Author: deborahbarnett

Sage Sausage & Garlic Lentil Soup

/ deborahbarnett / 6 Comments

It’s Fall!!! Well, almost… the official autumnal equinox is in T-2 days! It’s one of the loveliest times of the year… soup time!

One of my favorite soups to make each season is this Sage Sausage and Garlic Lentil Soup. It’s hearty like stew and plenty enough for an entrée. Especially when I make it with sausage and served with a toasted baguette.

The secret ingredient to making any soup, I believe, is in the stock you use. Starting with a flavorful and fresh base will not only enhance the taste of all your ingredients… it will lengthen the life of your soup… whether you’re having it for leftovers the next day or freezing it for a later time.

I recommend… for just about any soup… my *vegetable garlic broth. Not only is it a healthy anti-oxidant added to your soups… but it’s delicious all by itself. I like to sip a cup of it when I’m not feeling well. You won’t have the best breath… but you’ll feel a lot better! Also, so many people make the mistake of using chicken stock in vegetable soups… including tomato, potato and butternut squash soups. This not only changes the health benefits of your soups, but keeps our vegetarian friends from enjoying a purely vegetarian dish. If you’ve ever had soup at my house and wondered what that “oh my gosh!” taste was – it’s the garlic broth. There… my secret is out!

Start Here: Garlic Broth
You can make as much or as little as you like… I prefer to make the largest batch I can manage so I can freeze small containers worth and have this ready to add to any soup, anytime. This recipe is based on 2.5 quarts. (More recipes to come using this tasty broth!)

2.5 qts Chicken stock, preferably from scratch, but try to use organic if purchasing cans or boxes of broth (it’s roughly six 14oz cans). Vegetable broth can be substituted.
4-5 tablespoons (heaping) coarsely diced garlic (roughly 2 bulbs)
2 bay leaves
3 tbsp olive oil
3 pinches dried sage
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 pinch salt

Add all ingredients to the stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat… cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain through cheesecloth. Use immediately for soup or freeze in individual portions. TIP: freezing broth in ice cube trays allows you to use small portions at a time.

Nutritional info per serving:
110 calories
6 g total fat (1 g sat)11 g carbohydrates
5 g protein
0 g fiber
150 mg sodium

Now… onto the Lentil Soup!

Ingredients
4 cups dried lentils
1 med fennel bulbs, diced (substitute celery or leeks if not in season, 1.5 cups)
1 lb sage sausage (*feel free to eliminate this if you want a vegetarian dish)
1 med sweet onion, diced
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 extra virgin olive oil
1 quart garlic broth
1/2 quart water

Preparation
Dice onion, and fennel. Remove fern and stalks from fennel (this can be done a head of time and can be used for the vegetable stock). Wash lentils and remove any pebbles or rocks. Leave springs of Rosemary whole.

Ready to Cook?
Brown sausage in olive oil in bottom of large stock pot, 5-7 minutes. Add onion & fennel, cooking for an additional 3-5 minutes until tender. Add white wine and cook until mixture is almost dry. Add garlic broth and water, lentils and rosemary sprigs, bring to a boil; then reduce to a low simmer and cover. Should simmer for 45-60 minutes. Be sure to stir occasionally as lentils will stick to bottom of pot. Remove from heat and let rest. Test to make sure lentils are tender. If soup thickens too much, add broth until you achieve desired consistency. Should be thick like stew but not solid, broth should be evident.

Serve with shaved Parmesan or Manchengo cheese on top.

The Perfect Bite
Be sure your first mouthful includes a chunky piece of sage sausage! This is also great served with toasted French baguettes or and warm flour tortilla. Scoop some up on the bread and enjoy!

The Perfect Pairing
Lentil soup is an “Old World” kind of dish… digging deep into a hearty bowl of these earthy legumes makes me feel like I should be sitting at a rustic and gnarly wooden farm table, seated outside under an old equally gnarly oak that over looks the expanse of a ripe vineyard. So this calls for a pairing like Bogle Old Vine Zinfandel. Its smooth yet peppery tones perfectly compliment the spicy sausage and garlicky lentils. Enjoy!

Did You Know?
Whole books have been written about garlic, an herb affectionately called “the stinking rose” in light of its numerous therapeutic benefits. Did you know that garlic is a member of the Lily Family? Just like Allium Lilies (which I’m growing in pots in my front yard), garlic is rich in a variety of powerful sulfur-containing compounds. While these compounds are responsible for garlic’s characteristically pungent odor, they are also the source of many of its health-promoting effects. All of which help promote a healthy heart and act as a anti-inflammatory agent. Read here for more benefits of garlic!

