Doin' Lunch

River Station Steak & Seafood Restaurant

Poughkeepsie

The River Station http://www.riverstationrest.com in Poughkeepsie is one of our favorite places to go for lunch on our weekend excursions in the Hudson Valley. It has a unique balance between sports bar and family friendly.  In fact, when there are kids there, they make a point of letting the model train overhead run its course around the restaurant passing beautiful murals of historic Poughkeepsie.  We love that; who wouldn’t?

There is a nice appetizer list as well as foods of all types from pub fair to fine entrees.  This is comfort food and we love it.  One of the things we love most is the Chowder Bar!  Four to five different chowders (their outstanding New England is always offered) – who could decide?  Well you don’t have to – they offer free samples.  If you love so many that you still can’t decide – have the chowder sampler and get three cups of your choosing.  Besides the New England, we have loved the roasted corn and lobster chowder that was out of this world and Rhode Island chowder (not quite as thick only more savory than the NE) that may become one of my favorites of all time.  If you want to get into burgers – they are consistently fabulous and with just about every topping you can possibly think of – make your own.  The station burger is outstanding, bacon, swiss, mushrooms and gravy. Have it on the Texas toast so you can get all the drippings. You won’t be disappointed.

They also have an extensive catering business. Follow this link to see what they can do for you.

http://www.riverstationrest.com/cateringnavigationpage.html

All of this and as their web site states; they are the only restaurant that has a view of the river and both bridges from in between the Mid-Hudson Bridge and the Walkway Over the Hudson. They have seating for 100 on their outside deck, and offer four season views of the river through their windowed wall from inside the restaurant. Spectacular!

We have only touched on a couple of things so I am sure this will not be our only post on the River Station.  They have seasonal specials, and if there can be something called a holiday or party, they will have a list of specials for those occasions as well. We are there often enough that I think we might be called regulars.  What makes someone a “regular” at a restaurant?  I’m not sure.  We’re certainly not regulars like Cap’n Cliffy (the owner who still comes in) and his buddies.  All I know is that we are treated like old friends by Pat and the staff, they are always happy to see us, and they take great care of us.  Now that I think about it, they treat everyone that way.

New since The Walkway Over the Hudson has opened, is a shuttle service to and from the entrance to the walkway from The River Station Grill. So you should all come and enjoy some real comfort food here at the River Station and take advantage of the generosity and convenience of the shuttle service to the walkway. That way you can enjoy great food and the views from all over this area.

As this blog will show, we love different restaurants and food styles all over the Hudson Valley.  Our goal is to let you all in on our little jaunts. Hopefully you will find our ramblings helpful and will give them a try. Remember, we all live in this community called the Hudson Valley. Let’s do our best to support our local businesses. And as always, keep doin lunch!

Well we just got something that will allow us to add pictures! So hopefully by the next post, we will have pictures added and I will be able to add pictures to the post recipes out there already. Thanks and keep visiting us.

Salsa

As promised last week I said I would post my ridiculously easy salsa recipe. So here it is. I can’t remember the first time I actually just started chopping everything instead of running to the store for a jar of the leading brand. However, I’m sure guests were involved and I’m sure there was wine involved, and it had to be around lunch time, so rather than get behind the wheel, I grabbed a sharp knife.

We had all of the ingredients except the cilantro so the first time I used everything you see below sans the cilantro. I have since planned ahead for the making of this treat and make sure there is fresh cilantro available, because… you really do need it to enhance that fresh salsa taste.

So I started chopping and slicing away and after about 10 minutes (going to the store would have taken longer) we had a wonderful, spicy, fresh, healthy snack all prepared. I have never bought a jarred salsa since that day. I don’t believe you will either, once you try this and find out how really easy it is.

While I was at it, we needed chips; I always have flour tortillas around, they are great for quick roll ups or for quesadillas, so while I was chopping and slicing, I pre-heated the oven to 350 degrees f and cut the round tortillas into pie pieces and doused them in olive oil. I spread them on to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and sprinkled with kosher salt. Bake them for 12-15 minutes or so and you have nice warm chips to go with your salsa.

So, in 15 minutes we were enjoying the sun with our home made snacks. The kids and grand kids will think you’re great, which is always a good thing, and I could find my wine once more knowing the roads were safe from my having to run to a store. So with last week’s guacamole and the salsa and chips from today, everyone have a fun and safe Cinco de Mayo! And of course, keep doin lunch

Salsa

2 ea Medium to large Tomatoes, diced.

