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Author: Admin General

Ki-Ra’s Aloe Punch

Posted on by Admin General

Ki-Ra is a retreat center, holistic spa, and family home. A place to escape and nurture your mind, body and spirit with yoga, meditation and deliciously prepared Ayurvedic, organic food. This beautiful 25-acre oceanfront minimalist retreat close to Parque Nacional del Este in the South-East corner of the Dominican Republic is the perfect setting to get back in sync with nature and yourself—reset and recharge.

The best part of any wellness retreat is finding a stress-relieving, detoxifying treatment or technique that can also work at home. Ki-Ra’s “Hip Bath & Aloe Punch” is both relaxing and invigorating. A treatment done at sunrise to wake up and purify the digestive system—a wonderful way to start the day! This can easily be done in your bath at home, or simply begin your day with an aloe punch.

Why Aloe? Aloe vera, a succulent that grows abundantly in tropical climates, has been used for centuries as a medicinal plant. It is believed to have beneficial properties for losing weight, acting as a natural laxative, and improving the digestive system. It is also credited with controlling cholesterol and triglyceride levels. 

For medicinal purposes, Ayurvedic practitioner Kyra Montagu recommends drinking one ¼-cup of her aloe punch every day for up to three months and advises women not to consume it while menstruating. It is also recommended that women avoid consuming aloe during pregnancy and when breastfeeding. Kyra says it is best to drink in the morning before breakfast.

When cutting your aloe leaf, be sure to extract the gel only, peeling away all of the green rind and avoiding the yellow sap that lies just beneath the green rind of the leaf, known as aloe latex—which can have adverse health effects. 

When harvesting aloe vera gel at home, make only the amount you will consume right away. Natural enzymes and bacteria begin to break down the active ingredients quickly; and as they degrade, their ability to deliver health benefits diminishes. 

Yield: Serves 1 (¼ cup)

Olive Tapenade Dip

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On a recent trip to Bermuda with dear friends, our host shared his dislike for olives but love of olive tapenade! It is not an uncommon conundrum.  For those who appreciate the flavors of Provence, a classic tapenade is delightful, a mildly seasoned spread traditionally served on baguette slices or with crudités. It is the perfect contrast to creamy dips like hummus and spinach-artichoke.

Our tapenade discussion inspired me to pull out this old recipe, another easy way to create a special dish for the family or entertaining friends—it takes only five minutes to make. I have also tossed this dip with fresh, hot pasta, and used it as a rub for baked chicken.

Niçoise or Kalamata olives are best for this recipe, you can also use green Castelvetrano, olives—I like to offer both. 

Yield: Makes 1 1/2 cups 

Bellini Cocktail

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After serving one last Valentine’s Day dinner in 2004, Lutèce, the renowned landmark French restaurant on New York’s East Side, closed its doors, ending a more than 40-year run as the best restaurant in the United States (according to Julia Child and Zagat).

André Soltner, the chef for 34 years and the owner for most of that time, was one of the first chefs in America to emphasize the freshest possible ingredients. His philosophy continues to inform my cooking to this day. 

André and his lovely wife, Simone, who ran the dining room, radiated unpretentious warmth and charm. André was always present to greet guests and he came to know their tastes and preferences, like a caring father. One of my favorite desserts was his hot, chocolate soufflé, and when André learned that I did not like to taste the eggs in my soufflé, and preferred more chocolate, he adjusted it to my palate and would check in with me after dessert to be sure I was pleased—Unforgettable!  

I talk more about the Soltner’s influence on my culinary adventures in both of my books, Palm Beach Entertaining, and Hamptons Entertaining, but today I want to talk about Valentine’s day, Curly, and Bellini’s. 

Curly was the jovial, completely bald bartender at Lutèce who introduced me to the Bellini. He always had a kind word and would make me smile no matter what kind of day I was having. He was genuinely happy to see regulars, and Curly had a talent for curating conversation at the bar. For Curly, the Bellini was a romantic cocktail, perfect for a lady! It became my cocktail of choice for many years, and to this day it symbolizes romance, femininity, and celebration. He liked to add a dash of Chambord to the classic cocktail.