Big Daddy’s (& Little Debbie’s) Spicy Patties

/ deborahbarnett / 11 Comments


I’ve made 2 trips to Jamaica and both times my favorite food memory has been a local favorite, Juici Patties. Spicy or mild, beef or chicken, ground to perfection with onions, garlic and spices… stuffed inside a flaky empanada-style pastry.

Oh. My. Word.4482984078_7b519eb3a0_z

Patties are found at most road-side Jerk Shacks throughout Jamaica – they can be a snack or a meal – whatever your pleasure. I finally found a little Jamaican restaurant in The Farmer’s Market here in Nashville, Jamaica Way… and they carry patties! They also serve curried goat, oxtail, and rice & peas…some of the prepared specialties once only found in Jamaica.

The other day, while watching the Food Network… Big Daddy’s House came on. Now I love me some Big Daddy… Aaron McCargo is not afraid of spice and heat. Using flavors from the Caribbean and South America… infusing them in some of our everyday dishes making them even more savory and exciting! Plus, he was The Next Food Network Star‘s Season 4 winner… and I love that. And what do you know? He was making patties!

So, all that to say, I took Big Daddy’s Spicy Beef Patty recipe and tweaked it to make it my own. I always want to give props if I try to copy someone’s recipe (highest form of flattery, right?)… but if you know me, you know I’m not good at following recipes verbatim. I always need to add a little somethin’ of my own…


Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef or turkey (or try lentils and diced potato for a vegan version)
1 medium sweet onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic or garlic paste
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon fine sea salt (add more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon of African Hot Pepper (you can use dry Chipotle pepper if you can’t find the African Hot Pepper-which I found at the International Market in downtown Nashville)
2 teaspoons curry powder – divided
1 jalapeño, finely diced (include seeds for extra heat)
1/2 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup beef broth (or vegetable broth)
1 beaten egg (or flaxseed and water for vegan option)
1 tablespoon water
2 packages pre-made pie crust (Pillsbury are lard-free)

Preparation
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Sauté meat (or cooked lentils & potato) over medium heat, adding garlic, onions, paprika, thyme, 1 tsp curry powder, black pepper, African Hot Pepper and salt. Stir together, and then add the diced jalapeño. Be sure to mix thoroughly so you don’t get “hot spots” from all the spicy peppers. I use a potato masher to break up the filling so it starts becoming cohesive.

Remove from the heat, adding the bread crumbs and the broth. Stir well to combine and set aside to cool completely. Make sure mixture is cooled or it will start cooking the dough if you add it in while it’s still hot.

Meanwhile, whisk together the egg, remaining curry powder and water in a small bowl. Set aside.

On a work surface, unroll the pie crusts and cut out 3-inch rounds using a cookie cutter (or a prep bowl rim as I did – see photo).

Add a hearty tablespoon of the filling onto each round. Fold over and press the edges with your fingers. Crimp the edges with a fork and transfer the patties to a baking sheet and brush the tops with the curry egg mixture.

TIP: I always use parchment paper on my baking sheets. It keeps things from sticking, no added calories from cooking sprays or greasing your tray. And helps food cook evenly because it acts as a buffer from contact with the metal tray.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

The Perfect Bite
Now… it’s tempting to take a big ol’ bite as soon as they come out of the oven – the curry smell and the golden flaky pies are almost too much to resist! But be careful… they’re piping hot! Take my word for it, they WILL burn the roof of your mouth. Not that I did that or anything…

The Perfect Pairing
Sheerly by accident, I discovered a great pairing for these pies. While waiting for these delicious little babies to cool… I popped open a bottle of Barefoot Cellar’s Pinot Grigio Champagne. I was in the mood for celebrating the discovery of how to make one of my favorite foods. Why not champagne with a little street food? I mean, it’s made by Barefoot after all… so it warrants casual consuming. Anyway, this champagne is bright, slightly sweet and perfectly tames and soothes your pallet for your next bite of your spicy beef patty. And starting at $9.00 a bottle… it’s hard to beat.

