Home Cooked Hamptons

By Bonnie Abdelnour Verbitsky

Home Cooked Hamptons is about the great pleasure I derive from cooking for family and friends. Many people in the Hamptons, also known as the East End of Long Island, share this enjoyment of entertaining and home cooking. It is the art of seasonal cooking, taking the freshest produce from the fertile land, daily catches from the sea, and quality meats from the local butchers, then turning them into culinary masterpieces.
Entertaining and lifestyle are the main themes here, while I endeavor to bring all the natural elements of the Hamptons to the table … from farmland to ocean. Relaxed formality is shared by many of us who take great pride in our homes and gardens. To me, there is nothing more satisfying than cooking for friends who share my passion for food and wine.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Oct 29, 2013
• ISBN: 9780985783013

Book preview

Summer Menus

Catch of the Day–serves 4

Spicy Baked Clams • Kevin Penner’s Fluke Provinçale • Snap Peas and Garden Pea Medley • Cherry Clafoutis

July 4th Clambake–serves 8

Seafood Shop Clambake • Old-Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake

Beach Picnic–serves 4

Tomato, Peach, and Mint Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette • Bonnie’s Classic Lobster Roll Platter of Watermelon Wedges with Sliced Nectarines and Figs • Bonnie’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

My Hampton Classic Dinner–serves 4

Pappardelle Portofino with Pesto and Tomato Sauce Veal Chop Milanese with Arugula and Tomato Salad • Raspberry Tart

Grilled Veal Chop Dinner Inspired by Kari Clark–serves 4

Tomato and Mozzarella di Bufala Napoleon • Kari Clark’s Simply Delicious Veal Chops Grilled Asparagus • Rustic Ricotta Cheesecake

A Greek Grill Dinner–serves 8

Greek Salad with Feta Cheese • Grilled Butterflied Leg of Lamb • Spanakopita Casserole Creamy Rice Pudding with Almonds

Festive Spanish Dinner on the Terrace–serves 6

Gazpacho de Malaga • Paella Valenciana • White Sangria • Flan with Cognac

Summer Lunch by the Pool–serves 4

Grilled Tuna Teriyaki on a Bun with Wasabi Mayo Grilled Nectarines with Black Raspberries and Vanilla Frozen Yogurt

Hot August Night Dinner–serves 4

Prosciutto, Melon, and Mint • Spaghettini with Arugula and Cherry Tomatoes Gelato with Biscotti and Vin Santo (Italian Dessert Wine)

Farm-Fresh Summer Dinner–serves 4

Adrienne Vittadini’s Pennewith Zucchini • Peachy Cream Tart

Dinner by the Creek–serves 4

Baked Brie • Beer-Can Chicken with Spice Rub Corn on the Cob with Cayenne Butter • Grilled Zucchini and Eggplant • Blueberry Pie

Labor Day Supper–serves 6

Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms • Percatelli with Tuna Caprese • Seven Layer Ice Cream Cake

Post Labor Day Dinner–serves 4

Avocado, Artichoke, Endive Salad with Shaved Parmesan • Roasted Halibut with Fried Leeks Mashed Potatoes with Pancetta • Grilled Pears with Mascarpone

Bonic Seafood Pasta–serves 4

Burraia and Prosciutto with Figs • Bonic Seafood Pasta • Orange Sorbet with Prosecco

Catch of the Day

serves 4

Spicy Baked Clams • Kevin Penner’s Fluke Provinçale • Snap Peas and Garden Pea Medley • Cherry Clafoutis

Snap peas are picked daily on the East End during the summer months, and they are, oh, so sweet! They make a fine accompaniment to any meat, poultry, or fish dish.

Spicy Baked Clams

These are always a hit with family and friends. They are light and perfect for either a first course or hor d’oeuvres. The clams are left whole in order to taste the freshness of each clam. I make these often during the summer months when I can get them moments after they are harvested by local fishermen. Serve them with a chilled glass of white wine.

2 dozen medium-size cherrystone or large littleneck clams opened on the half shell

½cup plain bread crumbs

1 large clove garlic pressed

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese (preferably Parmigiano Reggiano)

1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped

½ teaspoon dried oregano

Juice of one lemon (approx. 2 tablespoons)

6 tablespoons olive oil

Pinch of sea salt

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper or ¼ teaspoon, if you like it spicier

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Combine all ingredients, except the clams, and mix. Spoon mixture on each clam in the shell. Place clams in their shells on a baking pan.

Bake clams for 5 minutes until golden brown. If not golden, turn heat up and broil for 1 minute. Serve with lemon wedges.

Kevin Penner’s Fluke Provençale

Kevin Penner has been one of the Hamptons most celebrated executive chefs for many years. He is currently executive chef at the CittaNuova Restaurant and the 1770 House in East Hampton. Kevin was chef at Della Femina’s from 1992–2001 and also made frequent visits to James Beard House in New York City.

Kevin has shared one of his favorite fish recipes. I love it for its elegance and simplicity! Easy to prepare, just top it with some thinly sliced tomatoes, some thyme, and then garnish it with Niçoise olives. Fluke is a favorite local fish on the East End. Fluke can be substituted with cod or any other non-oily fish.

4 6-ounce portions of fluke filet with skin removed

2 ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced

4 tablespoons Ligurian olive oil or any extra virgin olive oil

16 unpitted Niçoise olives

2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried thyme

4 pinches of, preferably, Maldon sea salt (or any other sea salt)

1 lemon, sliced in half the short way

Preheat broiler.

Place the fluke fillets spaced about one inch apart on the broiler pan. Top each piece of fluke with tomato slices and broil for about 6–8 minutes or until a skewer easily pierces the fish.

Place each fluke portion on a plate and top with a drizzle of olive oil. Top with four olives per portion, a pinch of thyme leaves and the sea salt. Squeeze some lemon juice over each portion.

For an authentic touch, serve with rosé wine. We often have wines from East End vineyards, such as Channing Daughters Winery, Duck Walk Vineyards, and Wölffer Estate Vineyards. Additionally, any imported French rosé will complement this dish. I particularly like Domaine Ott from Provence.

Snap Peas and Garden Pea Medley

2 cups snap peas

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup chicken broth or water

¼ teaspoon salt

Pinch of black pepper

1 box fresh shelled peas or frozen garden peas (approximately 2 cups)

Wash snap peas and cut off any thin green