The Ultimate Burger & Ceasar Salad

I have been on a search this summer, to find the ultimate burger recipe. I think this one is pretty close! I think it is always better to grind your own meat. We used top sirloin. Whatever cut you choose, you must ensure that there is enough fat included, otherwise the burger will be dry and mealy. Most of the research that I have found suggests a 15-20% ratio of fat to meat. If you are using a leaner cut of meat (like turkey), I would suggest adding some bacon to the mix, in order to up the fat ratio, so as to ensure a juicy burger!

I think a good burger needs no other accompaniment than an equally fantastic salad. Growing up in my house, salad almost always meant Caesar salad. This version (my mother's) is very garlicy, so I wouldn't suggest it prior to a first date or even if you have a job interview in the next week. But if you are happily in love (or happily single) and well employed, this salad is well worth the day or two of keeping your distance.

Ultimate Burger

~ makes 6 well sized burgers ~

2 lbs top sirloin beef, ground
1 egg

1/4 cup dry or fresh bread crumbs

1 T Dijon mustard

3 garlic cloves, chopped fine

4 drops liquid smoke

1/4 cup fresh Greek oregano (or rosemary), chopped fine

1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled

salt and ground pepper

fresh kaiser rolls

Combine all ingredients and form into six equal burgers.
Grill to medium.
Serve on kaiser rolls with sauce (recipe below)

Sauce:

1/2 cup mayo

large handful basil leaves, chopped fine

1 T lemon juice

1 T Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, chopped fine

Combine and serve!

Colleen's Caesar Salad

2 egg yolks

1 T lemon juice

8 shakes worcestershire sauce

2 t anchovy paste

2 T red wine vinegar

2-3 cloves garlic, chopped fine

1 T Dijon mustard or 2 t dried mustard

salt and pepper

1/2 - 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 large head romaine lettuce

1/4 red onion, chopped into rings

1 cup croutons

1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated

Combine first eight ingredients with a hand blender.

Slowly add olive oil, while blending, until desired consistency is reached (should be very creamy).

Toss dressing with lettuce, onions croutons and cheese.

Calves Liver with Bacon, Onion, Sage and Balsamic

I know .... you lost me at ...

I have to admit, I'm not the world's biggest liver fan, however, if done correctly, and not cooked within an inch of it's life, liver can be a tasty alternative to your "normal" week-night dinner. Give this offal another shot, you might just find that your tastebuds have grown-up with you!

This recipe will serve 4-6 depending on your appetites. For us, it served four, but I have a huge German in my crowd!

Calves Liver with Bacon, Onion, Sage and Balsamic

1.5 lbs calves liver

2 cups all purpose flour

2 large vidalia onions, cut into rings

15 rashers bacon

3 cloves garlic, chopped fine

20 fresh sage leaves, chopped fine

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

salt and pepper

Combine the flour with a large pinch of salt and pepper. Dredge the liver in the flour until it has a good coating. Set aside.

Cook bacon in a large skillet until cooked but not crisp. Remove from pan and set aside.
Pour all but 2 T of the bacon fat out of the skillet, set removed fat aside. Place onions, garlic, sage, salt and pepper in skillet and fry, over medium heat, until onions are brown, sticky and caramelized.

Deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar.

Chop the bacon into large pieces and add back into skillet.

Meanwhile, heat the removed bacon fat in a separate pan (should be 2-3 T of fat). Fry liver for 2 minutes per side, or until done to your liking.

Serve liver covered with the onion mixture, sprinkled with fresh parsley.

Roasted Bone Marrow

This is one of my favourite treats, it is absolutely full fat and bad for you, but aren't all things in life that are worth having?? This recipe is based on Jennifer McLagan's cookbook/encyclopedia "Bones". It is supremely easy and equally delicious.

Roasted Marrow Bones
Marrow bones (1 or 2 per person)
Ice Water
Sea Salt
Fresh Thyme
Toast points

Prepare the bones 12-24 hours in advance by soaking them in ice-water and 2 T salt, to remove any blood. Change the salt water every 4-6 hours. When blood has been extracted from bones, dry them well.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
On a well oiled baking sheet place bones, vertically on sheet.
Roast for 15-25 minutes, until center marrow is puffed and a little marrow has started to leak from the bones.
Remove bones from oven and sprinkle with sea salt and fresh thyme.
Serve 1-2 bones per person. To enjoy: scoop out the delectable marrow and serve warm on toast sprinkled with more salt.

