Your Culinary Source

Over the past many months, I have come to find there are many iterations of the Quarantined Kitchen throughout the country, but none as special as ours. Alas, we must come to a stopping point. Thank you for all of your feedback. I hope the recipes served you well. I leave you with a few tips for your fall pantry.

Chef Steven M. Bright

Fall Pantry Tips

• Check for outdated food items, herbs, and spices.
• Make a list of replacement items – this time in smaller quantities.
• Note: Cinnamon has a long shelf life if tightly sealed and kept out of direct sunlight.
• Note: Always buy nutmeg in the whole form and just freshly grate what you need.

Happy Cooking!

Explore More

The Quarantined Kitchen shared ideas and recipes from Chef Steven Bright, Hospitality Coordinator at Shadyside Presbyterian Church, to help you stay healthy by eating well during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read more from Chef Bright by exploring previous entries in The Quarantined Kitchen.

Your Weekly Culinary Source

The Quarantined Kitchen shares ideas and recipes from Chef Steven Bright, Hospitality Coordinator at Shadyside Presbyterian Church, to help you stay healthy by eating well during the COVID-19 pandemic.

September 2, 2020: Best Chicken Burger

The following is a better-than-beef burger recipe I make to fit into Weight Watchers. Makes incredible meatballs, too!

Best Chicken Burger

Makes 4-6

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts, cut into large chunks
1 whole portobello mushroom, broken up
2 whole scallions, cleaned and rough chopped
Salt and pepper

Procedure

1. In Cuisinart, add chicken, portobello mushroom, and scallions. Purée to hamburger consistency.
2. Heat ovenproof pan, add cooking spray or 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
3. Form burgers, season with salt and pepper, then sear in pan on both sides about 4 minutes.
4. Finish in 400 degree oven another 8 minutes or until juices run clear.

Should you have any questions, or need helpful tips, please feel free to contact Chef Steven via email at: sbright@shadysidepres.org

Be well – eat well!

Chef Steven M. Bright

Read more from Chef Bright by exploring other entries in The Quarantined Kitchen.

Your Weekly Culinary Source

The Quarantined Kitchen shares ideas and recipes from Chef Steven Bright, Hospitality Coordinator at Shadyside Presbyterian Church, to help you stay healthy by eating well during the COVID-19 pandemic.

August 26, 2020: Vidalia Dressing for Potato Salad

Consider adding crumbled bacon and green onion to the potato salad!

Vidalia Dressing for Potato Salad

Makes enough for 3 pounds of potatoes

Ingredients

2 ½ c mayonnaise
1 c grain mustard
¼ c honey
2 T white wine vinegar
2 T lemon juice and zest
1 T black pepper
1 t salt
3 Vidalia onions, caramelized and rough chopped

Procedure

1. Whisk first seven ingredients together
2. Fold in onions
3. Adjust seasoning

Should you have any questions, or need helpful tips, please feel free to contact Chef Steven via email at: sbright@shadysidepres.org

Be well – eat well!

Chef Steven M. Bright

Read more from Chef Bright by exploring other entries in The Quarantined Kitchen.

Your Weekly Culinary Source

The Quarantined Kitchen shares ideas and recipes from Chef Steven Bright, Hospitality Coordinator at Shadyside Presbyterian Church, to help you stay healthy by eating well during the COVID-19 pandemic.

August 19, 2020: White Asparagus Soup

Although you still may be able to find a few bunches here and there, white asparagus is seasonal (April through June). Fortunately, this recipe works perfectly with green asparagus!

White Asparagus Soup, by Steven Bright

Makes 2 quarts

Ingredients

2 medium-sized shallots, diced small
1 large onion, diced small
2 T butter
½ T olive oil
¾ C white wine
4-5 bunches of white asparagus, snapped at ripe-point, then cut into 4-5 sections
1.5 qt chicken stock
Lemon juice, salt, and white pepper to taste

Procedure

1. Sauté onions and shallot in butter and olive oil until golden. Do not brown.
2. Deglaze with wine and reduce by half.
3. Add asparagus, then toss to coat.
4. Add stock.
5. Simmer until asparagus is tender, about 18-20 minutes.
6. Season lightly with salt and white pepper.
7. Purée in blender (separating solids and adding liquids as needed) until very smooth. Finish seasoning to taste.
8. Cool quickly in large flat shallow pan. Transfer to glass container, cover, and chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.
9. Serve chilled.

