Italian Stuffed Burgers

I've been talking lately with my coworker about the possibility of opening a food truck specializing in stuffed burgers. The problem for me when I talk about ideas like this is that it's difficult to limit myself. I want to cook everything. But I must adjust myself to practical concerns like inventory and time.

Here, though, is an item I think we could market quite well. With spaghetti and meatballs in mind, I created a burger stuffed with fresh mozzarella and slow-roasted roma tomatoes and served on toasted garlic buns. I did hope--for poetic reasons--that noodles would work as a topping. I have been told vehemently that they would not.

The slow-roasted tomatoes sat in for the desired marinara element, bringing that juicy tomato flavor without oozing out of the patty.

I fried the pancetta, pressing down on it to render grease, and then cooked the burgers in this flavorful oil.

To go alongside the burgers, I chopped up some red potatoes and sprinkled them with herbs and olive oil, then roasted them for close to an hour.

The hamburger buns were simply sprinkled with garlic powder and then popped in the toaster.

Then we assembled the burgers and ate--before we "snacked" on too much of the mozzarella and tomatoes.

The Italians certainly know how to meld their flavors.

Italian Stuffed Burgers
Serves 4. 

2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons oregano
2 tablespoons garlic powder
4 oz. fresh mozzarella, chopped
6 small rounds of pancetta
4 hamburger buns, halved, dusted with garlic powder, and toasted

4 roma tomatoes, quartered
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil

6 small red potatoes, chopped into 1-2 inch pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons rosemary
1 tablespoon olive oil

Parsley (for garnish)

1. Preheat oven to 200. Place quartered tomatoes on a baking sheet and sprinkle with herbs, balsamic, and olive oil. Roast for 2  hours.
2. When the tomatoes are almost done, mix together ground beef, minced shallots, oregano, and garlic powder.
3. Remove tomatoes from oven. Increase oven temperature to 400. Spread potatoes out on another baking sheet and coat with rosemary and olive oil. Roast in oven for 45 minutes.
4. Form thin burger patties, then top half the patties with mozzarella and a roasted tomato. Place an unadorned patty on top, then crimp the edges together to fully seal.
5. Fry pancetta in a medium skillet, pressing down to render grease. Once cooked, set pancetta aside and cook burger patties in the rendered oil.
6. Assemble burgers on toasted garlic buns, then top with pancetta--and another roasted roma if desired! Serve roasted potatoes on the side.

Spring Quinoa Salad

First I must give thanks to the weather.

The cold and rain of last week let up just in time for my visit home, where I had the privilege of enjoying a couple of boat rides, visiting with old friends, and cooking up delicious treats on my parents' patio.

Then when I got back to town, we visited the arboretum down the road--now I'm thinking of opening a facility called "Arboretum and Weep!" It will be a devastating, tree-studded area.

But after a weekend of heavy eating and late nights/early mornings, it felt fantastic to return to my seasonal endeavors and serve up a light, tasty dinner.

I chose radishes for this week. With turnips and cauliflower, I opted to roast in order to make them more palatable. Here though, I wanted to appreciate the taste of the radish raw.

I knew I wanted to pair them with the asparagus in my refrigerator. When I saw a few recipes online uniting the two with quinoa, I remembered one of my favorite dishes to prepare--Quinoa and Pistachio Salad with Moroccan Pesto. 

After a bit of reconfiguration, I put together a dish with similar flavors but a few new highlights.

The pistachio pesto had a robust but springy flavor, heightened by garlic and lemon zest.

I readied my fresh vegetables before preparing the quinoa.

Then once the quinoa was fully cooked, I stirred in the pesto, then the asparagus, chickpeas, and radishes.

The pesto provided a garlicky, nutty boost to the quinoa--which I always like to cook with a little grapefruit juice--and I found the radishes to be not just a crunchy garnish, but a terrific receptacle for flavor.

So lovely too!


Spring Quinoa Salad
Serves 4 (as side).

3 cups uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup veggie broth
3/4 cup grapefruit juice
Pistachio Pesto
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
6 - 8 radishes, thinly sliced
1 cup chickpeas

Pistachio Pesto
1/2 cup cilantro
3/4 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup roasted pistachios, shelled
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1/4 cup olive oil

1. Make pistachio pesto by combining all ingredients listed above in a food processor. Add more olive oil if needed. Reserve pesto in a bowl until quinoa is cooked.
2. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add asparagus and cook for 5 - 6 minutes until bright green. Transfer to bowl of ice water to stop cooking.
3. In another medium pot, bring water, broth, and grapefruit juice to a boil. Add quinoa, cover, and reduce to a simmer. Cook for fifteen minutes, until all liquid is absorbed.
4. Meanwhile, remove asparagus from ice water. Pat dry and cut into 1-inch stalks.
5. When quinoa is finished cooking, transfer it into a large bowl. Stir in pistachio pesto. Then add asparagus, chickpeas, and radishes.
6. Serve!

