It is Strawberry season y’all and this means delicious salads, desserts, jams and so much more. Strawberries grow great in Texas and are a part of many home growers and local farmers’ bounties for this season. We at Cote Catering love our little red friends and want everyone to share in the delight that is Strawberry PARTY!
Texas has a rich history with the lovely Strawberry. In 1900 Clara Barton of the American red Cross introduced Strawberries to the Pasadena area after the hurricane of 1900 and the community found in them a very profitable and prolific crop that managed to not only support their community but help it grow. Places like Poteet and Pasadena still celebrate their Strawberry history with a festival each year.
Strawberries come in several varieties Sequoia, Douglas and the south’s most popular, Chandler. Most Strawberries in Texas are June bearing but with our Texas weather that usually makes them start popping out their luscious little berries at the end of Spring.
Strawberries are high in antioxidants, great for regulating blood sugar, and are a natural anti-inflammatory. However, to get their best nutritional value they need to be fresh. So you know what that means, LOCAL! Frozen strawberries lose up to 60% of their nutritional value and can become mealy and overly tart.
There are many great recipes you can make with fresh Strawberries; heck you can even eat them off the vine (though we encourage rinsing). Chef Cote has put together some of her favorites to inspire you to go local and get some juicy red lovelies into your meals this season.
Grilled Lamb Chops with caramelized strawberries & coriander
1 lamb rack
salt & ground pepper
1 T red wine vinegar
1 T brown sugar
1 small onion, diced
1 t ground coriander
1/2 t cayenne
2 c strawberries, whole
1/2 c fresh mint, chiffonade
Preheat grill. Pour vinegar into a saucepot and add sugar, onion, coriander, cayenne, salt & pepper. Bring the mixture to a quick simmer and cook until the onions soften. Stir in the strawberries and continue cooking just long enough for the mixture to heat through. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
Before grilling the lamb, pat the chops dry with paper towels and season them to taste with salt & pepper. Grill, turning once, until cooked through. Slice into chops & serve lamb chops with a generous amount of sauce and garnish with mint.
Strawberry Honey Vinaigrette:
1 small shallot, chopped
½ c strawberries, chopped
¼ c extra virgin olive oil
2 T local honey
1 T grainy mustard
3 T apple cider vinegar
salt & pepper to taste
blend in a blender until smooth
for Salad:
4 c spring lettuces, washed & dried
1 c fresh mixed herbs (such as parsley, dill, tarragon, basil, mint, oregano)
½ c goat cheese, crumbled
Place the lettuces & herbs in a large serving bowl & toss well. Shake vinaigrette, pour half of it over the lettuce/herb mixture; toss gently until well coated, add more as needed. Top with strawberries and crumbled goat cheese.
Oven dried strawberries & black pepper with zabajone
1c heavy cream, whipped until stiff
1 pint of strawberries, washed
1 c egg yolk
1 c sweet marsala wine
¾ c turbanado sugar
preheat oven to 250°. chop off green part of strawberries & place cut side down slowly roast strawberries until dry (about 4 hours) or leave in gas oven over night with no temp.
on a double boiler, whisk together the yolk & sugar until sugar in dissolved. slowly add wine. continue to cook until mixture forms a custard like consistency. place in serving bowls & cool. top with fresh cream & dried strawberries.
Sometimes the holidays can be a nightmare. Too much family, too much anxiety, too much food.
While the triptophans from the Turkey can lull you into a minor coma, leaving you drooling a little snuggled up on the couch watching the big game, and the immense amounts of butter makes you feel like a slow stuffed pig, sometimes the only thing that can really help you through the holiday is a little booze. So, we have discovered the delicate balance of booze and one of your favorite Turkey day relishes….
cranberry sauce is better with bourbon
- 1lb bag organic cranberries
- 1 c raw turbanado sugar
- 1 texas orange (peeled & diced)
- 1 texas apple (peeled & diced)
- pinch of ground cinnamon, nutmeg & salt
- 1/4 cup bourbon
In a medium saucepan, simmer cranberries, orange, apple, cinnamon & nutmeg. Cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst. Remove from heat, add bourbon and let cool to room temperature.
