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More Burger-Like Options – Triple Pork Burgers

It seems like I have been making a lot of burger and sandwich options lately when it comes to mealtime around here. I have been doing a lot of work lately, which has left me less time to get in the kitchen and try out some new things, and it doesn’t help me any that I love sandwiches and burgers overall anyway, so I am always looking for an excuse to try out something different. I had come across this recipe on Food Network a while back and have wanted to try it for a while, but finding chorizo to use around here is not always an easy thing. When I saw some on sale when I went shopping this past week, I finally had the opportunity to get it and give this one a try. If you like your pork, this triple pork burger is a great option for you.

Triple Pork Burgers

1 1/2 pounds ground pork
1/2 pound fresh chorizo sausage, casings removed
1/4 cup finely grated Pepper Jack cheese
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 slices bacon, cooked crisp
8 rolls, sliced
Curly leaf lettuce
3 sliced plum tomatoes
Smoked Paprika Mayonnaise, recipe follows

Smoked Paprika Mayonnaise:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon hot sauce

Preheat a flat top grill pan or large skillet to medium-high heat.

In a medium bowl, mix the ground pork, sausage, Pepper Jack cheese, shallot, garlic, and salt and pepper, to taste. Form the meat mixture into equal-sized patties that will fit nicely onto the buns you chose.

When the grill pan or skillet is hot, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable and oil and heat until it is smoking. Cook the pork burgers for 4 to 5 minutes and then flip the burgers and continue to cook for another 4 to 5 minutes on the opposite side until they are cooked through and nicely browned on each side. Remove the pork burgers from the pan and serve on split rolls with a slice of bacon, lettuce, tomato and the Smoked Paprika Mayonnaise.

For the Smoked Paprika Mayonnaise:

Mix all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Cover the mayonnaise with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are serving, allowing the flavors to meld. The mayonnaise can be made a day ahead.

These burgers have a little bit of everything to offer for the pork lovers. You get the ground pork, the heat and bite of chorizo and the crispness and great flavor you always get from the bacon all in one burger. Throw in the great taste you get from the smoked paprika mayo and you have a great option for a burger indoors or for when you are grilling outdoors. I personally did not have any cheese in mine, but Michelle and Sean both loved the addition of the cheese inside their burgers. You can use whatever cheese you like best, but the Pepper Jack seems to go really well with these burgers.The original recipe from Food Network uses these to make sliders, which I think they would be great for as well if you want a great snack or appetizer for a party.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on March 15, 2014 in Cooking, Dinner, Grilling, Pork, Sandwiches

Tags: chorizo sausage, food network, Pepper Jack cheese, smoked paprika, smoked paprika mayo, smoked paprika mayonnaise, triple pork burger recipe, triple pork burgers, triple pork sliders

Simple Southern Sides, Part 2 – Jamie Deen’s Homemade Baked Beans

13 Mar

Continuing along with some of the southern side dish recipes I have tried recently, I wanted to try something new with some baked beans so I was on the lookout for another recipe. I have tried good ones in the past but I did not want one that I had to put in the slow cooker and I wanted one that I could put in the oven with the other items I was cooking so I could have the stove top free for other things. I came across this recipe on Food Network from Jamie Deen, one of Paula Deen’s sons. I always like his recipes as he tries to keep things simple and a bit healthier when he can, so when I saw this recipe out there I knew I was going to give it a try.

Homemade Baked Beans

1 pound dried pinto beans
8 slices bacon, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 large Vidalia onion, chopped
Pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Sort through the beans and pick out any dried-up beans or small pebbles and discard them. Rinse the beans well in a colander, then add them to a large Dutch oven and cover the beans with 3 inches of water. Bring the beans to a boil for 2 minutes. Cover and let the beans sit on the stove for 1 hour. Drain the beans and rinse them again. Alternatively, you could soak the beans in water overnight to achieve the same results.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Add the bacon to the same Dutch oven and cook it over medium heat, while stirring, until the bacon has rendered some of its fat, about 3 minutes. Turn the heat up to medium-high, add the garlic and onions and saute until the bacon is almost crisp and the garlic and onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Season the bacon with a good pinch of salt and pepper and then stir in the chili powder, sautéing for 1 minute to toast the spice and until it is fragrant. Stir in 4 cups of water, the chicken stock, ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, yellow mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in the pinto beans, bring the mixture to a simmer, cover the Dutch oven with a lid and place it in the oven for 5 hours. Check the beans every few hours to give them a stir. Add some water to the pot, only if needed, if the beans are looking dry and to prevent them from burning. The beans are ready when they are tender and the sauce is thick.