Did You Know?
Jamaica is a culturally diverse country whose population most notably includes Africans, African-Europeans, and Chinese. Original Jamaican inhabitants, the Arawak and the Carib Indian tribes have established a rich variety of cooking styles and techniques, using the fresh produce native to the island. Although Caribs are known to be cannibals, they are known to spice raw meat and seafood using chili peppers, a staple in Jamaican cooking. Arawaks, on the other hand, devised a slow-cooking method of meat by placing it on a makeshift wooden grill over open fire. Food historians believe that this method is what pioneered barbecuing. Read here for more information of Jamaican cooking.

Dark Chocolate Linguini with Cheesecake Mousse & Raspberry Cabernet Sauce

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Sounds delicious, right? Well, faithful readers… if you must know… it happens. Sometimes brilliant ideas fall flat in the execution. Sometimes, what sounds delightful in theory… falls dismally short in reality.

This particular dessert is such the case. I was so excited to discover the dark chocolate linguini in Pike’s Market in Seattle. I couldn’t wait to get home and try it out! I thought,

“Surely this is going to be the best dessert ever! I’m going to wow my friends and blog readers with my brilliance!” Yeah, not so much.

Now, the actual taste was not bad. It was a texture thing mostly. My dearest friends Tracey and Michele (aka my skillful sous chefs, faithful Guinea Pigs & favorite porch pals) eagerly tasted the concoction with me. We were all in agreement… the soft, slippery texture of the linguini – which we normally love with a good marinara sauce – felt strange in our mouths when combined with the sweet chocolate, raspberry & cheesecake mousse. And honestly, as you can see by the photos… the dish was not very appealing to look at… kind of resembled a pile of… well… dog poo. Or a dish of brown leather shoe laces with dessert plopped on top of them. It wasn’t pretty.

So, for the sake of keeping things real… I present to you: A kitchen fail.

And I won’t bother giving you the details of the recipe… I‘ll spare you the humiliation. But I’m still determined… mainly because I bought 3 packages of the stuff and I hate for things to go to waste. So I’ll continue experimenting until something decent comes of it all.

Sweet Potato Orzo with Mascarpone Sauce, Asparagus Tips & Truffle Oil

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I love discovering a new food and on a recent trip to Pike’s Market in Seattle I stumbled across a dried pasta vendor selling Pappardelle‘s products. They had a myriad of flat cut and pasta blends… but the one that sounded best to me was the Sweet Potato Orzo. Oh my heavenly word… I purchased a pound of it (it’s actually cheaper to do so online… check the above link).

I couldn’t wait to get home and start experimenting! Keep an eye out – I also bought chocolate linguine… and I’m trying that out next week!

I started researching a few ideas of how to best bring out the flavors of this new pasta… and came up with the following recipe. The final touch was when I added white truffle oil.. prior to that, it was a good taste. But I didn’t get that “wow” factor until I added a couple of drops of the precious truffle oil – also a Pike’s Market treasure. I’m always looking to get that “oh… my… gosh…” response when I ask a willing friend to try a bite. Definitely got it this time.

Ingredients
(serves 6)
1lb Sweet Potato Orzo
1/3 cup fresh asparagus tips (cut 1″ to 1.5″ tip off of stalk)
1 clove garlic minced
1/3 cup shelled, toasted pine nuts (toast your self at 3 min on top rack of a 350 degree oven)
4 tblspns butter
7 oz mascarpone or cream cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp of Truffle oil for drizzling

Ready To Cook?
Melt butter in skillet and sauté garlic until golden brown. Add asparagus tips and continue stirring for 3 minutes and remove from heat.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in 6-8 quarts of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente. While pasta is cooking, add the mascarpone (or cream cheese) to the garlic/butter mixture and heat on low until asparagus tips are tender. Be careful not too overcook or asparagus will become mushy. Should be done in 3-5 minutes.

Drain pasta (don’t rinse), toss in the Parmesan and pine nuts and transfer to serving dish. Stir in sauce. Top each serving with a sprinkle of Parmesan and 1-2 drops of white truffle oil. Be careful as a little goes a long way. Serve at once.

The Perfect Bite
Be sure to get a little sweet potato orzo, pine nut and asparagus on your fork. The blend of sweet potato and pine nut with the buttery cheesiness of the mascarpone… will be reminiscent of the candied yam casserole your mom used to make at Thanksgiving. But combined with the asparagus, Parmesan and truffle oil… your pallet will be surprised with a profile of favors you might not have experienced before. Enjoy!

