My husband and I recently had a road trip to south Jersey to visit Sickler View Farms, but more on that later. On our way home we pre-ordered lunch from a local restaurant, Bergs Smoked Meat in Belmar, NJ. They make the most delicious sandwiches. I ordered the beef brisket and my husband had the turkey Reuben. As a side, we selected their potato salad. Their salad had plenty of fresh dill which gave it a delightful flavor. I decided I would try to replicate and searched the internet.
What I came across was a recipe found on Ina Garten’s website, “Barefoot Contessa,” for Potato Salad à la Julia Child. What stood out in this recipe was the addition of cornichon pickles, champagne vinegar (or white wine vinegar), fresh dill and the addition of the potato cooking water. The addition of the water, which is starchy, adds a creaminess to the dressing.
For the recipe you’ll also need Yukon Gold potatoes, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, celery, shallots, fresh chives, mayonnaise, sour cream and hard-boiled eggs. As you need a mere 1/3 cup of sour cream, I substituted Greek yogurt.
While the potatoes cooked, I diced the celery and shallots, chopped the cornichons, fresh chives and dill and placed in a small bowl. In another bowl, I whisked together the mayo, yogurt, salt and pepper.
Once the potatoes were done cooking, I removed 1/3 cup of cooking water before draining. I returned them to the pot and stirred in the reserved cooking water, vinegar and let them stand for 10 minutes; occasionally stirring. Afterwards, three quarters of the vegetables were added along with the dressing and everything was mixed together. This was followed by several hours of chilling.
Well, what a fabulous potato salad! This was very close to the Bergs version, in fact, my husband said this should be our new go to recipe. High praise indeed and I do concur.
New Jersey tomatoes are slowly making their way to the market at the Jersey shore. When we were recently in south Jersey we stopped at a farm market and picked up two. In the meantime, Matt’s Farm Market in Belmar has some really tasty ones from Arkansas. I decided to buy some and try a recipe by David Tanis from the New York Times/NYT Cooking website for Tomato Risotto. For the recipe you’ll need an onion, salt, pepper, arborio or carnaroli rice, red pepper flakes, fresh garlic, white wine, diced tomatoes, water or vegetable broth, pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese and both fresh basil and parsley for garnish.
The recipe sounded both easy and delicious and I was intrigued with the addition of diced tomatoes. I used my LeCreuset braiser and followed America’s Test Kitchen method of cooking. Different than traditional risotto recipes, you let the pot come to a vigorous simmer, which imitates the stirring process, stirring just twice during cooking instead of constantly. The risotto was creamy garnished with a light drizzle of EVOO, grated Parmesan cheese (I forgot the chopped parsley) and fresh, torn basil leaves from my garden.
What a fantastic recipe. The field ripened tomatoes made for a heavenly dish. The use of vegetable stock (instead of water) and diced tomatoes made for a flavorful risotto. The garnishes added an extra layer of flavor to the dish.
My husband and I picked up our 1/8 share of beef from Sickler Circle View Farms in Monroeville, NJ. We tasted this beef in early May at Beach Plum Farms where they do a farm to table dinner and served skirt steak as part of the meal. We took the plunge and decided to make a bulk purchase of beef. After riding down the NJ Turnpike then the back roads of Salem County, we found our way to the farm. Our bundle included ground beef, chuck roast, bottom round roast, chip steak, filet mignon, rib steaks, strip steak, top sirloin, skirt steak and short ribs. Our order was cryovac, frozen and boxed for picked up. I also purchased handmade butter and their farm fresh eggs.
As I over bought tomatoes (I purchased 2 pounds instead of just 2) for my tomato risotto, I needed to find a recipe that would use some of my excess. A recipe by Ali Slagle on The New York Times/NYT cooking app pointed me towards Grilled Steak with Tomato Tartare.
For the recipe you’ll need skirt, flank, flatiron or bavette steak, salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes, a shallot, capers plus its brine and chives.
As I mentioned, I had a skirt steak in my beef share and decided to use it for this preparation. The steak was patted dry, seasoned with salt and generously coated with freshly ground black pepper. It was marinated in a mixture of Worcestershire sauce and extra-virgin olive oil.
