Aug 25
Ginger is one of those intoxicatingly ancient spices (even mentioned in sanskrit!). When I cook with ginger, I feel like I’m accessing a little part of my human ancestry. But let’s not get too romantic about it. I’m taking this spice and adding an amount of sugar befitting only to a new world palate.
In my family, potato salad is another one of those guilty pleasure American foods we shy away from, except during the summer. Mayonnaise doesn’t really enter into my family’s culinary repertoire and pickles, potatoes, and hard boiled eggs make even sparser appearances on the family table. Something about these foods makes us go “ick” (regardless of the fact that they are all extremely tasty items).
Still, whenever potato salad hits the plate of anyone I know, it’s gobbled up instantly, followed by a groan of regret (and then seconds). So, since I’ve been cooking up American style food so often this summer, I thought I could update potato salad for the weekday plate. Read more
I just moved back to the city after spending six glorious years in central and southern Illinois. I get to missing the green parts of my world pretty often and my closest friend, Sara, and I really enjoy getting out of the city. We’re usually limited to the midwest as we are both teachers and don’t come by vacations longer than 2 1/2 days very often.
I love beets with an unnatural passion. They’re sweet, substantial, and incredibly easy to make. Still, so many of my friends can’t stand them. The simple word “beet” elicits scowls and sneers. Well, friends, this is not a recipe for the scowlers. This is a recipe for bona fide beet lovers. Spare no super-caramelized onion! Leave no beet unturned! This recipe is for the beet of heart (…too much?).
Last week, a friend of mine asked if I could do something with Swiss chard. I had never taken a request before, and I really enjoyed the challenge! It felt like I was on some reality t.v. show and my mystery ingredient a well-beloved friend.
For many of us during this season, this leafy green is abound but tends to get marginalized on the dinner plate. Greens with garlic and olive oil is certainly a staple (and not a dish to be ignored), but I thought I would try to make Swiss chard the hero of the dinner plate today, especially since I’m pretty sure Michael asked for a Swiss chard recipe precisely because he, like many of us, was tired of serving it up in the same old way.
So to help us get through another Monday, I thought we could pretend it’s Saturday and bake up some burgers! Swiss chard burgers, that is. I was extremely tempted to call these Swiss charred burgers, but I abstained. :)
The really wonderful thing about these burgers is that if you don’t have something on hand, you can pretty much substitute anything you like! The quinoa can just as easily be replaced by any grain you have on hand; instead of Panko breadcrumbs, try whole-wheat. Don’t have almonds? Any nut will do! As unappetizing as it might sound, think of this as burger stew. Ewww… but you get the drift.
You might be noticing that the mixture in the stand mixer does not look like Swiss chard. You’d be right. Why not skip the supermarket burger buns and make your own? You really won’t regret it. These burger buns, recipe courtesy of Elra’s Baking, puff up like no bread you’ve ever made and the taste! They truly taste how burger buns should taste. Sweet, light on the inside, and crusty on the outside. Mmmmm….
To hold these patties together, I use egg whites. I’m saving the yolks to make a custard to throw in Rupert Murdoch’s face. But if you don’t mind the extra fat or custard ala Murdoch isn’t really your style, feel free to use 2 whole eggs instead.
Swiss Chard Burgers:
I love sweets. Even at dinner, I want something sweet and substantial, but I like to save the big calories for dessert. This banana flatbread–which is fat and refined sugar free–along with the carrots and raisins in the filling, give this dish the sweetness I crave without ruining your appetite for dessert.
