SIMPLE AND EASY THANKSGIVING SIDE RECIPES!

By Chef Saul Bolton

This Year, Save The Headache For The Turkey. We’ve Got You Covered With These Quick And Delicious Side Recipes!

 

GREEN TOMATO & CRANBERRY PIE

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups Sugar

5 tbsp All-Purpose Flour

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Kosher Salt

3 cups thinly sliced Green Tomatoes or green Cherry Tomatoes cut in half (4 to 5 medium)

1 cup dried Cranberries

1 tbsp Unfiltered Cider Vinegar

1 tbsp Butter

PROCEDURE

1. In a bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cranberries, cinnamon and salt

2. Add tomatoes and vinegar; toss to coat

3. Line a pie plate with bottom crust. Add filling; dot with butter. Roll out remaining pastry; Trim, seal and crimp. Cut an X in the center of the top crust to allow steam to escape while cooking

4. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is tender. Let cool for 20 minutes before serving. Serve with your favorite ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream or crème fraiche

THANKSGIVING GREEN TOMATO & WALNUT CHUTNEY

 (A GREAT CHANGE OF PACE TO THE CLASSIC CRANBERRY RELISH)

INGREDIENTS

5 cups Green Tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup Onions, finely sliced

1 medium-size fresh Jalapeno, sliced

1 cup Cilantro, rough chopped

1 cup Walnut pieces

2 tbsp whole Coriander Seeds

3 whole Green Cardamom Pods

2 cups Cider Vinegar

2 cups light Brown Sugar

3 tbsp Grate Fresh Ginger (grated with microplane)

Zest and Juice of 2 lemons (zest grated on microplane and chopped)

1/2 cup Golden Raisins

PROCEDURE

1. Add tomatoes, onions, jalapeno, walnuts, coriander seeds, cardamom pods, raisins, vinegar, & sugar to a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over a low heat.

2. Cook until thickened to your taste. Remove from the heat.

3. Add the cilantro, lemon zest, & ginger. Stir. Season to taste with a pinch of salt and lemon juice. Cool. Serve cool or at room temp. Great with Roast Turkey!!

KATCHKIE SPICED ROAST TURNIPS AND TOPS

INGREDIENTS

8 tennis-ball sized Turnips with tops (remove tops, wash, spin dry and rough chop, peel the turnip itself and cut into 1-inch pieces)

3 tbsp Coconut Oil

3 tbsp Honey

Sea Salt

Fennel Seed

2 cups White Onion, sliced

2 cloves Garlic, sliced

2 cups canned Garbanzo Beans

1 tsp smoked Paprika

2 tbsp Cider Vinegar

PROCEDURE

1. Toss turnips with 1 tbsp coconut oil & honey. Season with sea salt, Bake at 350F until tender and caramelized

2. Heat sautee pan. Add 2 tbsp coconut oil and garlic. Toast garlic until well browned. Add onions, fennel seed and cook until translucent.

3. To finish, add roasted turnips, turnip tops, & garbanzos to onion mixture. Season with cider vinegar, smoked paprika, and salt to taste. Serve warm as a side.

OVEN-ROASTED CABBAGE WITH APPLES AND WARM ROSEMARY-WALNUT VINAIGRETTE

INGREDIENTS

2 heads of Green Cabbage, cut in 1/8ths

1 1/2 cups Walnuts

3 cloves of Garlic, grated on a microplane or box grater

6 Rosemary Sprigs, leaves removed

1/4 cup Butter

1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp Olive Oil

1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

Sea Salt, to taste

Black Pepper, to taste

PROCEDURE

1. Preheat your oven to 450F degrees.

2. Toss the cabbage with 2 tbsp of olive oil and a large pinch of salt

3. Divide the cabbage between two lined baking sheets and roast in the oven until the cabbage is browned and tender, 30-45 minutes.

4. When the cabbage is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it cool while you are making the vinaigrette.

5. Meanwhile, in a large skillet toast the walnuts over medium heat until they are fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the butter, rosemary, and garlic and cook until the butter is lightly browned. Add the olive oil and vinegar and simmer until the vinegar is slightly reduced and the dressing is emulsified.

