Easter Recipes from Westchester County Chefs

Hortopita

(a savory pie of greens and herbs)
Courtesy of Chef Peter Assue, City Limits Diner
White Plains (914) 686-9000; citylimitsdiner.com
(Serves 6)
cooking spray
2 cups scallions, thinly sliced
1 ½ cup fennel, minced
10 cups fresh spinach
8 cups mustard greens, chopped
1 ¼ cups feta cheese
¼ cup parsley, chopped
¼ cup dill, chopped
1 tsp Greek oregano
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
8 sheets phyllo dough
parsley sprigs (for garnish)
Preheat oven to 375°. Heat oil and add scallions. Sauté 3 to 4 minutes over medium heat. Add fennel; sauté 4 minutes. Remove scallion mixture and cool. Add spinach to pan, cooking until it wilts. Drain in a colander to remove excess water. Add mustard greens to pan and sauté until wilted; drain in colander. Combine scallion mixture with spinach, greens, feta, and the rest of the ingredients (except parsley) in a bowl. Working with 1 sheet of phyllo at a time (covering remaining dough to prevent it from drying out), place 2 sheets in a 13” x 9” baking pan coated with cooking spray. Gently press sheets into bottom and sides of pan, allowing edges to extend. Coat top sheet with cooking spray. Repeat 2 more times. Spray cooking spray in between each layer. Spread greens mixture evenly over phyllo. Top with remaining phyllo coated with cooking spray. Lightly press and cut four slits in top. Bake for 50 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes. Garnish with parsley.

 

Truffled Omelet Soufflé

Courtesy of Chef Philip McGrath
Iron Horse Grill, Pleasantville
(914) 741-0717; ironhorsegrill.com
(Serves 8)
12 eggs, separated
1 cup cream
sliced truffles to taste
truffle oil to taste
fresh pepper to taste
8 Tbsp grated Parmesan or other cheese
2 Tbsp butter
Preheat oven to 400°. Separate the eggs; add the cream to the yolks and beat well. Add the truffles, truffle oil, grated cheese, and fresh pepper to the yolks and incorporate well. Beat the whites until they reach soft peaks, and gently fold into the yolks. Over medium heat, melt the butter in a 10-inch sauté pan and, just before it browns, add the egg mixture. Let it set 1 minute, and place in the oven until it puffs and browns.

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Crusted Rack of Baby Lamb with Fingerling Potatoes and Baby Spinach

Courtesy of Chef Ronald A. Campanaro
Taste Restaurant and Lounge
Buchanan (914) 930-7866
(Serves 8)
FOR LAMB:
1 double rack French-cut rack of lamb, trimmed
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 cup panko crumbs
2 Tbsp Italian parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp garlic, chopped
1 oz Pecorino Romano cheese
1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
Preheat oven to 325°. Salt and pepper the lamb chops. Sear in olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes, checking for doneness. Remove lamb from oven and coat with Dijon mustard. Mix other ingredients with panko and coat chops. Return to oven for 5 minutes or until crust deepens in color. Remove lamb from pan and set aside.

FOR SAUCE:
2 tsp chopped garlic
2 Tbsp shopped shallots
4 oz lamb/chicken stock
4 oz demi-glace
Add garlic to pan and sauté for 2 minutes. Add shallots and reduce flame. Add stock and demi-glace; reduce to desired consistency.

FOR POTATOES:
24 fingerling potatoes
salt and pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp dried oregano
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
4 oz baby spinach
Preheat oven to 325°. Cut potatoes in half. Toss with salt and pepper, garlic, olive oil, dried oregano, and fresh parsley. Roast in oven for approximately 45 minutes, tossing at least twice. Sauté baby spinach with roasted potatoes.
TO SERVE:
Place potato-spinach sauté and lamb on plate. Sauce the chops.

 

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Mexican Rabbit Tamale

Courtesy of Chef Ronald A. Campanaro
Taste Restaurant and Lounge
 Buchanan (914) 930-7866
(Serves 8)

FOR RABBIT:
3 fresh rabbits
3 oz smoked paprika
2 oz granulated garlic
½ oz cumin
1 oz Mexican oregano
sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste
½ cup celery, chopped
½ cup carrot, chopped
½ cup onion, chopped
1 can chipotle in adobo
3 roasted poblano peppers (jarred or fresh)
3 bottles Mexican beer (Pacifico or Corona)
Cut rabbits into quarters and apply spices generously. In a cast-iron or large Dutch oven, sear both sides of rabbit until golden brown. Set rabbit aside. In same pan, sauté celery, onions, carrots, poblanos, and chipotle until soft. Add rabbit and beer. Simmer for approximately 1½ hours until rabbit is falling off the bones. Remove rabbit and pull all lean meat off bones. Reduce liquid by half, add to rabbit meat to ensure moistness. Set aside.

FOR CORN MASA:
7 cups fresh corn off the cob
1 ½ sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
½ Tbsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
½ cup harina de maiz (dried corn flour)
16 dried corn husks soaked in warm water for 20 minutes
Add corn kernels to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. In Kitchen Aid mixer, cream butter and sugar until pale. Add egg, salt, baking powder, and flour, and purée corn mix until blended. Place corn husks lengthwise, widest side closest to you, and spread 3 Tbsp of masa dough and 1½ Tbsp of pulled rabbit. Leave 1-inch border on right and left sides. Pick up 2 long-end sides of cornhusk and bring together. Roll both sides of cornhusk in same direction over filling.
Arrange tamale seam-side down in a steamer. Add ½ inch of water and cover tightly. Steam for approximately 45 minutes until filling is set. Keep checking to see if additional water is needed. Garnish with chopped avocado, cherry tomatoes, and cilantro.   
For more recipes, visit westchestermagazine.com.
 

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