I thought this recipe was great because it makes use of the dried beans instead of canned, which I find have a lot more flavor to them. There are not many ingredients in this one and once it is under way I was pretty much able to leave it alone and let it cook since I was making these with the spare ribs I made last week, so both were in the oven and are on their own all day while I could do other things and then have dinner ready all at once. The beans had a nice flavor from the mixture of the chili powder, ketchup, molasses and sugar and we all loved them. This recipe does make a lot of beans (the website says it makes 10 servings) so you will have lots leftover to use for other meals or you could freeze some to have on hand for another time.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe as there is always plenty of cooking going on around here and I am always finding new recipes to try. until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on March 13, 2014 in Cooking, Rice, Side Dishes

Tags: baked beans, baked beans recipe, food network, homemade baked beans recipe, Jamie Deen, pinto beans

There’s Nothing Like a Good Rack of Ribs – Food Network’s Almost-Famous Barbecue Ribs

08 Mar

We all love ribs in our house and I am always looking for a new recipe to try when it comes to making them. The problem I often run into is that many of the recipes are designed for smokers, charcoal or gas grills, none of which I have in my condo. I have been able to adapt a basic way of slow cooking the ribs in the oven and then using different rubs and glazes, which has worked really well for me in the past and which is what I did for this recipe, which is from Food Network for their Almost-Famous Barbecue Spareribs. I’ll post the recipe and method just as they do it and then let you know what I changed as far as method to make it work for me.

Almost-Famous Barbecue Spareribs
For the Marinade:
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 4 -to-5-pound racks pork spareribs

For the Rub:
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Barbecue Sauce:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 3/4 cups apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon mustard powder
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup ketchup
1 cup crushed pineapple
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke

For the marinade: Whisk the brown sugar, vinegar, onion, garlic, 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper in a bowl. Put the ribs meat-side down on a cutting board. Starting at one end, slip a paring knife under the membrane that covers the back of the rack. Loosen the membrane with the knife, then pull it off. Coat the ribs on both sides with the marinade. Wrap the ribs in plastic wrap and refrigerate them overnight.

For the rub: Mix the brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, celery salt, celery seeds, cayenne, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper in a bowl.

Soak 2 cups of hickory wood chips in water, 30 to 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat a grill to medium low (275 degrees F) and prepare it for indirect grilling: For a charcoal grill, bank the coals to one side; for a gas grill, turn off the burners on one side. Cover the grate on the cooler side of the grill with foil.

Drain the wood chips. For a charcoal grill, scatter the chips over the hot coals; for a gas grill, put the chips in a smoker box and place over direct heat. Close the lid and allow smoke to build up, about 10 minutes. Rinse the marinade off the ribs and pat dry with paper towels. Work the spice rub into both sides of each rack with your hands.

Place the ribs, meat-side up, on the foil over indirect heat. Close the lid and cook, undisturbed, until the meat shrinks back slightly to expose a bit of the bone, about 1 hour, 30 minutes.

Rotate the ribs (keep them meat-side up and over indirect heat), then close the lid and continue cooking, about 2 hours to 2 hours, 30 minutes. (For a charcoal grill, add more hot coals as needed to maintain the temperature.)

Meanwhile, make the barbecue sauce: Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and chili powder until incorporated, about 1 minute. Whisk in the vinegar, 1/4 cup water, the molasses, Worcestershire sauce, honey, mustard powder, espresso powder, 3/4 teaspoon black pepper and the cayenne. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Whisk in the ketchup and pineapple. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 45 minutes. Whisk in the liquid smoke. Let the sauce cool to room temperature, then remove the garlic. (The sauce will keep, refrigerated, up to 2 weeks.)

Baste the ribs generously with the prepared barbecue sauce. Close the lid and continue cooking until glazed, about 20 more minutes. Transfer the ribs to a cutting board. Let the ribs rest a few minutes before cutting them into individual ribs. Serve with more sauce on the side.