The Perfect Pairing
What better pairing for this unique blend of flavors than a blend of reds from Cline Cellars? Cline’s Cashmere 2007 is a silky blend of Mourvèdre, Syrah and Grenache. With a purchase of this 2007 Cashmere… Cline Cellars will donate $25,000 to the Breast Cancer Network of Strength’s Ride to Empower. Visit their website to learn more.

Did You Know?
To quote Julia Child, “Don’t be afraid!” Truffle Oil is one of those mysterious ingredients we hear about on Food Network cooking shows like Top Chef Masters… but most of us really have no idea what to do with it. White Truffles (Tuber aestivum), often called Autumn Truffles, are even more rare than Black Truffles. Their distinctive, subtle flavor uniquely complements pasta, cheese and fish dishes.

Roasted Beefsteak Tomato & Sweet Basil Pasta Sauce

/ deborahbarnett / 11 Comments

I recently was given 12 large beefsteak tomatoes. Never wanting to refuse such a beautiful gift, I gladly accepted. Until I realized that I had no idea what to do with them and would never be able to consume them before they went bad. So I started scrambling through recipes and kept coming across a myriad of tomato and pasta sauces.  It seems that everyone has “the perfect” homemade recipe!

As much as I hate to admit this… I’ve never tried making my own sauce. And I have to admit that I feel like I’m cheating when I unscrew the pressurized lid of the Ragu jar and hear that familiar pop… and hoping my dinner guests in the other room don’t notice.

So, it’s high time I learned a thing or two about tomato sauce. I am learning that the “takes all day to make” sauce is truly the best kind… but for a quick and easy, and first attempt… I took the short route.

Of course, every recipe I found said that beefsteak tomatoes are not good for sauce… they’re “too acidic” and “too pulpy”. That I should use rich red Roma tomatoes. But never say die… I can make this work! After all, I don’t have Roma tomatoes. I have 12 very large, very ripe, very meaty “maters” that need to become something fast!

I wanted to make a sauce that was completely natural with *no “cans” or “jars” of anything. And I love roasted vegetables… so I decided that roasting the tomatoes would bring a smoky sweetness out of them, and help cut their acidity.

Ingredients (makes 2 quarts)
1 dozen med-large beefsteak tomatoes (or on the vine red tomatoes)
1 large sweet Vidalia onion
6 large garlic cloves
2 Anaheim chilies (seeded)
3/4 cup fresh basil – torn small
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup sherry
2 tablespoons anchovy paste (omit if vegan or vegetarian)
*2 tablespoons tomato paste (if you are making this in the tomato off-season you may need to add tomato paste to enrich the tomato flavor. But if making July-Sept you should be fine without – just taste and decide!)
1 tsp of sugar (to taste)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Cut veggies into large chucks and toss onto a baking sheet that has at least a 1″ rim. Sprinkle in the dried thyme and oregano. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil across it and toss to coat. Put on top rack of preheated oven at 400 degrees. Roast veggies and spices for about 20 minutes until tender and just start to brown at edges and the skins on the tomatoes burst.

IMG_5213.JPG
Remove tray from oven and scoop vegetables into a large food processor or blender. Or place them straight into the stock pot if you have an immersion blender. Then you can mix it right in the pot. Add 1/2 cup of fresh sweet basil leaves and blend. Once you’ve brought it to a smooth consistency pour it back into the pot. Add the wine, sherry and anchovy paste and let it simmer on low heat for 30-40 minutes until it reaches desired thickening and taste. Add remaining chopped fresh basil right before serving.

TIPS:

1) Be sure to pour all the juices from the roasting tray into the blender as well – so much flavor there! If your sauce seems a little thin initially – keep simmering, it should reduce nicely.

2) If you’re having trouble getting your sauce blended well, try straining it to get the little pieces of tomato skin and seeds out. Just keep in mind that these textures are a sign of a homemade sauce and not one that’s been processed to death.

Keep In Mind: Due to the orange-red color of the beefsteak tomato, your sauce is not going to be a deep, rich red as you see in many of the store-bought brands (of course, they also use “enhancements”). If you prefer a more red hue, use peeled Roma tomatoes (or add a few for color). You can also add roasted red bell pepper… which will also add a spicy-sweet note to your sauce.

The Perfect Bite
Seriously, it’s a sauce. You’re gonna have to give me some grace on this one. But do dip a piece of crunchy toast to taste while cooking!


