Banh Mi Burgers

What's better than a burger? A Vietnamese flavored one! This is from Cooking Light and it hits every flavor button you've got. Plus, it's easy!


Banh Mi Burgers

Step 1
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup granulated sugar (we used 2 tablespoons and it was just right)
1 cup shaved English cucumber
1 cup matchstick-cut carrots (we shaved these just like the cucumbers)

Bring vinegar, water, and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over high. Combine cucumber and carrots in a heatproof bowl; pour hot vinegar mixture over vegetables. Cover and chill at least 15 minutes or up to 3 days.

Step 2
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Sriracha chili sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Stir all together; set aside.

Step 3
1 pound 93% lean ground beef (we used chuck)
2 tablespoons olive oil (since we were using chuck, we skipped the oil)
2 teaspoons grated garlic
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking spray

Preheat grill to medium-high (about 450°F). Combine beef, oil, garlic, ginger, and black pepper in a bowl; gently mix just until ingredients are incorporated. Shape mixture into 4 (1/2-inch-thick) patties. Place patties on a grill grate coated with cooking spray. Grill, covered, until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 140°F, about 3 minutes per side, or to desired degree of doneness. Remove from heat, and keep warm.

Step 4
4 whole-grain hamburger buns, split and toasted
1-1/2 cups loosely packed cilantro sprigs
2 serrano chiles, thinly sliced

Spread about 1 tablespoon mayonnaise mixture on each bun half. Place 1 burger patty on each bottom bun half. Drain cucumber mixture; place about 1/4 cup on each burger. Divide cilantro sprigs and chiles among burgers. Cover with top halves of buns.

Alabama BBQ Chicken with White BBQ Sauce

This is juicy and really flavorful. I wondered what a mayonnaise-based sauce could possibly add to chicken and now I know. A really delicious twist! This is from Cook's Country.

Alabama BBQ Chicken

White BBQ Sauce

3/4 C mayonnaise
2 T cider vinegar
2 t sugar
1/2 t prepared horseradish
1/2 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
1/4 t cayenne pepper

Chicken

1 t salt
1 t black pepper
1/2 t cayenne pepper
2 (3-1/2 to 4 pound) whole chickens, patted dry and split

2 C hickory wood chips

Vegetable oil for grill grate

1. For the sauce: Mix all ingredients in blender until smooth, about 1 minute. Refrigerate sauce in airtight container for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

2. For the chicken: Mix salt, black pepper, and cayenne in small bowl. Rub spice mixture all over chicken.

3. Soak wood chips in bowl of water to cover for 15 minutes. Meanwhile open bottom grill vents completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (about 90 coals) and burn until charcoal is covered with fine gray ash. Place 13 by 9 inch disposable aluminum roasting pan in center of grill. Pour half of coals into pile on each side of grill, leaving pan in the center. Scatter wood chips over coals and set cooking grate in place. Cover with lid vents positioned over center of grill and opened halfway. Let grill heat for 5 minutes.

4. Dip wad of paper towels in oil and oil grate, holding paper towels with long-handled tongs. Place chicken skin side down on center of grill. Cover with half opened lid vents over chicken.

5. Grill chickens until skin is well browned, 35 to 45 minutes. Flip chickens skin side up and grill, covered, until breast meat registers 165* on instant-read thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes longer.

6. Transfer chickens to cutting board, brush with 2 tablespoons sauce, tent with foil, and let rest 10 minutes. Remove foil and brush chicken with 1 tablespoon sauce. Carve and serve, passing remaining sauce at table.

Black Bean Tamale Pie

This is really great. It's from Jim Fobel's Casseroles which I've had since it came out in 1997. It's meatless but so flavorful no one will care. In fact, we added chicken once and couldn't really tell it was in there. So we stick with the original.

It reheats well, can be made in advance, freezes well, and I've never had anyone not like it.

Black Bean Tamale Pie

3 15-ounce cans black beans (rinsed and drained)
1/2 cup dry sherry
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
1 jalapeno pepper, minced with the seeds
1 garlic clove, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
5-1/4 cups water
1-1/2 cups canned, diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup scallion, sliced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
2 cups yellow cornmeal (coarse)
1-1/2 cups low-fat plain yogurt (I use regular sour cream)
2 cups (8 oz.) coarsely grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup tomato sauce

For serving (optional — I never bother)
sour cream
black olives
radish
fresh cilantro stem

DIRECTIONS
In a sealable plastic bag or shallow dish, combine the black beans, sherry, and lemon juice. Marinate in the refrigerator 2 to 12 hours. Drain before using.