An hour before grilling, I prepared the tomatoes. In a large bowl, I whisked the remaining Worcestershire sauce, extra-virgin olive oil and caper brine. To the bowl I added diced tomatoes, thinly sliced shallot (this was rinsed under cold water to remove some of its harshness), salt, pepper and chopped capers.
I removed the meat from the refrigerator approximately an hour before cooking allowing the meat to come to room temperature. The skirt steak is best cooked over high heat for a brief amount of time. Using a cooking thermometer, I grilled it until the internal temperature reached 130° at its thickest part. After a brief rest I sliced the meat, placed it on a platter and spooned the tomatoes and its juices over it.
Oh my gosh! The meat was tender beyond belief. It had a nice beefy flavor and was juicy. In order to maximize its tenderness, it must be cut against the grain. This is the best beef we’ve ever had. A little pricy, yes. A bit of a drive to pick up, yes. Was it worth it, you bet it was! Before I forget, the tomatoes accompanying the steak were also wonderful. The complex flavor of the tomatoes played off well with the marinated beef. You must try this recipe.
Lastly, we were in Cranford this week and we stopped at Perrotti’s Quality Meats for pork chops. I had meant to pick up some at Sickler’s as they also raise pigs and have pork in their freezer case, but it totally slipped my mind. To keep things simple in this extreme heat, my husband suggested grilling them and serving them with the leftover potato salad and remaining tomato tartare. I found a spice rub mixture by Steven Raichlen in his recipe Grilled Pork Chops on The New York Times/NYT Cooking app using spices I already had on hand. For the rub you’ll need kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), freshly ground black pepper, smoked paprika (this gives the meat a smokiness, but you can use sweet or hot paprika), light or dark brown sugar and bone-in or boneless pork chops. I decided to put the rub on the pork chops early in the afternoon and let them hang out in the refrigerator. I also dug out my small smoker box that I purchased years ago off a sale table at Williams-Sonoma. I had some hickory wood chips that I soaked in water before placing in the box.
When it came time to cook, I placed the chips in the bottom tray and preheated the grill until the chips started to smoke. With a light drizzle of olive oil on the chops, I placed the meat on the perforated tray and covered with the lid. The pork chops were cooked until they internal temperature registered 130°. If it wasn’t so damn hot, I would have placed the chops on the grill to get grill marks…next time.
This was another hit! The pork was succulent and developed a lovely flavor from the dry rub and the hickory smoke. The meat was ever so tender and juicy. In fact, my husband said this is a perfect dish for company.
From the website of “Barefoot Contessa”
by Ina Garten
Servings: 6
Ingredients
2 pounds large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced ½-inch thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons good Champagne or white wine vinegar
3/4 cup medium-diced celery (2 to 3 ribs)
1/2 cup medium-diced shallots (2 large)
1/4 cup drained, chopped cornichons
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, plus extra for serving
2/3 cup good mayonnaise, such as Hellmann’s or Best
1/3 cup sour cream
2 hard-boiled eggs, cooled and large-diced
Preparation
Place the potatoes in a large saucepan with water to cover by 2 inches. Add 2 tablespoons salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, until just barely tender when pierced with a fork. Set aside ⅓ cup of the cooking liquid, then drain the potatoes and place them in a large bowl. Drizzle the potatoes with the vinegar and reserved cooking liquid and let them stand for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the celery, shallots, cornichons, chives, and dill and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Add three quarters of the vegetable-and-herb mixture to the potatoes, reserving the rest. Stir in the mayonnaise dressing, incorporating any liquid in the bowl, and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours for the flavors to blend.
When ready to serve, add the reserved vegetable mixture and the eggs to the salad and sprinkle with extra dill, salt, and pepper. Stir gently to combine. Taste for seasonings and serve cold or at room temperature.