Eat up and put on a big smile, this is something to be very thankful for, indeed.
We love to cook for people, we love to cook for people we love, and Thanksgiving gives us ample opportunity to stuff our loved ones faces with delights.
Here is Sonya’s recipe for a turkey made with love.
Have a great Turkey Day everyone.
Sonya’s Maple Brined Turkey
- 1 large Natural Turkey
For Brine:
- 2c Kosher salt
- 1c Maple syrup
- 2 Bunches o thyme
- Whole black peppercorns
- 1 T Juniper berries, crushed
- 4 bay leaves, crushed
- 12 Peeled garlic cloves
- 2 Whole Lemons, cut in half & squeezed
For Roasting:
- 2 lemons
- ghee (clarified butter)
- Chicken Stock (or Turkey Stock if you can find it)
Rinse turkey in cool water, place in stockpot & let rest in refrigerator.
In a separate sauce pan on medium heat, simmer about 8 quarts water, 2 cups kosher salt & 1c maple syrup in pot until salt and syrup dissolves.
Remove turkey from stock pot & fill about ¼ of the way with ice, fresh thyme, peeled garlic cloves, juniper, bay, lemon and whole black pepper. Pour brine over ice & add the bird. The turkey should be covered with brine. Refrigerate pot with turkey in brine at least 12 hours (24 is best!).
Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Drain turkey well; discard brine. Pat turkey dry inside and out. Squeeze juice from lemon halves into main cavity. Add lemon rinds and remaining 1 bunch fresh thyme to main cavity. (I love to use preserved meyer lemons here if you have any) Tuck wings under turkey; tie legs together. Place turkey on rack set in large roasting pan. Rub turkey all over with clarified butter.
Roast until turkey is deep brown and thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180°F, about 2 ½- 3 hours. Transfer turkey to platter and cover with foil and let stand for at least 30 minutes.
Pour pan juices into large glass bowl. Put bowl into fridge (or freezer) to harden fat, then scrape it off with spoon. Simmer pan juice with chicken stock until reduced to ½ the amount. Salt & Pepper to taste & spoon over turkey (or just make a gravy, whichever you decide, make sure to use the pan drippings! Enjoy!!)
jalapeno garlic pickles
splash of good quality white wine
white wine vinegar
water
whole sprig dill
bay
salt
turbanado sugar
peppercorns
red chili flakes
garlicm finely chopped
Slice jalapenos thinly and cover with half water and half white wine vinegar. Add remaining ingredients.
* Springdale Farms has some great jalapenos, organic, sustainable, and local!
2 goose boobs with fat on, tenderloins removed (snack on those while you make this)
1c salt
cinnamon stick
crushed garlic
paprika
coriander
tons of crushed black pepper
white pepper
ground yellow mustard seed
bay leaves
whole cloves
2 1/2 T sugar
Pack goose boobs in box of course kosher salt.
Refrigerate for 24 hours.
Remove from salt.
Combine all the rest of the ingredients.
Pat spice blend on fat side of breast
Wrap with cheese cloth
Tie up with fancy butcher knots and hang in you fridge for 10-12 days!
Slice on extremely sharp mandoline or deli slicer.
*if you live in a really cold climate (like Rhode Island) you can hang it in our basement
Our wonderful friends and local farmers at Countryside farm delivered us a mountain of ducks and we have been coming up with innovative ways of presenting these delicious animals to the public at East Side Showroom. Tonight we make Duck Pate with Cremini Mushrooms!
And we are sharing our secrets (some of them)!!
In a processor blend together duck livers, add cream, 2 duck eggs, cognac, and secret pate spice blend*.
*pate spice blend
nutmeg
allspice
clove
Chop shallot, garlic chives, garlic clove.
Blanche whole Cremini mushrooms.
Season your blend, cool, and place on the bottom of a plastic wrapped pate pan.
Place the creminis in varying depth throughout the pate.
Cook until done in a double bath
Viola!
