Chef Annemarie Huste

Vichyssoise

Annemarie — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:54:11 +0000

Potato and leek soup is one of France’s most versatile soups. Served ice cold during the summer and served hot in the fall and winter as a hearty meal in itself. Perfect with sandwiches.

Ingredients:
2 slices bacon, chopped
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 leeks, chopped
4 medium potatoes, finely chopped
2 cans chicken broth
2 cans water
salt and pepper to your taste
1 cup heavy cream

Saute the bacon in a heavy saucepan for a few minutes. Add the onion and saute until lightly browned, then add the leeks and saute for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the potatoes, chicken broth, water, salt and pepper, bring to a boil and simmer for 40 minutes. Add the heavy cream and bring again to a boil, then let it sit until it is cool and put it in a blender making sure that you don’t fill it more then half as you don’t want to have to clean your ceiling, then put it in the refrigerator to get it cold.

ShareThis

Beef Gazpacho

Annemarie — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:14:14 +0000

How about Gazpacho, This is a great cold Summer soup, i used to serve it to Billy Rose who I worked for
in the 60’s. This was one of his favorite soups in Summer.

Ingredients:
5 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, mashed
1 onion, chopped
10 1/2 cups beef consomme
2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons wine vinegar
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Combine all ingredients and pour into a blender. Cover and blend until smooth. Chill soup thoroughly and pass individual side dishes of cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions when serving.

Makes 4 servings.

Side dishes:
1/2 cup cucumbers, finely chopped
1/2 cup cup tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 cup onions, finely chopped.

ShareThis

Iced Cucumber Soup

Annemarie — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:43:59 +0000

This Summer looks like it is going to be very hot , so I decided that although Salads are great you might want to change to some cold soups for a change they are easy to make and you can keep them in your Refrigerator for a few days. Add a few slices of a good bread you got a Meal.

Ingredients:
3 Cucumbers
2 tablespoons vegetable Oil Sunflower or the one that you prefer
1/2 onion, chopped
10 1/2 ounce of chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 cup of water
3 tablespoons of fresh dill
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream

Peel the cucumbers, cut them in half lengthwise and remove the seeds with a small spoon. Cut the cucumbers into 1/2 inch slices. In a heavy saucepan, heat the oil over low heat, then add the onion and saute them for a few minutes without letting it brown. Then add the cucumbers, chicken broth, water, dill, salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Cool the soup and put through a blender. Blend for 30 seconds, making sure not to fill the blender more than half full. Add the cream and put the soup in the refrigerator till serving time. Top each bowl of soup with a sprinkle of fresh dill.

Yields 4 to 6 servings.

One of the things I would like you to know, each of us has a different taste, so if you like to make a change of the ingredients more suited to your taste or diet, add what you would like better. For example instead of heavy cream, you could add Yoghurt. Less calories, although your Soup will not taste as rich.

I personally believe that with food, everything is good for you and everything is bad for you. What it comes down to is balance. If you add heavy cream every day to your food it won’t be good for you, but now and then it won’t hurt you. After all, food should be a pleasure in your life as well as your health.

ShareThis

Farmers Market in July

Annemarie — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 04:58:17 +0000

I went to the Farmers Market on Saturday, and they still had wild arugula, wonderful round red radishes, Boston lettuce new carrots, new red onions, fresh chives, and dill. All great in salads but I also like fresh fruit in my salads like Papaya and small real Strawberries from the market yes they are small and expensive but they truly taste like strawberries should taste.

That is all I can write today, my grandchildren are expecting me, and Maggie the oldest at almost 9, loves to cook with the Oma, the German name for Grandma. Until next time have a great day.

ShareThis

Yoghurt Cheese

Annemarie — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 04:54:42 +0000

Whenever I eat salad for lunch or dinner I like a slice of good bread with some cheese, this is the one I like.
Buy a Stonyfield Farm Organic Yoghurt, which is fat free and plain, I put cheese cloth over a bowl fasting it with a rubber band on the outside then I put the Yoghurt in it and leave it in the refrigerator over one or two days depending how firm i want it. When the yoghurt is to my liking, I mix with fresh chopped dill, sliced fresh chives a little seasoning salt and freshly ground pepper, and some thinly sliced scallions.

I mix all of these ingredients together and sometimes I add some roasted red peppers, or I mush up a ripe avocado and mix it in, which makes it a delicious and healthy sandwich, it is also great to put on crackers for cocktails or anything else you want it on.
Be creative adding whatever you like the best, there is no reason that you couldn’t also mix the cheese with fresh berries in season like strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, mangoes.. whatever you like.

Keep inventing whatever you like for the Summer.

ShareThis

Potato and Cucumber Salad

Annemarie — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 04:41:31 +0000

3 pounds small new potatoes
1 large seedless cucumber or 3 small cubes
1/2 Bermuda or red onion finely chopped

Dressing:
3/4 cup sunflower or canola oil
2 tablspoons Dijon mustard
5 tablespoons of cider vinegar
4 stalks of fresh dill salt and pepper to taste.