Spoon the olive oil into a heavy nonstick or well-seasoned skillet over moderately high heat. Add the corn, toss once, then let brown very well, about 5 minutes. Toss again and continue browning for a minute or two. Add the jalapeno, garlic, cumin, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper. Cook a minute or two, then pour in 1/4 cup of the water to deglaze the pan.

Turn out into a large bowl and toss in the tomatoes, scallions, and cilantro.

The recipe may be prepared a day ahead to this point.

Bring 3 cups of the water and the remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons salt to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan over high heat.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together the cornmeal and remaining 2 cups cold water.

Add the cornmeal mixture to the boiling water and stir constantly until the mixture returns to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is as thick as mashed potatoes, about 5 minutes.

Stir in 1 cup of the yogurt.

Cook over very low heat, stirring frequently, until again as thick as mashed potatoes, about 8 minutes.
Spread about 2/3 of the cornmeal batter in a lightly oiled 9x13" casserole (keep the remainder covered over hot water to keep warm), making a 1 inch raised edge all around.

Spoon the drained black beans on top and press in lightly.

Sprinkle 1-1/2 cups of the cheese over the beans.

Add all of the corn-tomato mixture and spread into an even layer.

Spoon the remaining cornmeal mixture over the top in dabs and spread to make an even layer that covers the top (it's ok if some of the vegetables show through).

Spoon the remaining yogurt and the canned tomato sauce in alternating diagonal lines. (I never do this part.)

Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar. Bake at 350° for about 1 hour, or until deep golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and let stand for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Cut into squares, remove them with a spatula, and serve hot, with a dolllop of sour cream, a couple black olives and radish slices, and a sprig of cilantro, if desired.

If making ahead, cool to room temperature, cover with foil, and refrigerate. To reheat sprinkle the casserole with 2 to 3 tablespoons water and cover with foil. If at room temperature, bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. If cold, add about 15 minutes.

Korean BBQ Buns

We really loved this one which is a great testament to the basic goodness of the recipe, since we wound up changing a lot of details around. It's from Cooking Light which is so good at nailing ethnic flavors and textures while simplifying the work for an American kitchen.

I've put the recipe below as Cooking Light had it but we changed a few things on the fly and plan to change more in the future.

• We doubled the recipe to serve as a meal for 4. This says it serves 8 so maybe it was supposed to be an appetizer?
• Ground chuck instead of sirloin
• Bread crumbs instead of panko
• This seemed overly sweet, possibly because every step involved sugar. We'll skip the pan glaze next time.
• We couldn't find steamed buns anywhere (frozen or not). So we used flour tortillas. Never a problem finding those in Dallas! Cooking Light suggested slider buns as an alternative.
• We made the meatballs but they are unwieldy in a tortilla. That's probably something the buns would help hold onto. If we used slider buns then we'd make slider size burgers. However, we liked the tortilla option and next time would just pinch off large pieces to cook without worrying about any round shape.

Step 1 — Pickles
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 cup 1/8”-thick English cucumber slices

Bring all except cucumbers to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat; add cucumber slices. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Drain.

Step 2
8 ounces 90% lean ground sirloin
1/4 cup whole-wheat panko
1-1/2 teaspoons light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 garlic clove, grated
1 large egg white, beaten
1-1/2 teaspoons soy sauce

Meanwhile, stir together all until well blended. Shape mixture into 16 meatballs, a scant 1 tablespoon each. Heat a large skillet over medium. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add meatballs to pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.

Step 3
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1-1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

Move meatballs to side of skillet. Add oil, sugar, and soy sauce to center of skillet; cook until sugar dissolves and sauce is glazy, about 1 minute. Stir to coat meatballs.

Step 4
8 frozen folded Chinese steamed buns (if you can’t find them, you can stuff the meatballs into standard slider buns)

Layer 3 well-moistened paper towels on a microwave-safe plate. Place frozen buns on prepared plate; cover with 3 more well-moistened paper towels. Microwave at high until warmed, about 1 minute and 30 seconds, checking for doneness every 10 seconds after heating for 1 minute.