Valentine’s day would not be the same without a Bellini—created by Guiseppe Cipriani at the legendary Harry’s Bar in Venice it owes its name and color to Cipriani’s fascination with Giovanni Bellini, a 15th-century Venetian artist. Originally prepared with Prosecco and white peach purée, it is perfectly acceptable to use yellow peach puree or prepared peach nectar.  

For me, the Bellini will always conjure up a smile, fond memories of dinners at Lutèce and romance.

Yield: Makes 1

Composting for the Health of your Garden and the Environment”

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There was a fire in our summer home, a house where my family and I gathered for more than two decades to rest, relax, and spend quality time together—three generations of family. Offering a much-needed respite from the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, our home served as a welcoming place where we forgot about work and responsibility for just a little while. 

The fire occurred just weeks before my husband and I intended to arrive there, and the news shrouded us in sadness for a few days. My parents are no longer with us, but their voices, their strength and steadfastness will always be a part of me. Growing up, my dad often reminded us “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” and when we went through particularly challenging times, he said “always remember that tough times never last, but tough people do, and when they persist, they are often transformed for the better—a metamorphosis.”

The memory of my father’s words rallied my spirit, and we immediately began planning both the renovation of our home, and the reconstruction of our summer plans. In the process, we travelled to new places, solidified old friendships, made new friends, and created opportunity out of ashes. 

Meanwhile, we renovated our home in a way that better serves the future generations of our family and the environment. We added carbon neutral septic tanks, a geothermal heating system, and indigenous, pollinator-friendly plantings, as well as a vegetable garden—a small place to grow pesticide free, organic produce for our family. 

With my dream garden in place, I was more motivated than ever to compost. The idea of filling my beds with “black gold” in preparation for Spring plantings revived my interest, and according to a recent New York Times article, “The answer to so many gardening questions is, typically, compost, whether you’re adding it to help improve fertility or water-holding ability: Compost, compost, compost.” 

My daughter, Kayla, believes that the answers to life’s big questions lie in our connection with the natural world, and while seeking volunteer opportunities that would put her in nature, she discovered a plethora of community composting programs, and gifted us a fall membership with Ecological Culture Initiative. It was so effortless! ECI gave us a list of what they will accept for composting and provided collection receptacles that were picked up every Tuesday morning and replaced with clean pails. The staff tracked our scraps by weighing and recording each pail they picked up and we earned compost—food scraps transformed, metamorphosed into nourishing soil.  

If you do not have a garden, you can use your compost to nurture your houseplants or donate it back to ECI for their community garden.  

Here are a few community composting programs in New York City, the Hamptons and Palm Beach—it is such a feel-good way to have a daily impact on our environment.

Grow NYC

Ecological Culture Initiative

Let it Rot

Cranberry Margarita

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Everyone has their spirit of choice, especially during the holidays. For our Thanksgiving gatherings, the traditional welcome drink has always been a warm, homemade, spiced apple cider—spiked with a dark, aged rum for the adults. This year, with a smaller group and no children visiting, I decided to make Margaritas!

Tequila has become especially popular with our friends and family. It is the gluten free go-to drink, and the Blanco and Silver varieties don’t contain sugary syrups nor are they aged in wood, so they are unlikely to contain congeners—the chemical impurities that can exacerbate hangovers. 

For this Thanksgiving-in-a-glass cocktail, feel free to substitute thawed, frozen cranberries for fresh ones, and remember, cocktails are an intuitive process you should approach like you do cooking—if your cranberries are especially tart, use more simple syrup.

Yield: Makes 2

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

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This super easy fall dish has graced our Thanksgiving table for years. Along with cranberry sauce, applesauce and stuffing, it is one of the classics, and this simple version, with just 4 ingredients, is always a crowd-pleaser.  

If there’s extra time, I prefer to heat a large, cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add a drizzle of oil to coat the pan. Add the Brussels sprouts, cut side down and sear for 3-4 minutes, or until light golden brown on the underside. Then, transfer the pan to the oven and follow the recipe below. If the pan is too crowded, transfer the sprouts to a baking sheet.