Creamer Peas and Fresh Chicken Eggs
Simmered with little yellow cherry tomatoes, local shallots and red onion in a little bit of stock with a few jalapeno peppers until peas are tender.
Add a handful of fresh spinach at the end and serve with a loosely scrambled egg.
How to Peel Tomatoes
1. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil.
2. Drop one tomato at a time in the boiling water for about 5 seconds.
3. Evacuate to a bowl of ice water long enough for the tomato to cool.
4. Use a knife to make a cut around the “equator” of the tomato. The “northern hemisphere” and “southern hemisphere” of the tomato will now slide off intact.
Tomato Confit
4 ripe Dirty Girl tomatoes, peeled
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper
3 cloves garlic
4 sprigs thyme
2 tbsp dried Italian blend spices
Preheat the oven to 300°. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Cut each tomato crosswise into rounds about 1/2 inch thick. In a large bowl gently toss the tomatoes with remaining ingredients. Arrange tomatoes on the cookie sheet in a single layer. Slide the sheet into the oven & bake the tomatoes until they are very tender but still able to hold their shape. Cool.
When the tomatoes have cooled, transfer them into a glass jar. Pour whatever oil remains on the pan over the tomatoes. If you plan to keep the tomatoes longer than 1 or 2 days, pour in enough olive oil to cover then refrigerate until ready to use.
Roasted Tomato Crostini with Sheep Feta
1 medium Baguette, sliced thin on the bias
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp dried Italian Herbs
1 garlic clove, chopped
Kosher salt & black pepper
6 oz sheep’s milk feta
8 oz tomato confit
Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss together the bread, oil, herbs, salt, pepper & garlic. Spread slices out on a cookie sheet & toast until golden & crisp. Cool.
Spread confit on crostini & top with sliced feta. You can also garnish with a thyme leaf.
Classic Tomato Bisque
4tbsp butter
1tbsp bacon, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
5tbsp all-purpose flour
4c chicken stock
4 fresh tomatoes, peeled & seeded, roughly chopped
3 parsley sprigs
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1c heavy whipping cream
kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
4T crème fraiche
Heat butter in a large soup pot over medium high heat. Add the bacon & cook until the fat has rendered. Transfer bacon to a paper towel & set aside. When bacon has cooled, eat it. Lower the heat to medium, add the celery, onion, carrot, garlic & cook until translucent.
Stir in flour until vegetable mixture is evenly coated. Pour in the stock & tomatoes then bring to a boil. Tie the fresh herbs together with twine & add to the pot. Lower the heat to a simmer & cook (about 35 minutes). Remove from the heat.
With a hand blender puree the bisque until smooth. Wisk in the whipping cream & season with salt & pepper. Divide among warm soup bowls to serve. Garnish with crème fraiche.
Pan-Roasted Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Tomato Confit & Fresh Herbs
2 boneless chicken breast halves, skinned
2 oz fresh Texas goat cheese (such as Pure Luck)
2 oz Tomato Confit
3 basil leaves, shredded
Salt & fresh ground pepper
Canola oil
Wine Sauce:
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/4 cup dry white wine
2/3 c chicken stock
Salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 350°F. Pat chicken dry. Using a sharp boning knife slice a pocket into chicken, set aside. Combine cheese, confit & basil in small bowl, season with salt & pepper.
Using the back of a spoon, press the mixture into the chicken breast.
In a large skillet, heat canola oil until just smoking. Place the chicken breasts (presentation side down) into hot pan & roast until golden. Repeat on other side. Then place the entire pan into the oven & roast until goat cheese has melted. Remove chicken from hot pan, reserving all juices for the wine sauce & slice into medallions.
Using the pan from the chicken, melt butter into reserved juice over medium heat. Add stock while scraping all chicken bits remaining in the pan. Bring sauce to boil & cook until reduced by half, season with salt & freshly ground pepper. Spoon over chicken & serve!