Okay, that’s the basics for a charcoal or gas grill. For the oven, I did everything the same except after marinating the ribs overnight and rinsing them the next day, I placed the ribs in a 300 degree oven covered in aluminum foil for 45 minutes. I then took the ribs out, removed the foil and continued to cook them for another 2 1/2 hours, rotating the pan every half hour. After that time, I then brushed on the barbecue sauce and cooked them for another 20 minutes before putting them under the broiler for the last 5 minutes to really crisp up the sauce. That was it and I think it worked really well. The ribs were fall off the bone tender and I really liked the combination that the rub and the sauce gave to the ribs. Marinating the ribs for a day really helped to break down the meat, give it flavor and make it cook even better. I liked the touch of the pineapple, honey and liquid smoke in the sauce to give it added flavor so I would definitely try this one again.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe as i still have some good stuff to come. until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on March 8, 2014 in Cooking, Dinner, Grilling, Pork

Tags: almost-famous spareribs, barbecued spareribs, food network, spare ribs recipes, spareribs recipe

It’s a Chicken Invasion, Part 2 – Pan Seared Chicken Breast with Herb Jus and Potato Vegetable Hash

29 Jan

For the next chicken meal for the week I decided again to try to keep something simple and different. I find I don’t but chicken breasts very often, but I saw some on sale recently and picked up a package because it was on sale. Usually the bone-in chicken breasts are pretty large and end up cutting them in half so we get more meals out of them. That is what I did this time and then I decided I was going to try this recipe that I saw from Robert Irvine of the Food Network. it is for a simple pan seared chicken breast with herb jus and a really tasty potato vegetable hash. it’s a simple recipe that’s easy enough to make during the week for a nice dinner.

Pan Seared Chicken Breast with Herb Jus and Potato-Vegetable Hash

For the Chicken:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts, cut in half

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup dry white wine

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon chopped rosemary leaves

1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon minced fresh chives

For the Potato-Vegetable Hash:

1 potato

1 zucchini

1 yellow squash

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon leaves

1 teaspoon Cajun spice

Vegetable oil

Salt

For the chicken, heat a large saute pan over high heat and add the vegetable oil. Heat the vegetable oil until it is shimmering. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper to taste. Sear the chicken, skin side down, until the skin is a golden brown, about 5 to 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, flip the chicken breasts over, cover the pan and cook on the second side for 7 to 8 minutes.

After the second side has been cooked, add the white wine, the garlic, thyme, rosemary and parsley and continue to cook the chicken until the liquid is reduced by half, about 7 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and cover it loosely with aluminum foil to allow it to rest.

Remove the saute pan from the heat and whisk in the butter, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

For the potato-vegetable hash, using a box grater, shred the potato, zucchini and yellow squash and add them to a large bowl. Stir in the red onion, egg, flour, garlic, thyme, tarragon and the Cajun spice. Blend the mixture well and add more flour if the mixture seems too wet. The mixture should hold its shape when it is squeezed.

Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and add two tablespoons of vegetable oil. Heat the oil just until it is shimmering and portion the potato mixture into cakes, gently patting and forming them in your hands. Cook the cakes until they are golden brown on one side, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the cakes over and cook until the other side is browned, about another 3 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pan and set them on a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt to taste.

Serve the potato vegetable hash warm with a chicken breast piece on time and some of the herb jus sauce.

This was a very simple meal that makes good use of the white meat of the chicken if you need a new recipe. Sean is a big white meat-eater so he really liked this meal. The sauce for me was the winner as it had great flavor and everyone really liked the potato-vegetable hash, which was the real hit of the meal. The combination of the potato, zucchini and squash was perfect with the herbs and spices and it wasn’t cooked so long that it got all dried out. It was nice and flavorful from the vegetables with some crispness. It was definitely one I would make again.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for the next chicken recipe. I have some fried chicken sandwiches, an oven roasted turkey breast, a skillet roasted chicken and more still to come. Until next time, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on January 29, 2014 in Cooking, Dinner, Poultry, Sauce, Vegetables

Tags: chicken breasts, food network, herb jus, pan seared chicken breast, pan seared chicken breast with herb jus and potato-vegetable hash, potato-vegetable hash, Robert Irvine

When It’s This Cold, It Has to Be Soup or Stew. This Time It’s Stew…

24 Jan

Yikes it has been crazy cold here the last few days. I get up and start working at about 5:30 AM and for the last few days it has been zero or less outside when I get up. it has been so cold I have been using fingerless gloves while I type in the morning just to keep my hands warm! Anyway, when the weather is this cold all you want to eat is something warm and hearty, and for us that means soup or stew. I found this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis of the Food Network about a week ago and it seemed perfect to make when it was this frosty outside. it is for a cannellini and sausage stew. The recipe is easy, it uses easy ingredients and you can have the whole thing done in about 35 or 40 minutes, so you can’t ask for a meal much better than that!

