Edible Berkshires

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Entrees

BERKSHIRE BLUE SAMOSA

By Chef Benjamin Daire of Alta Restaurant & Wine Bar

samosa
Photo by James Haley

Aurelien Telle, owner of Alta, suggests the samosa as a perfect appetizer for a cool spring evening. He recommends pairing it with either a Rioja Reserva or a Chianti Classico, which will complement the strong body of the Berkshire Blue.

  • 3 sheets Tunisian brick dough or Good Wives puff pastry*
  • ¼ stick unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 medium onions, finely chopped (roughly 2 cups chopped)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 pound Berkshire Blue Cheese, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze
  • Fresh arugula or baby greens, to serve
  • Toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish (optional)

Roll pre-made pastry dough into an 18- by 14-inch sheet and cut 4 (7-inch) circles. Split each circle in half. Brush top side of dough with melted butter.

Heat olive … Read the rest

ITALIAN BREADED CHICKEN CUTLETS

italianCutletQuite possibly my favorite food in the universe! Great for dinner and they work nicely in sandwiches the next day.

  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup milk
  • 2–3 cups breadcrumbs (homemade are best, see recipe below)
  • 2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into cutlets
  • Olive oil for pan frying

Beat the egg and milk together. Set up the breadcrumbs in a plate next to the egg mixture like an assembly line. Dip the cutlet first in the breadcrumbs, then in the egg mixture, then back in the breadcrumbs until fully coated. Repeat until all are finished. (Hint: Do this ahead and refrigerate. It allows the batter to set up and makes the pan-frying easier. If you don’t have time, not to worry—it still comes out perfectly.)

Heat the olive oil over medium to high heat. You’ll have to adjust the heat—it’s a “feel” thing—you can tell if they are browning too … Read the rest

HERILOOM TOMATO RISOTTO AND RICE BALLS OR CAKES

heirloomTomRisottoRisotto is one of the simplest and most versatile of dishes. Use this recipe as a guide, but feel free to try it without the white wine, with just onions if you don’t have shallots, with just butter or just olive oil, and with many different “add-ins.” If you are like me, winter bring on a craving for the flavors of summer, and this recipe does the trick, with rib-sticking comfort and a nod to summer.

  • 1 quart heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved, or 4 cups full-size heirloom tomatoes, quartered
  • 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ basil, minced
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 2–2½ tablespoons butter or olive oil (I use both, 1+ tablespoon butter, 1+ tablespoon olive oil)
  • ¾ cup mixed shallots and onions, chopped (I use 2 shallots and 1 small onion)
  • 2 cups arborio rice
  • ½ cup white wine
  • 8 cups chicken stock
  • 1
… Read the rest

Pot Roast with the Leaheys

Pot Roast Meaty soup bones, chuck steaks, short ribs and shanks are ideal cuts for slow cooking. While grass-fed meat may cook differently from corn-fed meat, recipes are easily available online.

The Leaheys chose a beef chuck roast, bone in, for this recipe. After searing the meat in a Dutch oven, garlic, onions, parsley, thyme and bay leaves are added. The ingredients are generously covered with beef broth, with a bit of tomato paste stirred into the broth, then cooked with the pot covered for about 4 hours.

Brisket – The Quest for Tenderness: LUNCHEON ON THE GRASS

Adapted from a recipe; Braised and Smoked Brisket: Barbecued Brisket Sandwiches with Firecracker Sauce by Chef David Page, Shinn Estate Vineyards, former owner of Home, as published in The Brisket Book: A Love Story with Recipes, by Stephanie Pierson

Thinly sliced and slathered with barbecue sauce, this is the perfect brisket any time of the year. And the meat tastes terrific even before smoking, so if you don’t have a grill handy, you can still enjoy it.

Serves 8

  • 2 tablespoons coarsely ground coriander
  • 2 tablespoons coarsely ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons coarsely ground yellow mustard seed
  • 2 tablespoons hot paprika
  • 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried ginger
  • 1 (5-pound) beef brisket, trimmed
  • 2 cups diced yellow onions
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons soy
… Read the rest

Pumpkin & Ricotta Pappardelle

Serves 2–4

  • 1 (3-pound) pumpkin, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • Salt and pepper
  • Vegetable oil
  • 1 large bunch of sage (1 cup leaves, loosely packed)
  • ¾ pound fresh pappardelle pasta
  • 1 pound fresh ricotta

Spread out pumpkin chunks in a large roasting pan. Dot with butter, and sprinkle with salt. Roast in the oven at 400 for 45 minutes or until tender.

Pour oil in a heavy-duty pan about ¼ inch deep and turn on high heat. Once hot, drop in a handful of sage and fry for about a minute. Remove leaves with a slotted spoon and let drain on a paper towel. Repeat until all sage is fried.

Boil and drain pasta according to instructions on package.

Toss pumpkin, ricotta and pasta in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and top with fried sage.

Chicken Stuffed with Apples and Cheddar Cheese

Chicken Stuffed with Apples and Cheddar Cheese

  • 4 boneless chicken breasts
  • 2 large Granny Smith apples, cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, kosher salt and pepper for seasoning chicken
  • Butter

Glaze:

  • 3 tablespoons apple preserves
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2½ tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Pound the chicken breasts until they are ½ inch thick. You can use either a meat mallet or a rolling pin. Place flattened chicken on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and place inside refrigerator.

In a dish, combine apple cubes, walnuts, cheddar cheese, kosher salt, pepper, nutmeg and olive oil.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Remove chicken breasts from refrigerator. Place the apple mixture on one half of the chicken breasts. Fold the other side of the breast over the apple mixture—the chicken … Read the rest

SIMPLE GRILLED CHICKEN

1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Olive oil

2 whole chickens, cut into pieces Preheat grill to medium-high.

Drizzle olive oil over chicken, and rub with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

Place chicken on grill, skin side down. Close cover and grill 8 minutes. Flip chicken, and close cover again. Grill until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes more.

Transfer chicken to a plate, and let rest 15 minutes. Serve with panzanella.

CHICKEN CACCIATORE

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1–2 medium onions, sliced
12 ounces mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
(My grandmother peeled them and snapped the stems off and sliced those separately.)
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 chicken, cut into parts
½ cup flour with 1 teaspoon salt and
¼ teaspoon pepper mixed in
½ cup leftover red wine
2 pounds tomatoes, diced
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
½ cup minced parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Coat the chicken with the seasoned flour and set aside. In a large, heavy skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent; add the mushrooms and sauté until golden. Add the garlic and stir until aromatic (about a minute). Remove from pan and place in a bowl big enough for the chicken too.

Add the next 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Make sure it … Read the rest

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