Sitia Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil that was given to me by my best friend Nicole. It came from a specialty shop in Astoria (Queens), New York. I sauteed the thawed and peeled shrimp in the Sitia olive oil with chopped garlic, sea salt, ground pepper and a bit of onion powder. As they cooked, I added spinach and finely cut chives to the saute pan. In the meantime, I boiled the pastina. When both were cooked to our liking, I poured additional olive oil into the drained bowl of pasta, added the saute and then topped with chunks of feta cheese.

This mild dish was especially delicious tonight because of its light texture and flavors. As I previously stated, the olive oil was the ingredient that added a special tanginess and texture to the pastina dish.

Remember: Cooking a good, healthy dinner doesn't have to be a production and can happen at a moment's notice. May your day's activities inspire more quickies for you!

Weekend Test Kitchen: Gorgonzola-Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

In today's test kitchen: zucchini blossoms. These are a very fickle crop. This morning, there were over a dozen perfect flowers. This afternoon, I barely found eight that weren't shriveled up. They are best to harvest once they have a vegetable growth beneath them so you don't lose your plant. I chose a few that hadn't bloomed a zucchini or squash yet because the flowers were just the right size and consistency and my mind was set on this creation tonight. We have had an explosion of these vegetables so a few won't hurt.

The classic recipe is to batter and fry these delicacies, which I tried recently (you'll find in one of my previous posts). I took the fritter batter recipe and seasoned it a bit and then decided to stuff these rich textured flowers with a creamy, sharp gorgonzola cheese. They were absolutely scrumptous! Bring a large appetite to the table when these are served. They are very filling but an experience not to be missed.

Gorgonzola-Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms
Ingredients for batter:
1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. cracked pepper
2 eggs
Approximately 1/2 cup of milk (to a thick consistency similar to cake batter)

Ingredients for stuffing:
Chunk of Boar's Head creamy gorgonzola cheese
1/2 tbsp. whipped cream cheese

Mix the batter first by blending all of the listed ingredients in a mixer or with a whisk until it's the consistency of a cake batter. Then stir together the cream cheese with crumbled/cut pieces of gorgonzola. The cream cheese will make it a creamier consistency. Use a spreader to gently stuff the flowers with the cheese. Then heat olive oil in a pan on high heat to fry. Dunk each stuffed flower in the batter and let drip a little. Then place in the pan, turning when firm and golden brown. Place fried blossoms on a paper towel to soak up excess oil, then serve warm.