The Perfect Pairing
As you can see in the top photo, I paired this sauce with my homemade ricotta and topped it all on a bed of Fusili pasta (not homemade – yet). I also included some basil from my garden.

I asked my friends at Rumours East for a wine recommendation from their wine list… and here’s what they suggested (be sure to catch their 2 for 1 nights, wine tastings & art shows!):

2006 Villa di Azzano Refosco dal Penduncolo Rosso

“It’s typically a given that Italian foods are paired better with Italian wines, and there is no exception in this case. It’s a full-bodied red, rich and fruitful with hints of plum and almond notes. It delivers a strong, yet not overwhelming acidity level that would compliment the flavor of a homemade red tomato sauce. A good rule of thumb when pairing food and wine is not to overwhelm your taste buds by pairing contrasting acidity levels.

If you can’t get your hands on an exact bottle you are looking for, I would recommend a Zinfandel or a Chianti/Sangiovese. Zinfandels are known to be quite versatile and work well with traditional Italian dishes centered around the tomato.”

The Perfect Health
Typical jars of pasta sauce contain very high amounts of corn syrup (some as high as 25 grams of sugars, per cup!) and preservatives (avg 1100 mg of sodium, per cup!). Most pasta sauce recipes call for using a 6oz can of tomato paste (for thickening)… which still has 21 grams of sugar in it!

Making your own sauce, completely from scratch… makes a significant difference in your sodium & sugar intake. Just using fresh, natural products makes the taste unbelievable too! Per cup, a homemade pasta sauce similar to my above recipe will roughly garner a mere 10 grams of sugars and only 26 mg of sodium! Knowing that’s gonna make it hard to buy ever again.

La Bella Burger

/ deborahbarnett / 4 Comments


This spicy Italian burger, oozing creamy mozzarella from every bite with bursts of sweet roasted red peppers and tangy pesto sauce… is an all-time crowd pleaser. I served all 3 of the international burgers (from recipes shown on this site) on 4th of July this year… and this was voted the favorite of the night. This burger is probably the most time intensive of all the ones I do… but completely worth the effort.

Ingredients
1 lb ground turkey – dark meat if possible (does not dry out as bad)
1 lb sweet Italian turkey sausage (usually found in links)
1 egg
1 tbsp fresh garlic
1 tbsp finely chopped dry oregano
1 cup finely chopped fresh basil (divided – use 1 tbsp for meat mixture)
1 tbsp finely chopped dry thyme
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 pepper
8oz fresh mozzarella
1 sliced red bell pepper
1 cup spinach leaves (remove stems)
4 sourdough baker’s roll
Pesto Sauce
finely chopped fresh basil (remaining cup)
3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp pine nuts – toasted
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1/4 tsp salt
a pinch of black pepper

Preparation
Mix first 8 ingredients together thoroughly… then add salt & pepper and olive oil. Turkey meat has a tendency to dry out quickly on the grill, so the olive oil will help maintain a tender, moist burger.

Form 8 thin patties with the meat mixture. Cut mozzarella cheese into 1/4 inch pieces. On top of one patty, scatter 4-5 mozzarella pieces throughout the center of the meat… leaving a little space between each cube. Be careful not to put cheese too close to the edges or it will leak out during grilling. Place another patty on top and seal edges together until cheese is completely buried.

Cut off the top of the red bell pepper and remove seeds and core. Then slice into 1/4″ rings and brush lightly with olive oil.

Pesto Sauce
In a dry frying pan, quickly toast the pine nuts. Should take less than 3 minutes. In a food processor, pulse basil leaves, toasted pine nuts and salt & pepper…. simultaneously adding olive oil through the feed tube. Once good puree is achieved, add the mayo and pulse 2-3 more times, scraping sides to make sure it’s thoroughly mixed. Don’t leave the processor on or the mixture will be too fine. You want some texture in order to taste each ingredient.

Ready To Cook?
Cook burgers meat over medium heat. Be sure to coat grill with non-stick spray. Cook about 8-10 minutes on each side (varies based on your grill – mine is slow). Keep in mind that turkey burger and turkey sausage will look different than beef or pork… and the sausage lends a reddish color, which can be mistaken for rare meat. Cook on the high end of 12 minutes if you want to be safe… though be careful not to cook too long or your burger will dry out. Try not to flip the burger too often as it tends to crumble. If the mozzarella starts to ooze out, don’t worry… that’s a sign that your burger is almost done.