Beef Satay with Mango Mint Salad

I love refreshing, tangy, crunchy mango salad. This version was taught to me during a recent mother-daughter Thai cooking lesson at the Calphalon Culinary Center in Toronto. It's an easy summer-time (or any-time) dinner salad. It's also great for guests as the salad can be assembled and the satays marinated and skewered the day before, (just make sure to keep the salad dressing separate and add just before serving). Just grill the satay and you're ready to relax!

You are welcome substitute lamb/chicken/shrimp/scallops etc. for the beef. Don't worry if you don't have all of the ingredients for the salad, just combine what you have on hand and don't stress. You can substitute green apples or papaya for the mango if you like.

This recipe is fantastic served with an ice cold Hoegaarden.
serves 4

Beef Satay:
1 lb beef sirloin or tenderloin, cut into 16 even strips
3 cloves garlic
1 2" piece lemongrass, minced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro/mint, chopped fine
1 t cracked black pepper
1 t ground cumin
1 t ground coriander
1 T brown sugar or honey
1 T soy sauce
juice of 1 lime/ 1 T tamarind pulp
1 T sesame oil
2 T vegetable oil

combine ingredients, marinate beef for at least 15 minutes or overnight. skewer onto soaked wooden skewers and grill (1-2 minutes per side) over med-high heat.


Mango Mint Salad

Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar or honey
1 T sesame oil
2 T vegetable oil
2 T soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T fresh ginger, minced
juice and zest from 2 limes
2 T mint/cilantro

Salad:
1 Mango, peeled, pit removed, julienne
1/8 Napa cabbage, shredded
1/2 cup carrot, peeled and julienne (or shred)
1/2 cup English cucumber, seeded, julienne
1/2 daikon radish, peeled, julienne (optional)
1/2 cup red onion, julienne
2 T basil/mint leaves, chiffonade
2 T peanuts, roasted and chopped (optional)

Combine all ingredients for vinaigrette and set aside. Mix together all salad ingredients. Toss with as much vinaigrette as you like. Serve with satay.

Irish-ish Stew and Soda Bread

Happy St. Paddy's Day!! I am half Irish, my mother being a descendant of the Donahoe/Griffin clans. I grew up on my grandfather's lap, being lulled to sleep by the sound of Irish folk songs and lullabies. I have a special place in my heart for this holiday, for that reason. Every St. Patrick's day, since being on my own, I have cooked this recipe. At times I put beef in the stew, but usually I use lamb.

This is a tribute to all of you Irish-Americans (and Canadians!) who kept the traditions alive in the new country, to the best of their ability. This stew and soda bread recipe is more likely a melding of the American and Irish traditions. It's warm, flavourful and celebratory, if not truly authentic!

IRISH STEW

2T olive oil (divided)

2 lbs stewing Lamb (or beef) cut into 1 inch cubes

3T flour

3 cups mushrooms, quartered

4 medium onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

8 white or red new potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 cups carrots, chopped

2 cups parsnips, chopped

2T caraway seeds

1 t fresh thyme

1 t nutmeg, freshly grated

1 large can Guinness beer

6-8 cups beef broth

fresh salt and pepper

1/2 cup parsley

1. Dredge lamb with seasoned flour


2. Using a large dutch oven, heat 1 T of oil on medium-high heat and fry lamb in batches making sure to brown it well on all sides.


3. Remove lamb to plate, set aside
   


4. Add onions, mushrooms and garlic and fry until soft. Add caraway seeds, nutmeg and salt and pepper.
   


5. Add lamb back into pot, add beer and scrape all crispy bits off the bottom.


6. Add stalk and bring to boil


7. Turn heat to low cover and simmer until meat is tender about 1.5 hours


8. Add remaining vegetables and continue to simmer for 35 min until soft


9. When meat has tenderized and stew is of the desired thickness, stir in parsley.
   


10. Serve with soda bread.
    

Irish Soda Bread

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons caraway seeds

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 cups buttermilk, plus more for brushing

2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350° and butter a large baking sheet.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, caraway seeds, baking soda, salt and baking powder.