6. Season the vinaigrette with salt and black pepper and spoon over the roasted cabbage to serve.

 

CELERY ROOT AND APPLE SLAW

INGREDIENTS

2 cups Celery Root, julienne on a mandoline

1 cup Apples, julienne on a mandoline

1/2 cup Mayonnaise

1 tbsp Dijon Mustard

3 Tbsp Parsley, chopped

2 tbsp Lemon Juice

Salt and Pepper to taste

PROCEDURE

1. Mix mayonnaise, mustard, parsley and lemon juice in a bowl.

2. Add celery root and apple, toss well to combine and season with salt and pepper.

 

JALAPENO CRANBERRY JAM

INGREDIENTS

2 (12 oz.) packages of fresh or frozen Cranberries

2/3 cups dried Cranberries

2 1/2 cups Sugar

1/2 cup fresh Orange Juice

Shredded rind of 1 Orange

1/2 cup fresh Lime Juice

2 to 4 Jalapeno Chiles, seeded and minced

PROCEDURE

1. Combine the fresh cranberries, dried cranberries, sugar, orange juice, orange rind, lime juice, jalapeno chiles and 1 1/2 cups water in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

2. Boil gently until sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Boil gently for 10 minutes or until thickened, stirring to prevent sticking. It will keep well in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks; or ladle into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace, seal with 2 piece lids, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

 

MOROCCAN VEGETABLE TAGINE

INGREDIENTS

3 tbsp Olive Oil

2 cups Sweet Potato, peeled and diced

1 1/2 cups chopped Onion (1-inch)

1 1/2 cups chopped Carrots (1-inch)

3 cloves Garlic, minced

2 tbsp finely grated fresh Ginger

1 tbsp ground Cumin

1 tbsp ground Coriander

3/4 tsp ground Cinnamon

3 cups Vegetable Stock or Water

3 tbsp Fancy Molasses

1 1/2 cups Cauliflower florets

1 1/2 cups diced Eggplant (1-inch)

1 can (14 oz.) Chickpeas, drained and rinsed

3/4 cups Raisins

1/2 cup Apricots, chopped and dried

Salt and pepper

PROCEDURE

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sweet potato, onion and carrots, and sauté until onions are translucent, for about 5 minutes.

2. Add garlic, ginger, and ground spices and sauté for 2 minutes.

3. Add stock (or water) and molasses and bring up to a simmer.

4. Add cauliflower, eggplant, chickpeas, raisins, and apricots, season lightly and bring up to a simmer.

5. Lower the heat and continue simmering, uncovered, until all the vegetables are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed (but the tagine is still moist), about 20 minutes.

6. Adjust the seasoning to taste

 

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10TH ANNUAL LATKE FESTIVAL

By Shelley Clark

IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE…LATKE SEASON!

This year’s Latke Festival on December 3 at the Brooklyn Museum will mark the tenth edition of the event produced by Great Performances as a fundraiser for The Sylvia Center, the nutrition education non-profit that helps young people develop the healthy habits that will lead to happier, more productive lives.

The festival, dedicated to the potato pancake and the myriad creative interpretations it can inspire, has become one of the New York City Holiday Season’s most eagerly anticipated – and delicious – annual events.

New for 2018 is an additional winning category. In addition to the Best Latke, as determined by a panel of distinguished food expert judges and a People’s Choice Best Latke voted on by the evening’s guests, there will be Best Traditional Latke, also decided upon by the official judges. This year the panel will see the return of Alicia Glen, the deputy mayor of the City of New York and David Berliner, CEO of the Brooklyn Museum, who will be joined by some notable newcomers, including: Actress Debi Mazar and her Chef husband Gabriele Corcos, the hosts of the Cooking Channel’s Extra Virgin; former longtime Editor-In-Chief of Food & Wine and now Executive Director of Speaking Broadly, Dana Cowin; Editor-In-Chief of Gastro Obsura, Alex Mayyasi; and CEO of Four Freedoms Park,

There will also be a number of new restaurants joining Latke Festival veterans such as Benchmark, the 2017 winner for Best Latke with their Plantain, Sweet Potato and Tortilla Latke with Ancho-Braised Chicken, Pickled Onion and Crema and Shelsky’s of Brooklyn, the People’s Choice Winner with a Latke Reuben Caraway Seeded Latke Stuffed with Riesling Braised Sauerkraut and Swiss Cheese, Topped with Corned Beef, along with The Norm, Burger & Lobster, Dizzy’s, Kulushkat, and Velselka. Among the newcomers to the 20-plus restaurant roster are Bricolage, Baoburg, Dutch Boy Burgers, FONDA and White Tiger.

Tickets for the 10th Annual Latke Festival are $75 for General Admission and $110 for VIP perks such as an exclusive lounge. They can be purchased via Eventbrite.

   

BizBash Honors Liz Neumark As One of The Top 500 People in Events

By Shelley Clark

“IT’S ESPECIALLY GRATIFYING TO BE RECOGNIZED IN THIS MANNER BY BIZBASH, WHICH IS SUCH A RESPECTED AND IMPORTANT RESOURCE FOR OUR INDUSTRY.”

