Bass

This was a family weekend to remember, 4 evenings in a row with all 5 of us in attendance each night with friends at a different table. The highlight of the weekend was last night (sat.) at the Streeps. Thanksgiving dinner #2 an annual event. Prior to Dinner we went to the beach, walking the dogs and casting a popper at the Jetty off Wieborg beach. We came up on a group of locals in pick up trucks towing a dory and to our great surprise we had a chance to watch them set the haul sien.

Mansell took a series of photos to document the event, a celebration of the sea on the beaches of East Hampton that may soon be completely outlawed. As the team pulled in the net the large bass were tossed into the back of the truck while the shorts were returned to the sea, some too weak to make there way back into the shallow waves of low tide, a dramatic sight on this the harvest moon.

As we were leaving the girls asked one of the fisherman if they would mind if we picked up one of the short fish that had washed back up on the beach, he shrugged his shoulders and walked off. That was permission to us so we picked the exhausted fish up off the beach and carried it home in my tackle bag.

Lyman loves fish, this recipe was designed to use every ounce of our harvest. As the girls watched I cleaned the fish first removing it’s head and then opening the belly with thumb sized minnows pouring out on to the cutting board. Next step, slice the filets from the spine to the tail and then remove the skin by laying the filets skin side down on a cutting board and sliding the knife from tail end forward separating the skin from the flesh completely without having to scale the fish first. Next step is to go back to the remaining skeleton and trimming all the left over flesh. This flesh is then diced fine and mixed with diced shallot and red pepper, parsley, salt & pepper. Sautee the mixture with butter slowly over low heat until the mixture is almost cooked through.

On the cutting board slice the boneless filets in half from tail forward creating cardboard thin slices of fish (use your sharpest knife). Then roll the mixture into the filets and spear them with a toothpick size piece of dried linguine. For service roast 1 medium sized Spaghetti squash (@375 for 45 minutes w/ olive oil & water) and then remove the flesh, stir in 4 tablespoons butter, 1 cup diced shallots, red pepper and parsley mixed with a seasoning of salt and pepper. Place this mixture in a casserole and top it with the striped bass rolls, bake @375 for 25-20 minutes.

Thanksgiving

A Thanksgiving dinner promotion at the Little Kitchen kept me busy all day, working with Raul in a quiet kitchen, the dining room empty (it’s Tuesday and were closed) made for an exceptional day. He works efficiently and keeps his station clean. The stuffing recipe called for 6 loaves of bread, 2 seven grain, 2 Tuscan loaves & 2 rye. The bread was cut into cubes and then dusted with chopped parsley, oregano and allspice then Raul tossed it with olive oil and toasted the herbed bread cubes. In the morning we will add sautéed celery and shallots and then stuff 4 turkeys, a few sheet pans of the remaining croutons will be soaked with turkey stock and milk then toasted then stirred and toasted some more.

We also made a big batch of creamed onions, Raul cleaned and I blanched. The pearl onions come in mesh bags that hold about a quart of onions, this recipe called for 8 bags.
The onions went from a boiling pot of water into a bowl full of ice water as soon as they began to soften (about 3 minutes) then we made a batch of cream sauce with ½ pound of butter, 1 cup of flour, ¼ cup white wine, ¼ cup calvados, ½ cup ½ & ½ and 1 cup of milk salt & pepper (if it’s seems a bit tight add some of the water from the blanching pot). The butter and flour should be stirred until smooth over low heat first then add the rest of the ingredients one at a time stirring often. The onions should be drained and then added to a large cassarole then stir in the cream sauce, and a cup of Swiss cheese. Place in the oven @ 400 for 15 minutes. If you like a cheese crust finish the dish with more Swiss cheese on the top and flash it under the broiler for another 2 or 3 minutes until it browns.

The promotion has offered a pick up on Wednesday afternoon between noon and 4pm.
The customer will receive turkey, mashed potatoes, butternut squash puree, Brussels sprouts, cranberry sauce, creamed onions, stuffing, gravy and of course pumpkin pie. Our focus today was on freeing the ovens up for the turkeys in the morning. The butternut squash was split, seeded and roasted with a coating of oil and a splash of water, Then an hour later after it cooled we removed the skins and the pureed with a hand held stick blender, added butter, salt and a pinch of nutmeg. Then we made the pumpkin pies.

This recipe calls for Long Island cheese pumpkins but a can of Libby pie mix will work too. I find the best way to make these pies is 2 at a time because Pilllsbury all ready pie crusts are as good as any I can make, they come 2 to a pack. First cut the pumpkin into ¼ and remove the seeds then toss with oil and roast on a large sheet pan at 375 for an hour or until they become soft. After they cook remove the skins and then puree in a processor, transfer the puree to a colander and allow it to shed its excess water for an hour. In a large bowl combine 1 can of evaporated milk with 3 large fresh eggs, 1 cup of brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Whip the mixture with a stiff whisk and then whisk in 2.5 cups of pumpkin puree. In 2 , 8 inch glass pyrex pie pans arrange the softened pie crust by pressing the base in first then rolling the balance around the top edge, roll and pinch. Pre cook the crust in a 400 oven for 3 to 5 minutes until they begin to brown, remove from the oven and then fill each crust to just below the edge with the pumpkin pie filling. Place both pies on a baking sheet and bake @ 400 for 45 minutes then check with a toothpick. If the pie is not ready (the toothpick should come out of the center dry) turn the pies 180 degrees so the crusts bake evenly, check again after 10 minutes.

