What I've been Cooking Lately...

No time for a real post, but I thought I would link to some recipes I've found online and made recently, to varying degrees of success.

The Ultimate Vegetable Torta from Cooking Light. This torta is seriously labor intensive, but pretty delicious. I've made it twice now and I'm not entirely sure it is worth the effort, however it is a great way to use up the results of an over-zealous Farmer's Market trip.

Roasted Cod with Warm-Olive-Caper Tapenade from Eating Well. Mmmm, I loved this and it was such a snap to pull together on a weeknight. If you like briney things you'll be all over this. I served it with the suggested orzo (cooked in vegetable broth) and spinach.

Ziti with Grilled Gazpacho Sauce and Sausage from Gourmet. Another total winner, smokey and delicious. I used penne, and turkey Italian sausage in a vain attempt to lighten the recipe. Delicious, great leftover as well.

Black Bean and Tomato Quinoa from Gourmet. Delicious, healthy, filling. I served this with something--grilled chicken or fish maybe? It should tell you a lot that the side dish stuck out a lot more than the main course. Would make a lovely vegetarian lunch all on its own.

Beef Saté with Peanut Dipping Sauce from Cooking Light. Another super speedy and tasty weeknight dish. The meat wasn't my absolute favorite but I liked this meal well enough. I made it with brown rice instead of the instant.

Chicken-Chorizo Burgers with Avocado Mayonnaise from Cooking Light. I liked these, although I over processed the meat mixture and I think that made it a bit tough. Great flavor, though, and a nice alternative to beef or turkey burgers. The recipe makes a lot and I froze a stack of the patties, seperated with parchment. I'll let you know how they fare after being thawed.

Green Onion Pancakes with Tomato-Avocado Salsa from Cooking Light. Oh, baby, I loved these. Served them with a pile of garlicky grilled shrimp. I used my own guacamole recipe, however, because I'm not a huge oregano fan. I also used Gruyeré in the pancakes.

Crispy Soft-Shelled Crabs with Bean Salad from Martha Stewart. The dish of the summer! If soft-shelled crabs were in season longer (and I could afford them), I think I'd make this all the danged time. I used some fresh black-eyed peas, edamame, and some coarsely chopped green beans in the salad. And make the homemade garlic mayo, please. You won't be disappointed. I made this same salad later in the summer to serve with crabcakes and it was lovely as well.

Bacon Stuffed Burgers

Food writers of the world, I feel that I must warn you. If you are trying to write a grocery list, planning to create a meal that will challenge and inspire you, do not, I repeat: do NOT talk to my friend Veronica. Because sweet Veronica, in her lilting and oh-so-charming southern accent, will tell you all about the amazing hamburger she just ate, and you will be able to think of nothing else.


I really fear that I'm becoming a kind of dull cook lately. Don't get me wrong, everything is delicious, but it borders on the mundane to read about. I need to awaken another part of my culinary multiple personality, the side that makes fresh ricotta, or who has been known to spend a weekend simmering beef stock.

Or maybe I should just shut my trap and enjoy this incredibly delicious hamburger. What made it so delicious? Well, in a fit of mad genius*, I decided to crumble up some very nice bacon and mix it into the ground beef. I know, how could I do such a thing? It was so good. It made the meat smoky and moist and what can't bacon improve? Seriously, I want to know.

Slathered with Lemon Avocado Mayo and topped with crisp lettuce and thinly sliced tomato, this was a work of art. Well, maybe not, but it was a work of beef, especially when cradled by a homemade bun. A side of perfectly smokey and charred grilled vegetables were a healthy and fitting complement to the bastion of cholesterol taking up half of the plate. Put bacon in your burger. It's really good.

Now I have to go out and make a spun sugar birdcage or something, lest I completely lose what little respect I've garnered.


*I hardly think that I was the first person to come up with this brilliant innovation, but I'm rather enjoying the view from my high horse, so I refuse to Google it and find out. Don't rain on my parade!

Comaburgers

As I mentioned in my last entry (before Blogger went crazy and wouldn't let me write anymore), the weather is positively balmy outside, and the world seems to have spring fever this weekend. All over the neighborhood I hear children playing, lawns being mown, and the telltale scent of charred meat wafts through the air.



And so, of course, it was time for hamburgers. And not just any hamburger, but the winner of the 2005 Build A Better Burger contest, the venerable "Grilled California Avocado BLT Burger wth Caramalized Chipotle Onions". It's even more of a mouthful to eat.