Marinated Tomatoes and Summer Greens
3 ripe tomatoes, quartered
1/3 c olive oil
1/4 c sherry wine vinegar
1/4 c onion, chopped finely
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp drained capers
2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
6 oz baby summer greens
Arrange tomatoes in shallow dish. Combine olive oil, vinegar, onion, garlic, capers & parsley in a medium bowl, whisk until blended, season with salt & pepper. Spoon dressing over tomatoes. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 3 hours. Place baby greens on the center of a plate & top with marinated tomatoes.
Heirloom Tomato Tartlets
3 heirloom plum tomatoes
1 cup yellow teardrop tomatoes, halved lengthwise
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh thyme
1⁄2 tsp salt
1⁄4 tsp pepper
2 small tart shells
1 tbsp whole grain mustard
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
Cut each tomato crosswise into rounds about 1/2 inch thick. In bowl, toss together red & yellow tomatoes, oil, garlic, thyme, salt & pepper. Rub bottom of tart shells with mustard. Arrange red tomatoes in overlapping rows. Scatter yellow tomatoes over top; sprinkle with cheese. Bake in oven until golden. Let cool for 5 minutes, serve warm or at room temp
A fish stew from Marseille, the oldest city in France located on the east coast of France.
Bouillabaisse means to boil then simmer, it is a fish soup containing any sort of fish or shellfish that is available in your part of the world. A good bouillabaisse contains herbs & vegetables that are in season & sourced local. It’s June so we will be using fennel, leeks, sorrel, onions, tomatoes, celery, rosemary, lavender, thyme, oregano, parsley & potatoes. It’s definitely a good time of the year for this recipe.
As far as the fish goes we are in Texas so we must use what is available in the gulf (I feel the need to mention the oil spill here but we all have it on our minds as it is) such as amberjack, tilefish, snapper, oysters, etc.
These ingredients are simmered together in a fish stock. The veggies & fish are then strained from the broth. I like to blend up the rich broth with an emersion blender & strain it again. The fish & vegetables are served separate from the broth. The broth is served hot with a crostini & a rouille (roo-EE).
Bouillabaisse
- 2 quarts of fish stock
- ½ leek, julienned
- ½ fennel, sliced reserving the fronds for garnish
- 1 ripe tomatoes, peeled & chopped
- 1 bunch sorrel, chopped
- the zest & juice of an orange
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- fresh parsley, finely chopped
- fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 1 t turmeric powder
- 1 T raw sugar
- 1 T peppercorns
- course sea salt
- 1 lbs fresh fish (snapper, amberjack, grouper, tilefish, trigger fish, etc.)
- 1/2 lb shrimp, peeled & deveined
- ½ lb oysters, scrubbed with a brush & rinsed
Place the fish stock on the heat & bring to a simmer. Add leeks, sorrel, fennel, tomatoes, orange juice, orange zest, sugar, garlic & herbs. Add fish, potatoes & shellfish at different stages depending on their cook time. This is the key to a perfect fish stew.
Rouille
- 1 c bread crumbs
- 3 T warm water
- 2 T mustard
- 2 egg yolk
- 4 cloves garlic, roasted to goo
- salt & white pepper to taste
- pinch of cayenne
- 3 T extra-virgin olive oil (& extra!)
Baguette, sliced & toasted (a crostini)
Pour warm water over breadcrumbs to moisten. In a food processor pulse together the bread crumbs, mustard, yolks, garlic, salt, pepper & cayenne. Add olive oil in a ribbon until a paste is formed (you can also use one of those beautiful giant marble mortal & pastel if you are lucky enough to have one). If a paste does not form add extra oil.
Serve on baguette
Fish Stock
- 1 fish skeleton (or about 1 pound fish bones)
- 2 T grapeseed oil
- 1 onion, quarted
- 2 stalks celery
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 T peppercorns
- 2 sprigs thyme
- Water to cover
- 1 c white wine
On a sheet tray lay the fish skeleton out & pile the remaining ingredients on top. Roast in oven until golden & crispy. When done, put roasted ingredients in a stock pot with water & wine. Bring the liquid to a boil & reduce to a simmer. Skim scum of the top with spoon throughout. Cooking time. Cook for 45 minutes. Remove from the heat & strain.
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