Please red pepper rings on the upper or outer edges of grill. Cook 3-4 minutes on each side. Brush olive oil on the insides of both halves of the sourdough buns and also place on the upper or outer edges of grill. Remove when lightly toasted.

Spread pesto sauce on top & bottom bun. place spinach leaves on bottom bun and place meat on top of spinach leaves. Garnish top of meat with grilled red bell pepper, fold the halves together and you have La Bella Burger!

The Perfect Bite
I think the perfect bite here… is the first bite. The unexpected burst of hidden mozzarella cheese and spicy sausage leaves most people exclaiming, “Oh my gosh – what’s in this?!”. But it’s a burger… so every bite will be perfect. Reserve extra Pesto sauce for dipping your burger… and anything else you can find – dip away!

The Perfect Pairing
A pasta side might seem an obvious choice for an Italian burger, but that’s probably going to be too heavy. A green salad with Italian dressing would set this off perfect… try this salad. And you probably think I’m going to suggest a red wine… well, you’re right! I just got a bottle of a California Cabernet from Napa Valley called Avalon. But be sure to get the 2006 vintage – 2005 has gotten horrible reviews. A bad year for the folks at Avalon, I suppose. A bottle normally runs in the $12-$14 range… but on sale now 3 for $21.99 at Main Street Liquor in East Nashville! See it pays to live here on the Eastside…

Did You Know?
What is Extra Virgin Olive Oil and how can something be Extra Virgin? Someone had to ask, right?

Extra virgin – considered the best, least processed, comprising the oil from the first pressing of the olives.
Virgin – from the second pressing.
Pure – undergoes some processing, such as filtering and refining.
Extra light – undergoes considerable processing and only retains a very mild olive flavor.

Why cook with olive oil versus Canola oil? Canola oil is a relatively recent development and the original crops were unfit for human consumption due to their high content of a dangerous fatty acid called euric acid. Canola marketers advertise that their oil has less fat content… however, they fail to mention that when heated (which is what happens when you cook.. hello) the oil tends to transition into dangerous trans fatty acids. Ahem. We don’t want that. Read here for more details.

The Blarney Burger

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The Blarney Burger on FoodistaThe Blarney Burger



This Irish inspired hamburger is big and beefy and filled with rich tastes of whiskey and mustard sauce. Not to mention the earthy flavors of the crumbled bleu cheese nestled throughout the burger. Enjoy!

Ingredients
(makes 4 burgers)
Patties
2lbs ground sirloin (grass fed)
1/4 cup Irish whiskey
1 egg
2 tablespoons Worchester
1/2 cup sweet onion – diced
1 tablespoon fresh garlic
1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese (set aside 1 tablespoon)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup shredded purple cabbage
4 potato bread baker’s rolls or hamburger buns
Irish Mustard Sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon horseradish
2 egg yolks, beaten

Preparation
Mix first 7 ingredients together thoroughly… then add salt & pepper. Form patties and pat together well.

Ready To Cook?

Irish Mustard Sauce
Put all ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat. Continue whisking until smooth and thickened to consistency of pudding. This can be made ahead of time and last in the refrigerator for a week or more.

Bleu Cheese Butter-Wash
In a microwave safe bowl, add remaining tablespoon of bleu cheese crumbles and 2 tablespoons of butter and microwave for 30 seconds or until melted. Whisk well to create a bleu cheese butter-wash.

Burger
Cook meat over medium heat. Be sure to coat grill with non-stick spray. Cook about 8-10 minutes on each side depending on your doneness preference.
Brush bleu cheese butter-wash on the inside of the top & bottom buns and toast on the upper or outer edges of grill. Once rolls are lightly toasted, remove. Set meat on bottom bun and spoon Irish mustard sauce on top of meat patty. Add shredded cabbage and fold top and bottom together. And now you have The Blarney Burger!

The Perfect Bite
I think the perfect bite here… is the first bite. When all those rich ingredients explode in your mouth for the first time. But it’s a burger… so every bite will be perfect. Reserve extra mustard sauce for dipping your burger. I could drink that stuff!

The Perfect Pairing
This wouldn’t be an Irish burger unless you paired it with potatoes. Bobby Flay claims to make the Perfect Fries. I haven’t tried them… but plan to. See the recipe on SeriousEats.com. And of course, on a nice summer’s eve… what would wash this all down better than an ice cold Killian’s Red?