Step 5
8 small red leaf lettuce leaves

Divide pickle slices, lettuce leaves, and meatballs evenly among buns.

Spinach & Egg Pie

This is from Paul Hollywood's website where you can see a photo of the finished pie. It is absolutely delicious.

We feel as if the world is a small place and we are all alike. Until, that is, we begin baking with British recipes!

For one thing the measurements, beginning with the oven temperature, can be mystifying. This conversion chart helps considerably!

Notes:

• We doubled the amount of spinach which would have been nearly enough to match the result that we saw in the picture. 
• See what you think of the eggs nestled in the pie. I loved the idea but when we were eating it the result was if one was tucking into a delicious meal and then stopped by a roadblock of boiled egg. I mean, we like boiled eggs but it just didn't work for us. So next time we'll just skip that bit.

Spinach & Egg Pie
Serves 6

Ingredients

For the shortcrust pastry
- 275g plain flour
- Pinch of salt
- 135g cold butter, diced
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 tsp lemon juice

For the filling
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 225g frozen spinach (double this)
- 5 medium eggs
- 200g cream cheese
- 100g mature cheddar cheese
- 1 tbsp chopped chives
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 medium egg - beaten for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 200C, gas mark 6. (400°)

Mix the flour and salt together. Rub in the butter until it looks like breadcrumbs. Mix the egg with the lemon juice and 2-3 tbsp of cold water. Make a well in the centre of the mixture and pour in the egg mix. Use a knife to mix together and form a dough. If the dough is too dry add a splash more water.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead to form a smooth dough. Wrap in cling film and leave in the fridge to chill for at least 15 minutes.

Gently heat the oil and then cook the onion and garlic until soft. Transfer to a bowl. Add the frozen spinach to the pan and increase the heat. Cook, stirring often until all the spinach is soft and all the liquid released has evaporated. Add the spinach to the onion and garlic and leave to cool.

Beat two of the eggs with the cream cheese. Add the cheddar and chives, and then season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add to the cooled onion and spinach mixture.

Roll out 2/3 of the pastry not a 30cm circle and add to a lined 21cm loose bottom cake tin. Roll out the remaining pastry to a 24cm circle. Spread the filling over the base. Make 3 evenly spaced depressions in the filling. Crack the remaining eggs into each of the depressions.

Brush the rim of the pastry with egg wash and place a lid on top. Press the edges to seal. Trim off any excess pastry. Brush the top with egg wash. Make a steam hole in the centre of the lid. Bake for 50-55 minutes.

Can be eaten hot or cold.

Pork in Green Sauce

I love to make a Roasted Pork Shoulder for Christmas. And I love to make Pork in Green Sauce with the leftovers. The tangy sauce perfectly complements the rich pork. Wrapped in a flour tortilla, it is one of my favorite meals. I haven't actually tried eating it every week, but I feel as if I could.

The leftover pork means I'm halfway there, but for times when I haven't been hosting a big celebration then the Carnitas recipe below does the trick. It is fairly simple and hands-off, though it does take some time.

The Green Sauce is a variable that I always wish I could buy somewhere but I've never found a prepared version that isn't either blazing hot or weirdly viscous (ick). And it isn't as if I'm super picky because just about any version I've made myself works great. I've got links below to a couple of good ones.

CARNITAS
Make this, add green sauce, and wrap in a flour tortilla. 
[Via Homesick Texan, adapted from Diana Kennedy]

Step 1
3 pounds of pork butt
1 cup of orange juice
3 cups of water
2 teaspoons of salt

Cut pork into strips (three inches by one inch), add to a large pot with the liquids and salt. Bring to a boil and then simmer uncovered on low for 2 hours. Do not touch the meat.

Step 2
After two hours, turn heat up to medium high, and continue to cook until all the liquid has evaporated and the pork fat has rendered (about 45 minutes). Stir a few times, to keep pork from sticking to bottom of pan.

Step 3
When pork has browned on both sides, it’s ready (there will be liquid fat in the pan). Serve either cubed or shredded (pork will be tender enough that just touching it will cause it to fall apart).
Serves 4-6


GREEN SAUCE

I tend to pick up whatever Mexican cookbook that comes to hand and find a green sauce. As long as it has tomatillos I'm happy.

There are two you can try right here. The green sauces from this Chilaquiles recipe and this Rick Bayless recipe for Tacos of Tomatillo Chicken are both delicious. See which you like best.