Roasted Curried Cauliflower

One of my favorite strengths that I've developed through cooking is the ability to take taste into my own hands.

I hoped through my seasonal project that I could find occasion to take ingredients that once made me cringe or retch (I did once unforgivably ask my mom "What stinks?" Sorry, Mom!) and turn them into mouthwatering final products.

Part of my palate expansion can be attributed to maturity, sure, but I also have to thank the varied techniques and flavors of which I've learned. I can now take an item down many avenues before I find the best route. Cars! Maps! This is a metaphor!

My original plan was to use this as a side dish to Chicken Tikka Masala (one of the first dishes I cooked with my boyfriend!) but time and exhaustion took over and I ended up making the cauliflower as a light supper when I got home from my second job this evening.

No regrets!

To bring out the best flavor, I toasted coriander and brown mustard seeds.

Then I ground them up into the curry vinaigrette and drizzled it over the florets.

Roasted Curried Cauliflower.
Serves 2 - 3 as side.

1 head cauliflower, chopped into uniform florets
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 pinch salt
1 tablespoon coriander seed
1 tablespoon brown mustard seed
1 sprig cilantro (for garnish)

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Spread florets onto a rimmed baking sheet.
3. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar, curry powder, cumin, and salt.
4. Heat a small skillet up to medium-high. Add coriander and brown mustard seeds and toast till aromatic (about 4 - 5 minutes.)
5. Grind up seeds and add to vinaigrette. Whisk to combine.
6. Drizzle vinaigrette over florets.
7. Bake for 35  minutes, turning the cauliflower over halfway through.

Stuffed Turnips à la Piémontaise

This week's seasonal item was turnips!

I worked Friday night and considered lazing away Saturday morning, but the prospect of going to the farmers' market for the first time in ages propelled me upward and onward. I even remembered to bring a bag with me!

Ponchatoula strawberries graced almost every stand, and while I couldn't resist picking some up, I wanted challenge myself with an ingredient that's not so immediately appealing.

I've never cooked with turnips, and I think I've only eaten them once--kebabs served over turnip cakes, woo boy--but I knew I couldn't go wrong with a recipe from Larousse's Gastronomique, which occasionally terrifies me, but I'm getting better about confronting that fear.

The objectives here [I'm watching my boyfriend play GoldenEye 64--please excuse the lingo] were to prepare risotto, hollow out and blanch turnips, and puree the scooped-out flesh from the turnips.

Once the turnips were blanched and the risotto prepared, I stuffed the latter into the turnips and put them in a buttered gratin dish to roast.

We served these on the side of roast chicken stuffed with lemon thyme, which was finishing roasting in the oven as I added the turnips.

    And here we have a lovely, French-inspired dinner.

Stuffed Turnips à la Piémontaise
Serves 3 - 4 (as side)

5 turnips, washed, peeled, and hollowed out
Scooped-out turnip flesh, reserved and pureed
3/4 cup of arborio rice
1 small yellow onion, diced
3/4 stick butter
3 cups chicken stock and 1/3 cup stock, divided
1 cup white wine
Salt
Pepper
Breadcrumbs
Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano (or parmesan)

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. For risotto, melt two tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until they are golden-brown.
3.  Stir in arborio rice for 2 - 3 minutes.
4. Add enough chicken stock to cover the rice. Bring mixture to a simmer, stirring often. When the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, add 1/4 cup wine and 1/4 cup stock. Continue to do this for 16 to 20 minutes, until rice is fully cooked. Add salt, pepper, and pureed turnip flesh.
5. Meanwhile, add turnips to a large pot of boiling water. Let cook for 8 minutes, then remove them to a colander and set it under cold, running water.
6. Once the turnips have cooled, pat them dry and place them in a buttered gratin dish. Stuff each turnip with 1 - 2 tablespoons risotto, remaining chicken stock, and remaining butter (melted). Top with breadcrumbs.
7.  Roast in oven for about 30 minutes. Test doneness with a wooden skewer.
8. Sprinkle each turnip with grated cheese.
9. Serve!

Asparagus and Tomato Penne with Lemon Herb Sauce

'Tis the season!

I've been wanting to cook with fresher produce, both for health reasons and to have a new project that would motivate me to blog more.

I don't want to limit myself entirely to in-season produce, but I hope to center the weekly recipe around an item I can get fresh--surrounded by other quality items.

It's not quite spring here, but I thought I'd kick things off with a springy pasta highlighting asparagus, which I complemented with juicy tomatoes, yellow peppers, goat cheese, and a creamy lemon sauce.

I found a recipe for creamy lemon sauce from Martha Holmberg's Modern Sauces, but I diverted a bit, using milk, a bit of vinegar and sugar, and butter instead of cream, and lemon juice instead of white wine.

For the vegetables, I simply roasted them in a large skillet, starting off with the asparagus, then adding the tomatoes and peppers, and finally the dandelion greens [side salad: I've never used or eaten these before! I was a bit nervous. The girl at Whole Foods seemed bewildered too. We briefly, somewhat jokingly pondered if there had been a miscommunication between Floral and Produce. But it ended up more than okay!].