The Perfect Health
When most people think of the cuisine of Ireland… you don’t normally think of cheese right away. Maybe you think beef and potatoes, or Guinness and whiskey. But cheese? Ireland has at least a half dozen cheeses to choose from… and they’re not just cheddar. Read here for a list of their hard to find cheeses.

The Unagi Burger

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This Japanese version of the burger is probably one of my favorites. It’s light and refreshing. You almost forget you’re eating a burger! Biting into a combination of fresh ginger, crisp cucumber and crunchy broccoli sprouts brings you a burst of surprising sweet and tangy goodness.

Ingredients
(makes 4 burgers)
2lbs ground sirloin beef (grass fed)
1/2 cup panko
1 egg
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup fresh ginger
1/2 cup green onions sliced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp of sesame oil
3/4 cup broccoli sprouts
*8 pcs of shaved cucumber ribbons (2 per burger)
4 whole wheat baker’s rollWasabi Dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons wasabi paste

Preparation
Mix first 7 ingredients together thoroughly… then add salt & pepper. Form patties and pat together well. Because of the volume of ingredients in these burgers… they will fall apart easily on the grill.

*If you don’t have a mandolin slicer, use your regular vegetable peeler and slice the cucumber lengthwise. Don’t peel the cucumber first, you want the dark green edges still on the strip. See here for more details.

Wasabi Dressing
Mix all ingredients well. Taste it and add a little more wasabi paste if you like it really spicy. This can be made ahead of time and last in the refrigerator for a week or more. I always make extra because it makes a great dip.

Ready To Cook?
When ready to grill burgers, test one of the patties to see if it is holding up on the grill and not falling apart. These are delicate burgers to cook. Be sure to coat grill with non-stick spray. If it’s falling apart too much, try browning it in a skillet first so the outside is a little done. B careful not to brown it too much or it’ll dry out on the grill.

Brush sesame oil on the inside of the split baker’s roll and toast on the upper or outer edges of grill. When rolls are lightly toasted, spread wasabi sauce on top bun and add broccoli sprouts. Place meat on bottom bun and 2 cucumber ribbons on top of meat. Carefully fold together and you have The Unagi Burger!

The Perfect Bite
I think the perfect bite here… is the first bite. When all those fresh ingredients explode in your mouth for the first time. But it’s a burger… every bite will be perfect.

The Perfect Pairing
As a side dish… opt for a bowl of edamame instead of fries or chips. And if you haven’t tried sake before… now might be a good time to try it. Gekkeikan Sake can be served chilled or warm. Serve in small demitasse cups if you don’t have sake cups on hand.

The Perfect Health
Modern scientific research has revealed that ginger possesses numerous therapeutic properties including antioxidant effects, an ability to inhibit the formation of inflammatory compounds, and direct anti-inflammatory effects. Read more here.
The Unagi Burger on FoodistaThe Unagi Burger

Cranberry White Chocolate Parfait

/ deborahbarnett / 4 Comments

FAT FREE! What? Yes, this delicious parfait is almost completely Fat Free and mostly Sugar Free. There’s a little natural sugar in the blueberries… but the anti-oxidants you get from this power fruit more than makes up for it. And there’s just a little sugar in the wafer crust at the bottom. All in all, this light & fluffy dessert is a perfect end to any hearty burger fest you may have this summer. And since it’s Fat Free – go ahead and add cheese to your burger!

Ingredients
(serves 4)

1 – 1 oz Sugar Free – Fat Free White Chocolate Jell-O Instant Pudding
1 – .3 oz Sugar Free Cranberry Jell-O
2 cups skim milk
1/2 cup fat free sour cream
1- 8 oz container Cool Whip Free (fat free, only 1 gram of sugar and 3 grams of carbs)
1/2 cup reduced-fat Nilla Wafers – crumbled (only 2 grams fat per 11 wafers. You’ll be using less than 2 wafers per parfait)
1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Preparations

Whisk together first 4 ingredients until smooth without lumps.
Fold in Cool Whip until thoroughly mixed. Don’t use a mixer or beater as you want to maintain the fluffiness of the parfait.

Put Nilla Wafers into a food processor and pulse until evenly broken up. Add just a few at a time so you don’t get complete powder. You want the consistency of course sea salt.

Fill bottom of glasses or dessert cups (I used champagne flutes here) with about a full tablespoon with Nilla Wafer crumbs (use a little more if you’re using wider dessert cups) .