In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk and eggs.

Cut 2 tablespoons of butter into the dry ingredients, until mixture resembles coarse sand.

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, to form a dough.
Turn dough out onto floured surface and lightly kneed into a 9 inch round. Place on prepared baking sheet. Brush loaf with buttermilk and using a sharp knife, score an "X" onto the top of the loaf.
Bake until skewer inserted in centre comes out clean (35-35 minutes).
Cool on wire rack for a few minutes before serving.

Pho obsession ...

Those of you who know me, know I have a great love for many types of Asian food: Thai, Japanese, Sichuan, Cantonese, Shandong, Malaysian, Laotian and Vietnamese (so far!). However, I have recently returned to my rural roots, and as such, it has been very difficult for me to find decent Asian ingredients (forget about restaurants!). On a recent trip to Toronto, I gathered some of the ingredients to make homemade pho.

The thing about pho is that it is so simple: noodles, beef, broth and a few garnishes (or not). Regardless, it feels like a warm hug from the inside. Fragrant full bodied broth, lovingly ladled over chewy rice noodles and tender threads of shredded beef. There is simply no dish like it!

I researched a number of websites and blogs, in order to find a fairly authentic version of pho. I would credit most of my attempt to the following sites and cookbooks: “steamykitchen.com” “lovingpho.com” and “allrecipes.com” and Into the Vietnamese Kitchen by Andrea Nguyen.

Here is the recipe I used:

2 onions, quartered
large nub of ginger, halved lengthwise and widthwise
5-6 lbs of beef soup bones, leg, knuckle or oxtail
1 lb of beef meat – chuck or brisket
6 quarts of water
1 cinnamon stick - cracked
1 T coriander seeds
1 T fennel seeds
5 star anise
1 black cardamom pod - opened
8 whole cloves
2 T salt
1/4 cup fish sauce
1 inch chunk of yellow rock sugar
2 lbs rice noodles (dried or fresh)
1/2 lb flank, sirloin or fillet, sliced paper thin
fresh mint (large bunch)
Thai basil (large bunch)
2 limes, cut into 6 wedges
2-3 Thai bird chili, sliced (remove seeds and membrane if you want it milder)
Hoisin sauce
Sriracha chili sauce

METHOD:

Toast your spices: Add all spices to dry pan until fragrant. Place toasted spices in cheesecloth and tie all corners tightly to create a bouquet garni (spice bundle).

Char your aromatics: Turn on the broiler of your oven, and place the top rack about 5 inches from the broiler. Place ginger and onions on a large backing sheet and brush with oil on both sides. Broil until ginger and onions begin to char. Flip and continue to char other side. Process should take 10-15 minutes.

Parboil the bones: Fill a stockpot with cold water. Add your bones to the pot and bring to a boil. Boil your bones on high heat for approximately 10 minutes. Drain and rinse your bones. Rinse out your stockpot.

Broth:
Refill your stockpot the parboiled bones along with about 6 quarts (24 cups) of cold water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Simmer bones for 2 hours. Periodically, skim any scum, fat or other particles from the broth using a fine mesh strainer.

After the bones have boiled for two hours, add the ginger, onion, bouquet garni, chuck, rock sugar, fish sauce and salt to your pot. Continue to simmer the broth, over medium low heat for 6 hours.

Remove the chuck meat and shred, set aside.

Strain broth over a large bowl, saddled with a colander, lined with cheesecloth. Let the broth drain for at least ten minutes, to allow for all of the goodness to drain into the bowl. Return the broth to the pot. Taste your broth and adjust the seasonings (you might wish to add more fish sauce, salt or rock sugar).
Prepare bowls: Slice your flank steak as thin as possible (if you freeze the steak for 15 minutes prior to slicing it will make it easier to get thin slices).
Prepare your noodles according to the directions on the package.

Place a large handful of noodles in the bottom of each bowl. Place a small handful of the shredded cooked beef over the noodles. Place a few slices of the raw steak slices atop of the noodles and cooked beef.



To Serve: Place your strained broth into the stockpot and bring to a rolling boil. Ladle broth over the steak, the boiling broth will cook the raw steak slices. Place plates with garnishes (herbs, limes, chili and sauces) on the table so that your fellow indulgers may garnish their own bowls.

Enjoy!!