Cheesy Chicken-and-Spinach Stromboli Ring

Another one from the September Cooking Light, which is proving to be a real winner. This was absolutely delicious. I'd never heard of a Stromboli before and when I went researching it most of the recipes looked like variations of an Italian sub sandwich made in a pizza dough jelly roll. Which I'm also fine with. But this has a creamy element which I'd be loathe to give up as well as a satisfying heft.

We wound up adapting the recipe a fair amount:

• We made a white flour pizza crust (using flour instead of Parmesan in the linked recipe). I just felt like whole wheat would compete with the filling too much.
• We did use the fresh spinach specified by the recipe but will use thawed frozen spinach next time since it just gets cooked in with the rest of the filling.
• We didn't want to buy a rotisserie chicken (which we almost never do) just for this recipe so just cooked up a chicken breast ourselves in the oil and garlic. It would be a perfect recipe for using leftover chicken.
• The ring adds a very festive air but we might also try it as a straight Stromboli.

Cheesy Chicken-and-Spinach Stromboli Ring
Serves 4

12 ounces fresh prepared whole-wheat pizza dough (Cooking Light's note: Most store-bought pizza dough comes in 1- or 1 1/2-pound portions, but you only need 12 ounces for this recipe. Use the leftovers to make breadsticks or flatbread the next day.)
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
8 ounces fresh spinach
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup)
6 ounces shredded skinless rotisserie chicken breast (about 1-1/2 cups)

Step 1
Let pizza dough stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 450°F.

Step 2
Heat a large skillet over medium-low. Add oil and garlic; cook, swirling occasionally, until garlic is golden, about 2 to 4 minutes. Drain oil from skillet into a small bowl to reserve, keeping garlic in skillet. Add spinach to skillet; increase heat to medium-high, and cook, tossing constantly, until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes to cool.

Step 3
Stir together ricotta and Parmesan in a medium bowl. Add spinach mixture and chicken; stir well to combine.

Step 4
(Cooking Light has pictures which really help with this part.)

Place dough on a large piece of parchment paper, and roll dough into a 20- x 6-inch rectangle. Spoon chicken mixture down center of dough to make an approximately 20- x 3-inch strip.

Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, create tabs in dough on both sides of filling: Starting at the edge of dough, cut 1-1/2-inch-long diagonal slits (1/2-inch to 3/4-inch apart) in toward filling.

Fold tabs over filling, and pinch tabs together to seal.

Carefully shape stuffed dough into a ring; pinch ends of dough together to seal.

Step 5
Transfer stromboli ring on parchment to a baking sheet; fold or cut away excess parchment to fit baking sheet. Brush half of reserved garlic-infused oil over dough. Bake stromboli at 450°F until dough is browned, about 18 minutes. Remove from oven; brush with remaining garlic oil. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

White Cheddar and Bacon Risotto

This is from Cooking Light and loaded with flavor. I got Hannah a subscription for her birthday and gave her the August issue so she had something to unwrap. It had so many interesting recipes that I had to get myself the August issue also!

The only change we made was to double the bacon and just going from two slices to 4 was not that unhealthy.

The cooking time is half an hour, but that doesn't include things like dicing onions. So plan on 30-45 minutes.

White Cheddar and Bacon Risotto
Serves 4 (serving size: 1 cup)

4 cups unsalted chicken stock
2 fresh thyme sprigs (we used a pinch of dried)
2 bacon slices
1-1/4 cups diced onion
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme (we used a bigger pinch of thyme)
3 ounces white cheddar cheese, shredded (3/4 cup)
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

Step 1
Bring stock and thyme sprigs to a simmer in a saucepan over medium; keep warm over low.

Step 2
Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium for 4 minutes or until crisp. Remove from pan; crumble.

Add onion; sauté 4 minutes. Add rice; cook 1 minute, stirring to coat. Add wine; cook 2 minutes or until liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently.

Stir in 1-1/2 cups stock; cook 4 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring frequently. Add 2-1/4 cups stock, 3/4 cup at a time, stirring frequently until each portion is absorbed before adding more.

Reserve remaining 1/4 cup stock; discard thyme sprigs. Stir in salt and pepper.

Step 3
Stir in peas, chopped thyme, and cheese; cook 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat; stir in reserved 1/4 cup stock.