And finally it all came together!

Asparagus and Tomato Penne with Lemon Herb Sauce
Serves 4 - 6.

1 bunch asparagus (washed, ends trimmed, cut into 1.5-inch pieces)
8 oz. grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup diced yellow peppers
1 tablespoon olive oil
16 oz. whole-wheat penne, cooked al dente 
1 cup pasta water, reserved
2 cups dandelion greens, roughly chopped
Lemon Herb Sauce (ingredients and recipe below)
8 oz. goat cheese, crumbled


1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add olive oil and wait till shimmering.
2. Add asparagus and saute for 2 - 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add tomatoes and peppers and cook, now stirring often, until the tomatoes and asparagus begin to brown.
4. Add chopped dandelion greens and cook until completely wilted.
5. Remove skillet from heat and combine with pasta in large bowl. Stir in lemon herb sauce.
6. Top each serving with goat cheese crumbles.

Lemon Herb Sauce (to be prepared in conjunction with pasta)
1 tsp butter and 1 tablespoon butter, divided
2 tablespoons finely diced shallots
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
2 fresh sprigs thyme, minced
3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 pinch sugar
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tablespoon Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated

1. Melt one teaspoon butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add shallots and cook 1 minutes.
3. Add lemon juice and turn heat to high, bringing to a boil for 3 - 4 minutes.
4. Add broth and thyme, returning to a boil for 8 - 10 minutes.
5. Add milk, vinegar, and sugar and boil for another 7 - 8 minutes.
6. Stir in tablespoon of butter until melted.
7. Remove skillet from heat, stir in lemon zest, and grate in Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Sesame Noodles and Vegetarian Spring Rolls

Another foray into Asian cuisine, rife with crunchy vegetables and spicy sauces and ginger. Get behind me, sinuses.

I don't often go to Whole Foods for recipes, because it's so easy to rack up expenses, but I didn't need much for the recipe and wanted to take advantage of the wider offerings. Plus, the lady in front of me appeared to be feeding a village with fig bars and spent close to a thousand dollars! Good grief. I stood bolstered.

Anyway, I installed my mise en place (French term referring to the prepping of all ingredients before you start cooking. A definite necessity when you're julienning, peeling, and mincing a myriad of vegetables.)

For the spring roll mixture, I included julienne carrots, thin strips of cabbage (I suppose you might call her "Julienne"), julienne sweet red peppers, julienne scallions, and minced cilantro. I tossed all these in olive oil, salt, and pepper, and let the mixture rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, I poured boiling water into a bowl of vermicelli and let it soak for 6 - 8 minutes while the noodles softened.

Andy took over at this point. Once the vermicelli was soft, he snipped it into two inch pieces. He then took another bowl of warm water and soaked each rice paper round for ten seconds before draining it on paper towels. To compose the rolls, he topped the rounds about an inch from the bottom with the vegetable mixture. a tablespoon of noodles, and finally a few slivers of fresh mint leaves.

For rolling, Andy first lifted the bottom of the round over the filling, then he tucked in the sides and rolled it all up tightly.

We made three rolls apiece for just the two of us.

After all the rolls were...rolled, he put them in the fridge for ten minutes to set.

I made a dipping sauce of soy sauce, sesame oil, sriracha, a Thai peanut sauce, chile paste, and rice vinegar. Exact amounts may vary, as I just added bit by bit until the flavor was perfect, but I'll put an estimate in the ingredients list!

The sesame noodles were a cinch. I simply boiled the noodles al dente, then tossed them in three tablespoons of sesame oil, julienne carrots, and julienne cucumber.

The sauce here was similar to the dipping sauce for the spring rolls. This time I used soy sauce, toasted sesame seeds, scallions, garlic, ginger, tahini, rice vinegar, sriracha, peanut sauce, and chile paste.

And here we have a nice vegetarian weeknight dinner! Hope you enjoy :)

Sesame Noodles and Vegetarian Spring Rolls
Serves 2 - 3.

Sesame Noodles
1 16-oz package egg noodles
1 small cucumber, peeled and julienned
1 carrot, peeled and julienned
3 tablespoons sesame oil

Sauce
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce,
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
2 scallions, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 inch ginger, peeled and minced
1/2 tablespoon tahini
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 tablespoon chile paste
1 tablespoon Thai peanut sauce
1 tablespoon sriracha

Vegetarian spring rolls
6 rice paper rounds, each softened in warm water for 10 seconds (right before use)
2 carrots, julienned
1/3 cup Napa cabbage, sliced into thin strips
2 scallions, julienned
2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
3 oz vermicelli, soaked in boiling water, then snipped into 2-inch strips
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, slivered

Dipping sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon sriracha
1 tablespoon peanut sauce
1 teaspoon chile paste
2 tablespoons rice vinegar