The Best Turkey Burger

This recipe was adapted from a recipe that first appeared in Gourmet in 2004 entitled “Turkey Cheddar Burgers”.

I used a mixture of equal parts white and dark ground turkey from Whole Foods. The dark turkey keeps the burgers moist but it adds fat.

 Make these on an outdoor grill If at all possible.

Now for the cheese… if you have a Whole Foods nearby, you want to use Seaside Cheddar. Seaside mature English cheddar is a cow's milk cheese. It is smooth and nutty with a little bite. It combines both a creamy sharpness and a crunch that comes from the calcium crystals. It is full-bodied and complex with a start, middle and an end. This is an amazing cheese; once you taste it you will never forget it. (If you don’t have a have a Whole Foods near you, from what I have been able to determine this could be similar to what is sold under the name of Coastal Cheddar available at Trader Joes.)

FOR BURGERS

• 1 large shallot, finely chopped (1/4 cup)

• 4 teaspoons olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 lb ground turkey (white and dark meat)

• 2 ½ oz Seaside Cheddar cut into 2 (1/2-inch-thick) slices ( the cheddar must be extra sharp)

• 4 Brioche hamburger rolls

FOR SUN-DRIED TOMATO MAYONNAISE

• 1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained

• 1 tablespoon water

• 2 teaspoons cider vinegar

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise

• ACCOMPANIMENT:

lettuce leaves

MAKE MAYONNAISE

• Purée tomatoes with water, vinegar, and salt in a blender or mini food processor, scraping down sides as necessary, then blend in mayonnaise.



MAKE BURGERS:

• Prepare or preheat an outdoor grill.

• Cook shallot in oil with salt and pepper in an 8-inch skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes, and then transfer to a bowl. Add turkey and mix gently but thoroughly.

• Turn out turkey mixture onto a sheet of wax paper and divide into 4 equal mounds. Pat 1 mound into a 4-inch patty and top with 1 piece of cheese then put a second mound on top, patting it onto other patty to enclose cheese. Pinch edges together to seal and shape into a single patty.

• Grill burgers, turning over once, until just cooked through (no longer pink), 8 to 9 minutes total.

• While burgers are cooking, lightly toast the Brioche rolls.

ASSEMBLE BURGERS:

• Spread cut sides of rolls with tomato mayonnaise. Serve burgers on rolls with lettuce.

Tuna with Sundried Tomatoes and Nicoise Olives

I've been making this tuna for years. It takes almost no time to make so it’s perfect for a rushed weeknight meal and yet it’s special enough for entertaining. You can make as much or as little of the sundried tomato mixture as you like and you can finely chop the ingredients or leave them a little larger as I've done here.

It’s best cooked on an outdoor grill.

3/4 cup oil packed sun dried tomatoes, chopped

3/4 cup pitted Nicoise olives- cut in half

A handful of fresh mint, chopped

2 cloves of garlic minced

2 tuna filets

Fresh ground black pepper

Olive oil



Preheat a broiler or grill.

In a bowl stir together the sun-dried tomatoes, olives, mint, garlic and pepper. Add two tablespoons of oil from the sundried tomatoes. 

Brush the tuna with a little olive oil and grill or broil about 2 – 3 minutes per side (do not overcook) .

Plate the tuna and spoon the sundried tomato mixture over the filets.

Enjoy.



 

Brown Rice and Lentil Soup

This is a one of my favorite soups. I like  it  spicy but you can adjust the seasoning to your taste. Lentils are the quintessential comfort food and they are high in fiber, protein, B vitamins and folate. Serve this with some whole grain bread and perhaps a salad...completely satisfying. This soups is wonderful.

I've also made this with jalapeño pepper or hot pepper oil instead of the tobasco sauce. If you use jalapeños just slice them and saute them with the veggies.

adapted from a recipe by Jane Brody


10 cups of water

2 cups lentils

1/2 cup of brown rice

1 tbs olive oil

4 large cloves garlic minced

2 tbs grated ginger

1 cup chopped scallions, including green tops

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 reduced sodium soy sauce

2 tbs white rice vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

tabasco sauce to taste



In a large pot bring the water to a boil. Stir in the lentils and brown rice and boil over moderate heat for 30 minutes.


In a large skillet ( non-stick if you have it) heat the oil , add the garlic, ginger, scallions, celery, green pepper and parsley and saute until softened.


When the lentils and rice are done, add the vegtables to the pan along with the soy sauce, vinegar, salt and tobasco.



Serves 6-8.