Cannellini and Sausage Stew

Vegetable oil cooking spray

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 medium fennel bulbs, outer layers removed, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

One 15-ounce can cannellini beans

One 10-ounce bunch kale, center rib removed, leaves chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

1 cup chicken broth

4 turkey or chicken Italian sausage links

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a grill pan with the vegetable oil cooking spray.

In a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the fennel bulbs, onion and 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes plus the juices, the cannellini beans, the kale and the chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil and then cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and transfer the pot to the oven. Cook the stew until the vegetables are tender and the kale has wilted, about 25 to 30 minutes.

While the stew is cooking, place the grill pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausages to the grill pan and cook, turning occasionally, until the sausages are cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool the sausages and cut them into 1/2-inch thick slices and set them aside,

Remove the pot from the oven and add the cooked sausage slices to the stew. Season the stew with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt. Spoon the stew into bowls and serve.

I did make a few minor changes to the recipe. Instead of using kale, I had spinach on hand and used that instead. I actually prefer the flavor of spinach to the kale and I think it worked just as well in the stew, so the choice is yours as to which you like better. Giada also puts in 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, which I left out. My family is not too big on the heat so I didn’t see the need to put the flakes in, but if you like the stew a little hot (and I think it would be good with some heat) I think you could put it in or even use hot sausage instead of regular sausage. I loved the flavor you got from the mix of the beans, sausage and spinach and the tomatoes and broth added just enough liquid to the mix. The fennel gave the whole dish a great flavor too. I will definitely be making this one again.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. I actually have a soup recipe I am making tonight that I’ll be happy to share. It’s Alton Brown’s take on lentil soup and it smells pretty darn good right now. Until next time, enjoy the rest of your day, try to stay warm and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on January 24, 2014 in Cooking, Dinner, One Pot Meals, Sausage, Soups & Stews

Tags: bean and sausage stew, cannellini bean and sausage stew, cannellini beans, food network, giada de laurentiis, sausage, sausage stew

A Side Dish for the Kids (and Adults Too) – Alton Brown’s Baked Macaroni and Cheese

26 Nov

Let me preface this post by saying I do not like macaroni and cheese. I don’t eat pasta, I don’t eat cheese, so this dish really does nothing for me personally. That being said, it’s always a great idea to have something on the table that you know little ones are going to eat up, and macaroni and cheese always seems to be one of those dishes no matter what the occasion. Why not give the kids something special and offer this one up for them? Also, most adults I know love the stuff as well, so the big batch that this recipe makes might actually be just the answer you need for everyone and you may not even have that much left. According to Alton Brown, this is the most downloaded recipe of all-time at Food Network, so we had to give it a try to see what it was all about.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

8 ounces elbow macaroni

1 tablespoon kosher salt

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon powdered mustard

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 cup finely diced onion

1 bay leaf

3 cups whole milk

1 egg

12 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded, divided

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Pepper

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

3 tablespoons butter, melted

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. For the pasta, In a 4-quart pot, cover the macaroni and salt with 1 inch of cold water. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat. When the pasta comes to a boil, begin testing it for doneness. Cook the pasta until it is al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse it with cold water to stop the cooking.

For the cheese sauce, while the pasta is cooking, melt the butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Once the butter stops bubbling, whisk in the flour and cook until the mixture is pale blonde, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Add the mustard, paprika, onion and bay leaf and whisk to combine. Add the milk, whisking continually for 7 to 8 minutes or until the mixture is slightly thickened. Remove the saucepan from the heat and discard the bay leaf.

In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg. Add a few ounces of the milk mixture to the egg and whisk it to combine. Add another few ounces of the milk mixture to the egg and thoroughly combine. Then add the egg mixture back to the milk mixture and whisk vigorously. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese and season well with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour it into a 4-quart casserole dish. Top the macaroni with the remaining cheese. Toss the breadcrumbs with the melted to butter to coat the crumbs. Sprinkle the macaroni with the breadcrumb mixture in an even layer.

