GEORGE'S RECIPE of THE MONTH.
 George has had a love of all things culinary from a very young age, and throughout his career, has worked with renowned chefs and food technologists. He discovered his passion for cooking at the age of five after spending time in his grandmother's restaurant. From then on, under his mother's guidance (who is a talented cook of her own accord) George recalls cooking anything his mother would let him, starting out with scrambled eggs and hamburgers and quickly moving on to fine Italian and French dishes.
After many years of honing and perfecting his culinary craft, George still enjoys what he humbly considers: "complimenting my family culinary experience," by taking courses in regional cuisines pertaining to the vegetable ingredient products his family specializes in, namely: Asian, French, Mediterranean, Mexican and Tex Mex.
Because of George's extensive knowledge and passion for food, he is a great resource to customers in helping them find the right ingredients for their recipe needs. "I need to understand what's happening in the kitchen," he explained. "If my client has an unfavorable flavor note, I need to be able to assess the situation to understand why." That extra level of service and care undoubtedly stems from his love of food and his work alike, which fortunately for George, go hand and hand.
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For Strudel
2 tablespoons GC Farms' extra virgin olive oil
5 ounces cremini mushrooms 1 garlic clove, minced sea salt and black pepper (to taste) 1/2 cup of leeks, trimmed and chopped 1 cup ricotta cheese 1 cup cream cheese 1/4 cup melted butter 5 tomatoes, skinned, de-seeded and chopped 18 pieces filo pastry (9" x 6") For Sauce
2 tablespoons GC Farms' extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, sliced 1/2 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1/2 cup vegetable stock 1 cup red wine 1 cup port 1/8 cup cold butter, cubed |
 Make Strudel
1 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan and saute the mushrooms with the garlic and seasoning for a couple of minutes. Drain well in a large colander.
2 - Repeat the first step with the leeks. Drain them for as long as you can (this makes the filling good and solid).
3 - Mix the cheeses together in a large bowl until smooth (it helps to warm cheese in a microwave to soften it). Season with salt and pepper.
4 - Fold in the mushrooms, leeks and tomatoes, then chill for two hours.
5 - Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
6 - Lay out six pieces of pastry on a lightly floured surface, brush generously with melted butter, and then cover with another layer and brush again. Add a final layer, but this time only brush the edges of the pastry.
7 - Divide the chilled filling among the six rectangles and place at bottom edge of the pastry.
8 - Fold the bottom edge of each rectangle over the filling, tuck in the sides, and then roll up into tight parcels. Brush with butter.
9 - Put the strudels on a baking tray and bake for 25 minutes.
Make Sauce
1 - Heat olive oil in a pan and cook the onion, mushrooms and garlic until soft. Add salt and pepper to taste.
2 - Add stock and reduce heat to nearly nothing.
3 - Add the wine and port and reduce by at least half.
4 - Just before serving, whisk in the butter to give it a really great shine.
To Serve
1 - Put a strudel on each plate and drizzle a little sauce on top.
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                                                                                                                                   DEC 2011
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