Archive for the 'Recipes' Category

Summer is one of the best seasons for fresh ingredients. However, once the Winter chill is upon us it’s easy to start missing those aromatics. One of my favorite ways to battle these blues is to make simple syrup from herbs in the Summer and freeze it for cooking and cocktails during the Winter.

I always have leftover basil and lemon-thyme from perusing farmers’ markets in my flip flops as they’re my favorite Summer scents. It’s great chopped and frozen into ice cubes or to make the below simple syrup. Once it’s prepared and sealed you can forget about it in the back of your freezer until the snow falls. Add a few drops to Prosecco for a refreshing Aperitif or even pour it over a snow ball for an icy treat to bring back memories of lush gardens in July.

What are your favorite Summer herbs? Tell us in the comments below!

Basil/Lemon-Thyme Syrup

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Water
• 2 Cups Demerara Sugar (Sugar Cane Extract) or Brown Sugar
• 3 Fresh Lemon-Thyme Sprigs
• 3 Fresh Basil Leaves
• 1 Lemon Peel
• Plastic Tupperware

Directions:

1. Bruise herbs with the back of a wooden spoon to release oil.
2. Bring all ingredients less the sugar to a boil in a small pot.
3. Once bubbling stir in sugar until it is completely dissolved.
4. Take off the heat and let cool.
5. Pour contents through a sieve and into tupperware. Wipe rim to avoid stickiness from the syrup and store in freezer.
6. Forget about it.

For more information on farmer’s market cocktails check out our Farm-to-Table Cocktails piece from the August issue of the magazine.

One of the most popular products we’ve  introduced this year has been the Wine Chicken Cooker

The handcrafted stone cooker cradles the bird, while the wine of your choice steams the inside, allowing its flavors to steep throughout the meat. Many of us have tried it at home and yielded moist, delicious results. You can even get creative with other beverages. A member of our staff used Red Stripe beer with curry seasoning!

Here are 5 creative recipes you can use, to make the most of your chicken cooker:

(Still need to purchase one? Find it here.)

Chef’s Tip: Always start your chicken in a cold oven i.e. , do not preheat.

Roast Chicken with Wine
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 1- 1.5 hours

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken 3-4 pounds, thoroughly rinsed
1/2 cup white or red wine
1/2 cup of olive oil
2 tbsp. Italian spices
2 tbsp. oregano
2 tbsp. thyme
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper

Preparation:
Thoroughly mix the ingredients together in a bowl. Add 1/2 of the mixture to the well of the chicken cooker and the other 1/2 of the mixture to season the outside of the chicken. Plug the chicken with a piece of aluminum foil. Place the chicken into a “cold” oven and bring the temperature up together. Cook at 350F uncovered for 1 1/2 hours, basting occasionally with the drippings.

When finished, the internal temperature should be 180F when taken at the meatiest part of the thigh without touching the bone. Let chicken rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

Read the rest of this entry »

We are only a few days away from our exciting Toast of the Town Chicago, this Thursday at the Field Museum. To whet your palates, we’ve asked some of the chefs from participating restaurants to send us recipes and photos of some of the featured dishes they will be serving. Today we have seared scallops with artichokes in 3 styles from Lockwood Restaurant and roasted vegetable, hearts of palm and carrot mousse terrine with caramelized popcorn coulis from Carlos’. Give these recipes a try at home, then taste the real thing this Thursday! Tickets are still available, $75 for a limited time.

Read the rest of this entry »