Liz Neumark

Liz Neumark, whose Great Performances was cited as one of the 25 Largest Women Owned Businesses in the New York Area by Crain’s New York Business earlier this year.

The Fall issue of BizBash, the quarterly publication of the country’s top resource for meeting and event planning professionals, named Liz Neumark, founder and CEO of New York City-based Great Performances as one of The Top 500 People in Events in the Catering category – one of just 19. The publication prefaces its first compilation of such a list by stating “Representing corporate events, associations, trade shows, social events and more, these people represent the best of the meeting and event industry across North America.” The fact that the list is divided into 26 categories ranging from Agencies, Audio Visual-Lighting and Corporate Producers & Strategists to Sports & Arenas, Sustainability & Corporate Responsibility and Weddings, is testimony to its comprehensive nature.

Liz grew the company into a regional catering, events and retail hospitality powerhouse with 300 full-time employees, 700 part-time and annual revenues in excess of $50 million. In the process, Neumark pioneered now common practices, such as exclusive venue partnerships, incorporating local restaurants into major multi-day events such as The Miami Open and The Miami International Boat Show and a focus on seasonal, locally sourced ingredients.

In fact, she made Great Performances an early adopter of the farm-to-table movement by introducing menus with ingredients sourced completely from within a 100-mile radius of New York City. Subsequently, she purchased 60-acres in Columbia Co., NY, where Neumark established an organic farm that is now a year-round operation supplying produce for the more than 3,000 events that Great Performances caters annually, as well as for the nine restaurants, cafés and food trucks the company operates. Great Performances was the first catering company in the country to own and operate a farm and remains the only one.

“We are using this list to showcase the talent in our industry. Liz represents one of the longtime leaders who keeps doing incredible things year after year to stay fresh and relevant” states David Adler, CEO and founder of BizBash.

 

THE 11TH ANNUAL NEW YORK CITY WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL

By Sarah Prawl

Great Performances was honored to partner with Food Network & Cooking Channel New York City Wine & Food Festival for the 11th year in a row and support Food Bank For New York City and No Kid Hungry. This year’s festival also marked 11 years that we have partnered with NYCWFF as the official caterer, as well as providing kitchen resources, staffing, planning, execution and design services throughout the festival weekend.

This is always an exciting weekend for us, and we were happy to be directly involved with many events such as the Chrissy Teigen Book Release Party, Tacos & Tequila, Food Network’s 20th Birthday Party, Drag Brunch, The Grand Tasting, Backyard BBQ, Broadway Tastes, Yappie Hour and more.

We are still reeling in excitement from all of the behind-the-scenes action with Chef Lish Steiling from GDL Foods and Chef Miles Landrum from Johnny Sanchez New Orleans prepping in the GP Kitchen, as well as our Design and Culinary teams prepping around the clock for numerous events.

Thank you to everyone involved for your hard work and for making NYCWFF 2018 a weekend to remember!

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images

Not All Heroes Wear Capes

How Sous Chef Ira Brown's Quick Thinking Saved the Day!

By Sarah Prawl and Ira Brown

WHEN IT COMES TO ANY EMERGENCY, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE, AND GP’S SOUS CHEF, IRA BROWN, WASTED NO TIME IN RUSHING TO THE AID OF SOMEONE IN NEED.

Sous Chef Ira Brown

We would love to know more about you!

I’ve worked with Great Performances for 6 years now. For the last 5 years I have worked mostly on-site at events, but have recently moved into the kitchen where I oversee kitchen assignments, prepare food for events and make sure that all food items are labeled correctly for each event.

Can you tell us about your thoughts on the day the incident occurred?

I really believe that everything happens for a reason. I have only been in the kitchen for a month now, and it was just like any regular day. I had just arrived at work about an hour before and heard that someone was in distress in another part of the building. Some staff members ran into the kitchen and asked if anyone knew how to perform the Heimlich Maneuver, which I had done before, and as soon as they explained what was going on I immediately ran over there. When I arrived, the individual was unconscious, and I immediately got behind them and performed the Heimlich step-by-step until the particle had come out and they regained consciousness.

Do you consider yourself a hero?

I definitely don’t have that “Hero Complex”, I am just really thankful that I was at the right place at the right time, and really do believe that everything happens for a reason. Now that I think about it, there was a reason why I moved from on-site events to full time in the kitchen.

Food Tank

Ending Food Loss and Food Waste Together

By Sarah Prawl

AT GREAT PERFORMANCES, WE STRIVE TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF ADDRESSING FOOD WASTE AND SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES, WHILE EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY ON FOOD WASTE REDUCTION, RECYCLING AND FOOD RECOVERY INITIATIVES.