You can easily elevate this recipe with your favorite flavors. Here are just a few of the variations we have enjoyed.

  • Maple-Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Walnuts: After 10 minutes of roasting, remove the pan and toss the Brussels sprouts with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, more to taste. Then, place the pan back in the oven to finish baking. Just before serving, toss the roasted Brussels sprouts with ½ cup toasted walnuts.
  • Parmesan-Roasted Brussels Sprouts: After 10 minutes of roasting, remove the pan and sprinkle ¼ cup Parmesan cheese over the tops of the Brussels sprouts. Then, place the pan back in the oven to finish baking. 
  • Balsamic-Glazed Roasted Brussels Sprouts: During the final 5 minutes of baking, drizzle the Brussels sprouts with 2 tablespoons of balsamic glaze. Toss to coat and return the pan to the oven to continue baking. Drizzle with balsamic glaze before serving.
  • Garlic-Roasted Brussels Sprouts: Toss 5 cloves of sliced garlic with the olive oil, salt and pepper, coating sprouts well. Bake according to the recipe below. 
  • Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

For all flavor profiles, begin with fresh Brussels sprouts for the best results–bright green, and firm. Avoid sprouts that feel mushy or have loose leaves that are yellowing or have black spotting. Submerging sprouts in a bowl of ice-cold water helps cut some of their natural bitterness. Be sure to drain and dry the sprouts so they are completely dry before roasting.

Yield: Serves 4

Aunt Marion’s Apple Walnut Stuffing

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Revisiting family recipes is a delightful way to memorialize traditions, recall shared moments with loved ones, and discover how our ancestors lived. My sister, Susan, found this recipe that our beloved Aunt Marion shared with her many years ago, and it has elicited conversation and curiosity. How did our father and his siblings live, and what did they eat? Italian immigrants, living in an Italian neighborhood in New York City, longing to be more American in the early 1900’s. How did that influence their cooking?

My father often reminisced about the delicious baked cod his mother would make him, and how he looked forward to her eggplant dish. Sardines were another favorite throughout his life, and he talked about having them with grated onion as a child. There was a set night for each dish—cod, eggplant, pasta—and when your favorites were being served, you got home early.  

Most of my father’s early childhood meals, surprisingly, were wheatless and meatless. Friday was always fish, and Sunday was pasta day, served with meat. On just one other night of the week, the family enjoyed a meat dish—lamb chops—my father’s absolute favorite. On most evenings, they shared meals of seasonal, garden fresh vegetables, oftentimes served with whole grains and lots of salads. It was an incredibly healthful way of eating, especially by today’s standards, and after doing a little research, I found that their choices were encouraged by the Food Administrator in 1918, and considered the American thing to do. 

My father’s sister, Marion, always made two recipes for Thanksgiving that we erroneously called stuffing. According to my Southern friends, a dish is properly called a dressing when you cook it outside the bird. Marion’s delicious Apple Dressing, which I previously shared, is just too good to go inside a bird—a beautiful, aromatic side dish topped with melted cheese.  

This recipe is rightfully called stuffing—it is perfect for filling a holiday bird and works equally as well outside the bird—either way it is a wonderful gluten-free (wheatless) side-dish. When made with vegetable stock, outside the bird, it will satiate the vegetarians in the family, too. This dish is filled with the flavors my father loved, including parsley, onions, apples, and walnuts. It is easy to see how my Grandmother’s cooking influenced this dish. 

The original recipe included an option to add sausage, and 1 pound of stuffing mix. The take away—you can add sausage and bread cubes if you like. I usually make this recipe with vegetable broth, no sausage and no bread so it can be offered as a gluten-free stuffing; and I reserve some, outside the bird, to offer as a vegetarian, gluten-free dressing or side dish. When I am stuffing a large bird, I simply double this recipe, so I have enough to satisfy all guests’ dietary preferences and have lots of leftovers!

Yield: Serves 10 

Cranberry Orange Sauce

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Cranberry orange sauce, with just the right balance of sweet and tart, is truly the perfect complement to a lovely roasted turkey.  A Thanksgiving classic that is so easy to make you may never buy the canned version again. When garnished, this sauce is stunning on the table. I love to set out three or four dishes of sauce to enhance my tablescape and invite guests to enjoy as much as they like—it seems there is never enough!