1 Medium red onion, small dice here

2-3 cloves of garlic finely minced.

3-4 Scallions white and green parts finely sliced

2 Fresh Jalapeño peppers diced

½ cup Fresh chopped cilantro

½ – 1 teaspoon celery seeds

Zest of each a lemon and a lime. Use the whole peel trying to get just the zest and not the white pithy material below the surface.

1 tablespoon each lemon juice and lime juice. Use half of the fruit you just zested to start.

Kosher salt to taste

Course ground black pepper to taste.

White pepper

There is a lot of chopping and slicing here, however, once through you will have something everyone will really enjoy. Once you chop or slice each ingredient, place them in a large mixing bowl. Now that you have everything in the bowl, mix well, taste for heat and salt and adjust as necessary. I have made this several times and it always is a gathering spot for your guests. This is a great snack, with all fresh ingredients that is tasty and healthy. Enjoy!

 Guacamole

That’s right, the time of year is drawing near to that wonderful time called summer and the parties, picnics and get togethers that have spicy salads for dips and of course marrrrrrgarrrrrrrettas. Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner, so I thought I would send out (on the urging of our daughter Alexis) my simple but always delicious guacamole. And next week I will post my equally simple and mouth watering salsa.

Guac-a-mollay sauce!!!!, as you see in the post title comes from a movie Alexis and I would watch and laugh to when she was still at home called Major Payne. A very funny movie and in an extremely weird way… endearing. So ever since then,  that’s what we call this cooling yet spicy and can’t stop eating snack, dip, all good for you meal.

As always, start with the freshest ingredients you can find and with this and that you can be snacking with friends and family in no time.

Guacamole (further below is just the recipe without my comments, I will have that list under recipes after the post moves) 

2 ea Medium to large avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and cut up.  See *note below.

½ a Medium red onion, small dice here

Jalapeño peppers, this is all up to taste. You can use about 2 oz of green chilies, or what I like to use is fresh jalapeños. One to 1-½ is sufficient. Cut the ends off and remove the seeds and membrane for mild, remove only half the seeds and membrane for medium and leave them all in for OMG!

1 tablespoon Fresh chopped cilantro, again be careful here, not everyone is a cilantro fan and a little bit can go a long way. Be sure to taste before serving and you can always add more should you feel the need.

½ teaspoon celery seeds, this is the same as above. Be careful, if you add a bit you can always go back and taste and adjust. You can never take out what is already in. I use the seeds here because it adds a crisp snap that celery itself cannot hold up to.

1 teaspoon each lemon juice and lime juice, you’ve gone this far go ahead and squeeze your own.

I also like to use the zest of each. Use about half the peel of each. Now is the time if you don’t have one, to invest in a micro grater or zester. You will never be upset that you have one in your arsenal.

1 clove of garlic, finely minced.

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Course ground black pepper to taste.

Optional One fresh tomato chopped. I like this myself and there is no reason you can‘t do both. Just remember to split your guacamole in half and add the tomatoes to one half. The tomatoes start to break down the dip soon after they are added and so you will really not be able to keep the left over’s for the tomato half.

In a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients together and mix with a large fork or spoon. I prefer to leave my avocados chunky, however you could put this in a food processor and pulse it a few times to make it smoother. To each his/her own. Have fun with it, you are ready to join your friends and family and PARTY! Just add tortilla chips on a nice platter and the Guac-a-mollay!!!! sauce in a nice bowl. I also have taken a baguette and sliced it somewhat thin on the bias, coated with olive oil and broiled or grilled them in lieu of the tortilla chips, just make sure you have something sturdy to dip in the sauce.

*Note: Avocados, now here you can take a large spoon and scoop out the avocado and then cut it up or, you can place one half in the palm of your hand and run a small knife through the flesh (careful not to cut through the peel and in turn your hand) slice three or four lines length wise and then turn 90 degrees and cut through to the peel about six times in this new direction. Your goal here, using either method is to come up with about a ½” dice once you’re through.

Guacamole

2 ea Medium to large avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and cut up.

½ a Medium red onion, small dice here

1 to 1-1/2 Fresh Jalapeño peppers

1 tablespoon Fresh chopped cilantro

½ teaspoon celery seeds

1 teaspoon each lemon juice and lime juice

I also like to use the zest of each. Use about half the peel of each.

1 clove of garlic, finely minced.

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Course ground black pepper to taste.

Optional Fresh tomato chopped