We are always excited to partner with organizations which align with our mission, and were proud to partner with Food Tank for the second annual NYC Food Tank Summit at New York University’s Tishman Auditorium and feed another sold-out (and hungry) crowd.

Focusing on topics pertaining to Food Loss and Food Waste, The Summit featured 35 speakers and panelists, as well as an engaging dialogue with audience members. Together, everyone tackled tough subjects pertaining to food loss and waste such as systematic challenges, the role restaurants and companies play in fighting food waste, solving food loss on the farm, and fighting food loss and waste from within communities. Going to the core, the discussions educated everyone on the connections between sustainability, food waste, racial justice, public health, etc., and how they all directly affect each other.

To learn more about Food Tank and how you can get involved in the fight against food waste and food loss, click here.

HARPER’S BAZAAR ICONS PARTY AT THE PLAZA HOTEL

By Ali Papalia

What Better Way To Open New York Fashion Week Than An Extravaganza At The Plaza?

On Friday, September 7, Harper’s Bazaar threw the party of the year in honor of Carine Roitfeld’s icons – a stunning portfolio of “The First Families of Music”, worthy of picking up the issue at the checkout counter.  This event was a who’s who of the fashion world — models, designers and the like pulled out all the stops when it came to picking their outfit of choice for the evening.  Not only were all of the guests dressed to impress, but the most chic of them all was the Grand Ballroom. The inspiration of the evening was “families that rock” – with dark red, giant gold lipsticks, the signature black carpet and a Moet Champagne tower took the party to another level.

Dressed to the nines, guests entered through Fifth Avenue crossing through the Palm Court to get the chance to view the black carpet in action! The carpet was completely abuzz with celebrities including Christina Aguilera, Adriana Lima, Gigi Hadid, Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, Christie Brinkley, Heidi Klum and many many more – click here for Harper’s Bazaar official gallery. Top show stopper Bella Hadid, in a nude cat suit, got the cameras flashing non- stop. The drinks were flowing and guests indulged in specialty cocktails by Belvedere Vodka and Stella Artois, and splits of Moet Champagne – so incredibly chic.

Christina Aguilera, the featured musical icon this year, paid tribute to the first families of music including Bruce Springsteen, Kanye West, Erykah Badu, and many more. As soon as she was ready to perform, drinks and iPhones were in hand ready to snap photos and videos of the concert. This was my first time seeing her perform and she was amazing! She has so much energy when she gets on stage and it definitely radiates throughout the crowd. She was singing for just about 50 minutes and the crowd could not stop dancing!

This event was truly memorable, it was a triple threat blending fashion, music, and The Plaza.

 

BEAUTY, BOMBSHELLS AND BRAZILIANS

By Jennifer Machen

BRAZIL, THE LARGEST COUNTRY IN BOTH SOUTH AMERICA AND LATIN AMERICA, CHOSE THE PLAZA TO HOLD THEIR 2018 GALA.

The Plaza is notorious for lavish affairs, and these Brazilian Bombshells seriously raised the bar. One by one, the glamorous guests dressed in brilliantly colored gowns adorned with feathers, beads, and extravagant accessories, immediately became the focal point of the event. They entered the Grand Ballroom Foyer through a rainbow of umbrellas, unveiling a festive flow of celebratory cocktails, delicious Hors d’oeuvres, including the famous Brazilian Cheese Bread, Pão de Queijo. Guests bid on rainforest and Amazonian pieces as well as inspirational art to raise money for the fearless Brazil Foundation.

The room was filled with beautiful woman and yet three very special and very tall ladies stood out especially. Gracing the guests (as well as the ceiling), these stunning “tall women” (on stilts) perfectly captured the fun essence of the evening. Dressed as flowers, they danced and breezed through cocktail hour and made Instagram moments for all, including the many Victoria’s Secret Models that were in attendance. Pictures were captured, glasses were passed, and the sociable crowd at the cocktail hour began to trickle into the Grand Ballroom.

A Brigadero Sweets table, 18 feet long and dressed to the nines, graced the Grand Ballroom upon entrance, as it does in Brazilian homes when they have guests over. Bentley Meeker designed a lighting scheme that filled the room with ambiance, inhabited the feel of the event, and enhanced the beauty of the guests. The green floral arrangements were fitting and transported the space to the rainforest. The incomparable Chef Geoff Rudaw specially designed classic upscale Brazilian fair and served a decadent Cashew Crusted Branzino with Coconut Rice, Mango Salsa, and Sweet Plantains. Devoured by the 450 guests, the plates were cleared and everyone danced the night away.