Top with parfait mixture leaving 1/2 inch room at the top. If using a narrow glass like these champagne flutes, it helps to use a pastry bag to neatly fill the cylinder.

Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. When ready to serve, top parfait with fresh blueberries. Don’t top with berries before refrigerating or they will sink to the bottom.

The Perfect Bite
As usual, I’m all about getting a little of everything on my fork or spoon. So dig to the bottom for some yummy Nilla crumbs, some fluffy cranberry white chocolate goodness and some fresh healthy blueberry. Enjoy!

The Perfect Pairing
As mentioned earlier, this light and fat free dessert is a perfect way to top off a heavy meal of burgers on a hot summer evening. Paired with a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon from Barefoot Cellars. It has dark fruit notes of currant, raspberry and blackberry, and a velvety vanilla finish that will be a lovely compliment to the cranberry and blueberry in the dessert. An affordable Gold Medal wine that is great to pass around those big outdoor summer parties.

Did You Know?
Most Fat Free products are still very high in calories, sugar and carbohydrates. Especially sweets that are marketed as Fat Free. Even products marked “low-fat” can still be high in calories, and even fat! They’re just “lower” than the full fat version. Read the Nutrition Facts Label to make sure you’re not purchasing something that is not as “reduced” as you think it is. Read more here.

Make My Own Cheese? What? Ricotta from Scratch

/ deborahbarnett / 6 Comments

It’s an amazing thing to make your own cheese. It makes me feel like I’m really making something… not just opening a package or a can… but making food. It’s a thing of wonder.

Also… I was surprised at how absolutely simple this is – and trust me… once you get this down… you will impress your friends.

The recipe below is a lower fat version of ricotta… which means it yields less volume than the full fat version. But it will make about 2.5-3 cups. Be sure to plan on using it right away. It will only last (in the fridge) for a few days because it isn’t packed full of preservatives like your store brand… and you will certainly taste the difference! It’s really hard for me to buy it off the shelf now. TIP: The fresher the milk the longer the shelf life of the cheese. Keep in air tight container.


Ingredients
1 Gal 2% milk
5 cups low-fat buttermilk
3/4 tsp of fine sea salt

Equipment Needed
Large soup pot
cheese cloth (4-5 layers)
candy thermometer

Preparations
Pour both milks into stock pot and turn to medium heat. Continue cooking until it reaches 170 degrees. Should be 15-20 minutes. gently stir every 5 minutes or so. Be careful not to stir too vigorously or curds will not form.

When the milks reach 170 degrees, curds will have formed at the top. Using a large slotted spoon, gently remove curds (aka milk solids) and place into a cheese cloth-covered strainer and bowl. Let cheese drain in bowl for about 5 minutes. Then, taking the 4 corners of the cloth and bringing them together, rubber band or tie them up… and hang from kitchen faucet. Let drain about 15 minutes. TIP: Don’t toss that whey (the leftover liquids after scooping out the curds)! It is packed with protein – great for smoothies and cooking oatmeal.  You can also cook starches with it (rice, polenta, potatoes). And try watering your tomato plants or other planted veggies and herbs – they will grow like crazy!)

Carefully open the cheese cloth and scrap the fresh ricotta into a mixing bowl. It will be more textured than you’re used to seeing, if you normally have store bought. It should have the consistency of cottage cheese. It will firm up more in the fridge.

Gently stir the sea salt in until throughly mixed. Taste and add more if necessary.

Voila! You have ricotta cheese! Congratulations…

The Perfect Bite
We tasted it straight out of the bowl… while it was still warm… and salty… and tangy… and sweet… and it was probably our favorite thing ever.

The Perfect Pairing
My friend Michele (who acted as Sous Chef on this week’s project) helped me think of all kinds of things to pair this fresh-goodness with. We mixed it with a little homemade salsa and scooped it on a chip. Yep… Delish! We spread the ricotta mousse we’d made for the Zucchini Flutes recipe on a cracker – heaven! We talked about putting it on crustinis and topping with pickled onions or peppers or a tapenade. Can’t wait to try that! Let us know what you come up with… and enjoy!

Did You Know?
Research shows whey protein from dairy foods helps muscle recovery after a bout of exercise. And an easy found source of whey protein can be found in ricotta cheese. More info here.
Ricotta, 1/2 cup (124g) (part skim milk)
Calories: 171
Protein: 14g
Carbohydrate: 6.4g
Total Fat: 10g