Bake the macaroni and cheese for 30 minutes. Remove it from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

As I said, I don’t like it, so I didn’t try it. That task was left to my macaroni and cheese experts, Michelle and Sean, who both adore the meal. They both liked the added texture you got from the breadcrumbs and both really enjoyed the cheese sauce. Their only critique is that they felt the onion was a little too overpowering in the dish. I think for the next go round on this one, we’ll be leaving the onion out of the equation all together. If you like the flavor yourself, and I am sure many people do, by all means leave it in. I think it’s a great idea to have this on your Thanksgiving menu so it gives something a little different to eat for everyone and maybe appeals to the finicky kids who may not eat anything else. It’s certainly worth a try.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for some more recipes. I do have one more stuffing recipe to share and then some ideas for leftovers, including a turkey pot pie and some turkey soup. I already made about 12 cups of stock from the turkeys I have used over the past week or so, so there are plenty of soup options. Until next time, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on November 26, 2013 in Cooking, Dinner, Holidays, One Pot Meals, Pasta, Vegetarian

Tags: Alton Brown, Alton Brown macaroni and cheese, baked macaroni and cheese, food network, macaroni and cheese, macaroni and cheese recipe, Thanksgiving side dish

50 Mashed Potato Recipes : Recipes and Cooking : Food Network

19 Nov

50 Mashed Potato Recipes : Recipes and Cooking : Food Network.

For most of us, having mashed potatoes is a crucial part of the Thanksgiving meal. There of course is the simple and classic way of making this dish, but Food Network has come up with 50 different ways that you can jazz up this traditional dish to make it a little different for your meal. Check it out!

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Posted by MikeG on November 19, 2013 in Cooking, Cooking Websites, Holidays, Potatoes

Tags: 50 mashed potato recipes, 50 ways to make mashed potatoes, food network, mashed potato recipes, Thanksgiving meal

Best Thanksgiving Appetizer Recipes : Recipes and Cooking : Food Network

18 Nov

Best Thanksgiving Appetizer Recipes : Recipes and Cooking : Food Network.

Appetizers are something that can get easily overlooked when you are planning your Thanksgiving Day meal. Food Network gives you some of the best and easiest appetizers, most of which you can put together without working up a big sweat so you can be sure you are covered. Check it out!

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Posted by MikeG on November 18, 2013 in Appetizers, Cooking, Cooking Websites, Holidays

Tags: appetizers, appetizers for the holidays, best Thanksgiving appetizer recipes, food network, Thanksgiving appetizers, Thanksgiving Day

Jazzing up the Weeknight Burgers: Gourmet Diner Burgers

05 Nov

I make burgers about once a week, usually on Wednesday nights/ Wednesday is our busy day around here so it is a fast and easy meal that we all seem to like, but I have to admit that it can get a little boring after having it every week. I went looking for some ways to shake burger night up a little bit and then I came across this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis of the Food Network for some Gourmet Diner Burgers with some extra fixings.

Gourmet Diner Burgers

Zucchini Pickles:

1 pound zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds

3 sprigs fresh oregano

2 cups apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons black peppercorns

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon fennel seed

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 bay leaf

Parmesan Frico:

1 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Roasted Garlic Mayo:

1 garlic bulb

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup mayonnaise

6 cloves roasted garlic

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons freshly chopped parsley

1 teaspoon freshly chopped oregano

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Burger Patties:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1/2 pound ground lamb

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

Burgers:

6 hamburger rolls, halved

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Roasted Garlic Mayo

6 Burger Patties

12 zucchini pickle slices

6 Parmesan Frico rounds

6 slices bacon

1 onion, diced and sautéed

For the pickles: Place the zucchini slices and oregano in a large jar or heat-safe container. Heat the apple cider vinegar, sugar, peppercorns, salt, fennel seed, red pepper flakes and bay leaf in a medium saucepan, stirring until the sugar and salt have dissolved, about 2 minutes. Pour the pickling liquid and spices into the jar over the zucchini slices. Let the mixture cool completely, uncovered. Cover and place the container in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours and store for up to 6 weeks.

For the Parmesan frico: Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the Parmesan cheese, flour and pepper together in a large bowl, making sure the flour is evenly distributed throughout the cheese. Arrange mounds of 2 tablespoons of the cheese about 4 inches apart on the baking sheet and flatten each mound slightly with a spatula to form a 3-inch round. Bake the frico in the oven until they are golden brown, about 10 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through the baking process. Cool the frico on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then gently transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Roasted garlic mayonnaise: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the garlic bulb in half cross wise and place the halves on a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle each side with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Fold up the foil around the garlic halves and then seal the foil into an airtight package. Roast the garlic until it is golden and soft, about 1 hour.

Stir together the mayonnaise, roasted garlic cloves, lemon juice, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper until well blended.