Divide rice mixture among 4 bowls; top with green onions and bacon.

Southwestern Chicken Alfredo Fettucine with Peppers

The creaminess of Alfredo Sauce combined with the zestiness of southwestern seasonings and peppers. Perhaps the perfect fusion of two cultures.

Southwestern Chicken Alfredo Fettucine with Peppers

Step 1:
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (reserve 2 tablespoons for garnish)
2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
2 tablespoons cleaned, minced jalapeno pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (reserve tablespoon for saute )
1/2 cup chicken stock (preferably homemade)
2 tablespoons gold tequila
2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lime juice

Cook 1/3 cup cilantro, garlic and jalapeno in 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add stock, tequila and lime juice. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until reduced to a paste-like consistency; set aside.

Step 2:
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1-1/4 pound chicken breast, diced ¾ inch

Pour soy sauce over diced chicken; set aside for 5 minutes.

Step 3:
1/4 medium red onion, thinly sliced
3 poblano peppers, thinly sliced
1-1/2 cup heavy cream

Meanwhile cook onion and peppers, stirring occasionally, with remaining butter over medium heat. When the vegetables have wilted, add chicken and soy sauce mixture.

Toss and add reserved tequila/lime paste and cream. Bring sauce to a boil; simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce is thick (about 3 minutes).

Step 4:
1 pound dried fettuccine

Meanwhile prepare boil pasta until al dente. Toss with sauce and reserved cilantro.

Note
This is based on a knockoff of a California Pizza Kitchen recipe which used ½ each of a red, green, and yellow bell pepper instead of the poblanos.

Hash Brown Frittata

This is from Cook's Country and is a real find. They say it makes enough for 4 but we all agreed that it can feed six.

It's got a fresh but filling quality that is an unusual combination, but very satisfying. Somehow the asparagus remains crisp.

Note: we used a whole pound of asparagus instead of the 8 ounces called for. Hey, it comes in pound bundles and what are we gonna do with a leftover half pound? We already know — nothing but watch it wilt. And it was delicious with all that crispy asparagus in there.

Hash Brown Frittata

12 large eggs
1/3 cup whole milk
Salt and pepper
8 ounces asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup minced fresh chives
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, shredded and patted dry
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded (1 cup)

Whisk eggs, milk, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in large bowl. Stir in asparagus and chives and set aside.

Melt butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add potatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes begin to brown, about 4 minutes. Using rubber spatula, spread and pack potatoes into even layer in bottom of pan. Pour egg mixture over top and sprinkle with Gruyere.

Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until egg mixture has set, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from heat nd let rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Transfer to cutting board, slice into wedges, and serve.

Spicy Tuna Fish Cakes

These are from Gordon Ramsay's Home Cooking and they will completely revolutionize the image that springs into your head when someone says "fish cake." They are fresh, lively, and absolutely delicious.

Notes: we made this with tuna canned in water and they seemed rather dry. Later I realized that tuna packed in oil is much more common and would be a better choice both for moisture and (possibly) to help hold them together better.

We couldn't find the kaffir lime leaves and, behold, the dish was delicious without them!

Spicy Tuna Fish Cakes

1 pound good-quality tinned tuna (we used four 6-ounce cans)
6 tinned water chestnuts, drained and finely sliced
3 green onions, trimmed and sliced
1" piece of ginger, peeled and grated
3 tablespoons chopped coriander
1 red chili, seeded and finely chopped
3 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped (rehydrated for 5 minutes in boiling water if dried)
2 teaspoons Thai fish sauce
2 eggs, beaten
Vegetable oil, for frying
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Dipping Sauce:
Good pinch of sugar
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 tablespoons chopped coriander


First make the dipping sauce. Mix together all the sauce ingredients, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Taste and adjust the flavours as necessary. Set aside.

Drain the tuna and place in a bowl; use a fork to separate the chunks. Add the water chestnuts, spring onions, ginger, coriander, chilli and lime leaves and season with salt and pepper.

Add the fish sauce and beaten eggs. Mix well.

Squeezing the mixture to tightly compress it and get rid of any excess liquid, shape it into balls the size of golf balls. Flatten them lightly into patties.

Heat a frying pan over a medium heat, add a little oil and shallow-fry the fishcakes on each side for 1–2 minutes until golden on all sides and heated through. Serve with the dipping sauce.