the passionate life of rick gresh

Veggies

Chicago Green City Market Demo

GCM Heirloom Tomato DemoToday I had the honor and privelage to demonstrate some great uses of heirloom tomatoes at Chicago’s famous Green City Market.  Here is a picture of most of my ingredients,  the recipes are listed below. Bloody Mary Shake Up

I’m serious when mixing drinks!

Heirloom Tomato Bloody Mary

1 tbsp        Olive oil

1 ea          Onion small, chopped

2 ea          Jalapeño pepper, chopped

6 ea          Garlic cloves, chopped

3#            Heirloom tomatoes, chopped

¼ cup        Celery leaves

1 ea          Lemon Juiced

4 tbsp        Horseradish

To taste     Kosher salt, black pepper

2 tsp         Worcestershire Sauce

2 tsp         Celery Seed

Method:

  1. In a sauce pan sweat onions, garlic and jalapeño for a few minutes, add tomatoes and continue to cook to release tomato juices.  Reduce flame and continue to cook over medium heat until tomatoes are almost dry.
  2. Add lemon juice, horseradish, Worcestershire, celery seed and celery leaves.  Place in blender and puree.  Chill and reserve, adjust seasoning once chilled.
  3. To make cocktail mix 2 oz of vodka, 5 oz of bloody Mary mix and shake with ice, serve and garnish as you wish.

 

Black Pepper Pappardelle Pasta

heirloom tomatoes, micro basil, pancetta

 Pasta Dough

½ #          AP Flour

½ #          00 Flour

2 ea          Eggs

1 ½ oz       Olive oil

3 tbsp        Black pepper, coarse ground

2 tsp         Salt

As needed  water

Additional Ingredients:

3 oz          Pancetta, bacon, smoked ham, smoked chicken etc…

1 #           Heirloom Tomatoes, coarse chopped

½ oz         Micro basil

½ oz         Butter (optional)

1 oz          Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tbsp        Parmesan cheese, grated

Method:

  1. Combine all dry ingredients for pasta, combine eggs and olive oil in separate bowl and mix into flour mixture.  Add water to bring together and kneed until smooth.  Set aside for 30 minutes, roll out into thin sheets and cut into 1in wide by 6in long noodles.  Set aside.
  2. In a sauté pan sweat pancetta until almost crispy, add tomatoes and sweat to release juices and warm through.
  3. In a separate pan of boiling water cook pasta approx 2 minutes. Drain well, dress with olive oil, salt and pepper.
  4. Toss tomatoes with basil and butter, put in bottom of bowl.
  5. Place pasta on top of tomatoes and top with cheese.

 

 

 

 

 


Flesh Of The Gods

Porcini 004There is no denying the power of the porcini mushroom, the first time it graces your mouth your life is changed forever.  Today I received 20 pounds of porcini mushrooms; I’m so excited I ordered 30 more pounds for tomorrow to preserve for use at a later date.  I have been dreaming lately about working with some porcinis.  I have to admit; I cleaned some up, tossed them in some oil, salt and pepper and grilled them off for a snack.  Now that’s what I call benefits, how many people out there get to do that for an after breakfast snack?  Tonight I will feature a salad of grilled porcinis, lombardy spinach, pepato cheese and warm benton bacon dressing.  Time to go play with the chanterelles that arrived today and look fantastic, I bet they taste even better!

Porcini 005

Porcinis on the grill!