Would be remiss to not mention the beyond handsome, very famous Actor Cauã Reymond (the Brad Pitt of Brazil, if you will) who caused a photo frenzy on the red carpet and stole the hearts of every woman in the room…as well as some men (AKA our very own Mr. Manners).

What a Plaza Party.

PINK, PURPLE & RED: A SUMMER OF SOUTH ASIAN COLOR

By Kelsey Butler

THE PLAZA HOTEL IS FAMOUS FOR ITS CREAM AND GOLD EMBELLISHED GRAND BALLROOM, LUXURIOUS TERRACE ROOM, AND OLD WORLD CHARM.

However this summer, The Plaza was transformed over and over again into a South Asian wonderland of over the top flowers, color, and lavish décor. It is true that the Grand Ballroom needs little to enhance its stunning beauty, but one of the things I love the most of South Asian weddings are their ability to work off of the existing trimmings and really light up the room with a burst of color.

We started out the summer celebrating a wonderful couple, Neil & Saritha, with a day full of traditional Indian ceremonies starting out with the “Swing Ceremony”, where the couple was showered with flowers while they swung together on a beautifully decorated swing. Later in the day as a welcome for their main ceremony, the couple offered guests personalized coconuts to drink out of! They were a delicious refreshment for a warm May afternoon and a huge hit with their friends and family.

Moving through the summer we saw an array of colors and décor with red being a statement color of 2018; red indicating both sensuality and purity and very commonly used in marriage. Tiya Nandi wore a stunning red sari to complement her red and gold mandap in the Terrace Room, and Nikita Kohli chose all red accents in her Ballroom décor complete with a red floral centerpiece hanging between the chandeliers!

The Grand Ballroom was yet again transformed for Priyanka & Vikram’s celebration and this time everything was purple! From purple lemonade that was butler passed as guests entered the ceremony, to the flowers on their cake, and finally the Ballroom was a purple wonderland with sweeping purple flowers that cascaded off of their elegant dinner tables.

Our final South Asian Wedding of the summer was Divya Mandava & Jon Garrett’s “American day” ceremony and final reception of a weekend of ceremonies and celebration. This décor mixed traditional over the top Indian colors and flowers with a more traditional and classic Plaza look. Their guests entered the Terrace Room for a traditional American ceremony, and then moved into the Ballroom to be surprised by yet another floral centerpiece capturing their attention from the ceiling and a beautiful pink wash of color!

We look forward to many more South Asian weddings and to see how time transforms tradition and the class of The Plaza even further.

PLAZA ARCHIVE - THE EDWARDIAN ROOM

By Rob Arango

Welcome to my new column introducing historical tidbits of the legendary Plaza. My first stop is the most pristine real estate spot in New York City—the famed Edwardian Room with enormous windows facing Central Park South and Fifth Avenue and 59th Street.

There is no other address like this turn of the century Victorian room. In 1980 I dined in the Edwardian Room with my parents and it was one of the first times I had worn my customary blue blazer and grey flannel slacks. We sat near the window overlooking Central Park. I remember having veal Oscar for the main course. After dinner, my mother asked me to dance with her. She told me how to do the simple box step. I was only 14 but for one brief moment I felt like Gene Kelly on the tiny dance floor.

In 1920 the doors opened to men only and it became the hotel’s premiere dining room. When making reservations men would ask for The Men’s Café. At the time it quickly became the first of its kind “Power Breakfast” in Midtown. Major political, business tycoons and movie stars would dine for breakfast to be seen among New York’s elite. The dining experience was true to its time in culinary history – starters included Hearts of Artichokes, Pate Maison and Cape Cod Oysters. Popular fish courses were Filet of English Sole Mervina and Olivette Potatoes Persillees. The star of beef courses was the famed Roast Prime Ribs of Beef au Cresson with Baked Potato (a SPLURGE at 75 cents EXTRA). Dessert specials were various fruit pies, Lemon Meringue, custard rice pudding and assorted sherbets. All ending with Demi-Tasse, of course.

It was called the “Plaza Restaurant” until 1955. Then it was named as the “Edwardian Room” after the time period of when the hotel was built – 1900’s aka Edwardian era.

In December 2018 I will be hosting a dinner for 175 guests. The menu will be a bit healthier in choices, all nut-free, and of course a silent vegan and gluten-free option. Times have changed but the room still holds over 100 years of dining stories all waiting to be told.

For a limited time, you can have the unique opportunity to host an event in the Edwardian Room. Please call 212-549-0550 to inquire.