Recipes

Recipes

“Over the top” Mac & Cheese

— Posted in: Pasta, Recipes, Sides, Vegetarian
Estia's “Over the top” Mac & Cheese

This is a dish that I started using as a big starch filler for our annual Christmas party last year. The key ingredient was love as I had my 3 daughters by my side, each of them stuffing penne into rigatoni, singing Christmas songs and making it all so easy.

Today as I stood alone in the kitchen I was missing the girls—and their hands, their smiles & their cooking enthusiasm. Then our pals Stew, Tina and Amy walked in and took over the pasta stuffing. I made the béchamel, added the cheese, and in 15 minutes there were 3 casseroles going into the fridge, ready to be baked and served at tonight’s harvest dinner.

Recipe serves over 20 people

Ingredients:

  • 2 boxes Penne (DeCecco, Penne lisce #10)
  • 2 boxes Rigatoni ( DeCecco, Mezzi rigatoni #26)
  • 16 oz Swiss cheese, grated
  • 24 oz Gruyer cheese, grated
  • 16 oz Mozzarella, grated
  • 3 cups, salted butter
  • 1 cup A.P. flour
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 4 tablespoons salt

Estia's “Over the top” Mac & Cheese

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Sweet corn & rye berry salad

— Posted in: Recipes, Salads, Vegetarian
Sweet corn and rye berry salad
Serves 10

Ingredients:

  • 6-8 corn cobs
  • 1 cup dried rye berries (or wheat berries)
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 lemons, juiced
  • 2 cups diced zucchini
  • 1 cup chopped scallion
  • 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

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Little Kitchen Tortilla Soup

— Posted in: Recipes, Soups, Vegetarian
Tortilla Soup

Recipe serves 30 cups

Ingredients:

  •  6 quarts water
  • 3 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 10 plum tomatos
  • 25 Guajillo chilis (stems removed)
  • 3 Arbol chilis (stems removed)
  • 1 Spanish onion
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoons cumin powder
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 dozen fried, chopped tortillas

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CHILI CHICKEN RELLENOS

— Posted in: American Rivers Tour, Chicken, Main Dishes, Recipes, Videos
Chili Chicken Rellenos at Estia's Little Kitchen

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 3.5 lb chicken, roast, remove all meat in advance
  • 4 poblano peppers, medium size
  • 2 x large eggs
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 small Spanish onions, diced fine
  • 3 tablespoons chipotle with adobo
  • 1 cup shredded jack cheese
  • 2 cups queso fresco, cubed
  • Salt & pepper
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 cups brown rice
  • 12 oz Lange Pinot Gris
  • 2 tablespoons saffron
  • 36 oz chicken stock

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Beaverkill Hatchery Rainbow Trout with Roasted Grape Relish

— Posted in: American Rivers Tour, Cooking over Fire, Fish and Shellfish, Main Dishes, Recipes, Stories
Beaverkill Trout Hatchery rainbow trout with roasted potatoes and roasted grape relish

Adapted from a recipe by Galen Sampson, Chef and G.M. at the Beaverkill Valley Inn that he demonstrated over fire at the BVI.

Galen Sampson has settled into a comfortable life with his wife on the edge of the Upper Beaverkill River in the Catskill mountains. As the Chef and General manager of the Beaverkill Valley Inn, Galen works hard to create new and interesting dishes and experiences of all kinds for his guests. Chef Sampson’s recipe is a good example of how he responds to expectations that an Inn on a famous trout stream should serve trout, without pulling fish from the Inn’s private stretch of river. This is a highly prized trout fishing paradise that requires all guests to agree to catch and release practices prior to stepping into the special mile of river.

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Hatchery Steelhead with Smashed Potatoes and Wild Greens

— Posted in: American Rivers Tour, Cooking over Fire, Fish and Shellfish, Recipes, Stories, Videos
Hatchery-Steelhead-lunch_Eel-River

We cooked this delicious recipe over an open fire alongside the Eel River in Benbow, California

Adapted from a recipe demonstrated by Joshua Schwartz: Executive Chef at Del Dotto Vineyards

Josh Schwartz has an eye for all tasty things in the wild. When invited to spend a day fishing and cooking with our American Rivers Tour crew, he was quick to suggest we start by foraging for watercress and other wild greens that sprout around the cool, clear creeks which run into Humboldt County’s Eel River. He reminded me that any wild fish we catch should be returned to the resource. Hatchery steelhead are available in Northern California so our recipe will help tell that story.

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Priqly Pear & Habanero Tequila Margarita

— Posted in: Beverages, Recipes

This is our feature drink for the month of April at Estia’s Cafe in Darien! Make your own or come visit us at the restaurnat!