As usual, I took liberties with the recipe, made it smaller, etc. The link above will take you to the original creation, if you are a recipe purist. I have to say, this is probably one of the best hamburgers I have ever eaten. Ever. PERIOD. It is that good, folks. Paired with grilled corn and slow baked beans, it will put you in heaven.


Now, why "Comaburgers"? First of all, I didn't quite follow the original recipe and I find typing it out to be a tiresome task. Secondly, these burgers have a unique narcoleptic effect. After eating them, Chris and I both felt the need to lie down and ultimately went to bed early. Today, I had a dialed-down version for lunch, and promptly took a nap with Buster the beagle. Dangerous stuff. But, so amazing.

Comaburgers
serves 4

for the caramelized chipotle onions:

.5 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp Tabasco Smoked Chipotle sauce
1 tsp stock, any flavor (water will do in a pinch)
1 tsp basalmic vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp brown sugar


Heat the oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the rest of the ingredients, tossing well to combine and cover onions. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until tender and sweet. Keep warm until ready to serve.

for the bleu cheese spread:

.25 c. herbed spreadable cheese (I used Boursin)
2 Tbsp. bleu cheese crumbles
(or, try melting some good pimento cheese instead)


Combine cheeses in a small saucepan. Heat gently over a low flame until soft and easily combined. Cover and keep warm.

for the patties:

1 lb. ground beef (I used Laura's Lean Beef)
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 Tbsp. Tabasco Smoked Chipotle sauce
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
8 avocado slices
basalmic vinegar
4 leaves of lettuce
4 slices cooked bacon (very crispy turkey bacon works, too)
4 hamburger buns, split

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. Remind me sometime to rant about the inferiority of gas grills.

Combine the beef, herbs, Chipotle sauce, and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl. Handling the meat as little as possible, mix well. Divide into four equal portions, and keep in mind that wider, thinner burgers are less likely to cook up into hockey pucks.


Place the patties on the grill and cook, turning once, 5-6 minutes per side for medium doneness. While the burgers are grilling, brush the avocado slices with basalmic vinegar and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cut your cooked bacon slices in half. Lightly toast your buns during the last minute of burger cooking.

To assemble: spread the cheese mixture evenly on all cut bun sides. On each roll bottom, place a lettuce leaf, a patty, an equal portion of the caramalized onions, 2 bacon halves, and 2 avocado slices. Smoosh the roll tops on, and dig in!


So there you go, these burgers are to die for. Or, at least, worth the coma. Labor intensive, yes, but it's for a very good cause--enjoy!

Open-Faced Tuna Burgers with Wasabi Mayonnaise

Upon finding some especially gorgeous-looking tuna at my fish counter, I was struck with the idea to recreate a dish I really liked at a restaurant I worked for a few years back. I could only remember the basic idea of the dish, so it was fun to try and put it together on my own. I think you will enjoy the melange of flavors, the healthy leaning, and the altogether lovely dish this makes. Enjoy!

Open-Faced Seared Tuna Burgers with Wasabi Mayonnaise
makes 4 small open-faced burgers (2-3 servings)


for the Wasabi Mayonnaise:

1 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp sour cream
wasabi paste (use as much as you prefer)
fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped

Mix all ingredients well, set aside to let flavors mix. Adjust seasoning, then use to top burgers--it's also pretty tasty as a dip for the sweet potato crisps!


for the burgers:

2 sushi-quality tuna fillets (about 1 lb.)
3 Tbps Tamari/soy sauce
2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
.25 cup chopped coriander (cilantro)
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
4 small French bread rolls, sliced and lightly toasted
prepared seaweed salad (optional)


Chop your tuna fillets semi-coarsely (a good knife is going to do you well here, I recommend the Wustof Santuko). In a bowl, mix with 3 Tbsp of the soy sauce, 1 Tbsp sesame oil, the rice vinegar, coriander, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well, but gently, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. If your tuna is good quality, take a taste of it raw--wouldn't this make great tartare?


Form the tuna mixture into 4 patties--they will be very loose, you might want to stick them into the freezer for 20 minutes or so after forming. Heat a splash of olive oil with the remaining sesame oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.

Carefully sear the patties for 2 minutes per side (if you are gentle they will stay together), remove from heat. I really think these are best rare, so be careful to not over cook. Well, unless you like it that way.


Top each roll half with some seaweed salad, then top with burgers and wasabi mayonnaise; serve. We ate these up with steamed edamame and a pile of yellow sweet potato crisps alongside. Pretty freaking great, if I don't say so myself.