Fresh cranberries become available in late October and freeze quite nicely so you can have them on hand well in advance of the holidays. Make this sauce as a beautiful side for all your fall gatherings, it is delightful with roasted duck, and works as a scrumptious glaze for both poultry and meat. 

The secret to a great turkey sandwich—add mayonnaise to your cranberry orange sauce and slather a warm, grilled baguette generously. This has become one of my favorite leftover recipes and an enticing reason to make generous amounts of this sauce for the holidays.

I prefer a thick sauce with a few whole cranberries, but you can simply cook the cranberries with more liquid for a juicier sauce.

Yield: Makes 2 Cups 

Homemade Applesauce

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A treat, a snack, a condiment, and a wonderful side dish on the Thanksgiving table—homemade applesauce is truly one of the easiest and most delicious recipes you can make. With the bounty of apples available this time of year, it is the perfect season to try this recipe. You can use any apple you have on hand, but a crisp, sweet apple like Gala or Golden Delicious works well. 

Applesauce is a wonderful addition to pancake and muffin recipes. In fact, it is a great substitute for the oil in many baked goods. As a child, I loved it over French toast, sprinkled with powdered sugar; and if you have never had warm applesauce over vanilla ice cream, well, you are in for a real treat! Be sure to sprinkle a bit of cinnamon overtop before serving.

Truly delicious!  

Yield: Serves 10

Tian Provençal

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I learned this vegetable tian — the Provençal vegetable dish named for the earthenware vessel it is meant to be cooked in — at l’École de Cuisine du Soleil Roger Vergé in Mougins. Roger Vergé, the French chef and restauranteur renowned for his unique style of Provençal cooking, founded the school to promote his healthful cooking approach—based on local, seasonal ingredients and a love for good food and gathering friends around the table.  

Students had to master this dish, among others, while studying in Mougins. The challenge—slicing the vegetables quite thin, by hand, so that they were all precisely the same size, and arranging them in careful layers, over sweet, tender caramelized onions. Then, drenching the summer vegetables in an aromatic, fruity olive oil and covering them in fragrant garlic and Herbes de Provence—a method that insures the perfect melding of the earthy zucchini, sun-sweetened tomatoes, and summer-ripened aubergine—the great achievement of a well-made tian. All the vegetables at Verge’s were picked from the gardens at Mougins or plucked from the farmer’s market very early the same morning. Sun ripened, fragrant and delicious! Allowing the finished dish to rest after cooking further elevates these summer garden vegetables. 

While wandering Instagram for recipe inspiration, I came across Eric Ripert’s tian, and I was so delighted to see those perfectly cut vegetables bubbling in the oven. I excitedly dug out my old, tattered Vergé notebook, with notes scribbled in Frenglish, and olive oil stains – I was transported back to Mougins. I made this recipe with my daughters (allowing the mandolin to cover for my rusty knife skills). It was a big hit with the family and the girls wanted to learn how to make it on their own. They took turns and experimented, creating their own versions—one night Gigi swapped the Herbes de Provence for an Italian blend we had in the kitchen, poured a delicious red sauce over the vegetables and sprinkled it with parmesan cheese—an ode to our Italian heritage. On another occasion, Kayla left out the zucchini and added a sprinkling of gruyere cheese. That is the beauty of a tian—use what you love, what is fresh, fragrant, local, and delicious to make it your own. Like our Banana Bread, this tian became a staple of our quarantine cuisine. 

As with most ratatouilles, this dish will improve with age overnight in the refrigerator, and if there are leftover vegetables, cook smaller, individual tian’s to be enjoyed throughout the week—they truly get better with age. Our tians appear mostly as the main course of a healthful lunch, complemented by a garden-fresh green salad and grilled bread. They are also delightfully beautiful accompaniments to grilled fish for heartier meals, and lovely on a buffet when entertaining. 

Here is a version that borrows some of Vergé’s original recipe, and some of Ripert’s. 

Serving Size: 4

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes