Press Release!

PRESS RELEASE:
New – The Portside Cuisine Cookbook: A Yacht Chef’s Recipe Collection

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Peg Donahue (pegdonahue302@bellsouth.net
Website: www.portsidecuisine.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pegdonahue302
Twitter: @portsidecuisine
Pinterest:  portsidecuisine
Instagram:  yachtchef

Recipes from Epic Voyages …Yacht Chef Peg Donahue Releases New Cookbook: The Portside Cuisine Cookbook: A Yacht Chef’s Recipe Collection

Nearly 10 years, 30-plus countries and 12,000-plus miles in the making, yacht chef Peg Donahue’s Portside Cuisine Cookbook offers a boatload of culinary stories with wave after wave of mouth-watering recipes. With stunning food photography and more than 160 individual recipes, The Portside Cuisine Cookbook reveals a glimpse behind the galley doors of a professional charter chef as she creates world-class cuisine on the high seas for clients that range from everyday guests to captains of industry and celebrities of the silver screen.

Donahue, a native of Massachusetts, U.S.A, who fell in love with cooking at an early age as taught by her Italian grandmother and mother using fresh ingredients from the family’s garden, traded a career behind an office desk for a galley aboard the opulent decks of yachts several years ago. As a chef aboard both private and charter yachts, ranging from a 90-foot motor yacht to sailing yachts from 26- to 43-feet, Donahue has cruised throughout the Caribbean, along the coast of Venezuela and the Eastern seaboard of the United States, and to as far north as the boarder of Nova Scotia. More than just a collection of recipes, The Portside Cuisine Cookbook offers interesting short stories behind each recipe that are so exciting, entertaining and gastronomically-educational that readers can imagine each dish elegantly served on the high seas.

The recipes in The Portside Cuisine Cookbook are brimming with great taste. Each is approachable for the budding home cook as well as attractive to the amateur chef who is ready to break out of the ho-hum of everyday recipes. Donahue’s recipe repertoire ranges from simple and family tested over the years to the more elaborate recipes that are great for holiday dinners, dinner parties, buffets, picnics, and every kind of conceivable party. Similarly, readers will find some of the chapters basic like Appetizers and Starters, Breakfasts, Pasta, and Poultry to trendier topics like Panini, and Small Plates, Lunches and Burgers.

Many of Donahue’s family recipes have a slant towards her Italian heritage. It’s the kind of food that has always been her ‘go-to’ flavor profiles. There are many recipes; however, that hail from other cultures and all parts of our globe. There’s French, Asian, Spanish, Greek, Mexican, German, Caribbean, and even a North African recipe. You’ll also find recipes from all the different regions and cultures of the U.S., like New England Clam Chowder, Whoopie Pies, and Lobster Newburg in a Shell; to Southern Carolina Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes, and Low Country Shrimp Burgers. More elegant fare includes ‘wow’ recipes such as Wild Mushroom and Blue Cheese Omelets, Osso Buco Alla Milanese and a Chocolate Hazelnut Torte. There are also several recipes that can be considered vegetarian; like Cherry and Ginger Soup, the beautiful and delicious Heirloom Tomato and Mozzarella Tart, Wild Rice and Cranberry Salad, or the Veggie and Red Lentil Burger. In a nutshell, there’s a little something for everyone.

Everything is fingertips-ready in The Portside Cuisine Cookbook. All recipes come with step-by-step directions. The ingredients and instructions are broken down with the same category headings and are easy to reference. A handy list of equipment needed is printed alongside. Nutritional information accompanies recipe for the purposes of monitoring sugar intake, sodium intake, and basic calories. There’s also an easy-to-use Index and, for the international readers, a comprehensive conversion chart.

The Portside Cuisine Cookbook is offered as both an eBook, priced at $12.99, and in soft cover at $34.95). Availability is on Amazon.com, Createspace.com, or directly from the author at portsidecuisine@bellsouth.net

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Peg Donahue was a chef aboard both private and charter yachts cruising throughout the Caribbean, the coast of Venezuela, and the Eastern seaboard of the United States, where she earned the name, Yacht Chef. Donahue has cooked for many interesting and influential people, from movie stars, high profile politicians, writers and scientists to a lot of very nice people from all corners of the globe. She shares her recipes and stores in her cookbook, The Portside Cuisine Cookbook: A Yacht Chef’s Recipe Collection, and on her blog at:www.portsidecuisine.com

REVIEWS:

“…Peg Donahue has compiled a comprehensive roster of varied dishes for any time of day or occasion. Her recipes are clear and concise; they are certainly not unnecessarily complicated or intimidating. Peg Donahue’s no-fuss approach makes one want to try her recipes…”

– Amazon Customer

“This is one of the best cookbooks I have ever bought, and I own at least 50!! The recipes are precise, the photos are gorgeous, and I love that the author has European measurements, since it will be a Christmas gift for my sister in England. In fact, it will be a gift for all my foodie friends!

– Pam Ossorio, Prospect, CT

“Simply Amazing! As a professional Chef for more than 38 years, I must say that this is one of the best written culinary recipe books and soulful journeys I’ve had the pleasure of reading. The recipes are elegant, well written with fantastic attention to detail, and diverse! Bravo on publishing this beautiful collection of experiences instead of just another boring and useless cookbook!”

– Chef Richard J. Camerata, Sr., Corporate Executive Chef for Performance Foodservice

SAMPLE RECIPE:

Stuffed Artichoke with Tomatoes & Panko

 I grew up in an Italian household, and we traditionally had stuffed artichokes with every holiday. We always fought over who got the biggest artichoke! We always stuffed the artichokes with the mixture (minus the tomatoes) uncooked, and then steamed or pressure cooked them. They were a wonderful treat! Now I’ve modified them and lightened them up a bit with a lighter stuffing that is more loosely distributed. They still taste sinful, but now pack a lot less calories!

Servings: 6

Equipment Needed:

Cutting board
Chef’s knife
Small mixing bowl
Large wooden spoon
Large stock pot
Large slotted spoon
Cheese grater
Measuring cups & spoons

Ingredients:

6 large artichokes
6 whole garlic cloves
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 large plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
3 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh if possible
2 1/2 cups bread crumbs, Panko, Italian style
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated; and/or Romano for a stronger taste
1/2 cup prosciutto, diced, optional

ARTICHOKES: Trim the stems of the artichokes, leaving about ½ inch and be sure to cut straight to allow the artichoke to stand upright on its own. Rinse the artichoke under cold running water to be sure to remove any sand. Using a very sharp knife, slice about 1 inch off the top, and then use scissors to cut the top off of each leaf.

Place artichokes in a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the whole garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon of the EVOO, and ½ cup of white wine. Cover and cook the artichokes for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until tender and a leaf can be easily removed. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the artichokes. Remove them very carefully with a large slotted spoon and place them upside down on a rack to drain and bring to room temperature. Also, remove the garlic and set aside for the stuffing.

STUFFING: Cut the tomatoes in half, remove the seeds and then dice into 1/4 inch pieces. Chop the cooked garlic cloves. Mic the diced tomatoes with the garlic and mix in the chopped herbs, the salt and pepper, 2 tablespoons of the EVOO, and the lemon juice. Stir in most of the bread crumbs. Check the consistency, and stir in more if needed. The stuffing should be fairly stiff. Finally, add in the Parmesan and/or Romano and the prosciutto if desired.

ASSEMBLY: When the artichokes have cooled, carefully turn them over and gently pull open the leaves from the center of each artichoke, being careful to leave the artichoke intact. Pull out the leaves from the very center and carefully scrape out the fibrous choke with a teaspoon and discard.

Spoon some of the stuffing into the center of each artichoke and then spoon a bit more here and there between the leaves, trying to distribute evenly. You will use about 1/3 of a cup for each artichoke. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of EVOO, and sprinkle a little more lemon juice if desired just before serving.

Serve at room temperature or you can chill them. Do not hold them at room temperature longer than 3-4 hours.

These artichokes will look like a beautiful and colorful flower. Sprinkle with a little freshly diced basil for decoration. Serve with a “bone” bowl to discard the eaten leaves.

Per serving (excluding unknown items): 423 Calories; 16g Fat (34.1% calories from fat); 20g Protein; 52g Carbohydrate; 9g Dietary Fiber; 21 mg Cholesterol; 1213 mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain (Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 3 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 2 1/2 Fat.