Ingredients:

  • 1 ounces Priqly Pear Liquor
  • 2 oz Tanteo Habanero Tequila
  • 2 oz fresh lime juice
  • 1 oz pineapple juice

Pour all over ice in a shaker glass, shake aggressively.

Salt the rim of a large wine glass, fill ½ way with fresh ice.

Strain the shaken cocktail over ice, garnish rim with lime and pineapple. Read More »

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Cooking Rainbow Trout Over Fire: Snake River Surf & Turf

— Posted in: American Rivers Tour, Cooking over Fire, Main Dishes, Recipes, Videos
Idaho Surf and Turf

Recipe from our lakeside lunch at the South Fork of the Snake River in Idaho.
Find out more about our trip by visiting AmericanRiversTour.com !

It’s not often that a trout is harvested from any river and transferred directly to the skillet on the American Rivers Tour.

Previously unknown to us, the Idaho Fish & Game Department is focused on reducing non-native rainbow trout in the Snake River. For this special occasion, we harvested a 19 inch non-native rainbow and cooked it along with 2 elk steaks for lunch. This is a simple 2 skillet meal. We prefer to use Lodge Skillets. The vegetables were purchased at a grocery store in Idaho Falls, pre-cut, and poured into the skillet from a bag. The vegetable stir fry with garlic, ginger, onions, jalapeno and soy brought the vegetables and elk steaks together nicely. Adding the rainbow was a unique and unexpected surprise.

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Blackened Buffalo Medallions cooked over open fire at the Lakeside Lodge in Idaho

— Posted in: American Rivers Tour, Cooking over Fire, Meat, Recipes, Videos

Adapted from chef Jacob Dibble’s recipe
Lakeside Lodge, Island Park, Idaho
Serves 4

This dish is made with the trim and or chain from bison tenderloin. The chain is a long thin strand of meat running from the head of the tenderloin down the side. It includes a fair amount of connective tissue that should be cut away. The whole loin includes 4 to 6 prime center cut filets that will weigh 6 to 8 ounces each after butchering. In addition to the prime filet cuts there will be trim to be used for side dishes, pasta, salads etc. This recipe is intended to make use of the additional trim meat and end pieces, including the chain, after butchering.

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Stuffed Buffalo Tenderloin | Cooking over fire at the Lakeside Lodge in Island Park, Idaho

— Posted in: American Rivers Tour, Cooking over Fire, Meat, Recipes, Videos

Adapted from chef Jacob Dibble’s recipe
Lakeside Lodge, Island Park, Idaho

This dish can be served to 4 people as a main, single course. It can also be used with other smaller courses and be cut in half to serve 8 or more as a supporting dish.

Ingredients:

  • 4 Bison tenderloin (filets) 6-8 oz each
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • ½ tablespoon of cracked black pepper

Toss cleaned filets in a bowl with the salt, pepper and oil, set aside. Read More »

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Grilled Montauk Fluke over Mrs. B’s Kale Salad

— Posted in: American Rivers Tour, Fish and Shellfish, Main Dishes, Recipes, Salads, Videos
Grilled Montauk Fluke over Mrs. B’s Kale Salad

Serves 4

Herb mayonnaise is a great way to flavor a fish fillet or steak while still keeping in the moisture as it cooks. This is a super easy recipe that can be adapted to whatever fresh herbs you have in your kitchen or garden. Serving grilled fish over a kale salad keeps the healthy component of your diet in check. It’s also an easy riverside preparation: just slice the kale, organize ingredients in advance then add vinaigrette as you start the fire.

Ingredients:

For fish & coating:

  • 2 thick fluke or flounder fillets, 8-12 oz each
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • Zest of one lemon

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Long Island Clam Supper: Bucatini & Littlenecks

— Posted in: American Rivers Tour, Fish and Shellfish, Pasta, Recipes, Sauces
Bucatini and Long Island clams on the porch at Estia's Little Kitchen in Sag Harbor

Makes 4 Generous Servings

Ingredients:

For the sauce (can be made ahead):

  • 3 dozen Little Neck clams, rinsed several times in cold water
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 T apple cider vinegar
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 1 cup white wine (Sauvignon Blanc)

For the pasta:

  • 6 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 4 T olive oil
  • 4 T chopped parsley
  • 1 T red chili flakes
  • 1 box Bucatini no. 5

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Refrigerator Beet Pickles | Red and Yellow Beet Recipes

— Posted in: American Rivers Tour, Recipes, Sides, Vegetarian
Finding pickled beets at Hayward Farmers Market

Red Beet ”Refrigerator Pickles”  

Ingredients:

  • 6 medium sized beets (peeled and sliced into ½ inch discs)
  • 2 cups shredded beet greens
  • 3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
  • 3 dried red chilis, chopped
  • ½ cup chopped green onions
  • ½ cup chopped fennel bulb
  • ½ cup chopped celery
  • 8 oz water
  • 5 oz white vinegar (plus extra to top off jar if needed)
  • 3 oz white sugar
  • 1 ⅔ T sea salt

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Chili Rellenos

— Posted in: American Rivers Tour, Meat, Recipes, Sauces
Chili Rellenos by the Au Sable River

We cooked this recipe alongside the Au Sable river in Michigan | Read about the adventure on American Rivers Tour 2017!