Chicken Adobo - Filipino style

Adobo/Inadobo" − cooked in soy sauce, vinegar and garlic. It could also refer to just roasting on a wok, with light oil, garlic and salt, as in adobong mani (peanut adobo).

I was looking for something I could make with ingredients I have in the house today and I came across Chicken Adobo, the national dish of the Phillipines. Adobo is actually a Spanish word meaning marinade. The ingredients in this dish are ones we all know well but the combination was a delightful surprise.

Not only is this quick and easy but it is incredibly delicious. There is no overpowering vinegar taste and the aroma is heavenly. This one is definetely a keeper.

I served it on a bed of couscous and I left the whole peppercorns in the sauce, but you can strain it if you like.


• 1/2 cup soy sauce

• 3/4 cup white wine vinegar

• 1 whole garlic bulb , peeled and crushed

• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger , grated ( I throw it into the food processor)

• 2 bay leaves

• 1/2 tablespoon black peppercorns

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 3 pounds chicken, cut into pieces



1. Combine the first seven ingredients in large pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add chicken. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes, basting the chicken occasionally. After 30 minutes, remove lid and cook until liquid reduces ( by about half)

2. Remove chicken from the pot to a serving plate. Serve chicken hot over rice and drizzle with reserved sauce

John Barricelli's Carrot Cake

I love carrot cake but I haven't made one in years. This carrot cake was incredible. Wonderful for Easter.

Worth every calorie.

Delicious cold right out of the refrigerator too.


Makes one 8-inch layer cake


• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted plus more for pans

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans

• 1 cup (3 ounces) pecan halves

• 1 pound large carrots, peeled

• 3 large eggs, room temperature

• 1/3 cup nonfat buttermilk

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 2cups sugar

• 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans. Dust with flour, and tap out any excess. Set aside. Spread pecans in a single layer on an ungreased baking pan, and toast in oven until lightly golden, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand until completely cool. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees. Finely chop pecans and set aside.


2. Using the smallest holes (less than 1/4-inch in diameter) of a box grater, grate carrots, yielding 2 1/2 cups. Place carrots, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, sugar, and ginger in a large bowl; mix until well combined.

3. Into a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Using a rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the carrot mixture until combined. Fold in the butter and toasted pecans.

4. Divide batter between the two cake pans, and bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Remove pans from oven, and transfer to a wire rack to cool, about 15 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack; let stand until completely cool.

5. Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes so surfaces are level. Slice each layer in half crosswise. Place a layer on a cake stand or cardboard round, and spread 3/4 cup frosting over top. Place a second cake layer on top, and spread with another 3/4 cup frosting. Repeat with third layer and another 3/4 cup frosting. Place last cake layer on top, and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of assembled cake. Transfer to refrigerator, and chill 3 to 4 hours.

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting


Frosts one 8-inch layer cake


• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 3 bars (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature

• 3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

• 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest

• 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger

• Pinch of salt

1. Place butter in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cream cheese, and beat until well combined and fluffy, about 2 minutes more. Add sugar, orange zest, ginger, and salt, and beat for 5 minutes.

Cream of Tomato Soup

From my childhood, I remember piping hot bowls of Campbell’s tomato soup, made with milk (not water) with Ritz crackers floating in the soup until they became sufficiently saturated to break with the spoon. I would eat the crackers and then add more to make the bowl last longer. And as if this wasn’t enough, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wonder bread (uggh) or a grilled cheese sandwich made with American cheese.

So when I said I was making homemade tomato soup and the response was “Why would you waste your time when you can open a can?” I understood.

This soup is worth the effort. Delicious.

Cream of Tomato Soup

1 large onion

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cans San Marzano tomatoes (28 oz, whole peeled)

6 cloves of garlic, peeled

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 cup chicken broth

2 cups half and half

Salt to taste

½ teaspoon ground white pepper



Melt butter over medium heat and sauté onions until translucent.

Add tomatoes, garlic, bay leaves, thyme and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer and cook uncovered for about an hour, until the tomatoes and onions are soft and broken down. Remove from heat. Remove bay leave and puree in a food processor, blender or food mill.

Strain soup. Return to a large pot set over low heat. Add salt, pepper and half and half.

San Marzano tomatoes are considered, by most chefs, to be the best tomatoes for any sauce. The San Marzano is an heirloom variety of the plum tomato. The legend is that the first seeds were given to the Kingdom of Naples, as a gift from Peru in 1770. The seed were planted in San Marzano a small town southeast of Naples near the base of Mount Vesuvius. The variety is grown in the United States and worldwide and is naturally sweet, with fewer seeds and lower acidity.

Still delicious with a grilled cheese sandwich. M'm! M'm! Good!