From America’s Test Kitchen: video on the best way to make hard boiled eggs for easy peeling
Tomato Risotto
“Let This Recipe Change How You Cook,”
From “City Kitchen” column By David Tanis
The New York Times, August 2, 2019
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced (about 1 ½ cups)
Salt and pepper
1 ½ cups arborio or carnaroli rice
Pinch of red-pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves
½ cup white wine
2 cups diced ripe red tomatoes
3 cups boiling water or vegetable broth
½ cup grated pecorino or Parmesan, plus more for serving
4 medium tomatoes, in different colors, sliced
Chopped parsley, for garnish
Snipped basil, for garnish
Preparation
- Put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, then add the onion, and season generously with salt. Add pepper to taste, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the rice and cook the onions, stirring, until the onions are barely brown, about 2 minutes. Add red-pepper flakes, garlic, white wine and diced tomatoes, and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes more.
- Add 2 cups boiling water and adjust the heat to a brisk simmer. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring well with a wooden spoon every minute or so.
- When the liquid is absorbed, add remaining 1 cup water and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, until the rice is cooked, but the grains are still firm. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding another splash of water if necessary to loosen the mixture. Turn off the heat, stir in the pecorino and 2 more tablespoons olive oil.
- Transfer to a low, wide serving bowl. Surround the rice with tomato slices and season them with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley and basil. Pass more grated cheese at the table.
Grilled Steak with Tomato Tartare
By Ali Slagle
The New York Times/NYT Cooking
August 7, 2025
Total Time: 1 hour
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ pounds skirt, flank, flatiron or bavette steak, patted dry
Salt and black pepper
1-pound tomatoes, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 large shallot, thinly sliced and rinsed under cold water
2 tablespoons capers, chopped, plus 1 tablespoon brine
¼ cup thinly sliced chives
Preparation
1. Heat the grill to high. In a container that fits the steak, stir together 2 tablespoons Worcestershire and 2 tablespoons oil. Season the steak lightly with salt and generously with pepper, then toss to coat in the marinade. Let sit while you make the tomatoes (or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator).
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the tomatoes, shallot, capers, brine, remaining ½ teaspoon Worcestershire and the remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside (up to 1 hour ahead).
3. Shake the marinade off the steak. Grill the steak, flipping every 3 minutes, until well-browned and 130 degrees in the thickest part for medium-rare, 6 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the steak. (If using a gas grill, cover grill between flips.) Transfer to a cutting board to rest for at least 5 minutes.
4. Slice the steak and top with the tomatoes and all the juices in the bowl, followed by the chives.
Grilled Pork Chops
“5 Dishes Everyone Should Know How to Grill,”
By Steven Raichlen
The New York Times/NYT Cooking
June 2, 2023
Total Time: 40 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
2 teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons sweet or hot paprika (or pimentón)
2 packed teaspoons light or dark brown sugar
4 bone-in or boneless pork chops (each ¾- to 1-inch thick)
Neutral oil, as needed
Preparation
- Mix the salt, pepper, paprika and brown sugar in a small bowl. Blot the pork chops dry with paper towels, then set on a sheet pan. Season on both sides with the spice rub, patting the seasonings into the meat with the flat of a fork. Lightly drizzle the chops with oil on both sides. Let sit at room temperature while you light the grill.
- Light your grill and heat to high. (Note: If grilling pork chops that are thicker than 1 inch, heat the grill to medium-high, so they have enough time on the grill to cook through without burning on the outside.) Brush or scrape the grill grate clean and oil it well: Fold a paper towel into a tight pad. Dip it in a small bowl of oil, and, holding it at the end of your grill tongs, draw it over the bars of the grate.
- Arrange the pork chops diagonally on the grill grates. Close the lid and grill for 1 ½ to 2 minutes, then rotate each chop a quarter turn and grill for another 1 ½ to 2 minutes. (This gives the chops a handsome crosshatch of grill marks and helps them cook more evenly.) If any flare-ups occur, simply move the chops to a cooler section of the grill.
- When the bottoms of the chops are browned, flip and grill the other side the same way, closing the grill again. The total cooking time will be 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium (about 145 degrees).
- Transfer the chops to a platter or plates and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.