Long time no blog, eh?
Hello friends... getting ready for this weekend's next Is My Blog Burning -- Grillers and Barbecuers Edition. And, boy, playing with fire has never been this much fun!
My absence from my beloved blog hasn't been in vain, though. I've been hard at work getting ready to take There's a Chef in My Kitchen live! I mean really live. Soon, (like next week!) There's a Chef in my Kitchen will become its own .com and my new business venture will be off the ground and running.
As you can imagine, my kitchen has been in high gear as I test recipes, hone my skills and master techniques. I even managed a spectacular charitable dinner at the home and garden of my dear friend, Jo. But, above all else, I've missed writing and sharing my thoughts and musing here. This is the one place I can be me.
So...to tempt your tastebuds for this big blog burning event, here's a little recipe from January's Virtual Supper Club (that I've abandoned in favor of the Blog Burning Events!). Tuna Burgers -- delicious grilled and with a healthy approach to toppings, there's nothing to not like about these surprising little burgers. Enjoy!
Tuna Burgers
From A New Way To Cook © Copyright 2001, Sally Schneider (Artisan).
This recipe was inspired by the one served years ago at the Gotham Bar & Grill in New York, where it was cooked rare and served on a toasted roll with grilled onions, lettuce, and lemon-garlic mayonnaise. I like to garnish it with thinly sliced sweet onion or "Fried" Onions and serve it with mesclun salad, with or without a bun. Serve with Yogurt Sauce with Toasted Spices, Lime Zest, and Basil, Roasted Garlic Aïoli, or Cilantro and Coconut Chutney (recipes follow)..
Serves 4
One 3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled an cut in 3 pieces
1 ½ pounds tuna steaks
3 tablespoons minced scallions
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
¼ teaspoon minced garlic
1 ½ teaspoons minced jalapeño chile
Pinch of sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
2 tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)
With a chef’s knife, finely chop the tuna on a cutting board.
Press the ginger in a garlic press, catching the pulp in a small bowl, or finely grate it. Add 1 teaspoon of ginger to the tuna, along with the scallions, cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, sugar, salt, pepper to taste, the soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil.
With wet hands, shape the tuna into 4 equal patties. Place on a cookie sheet and freeze for 10 minutes to firm up the flesh.
Brush the patties with the remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Sprinkle on both side with the sesame seeds, if using, and pat them into the burgers.
To panfry the burgers: Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat until very hot. Add the burgers and cook for 2 minutes on each side, or until deep brown on the outside but still rare on the inside.
To grill: Place on a grill over hot coals and cook for 1 ½ to 2 minutes on each side. Serve at once.
"Fried" Onions
From A New Way To Cook © Copyright 2001, Sally Schneider (Artisan).
Panfried onions, tender and caramelized, are a greasy-spoon and steakhouse favorite. To enjoy fired onions prepared with much less fat, cook the onions in a small amount of butter in a covered nonstick skillet, a process called sweating, so they release some of their juices and soften. Then remove the lid to let all that moisture evaporate, caramelizing them. Since sautéed or fried onions are called for in many recipes – in soups, stews, pasta, or as a pizza topping – this is an essential technique.
Makes about 2 cups; Serves 4
1 ½ pounds Vidalia or Bermuda onions, peeled
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon sugar
Freshly ground black pepper
Slice the onions in half through the stem. With a mandoline or vegetable slicer, or a think sharp knife, cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch slices. (You should have about 6 cups.)
In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over moderately low heat. Add the onions, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of the salt, and toss to coat. Cover and cook until the onions have released some liquid, about 13 minutes.
Uncover the pan, increase the heat to moderate, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the onions with the sugar and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until they are golden brown and caramelized, about 10 minutes longer. Add the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and season generously with pepper. Serve warm.
In Advance: Up to 4 hours ahead, cook the onions for the first 23 minutes, or until the liquid has evaporated. Set aside at room temperature. Ten to 15 minutes before serving, caramelize the onions. The cooked onions can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 4 days.
Yogurt Sauce with Toasted Spices, Lime Zest, and Basil
From A New Way To Cook © Copyright 2001, Sally Schneider (Artisan).
This deceptively simple recipe from chef Gray Kunz is an example of the magic of a few well-chose ingredients artfully combined. The flavor of the yogurt is essential to the sauce and provides the base for an unusual combination of flavors: cumin, coriander, and cardamom in league with fresh basil, lime and jalapeño.
Use whole-milk yogurt for this sauce, preferably sheep’s milk yogurt, which is extremely creamy and luxurious. The acidity and lack of body typical of nonfat and many low-fat yogurts would undermine the sauce. NOTE: To duplicate whole-milk yogurt, mix equal parts low-fat yogurt and regular or reduced-fat sour cream.
Makes 1 cup
Scant ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
4 coriander seeds
Seed from 1 cardamom pod
1 cup whole-milk or sheep’s milk yogurt
8 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
½ mall serrano or jalapeño chile, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
1/8 teaspoon sugar
Pinch of kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
In a small skillet, toast the cumin, coriander, and cardamom seeds over moderate heat until fragrant. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a blender or a spice grinder, grind the toasted spices to a fine powder. Strain the powder through a fine sieve into a small bowl.
In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, basil, jalapeño, lime zest, sugar, and ½ teaspoon of the spice powder or more to taste. Stir in the salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors marry.
In Advance: This sauce is best served the day it is made, but it will keep for up to 2 days in the refrigerator with a slight fading of flavor.
11:48:10 AM 
|
|