Should you have any questions, or need helpful tips, please feel free to contact Chef Steven via email at: sbright@shadysidepres.org

Be well – eat well!

Chef Steven M. Bright

Read more from Chef Bright by exploring other entries in The Quarantined Kitchen.

Your Weekly Culinary Source

The Quarantined Kitchen shares ideas and recipes from Chef Steven Bright, Hospitality Coordinator at Shadyside Presbyterian Church, to help you stay healthy by eating well during the COVID-19 pandemic.

August 12, 2020: Jumbo Lump Crab Cocktail

Maryland blue crab season has ended, but now is the time to purchase jumbo lump crab meat by the pound!

Jumbo Lump Crab Cocktail

Makes about 8 servings

Ingredients

1 lb. jumbo lump crab meat
½ c each: cucumber, plum* tomato, avocado, asparagus tips, diced small
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced, carefully
4 scallions, minced
Zest and juice of 3 fresh limes, about ¾ c
3-4 T good olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black peppercorns to taste
Cocktail sauce (optional)

Procedure

1. Toss all (*any fresh tomatoes will do) ingredients gently together with 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil; salt and pepper to taste.
2. Divide into 8 chilled cocktail glasses. (You can opt to place a tablespoon or two of cocktail sauce in the bottom of the glass before adding the crab mixture.)

Should you have any questions, or need helpful tips, please feel free to contact Chef Steven via email at: sbright@shadysidepres.org

Be well – eat well!

Chef Steven M. Bright

Read more from Chef Bright by exploring other entries in The Quarantined Kitchen.

Your Weekly Culinary Source

The Quarantined Kitchen shares ideas and recipes from Chef Steven Bright, Hospitality Coordinator at Shadyside Presbyterian Church, to help you stay healthy by eating well during the COVID-19 pandemic.

August 5, 2020: Jumbo Lump Crab Beignet

Maryland blue crab season has ended, but now is the time to purchase jumbo lump crab meat by the pound!

Jumbo Lump Crab Beignet

Makes about 60 pieces

Ingredients

1 lb. jumbo lump crab meat
½ c clam juice
¼ c evaporated milk
¼ t sugar
½ t instant yeast
1 ¼ c cake flour
1 egg
1 T butter, melted
1 ½ t black pepper
2 t salt
1/8 t celery seed
½ t red pepper flakes
3 scallions, minced
Zest of 2 lemons

Procedure

1. Warm clam juice and milk to 105 degrees.
2. Sprinkle yeast over clam juice milk mixture. Wait 8 minutes.
3. Combine flour, egg, butter, seasonings, scallions, and zest.
4. Add yeast mixture and gently fold in crab.
5. Refrigerate overnight.
6. Form 1-oz portions with a 1-oz scoop, fry in 315-degree oil until golden brown, about 6 minutes.
7. Serve with chive yogurt.

Should you have any questions, or need helpful tips, please feel free to contact Chef Steven via email at: sbright@shadysidepres.org

Be well – eat well!

Chef Steven M. Bright

Read more from Chef Bright by exploring other entries in The Quarantined Kitchen.

Your Weekly Culinary Source

The Quarantined Kitchen shares ideas and recipes from Chef Steven Bright, Hospitality Coordinator at Shadyside Presbyterian Church, to help you stay healthy by eating well during the COVID-19 pandemic.

July 29, 2020: Pecan Pralines

Because of the molten sugar, this recipe can be dangerous! Be careful and enjoy!

Pecan Pralines

Makes about 2 dozen

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup light cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups pecan halves
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Procedure

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In a 3 – 4 quart saucepan, mix together sugar and baking soda. Add cream and place over medium-high heat. Cook, carefully whisking occasionally, until golden brown and mixture reaches 235 degrees on a candy thermometer, 25 to 30 minutes. Carefully add butter, vanilla, and pecans, and mix together until butter has melted and mixture is well combined, about 1 minute. Using a tablespoon, drop mixture onto prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart; let cool completely. Store in an airtight container up to 3 days.

Should you have any questions, or need helpful tips, please feel free to contact Chef Steven via email at: sbright@shadysidepres.org

Be well – eat well!

Chef Steven M. Bright

Read more from Chef Bright by exploring other entries in The Quarantined Kitchen.

Your Weekly Culinary Source

The Quarantined Kitchen shares ideas and recipes from Chef Steven Bright, Hospitality Coordinator at Shadyside Presbyterian Church, to help you stay healthy by eating well during the COVID-19 pandemic.