For the patties: In a large bowl, combine the beef, lamb, salt and pepper. Form the mixture into six 4-inch diameter patties, each about 1/2-inch thick. Drizzle the patties with olive oil. Place a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Grill the patties until they are cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Allow the patties to rest for 5 minutes.

To assemble the burgers: Drizzle the cut side of the hamburger rolls with olive oil and lightly toast on the grill pan, about 1 to 2 minutes. Spread the garlic mayo over the bottom halves of the rolls. Place the burger patties on the rolls and top each patty with 4 pickle slices, 1 frico round, the sautéed onions and a slice of bacon.

There is some prep work ahead of time that you can do for these if you want the zucchini pickles, and they do taste good, but if you don’t want to put the time into them you can just use regular store-bought pickles instead. Sean and Michelle absolutely loved the Parmesan frico and thought it was great with the burgers and without them. I think it would make a nice appetizer or side for a lot of other meals. As for the burgers themselves, I really liked the flavor and texture you get from having the beef mixed with the lamb. The burgers had a nice, unique flavor and I made some extra and froze them so we can have them again another night. I served the burgers with some homemade potato salad, which is always a favorite around here.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for some more recipes. I have been gathering lots of Thanksgiving sides and ideas to make, so keep watching for them. Until next time, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on November 5, 2013 in Beef, Cooking, Dinner, Grilling, Side Dishes

Tags: burgers, food network, giada de laurentiis, gourmet diner burgers, Parmesan frico, potato salad, Roasted garlic, roasted garlic mayo, zucchini pickles

Outrageous Oven-Baked Spare Ribs with Porter Beer Mop

28 Oct

Spare ribs are one of my favorite things to make no matter what time of year it may be. If the weather doesn’t cooperate or it’s too cold to use the grill outside, baking ribs in the oven can be just as good, if not better, than grilled ribs. I found this recipe from the Food Network’s Amy Thielen, who does a show called “Heartland Table,” for a very unique style of making ribs in the oven with a different glaze to them. I have made ribs in the oven many times in different ways, but this particular glaze she uses really intrigued me so I thought I would give it a try.

Oven-Baked Spare Ribs with Porter Beer Mop

6 pounds spare ribs, on the bone

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

4 dried red chiles

1-inch knob fresh ginger root

1/2 to 1 fresh Serrano chile (depending on the amount of heat you desire), stem discarded

1/2 medium onion, cubed

4 inches fresh ginger root, peeled and sliced

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

1 bottle porter beer

1/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Zest and juice of 1 lime

For the ribs, preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Trim any gristle from the ribs and cut them into two-rib portions. Rub each piece with salt, and sprinkle with black pepper and thyme. Arrange the ribs in a large roasting pan, add 1/4 cup of water, the dried chiles, and the ginger, cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake until the ribs are tender when poked with a fork, about 3 hours.

For the porter beer mop, in a food processor, combine the Serrano chile, onions, ginger and salt and process until the mixture is smooth.

Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and add the butter. Add the onion mixture to the pan and cook, stirring often, until it is caramelized, a shade darker and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add the porter beer, molasses, brown sugar and maple syrup and cook at a simmer until the mixture thickens but is still saucy, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the cilantro, lime zest and lime juice and stir.

To glaze the ribs, raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees. Brush the mop on both sides of the ribs and re-apply the mop until you have used it all and the ribs are well coated with a shiny black glaze. Bake uncovered for about 10 minutes before serving.

A couple of things about this recipe. You could use beef or pork ribs for this recipe depending on what you have on hand or prefer. I used pork ribs even though the recipe called for beef and I think they turned out great. Also, if you don’t want the added heat of the dried chiles or the Serrano chile, you could easily omit them or substitute a milder pepper that you prefer. I actually used chili powder in with the ribs instead of the dried chiles and used a jalapeno in the mop and everything was fine with me. You can really get a nice taste from the ginger baking with the ribs and the ginger in the mop and you can certainly taste the beer in the mop as well, so if you like the flavor of a good porter than this one is for you. I served this simply with some white rice and steamed green beans, but some homemade baked beans or cornbread would go really well with this meal as well. I would certainly use this recipe again. One more thing – the recipe is to serve 8 so it is a lot of ribs. You could cut down the portions accordingly to fit a smaller group if you like, or just have lots of leftovers for another meal.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for some more recipes. I have a bunch of things lined up for this week, including a couple of Halloween ideas for snacks and food, so watch for those. Until next time, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!