Inspired by chef Matt Haley, Gates Au Sable Lodge, Grayling, Michigan.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 8 poblano peppers
  • 1 pound fresh chorizo, cooked and drained
  • 12 oz Mexican melting cheese, (shredded Cotija or Monterey Jack)
  • 1 cup Panko bread crumbs

Roast peppers over open flame until skin is charred and blistering. Rest in paper bag or bowl covered in plastic until cool enough to handle. Chop or crumble chorizo into thumbnail sized pieces and combine with remaining ingredients. Read More »

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Lamb Taquitos

— Posted in: American Rivers Tour, Meat, Mexican inspired, Recipes
Lamb Taquitos Estia's style

This is a great do­ahead party dish appetizer that can be prepared long in advance and quickly cooked and assembled day of.

Makes 40 finger food hors d’oeuvres.

For the lamb filling:

  • 3 pounds boneless lamb shoulder
  • Salt and pepper
  • ¼ cup vegetable or olive oil
  • 6 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 Spanish onions, chopped
  • 2 tbsp fennel seed
  • 2 chopped Mexican dried Guajillo chilis, seeds and stems removed
  • 2 cups chopped canned plum tomatoes
  • 2 cups red wine
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cup chopped parsley
  • 1 small bunch thyme

For the taquitos:

  • 20 six inch soft corn tortillas
  • 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
  • 1 package sweet pea sprouts
  • Reserved shredded lamb
  • 2 cups Mexican slaw (recipe below)

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Paloma

— Posted in: American Rivers Tour, Beverages, Recipes
Paloma Cocktail

Delicious Cocktail Recipe for 2

Ingredients:

  • 3 oz tequila blanco
  • 2 ounces cranberry juice
  • 4 ounces grapefruit juice
  • 12 oz club soda
  • 1/2 lime
  • Blood orange slice to garnish
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1/2 cup kosher salt
  • lots of ice cubes

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Simple Grilled Oysters

— Posted in: American Rivers Tour, Fish and Shellfish, Recipes
Simple grilled oyster recipe by chef Anita Lo

We cooked this recipe after fishing Moriches Bay in New York | Read about the our fishing trip on American Rivers Tour 2017!

Inspired by chef Anita Lo
Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 20 medium oysters (Bluepoint or other local varieties)
  • 1 pound butter, softened
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely diced
  • 1 tbsp. parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp. chives, minced
  • zest of 1 1/2 lemons
  • 2 Calabrian Chili Peppers (or other jarred small hot peppers)
  • 2 cups kosher salt
  • fine sea salt to taste
  • Large stainless steel bowl or aluminum roasting pan, large enough to place over 20 oysters on grill

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Porgy & Clams

— Posted in: American Rivers Tour, Fish and Shellfish, Recipes
Porgy Clams and Butterfish | recipe by chef Kerry Heffernan

This is a recipe we cooked at the Hudon River in New York | Read the full story on American Rivers Tour 2017

Inspired by chef Kerry Heffernan, Grand Banks, New York, New York

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 dozen Little Neck clams, washed and scrubbed
  • 2 whole Porgy (Scup) (1 1/2 to 2 lb. each, cleaned with head on), filleted & cut into 4 portions
  • 12 ramps or scallions, chopped fine
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • Salt and pepper to taste

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Braised Lamb & Spring Vegetable “Hobo Skillet”

— Posted in: American Rivers Tour, Meat, Recipes
Braised Lamb and vegetables "Hobo Skillet"

This is a recipe we cooked near the Chagrin River in Ohio | Read the full story about this fishing adventure on American Rivers Tour 2017.

Inspired by a dish from chef  Tim Bando of the Grove Hill Restaurant, Chagrin Falls, Ohio.

Serves 4

This one skillet dinner involves a day before preparation of the ingredients so it is an easy assemble and cook after a long day outside.

For the Lamb:

  • 3 lb boneless lamb shoulder
  • salt and pepper
  • ¼ vegetable or olive oil
  • 6 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 Spanish onions, chopped
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 2 tablespoons fennel seed
  • 2 cups chopped canned plum tomatoes
  • 2 cups red wine
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cup parsley, chopped
  • 1 small bunch thyme

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