Some food and drink spots in Sullivan County, NY

Food

Roadside BBQ truck with picnic tables

Big Kev's BBQ - White Lake

http://bigkevsbbq.com/

Lake front, two story pizza joint

Benji and Jake's Pizza - Kauneonga Lake

http://www.benjiandjakes.com/Benji_%26_Jakes/Welcome.html

Hilltop tavern and inn

The Arnold House- Livingston Manor

http://www.thearnoldhouse.com/

Drink

Catskill Distilling Company - Bethel

https://catskilldistilling.wordpress.com/the-story/

Catskill Brewery - Livingston Manor

http://catskillbrewery.com/?age-verified=fc17a4b207

Prohibition Distillery - Roscoe

http://www.prohibitiondistillery.com/

Seafood Stew

We were in Maine staying at a house a couple blocks from a great seafood market. Below is the seafood stew I made after one of my many visits to the market that week. 

Served 8 of us

1lb haddock or other thick white fish cut into 2-2 1/2 inch pieces
1lb scallops
1lb large or jumbo shrimp (I got the ones that were deveined, split and shells still on.  completely cleaned will do too)
1 - 2 lbs of mussels (cleaned well)
1 - 2 dozen small clams ( cleaned well)
1 onion diced
Few cloves of garlic smashed and diced
Bell pepper sliced into thin sticks
Red pepper flakes - 1/2 tsp (more if you want it hot)
Dried oregano - tsp
Bay leaf
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
white wine - cup
1 1/2 cups water
Parsley chopped - 1/2 cup
Find a large pot that can comfortably hold all of your food.
Sauté onion in olive oil until golden (3min)
Add garlic and sauté 1 min
Add peppers and sauté 3 min
Add pepper flakes, oregano and bay leaf and stir a few times.
Add wine and boil for 1 min.
Add water and tomatoes with juices and bring to boil.
Add clams and mussels and cover pot. Cook 4 min.
Salt and pepper the shrimp and add to pot. Nestle in the broth. Cover and cook 2-3 min.
Salt and pepper the scallops and fish and add to the pot in even layer. Cover and cook 4 min or until fish and scallops are cooked through.
Spoon out the seafood into one very large bowl (or individual bowls) leaving liquid in the pot. Turn off the heat and add a touch of butter (maybe a tsp)  and the parsley.
Spoon the sauce over your fish and serve with lots of bread for dunking.
Oh boy this is good.

Brisket Stew

This is an awesome cold winter day meal by the fire

Serves 4
Brisket 2 lbs cut into large cubes - about an inch
Half an onion diced
Couple large garlic cloves minced
Celery stalk finely diced
2 - 3 cups stock- chicken, beef, or veg
2 large carrots sliced into coins
Some green veggie - I used maybe 12 green beans cut in thirds you can use a handful of kale shredded or spinach leaves. 
Salt, pepper, dried thyme (1 tsp), sprig or two of parsley plus a few more sprigs finely chopped, bay leaf

Warm oven to 300F
Salt and pepper you brisket and dust with four
Use an oven safe pot like a Dutch oven to Brown your brisket in oil in batches (so the meat isn't overcrowded) and remove to a plate when nicely browned
Cook the onion, garlic and celery in the pot with a little salt and pepper
Return the meat and juices to the pot and cover with stock and bring to boil
Add your spices except for the chopped parsley, cover the pot and put it in the oven
After an hour add your carrots and 20 min later add your greens
Remove and add your chopped parsley
Serve with mashed potatoes, crusty bread or basic risotto or all three

Springtime Bourbon

• 2 shots of Bourbon
• Juice of half a lemon
• Squeeze of honey
• Splash of cold tea

-Add all of the above ingredients to a cocktail shaker or mason jar with a lid and shake.
-Add ice and shake again.
-If using the mason jar, serve it  as is or if using cocktail shaker, pour the contents in a glass over ice.

spring time!

Sorta Chimichurri

its sorta chimicurri because I just thew a handful of ingredients together and while its similar to the traditional stuff its not an exact match.  Tastes great on grilled skirt steak, swordfish, chicken, etc etc etc.

In a food processor combine:

• handful of parsley leaves 
• handful cilantro leaves
• large garlic clove 
• 1/8 of an onion chopped
• juice from a lemon
• couple pinches of salt and pepper
• if you like spicy - add half a chipotle in adobo, or a jalapeno

chop up ingredients in the processor until well chopped and combined and start slowly streaming olive oil in while machine is running - maybe 3 tablespoons worth of olive oil.

scrape out of processor and serve!

Butternut Squash Soup + Rye Bread Croutons

I love this soup in the fall.  The temperatures are getting cooler and the squash is found everywhere.  Its easy as hell to make and tastes great, especially when topped with homemade croutons.  Enjoy by the fire with friends and a glass of bourbon.

Soup
Makes ~4 quarts
3 medium to large butternut squash : peeled (a carrot peeler works well), quartered lengthwise and seeded.
3 apples : peeled, quartered and seeded
tsp dried sage
half a nutmeg grated
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil, butter 1 tbsp each

preheat oven to 350 F
put all of the ingredients in a large dutch oven or oven proof stock pot and add a cup of water. cover and place in oven for 1 hour.  remove from oven and let cool to room temp.  puree with hand blender or in batches in a food processor.  reheat when ready to serve and top with your croutons. done.

Rye Bread Croutons
cut your rye bread into small cubes
toss with a little olive oil
season with salt
spread evenly on a cookie sheet and toast in the oven until golden.
you can store any unused croutons in an airtight container and use on salads too.

Ice Cold Tea

Hot out? Make some ice cold tea.

• Bring a 1 1/2 quart pot of water to boil
• Turn off heat and add 6-7 black tea bags to water
• Add honey, sugar or other sweetener to your tea (to the sweetness level of your liking)
• Add a handful of fresh mint sprigs to the tea
• Let cool to room temp. Discard tea bags and mints sprigs
• Store in large glass mason jar or glass pitcher in your fridge
• Serve over ice with a slice of lemon and a mint sprig