Blackfish and tomato stew

The Brussels sprouts at Quail hill are ready for harvest, many larger ones at the base of the plants were picked weeks ago but I’m finding the small top sprouts to be tasty and quick to prepare in the pan. Sautéed with a few chopped shallots and a tablespoon of butter they only take a few minutes. This weekend we’re serving them with a blackfish and tomato stew with Israeli cous cous. I like the little pasta balls which require the same amount of cooking time as the 7oz fish filets (bluefish or weakfish would work with this recipe too).

It’s Thanksgiving organization time so we made our annual family trek to the walking dunes to pick cranberries. With the help of Jessica, Mansell and Whittier the bag filled quickly, we found the most abundant cranberry harvest ever. Saturday was warm and the sky was clear and we all had a lovely time, walking back down the beach was more leisurely than normal, a very nice day.

After the harvest I managed a walk to visit the swans and found all still on the pond, hugging the bank to avoid a west wind. The signets have started to molt and what were grey feathers are followed by white. At first I thought a new variety of swan had migrated in, on closer inspection I realized they were my young friends in new clothing.


Blackfish and tomato stew

4, 7oz fish filets, skins and bones removed
1 cup mirpoix
4 plum tomatoes, sliced in half dusted with fine herb/ salt & pepper
1.5 cups Israeli cous cous
2 cups chicken stock finished with ½ teaspoon of saffron
½ cup white wine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Pre heat the oven to 450

Start a large sauté pan over high heat then add the mirpoix & butter and stir, season with salt and pepper. When the vegetables begin to soften push them aside and place the filets in the pan, next add the cous cous and stir together with the vegetables. After about 1 minute lift the filets out and then add the stock/saffron (If you want more seafood flavor use fish stock, ask your fishmonger for the blackfish bones) stir now lay the filets on top cooked side up and add the herbed tomatoes. Place the skillet in the oven and roast for 10 minutes. While that’s cooking begin to prepare the Brussels sprouts.

To plate remove the filets from the pan first then spoon the cous cous and tomatoes onto each plate then top the cous cous with the fish. Finish each plate with Brussels sprouts.

Poached Egg and Chinese Cabbage Salad

Last weekend on Sunday night we hosted the 13th annual Quail Hill harvest dinner at Estia’s Little Kitchen. On staff, Lyman (14) & Mansell (11) Ambrose with Nicholas (16) & Christopher (13) Cinque, it was a rewarding evening for me and it seemed our guests enjoyed it too. In the prayer I gave thanks for the color of Quail hill eggs and the beautiful beets that we add to salads, I also mentioned how much all the little hands help. On Saturday we harvested raspberries with the Briggs girls, in 15 minutes pie pans were full, not the case when I harvest alone and certainly a lot more fun to watch the children harvest, 1 for me 3 for you.

The second course won raves, a sliced salad of Chinese cabbage, purple cabbage, butter leaf lettuce, blanched sweet potato, diced roasted beets and poached eggs (hand picked) from the Quail hill chicken coop plated with Long Island Cheese Pumpkin emulsion and roasted pumpkin seeds. The salad’s finished with warm braised leeks and apple cider vinaigrette made with a reduction of calvados and cider whisked with olive oil and apple cider vinegar.

On the plate this dish is intended to look like a birds nest. It features a warm barn yard egg and crunchy pumpkin seeds, color from the cabbage and orange pumpkin emulsion, then a hint of acid from the vinaigrette.

I love the harvest dinner because it gives me a willing audience that seems genuinely interested to hear about the details in each dish. When this plate was recited the room was silent and a warm hum followed the recipe, music to my ears.

The Swans on hook pond have grown in numbers, yesterday I counted over 40 including 5 signets. For the first time in weeks I saw a pair flying from one end of the pond to the other. Perhaps the migration south will begin soon.

Poached egg and Chinese cabbage salad with pumpkin emulsion (Salad serves 6)

1 tiny head of purple cabbage (sliced thin)
1 small head of Chinese cabbage (sliced thin)
1 head butter leaf lettuce (sliced thin)
2 large leeks, sliced into ribbons, cleaned and sautéed in butter and apple cider
1 sweet potato, peeled, blanched and diced
1 large Chioggia beet, roasted and diced (save leaves slice thin)
1 small Long Island Cheese Pumpkin, cleaned, sliced and roasted @ 375 for 30 minutes
Pumpkin seeds tossed in olive oil and salted, roast @ 375 for 30 minutes
4 tablespoons, local honey
1 cup Extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup calvados (reduce with most of the cider by ½)
½ cup cider vinegar
6 eggs poached in boiling water w/ a teaspoon of vinegar

To make the emulsion place 1 cup roasted pumpkin in a blender w 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 2 table spoons lemon juice, 4 tablespoons honey, pinch of salt then blend until smooth.

To compose the salad toss greens and cabbage including the beet greens in a bowl with sweet potatoes and beets. Season with a pinch of salt and a crack of pepper. In a separate bowl whisk most of the oil and the reduced calvados cider. Add the vinaigrette to the greens and then place the salad in a small bowl and create a form, flip over onto the plate. Next top the form with a few strands of braised leeks, repeat until you have a plate for each guest. Now drizzle the pumpkin emulsion on each plate, top the salad with a poached egg serve immediately so the egg maintains it’s heat.

Olive Oil Braised Fennel

- 2 large fennel heads, remove fennel tops and hold for roasting the pork.
- Slice the trimmed fennel from root to steam
- Place the fennel in 2 cups of olive oil over medium heat and turn after 5 minutes.
- Now transfer to the oven and roast for another 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving plate, squeeze a lemon over the top, 2 if they’re small then top with diced tomato, season with sea salt.