July 22, 2020: Lemon Herb Hummus

Try this simple and light recipe as an appetizer or TV snack!

Lemon Herb Hummus

Makes about 1 ½ cups

Ingredients

1 15.5-oz. can garbanzo beans, drained
1 large clove garlic
Juice and zest of 1 large lemon
2 t tahini
½ bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1 t ground cumin
Warm water and extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt to taste

Procedure

1.  In processor, add beans, tahini, garlic, zest, cilantro, and cumin. Pulse a few times.
2.  With processor running, add lemon juice, then alternate warm water and olive oil.
3.  Open processor and scrape down sides, season with salt, and continue processing, adding oil, water, and additional lemon juice to your desired taste and until very smooth. About 2 minutes.
4.  Enjoy with fresh vegetables, fresh pita bread, or toasted pita chips.

Should you have any questions, or need helpful tips, please feel free to contact Chef Steven via email at: sbright@shadysidepres.org

Be well – eat well!

Chef Steven M. Bright

Read more from Chef Bright by exploring other entries in The Quarantined Kitchen.

Your Weekly Culinary Source

The Quarantined Kitchen shares ideas and recipes from Chef Steven Bright, Hospitality Coordinator at Shadyside Presbyterian Church, to help you stay healthy by eating well during the COVID-19 pandemic.

July 15, 2020: Honey-Lemongrass Ice Cream

This smooth, refreshing custard takes two days, but is well worth every minute!

Honey-Lemongrass Ice Cream

Makes 1 quart

Ingredients

2 stalks lemongrass
1 vanilla bean (split and scraped)
2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
8 each egg yolks
½ cup granulated sugar
1/3 to ½ cup honey (more for sweeter, less for more refreshing)
Pinch of salt

Procedure

1. Snip the lemongrass stalk to remove any leaves, leaving only the thick bottom portion of the stalk. Crush it with a meat hammer on a cutting board, and cut it into 2-inch pieces.
2. Combine this with the milk, cream, vanilla, and half of the honey.
3. Combine the yolks, sugar, and salt, and beat well with a whisk.
4. Bring the milk mixture to a boil and beat half of this mixture into the yolks (to temper the mixture). Put the rest of the milk mixture back on the heat, turn it down to medium, and beat in the tempered yolk mixture.
5. Cook while constantly scraping the bottom and sides of the pan until the mixture thickens slightly. DO NOT BOIL.
6. Remove from heat and add the remaining honey. Pour into a stainless-steel bowl set in another bowl of ice, and stir until cool.
7. Refrigerate this overnight to allow the flavor to ripen – this is important! Note: If your maker has a bowl that needs to be frozen – now’s the time to make sure it freezes for at least 24 hours.
8. Once ripened, strain the mixture and churn in your ice cream freezer until the consistency of soft-serve ice cream. Freeze until firm.
9. Enjoy!

Should you have any questions, or need helpful tips, please feel free to contact Chef Steven via email at: sbright@shadysidepres.org

Be well – eat well!

Chef Steven M. Bright

Read more from Chef Bright by exploring other entries in The Quarantined Kitchen.

Your Weekly Culinary Source

The Quarantined Kitchen shares ideas and recipes from Chef Steven Bright, Hospitality Coordinator at Shadyside Presbyterian Church, to help you stay healthy by eating well during the COVID-19 pandemic.

July 8, 2020: Pork Chop Marinade

Great on beef, too!

Pork Chop Marinade

For 4 to 6 chops

Ingredients

¼ cup soy sauce
½ cup 0live oil
¼ cup vinegar (white)
¼ cup ketchup
1/8 cup brown mustard
1 tablespoon honey (or brown sugar)
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
1 teaspoon freshly minced parsley
1 teaspoon freshly rough-chopped oregano
1 teaspoon pepper

Procedure

• Combine all ingredients in large plastic zip bag – then add pork chops.
• Seal to remove air and massage bag to coat chops evenly.
• Marinate in refrigerator overnight.
• Remove to room temperature 1 hour before grilling to an internal temperature of 155.

Should you have any questions, or need helpful tips, please feel free to contact Chef Steven via email at: sbright@shadysidepres.org

Be well – eat well!

Chef Steven M. Bright

Read more from Chef Bright by exploring other entries in The Quarantined Kitchen.