Steam the potatoes in their skins until a sharp knife pierces them easliy but before they get soft. ( they will continue to cook in the skin for a while after you remove them) While the potatoes are cooling, peel and thinly slice the Cucumbers and chop the onion, then add the Dressing Ingredients along with the onions and dill put and put them in a blender, and blend until until you have a smooth texture. I sometimes add 2 tablespoons of honey or Maple Syrup in the dressing to smooth the flavor.

Peel and slice the potatoes as soon as you can touch them, then pour the dressing over the potatoes and cucumber along with salt and pepper to your taste and toss the salad well. If you dont eat it right away simply cover the salad and let it sit at room temperature, do not put it into the Refrigerator.

ShareThis

Mushroom and Wild Greens Salad

Corey B — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 01:15:53 +0000

This is one of my favorite salads. I created it for Gourmet magazine when I was executive chef of their dining room. It is a wonderful first course salad as well. A mixture of wild greens and edible flowers called Mesclun , which is easy available at the Farmers Market use a combination of washed and dried wild arugula and washed and dried watercress. Add some red leaf lettuce, washed, dried and torn in pieces and radicchio, sliced. Now that wild mushrooms are available, I make this salad when I want to have a meatless meal. If you cannot find Shiitake , Chanterelles, Porcini (cepes), or other wild mushrooms, use regular cultivated mushrooms, as long as they are very fresh.

The peppers may be roasted see directions below and cut ahead of time , but everything else should be done just before serving.

Ingredients:
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, wild or cultivated
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 roasted red pepper cut into strips
1 roasted yellow pepper cut into strips
1 tablespoon each assorted fresh herbs such as chevril, parsley. chives

8 cups assorted greens approximately [see above]

Balsamic Dressing1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon hazelnut oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

Saute mushrooms in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil until soft. Combine dressing ingredients in a blender and blend well. Toss greens with most of the dressing then Put on a chilled plate. Scatter mushrooms and red and yellow pepper strips over greens. Drizzle additional dressing over Sprinkle with fresh herbs
Try it and see if you like it. Always remember that if you don’t care for some Ingredients do it the way you like it.

ShareThis

Make your own Summer salad dressing

Annemarie — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:52:34 +0000

Summer has started and with it comes my Season for Salads. At the Farmers Market you can get the freshest lettuce and a large selection, the wild Arugula is one of my favorites. It is only during those months that we here in New York can enjoy that privilege. Any of you who live near a farm or grew up on one know the pure joy of eating freshly picked produce. When you buy salad greens do take care to wash them thoroughly.
There is nothing worse than biting into gritty dirt. The next thing to remember is that salad should and always can, look appetizing.

And probably the most important item is your salad dressing. It is an easy task to make your own. I have experimented with all sorts of vinegars but have happily settled for organic Apple Cider.

Salad oils are more interesting and adventures matter. I generally use a light flavored oil such as Canola or Sunflower as a base. Then I add a small amount of more flavorful oil such as walnut oil, hazelnut oil or sesame oil depending on the salad. My favorite is Flax Seed oil although expensive it is one of the healthiest oils you can have.

Onions are another important flavor ingredient that should not be overlooked. Thinly sliced scallions,
red onions, or Vidalia onions which are sweet. The easiest way to make the dressing is in a blender.

Basic Salad Dressing.

1/2 cup oil

2 tablespoons of your favorite oil

3 tablespoons Cider Vinegar

2 teaspoons honey

1 Tablespoon Maggi which is available in most Food Stores

ShareThis

Less stress when you cook for a party

Annemarie — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:47:48 +0000

I forgot to tell you about Saturday’s prep for the party. Don’t do what I did, once you put your menu together get all your ingredients the day before if you can, as otherwise it gets to stressful. Also, make some of the dishes like soup or Chocolate Mousse for dessert the day before, just make sure that you cover the Chocolate Mousse when you put it in the refrigerator as it will absorb the flavors of your other ingredients in the refrigerator.

ShareThis

You can never have too many parties

Annemarie — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 14:37:44 +0000

I am off to send some mail it is the only time I don’t have to wait an hour to get this done, then off to the Farmers Market to get lettuce, bread and yogurt at Hawthorne Valley Farm.
I mixed the yogurt with whip cream for my second 65th Birthday Party,
my grandchildren all came as well as friends who I know since 1960.
Then I went to Chinatown to get mushrooms and scallions for Creme Olga, one of my favorite Soups, at this time of the year and since the cherries where beautiful and cost only $3 for two pounds, I got some since I love them. The green beans were fresh and also a good price I decided to add them to my salad to serve it with roasted sweet potatoes and new Yukon potatoes and herbs.
Dessert was a Genoise filled with a mixture of whip cream and yogurt as well as strawberries and my favorite Pecan Nut Roll. A good time was had by all, there is no such a thing as having to many dinner parties with your family and friends.

ShareThis