Best New York Lamb Burger. mint oil, feta, vinegar shallots, cumin mayo

Spring is here.

..and sooner than usual actually. I remember thinking it was odd that winter just skipped over spring this year?  It got warm so quick. so Josh and I thought the sacrificial lamb would make a good burger test for this week. Its springtime in New York.  I'm thinking some tasty spring lamb, sweet [Italian] Easter bread or challah bread, march madness, mets games and the opening of the new coney island. It was time to pull out the goods cause spring always brings me to the end of fatty wintery hibernating food and into the lightness of the food in the spring season. Lamb is still a favorite Easter or Passover meal centerpiece. Not just because its pretty when it gets all dark and crispy around the edges from the dripping fat when it cooks. but it tastes so damn good too. 


To break it down I thought about what goes best with lamb. There are 2 regions I can think of where you can derive a damn good lamb recipe. the Mediterranean/Asia (cumin, feta, ) and the UK countryside (vinegar, chips, mint). I decided on a mash up between the Breslin's lamb burger (with a thin slice of feta, and a few thin slices of red onions on a ciabbatta roll) and Chef Jonathan Sawyers Green House Tavern lamb burger in Cleveland OH. 


...minced shallots are such a good addition to beef or lamb burgers and makes them instantly better and brings out their natural smoky flavor. definitely under utilized. Chef Jonathan sawyer who I got to stage with in Cleveland came up with very nice version. a rustic looking crispy and medium grilled Ohio lamb burger topped with champagne minced shallots, and stinky cheese fonduta. this rustic burger is on POINT!!

lamb burger


we settled on some local New York lamb shoulder for the burger since it's good and fatty. so the shoulder (chuck) because its not an area where the lamb uses much during life is pretty fatty and marbly. which makes for a good burger. An hour before I throw the patty on the grill, I shape it into a nice 1/3 lb disk. you don't want an already salted burger inside to sit or it will suck out the moisture too early. The only ingredient I add is a few dashes of sea salt while I shape it into a disk and pop in the freezer for 40 minutes or until just starting to freeze around the edges. heat up the grill with a tablespoon of grape seed oil. a good oil fior burning at higher temperatures.  top the burger with a few grinds of salt and black pepper on both sides right before you place on the grill.  [now wash your hands if you haven't done so already ] press down on the meat with your finger. when it bounces back with a little give, its just short of medium. let that be your guide next time you do burgers and see how you do. while its still hot, I prop it up to rest for a few minutes. then I poke a teeny hole with a knife on the bottom, in case any juices need to escape. and to help not sopping the bottom bun up with juice.

from bottom to top. grilled challah, cumin mayo, 1/3 lb NY ground lamb shoulder, feta, shallots, mint oil. One of our best yet! 


At the end of last weeks tasting, our recent photographer Tom Chalfour, who's a cameraman for HGTV on the show Kitchen Cousins, where they gut out and re-do Kitchens for homeowners, arrived with a set of a nice film equipment, newly purchased. For personal use and to rent out and such. The night ended with beers on Josh's roof, one floor up...and the killer foggy views above Chinatown and the lower east side. 


Tom set up a few lights and a mic and started rolling. A very good night 

Josh & I

cumin mayonnaise


it doesn't take a chef to make your own mayo. But it does take a little concentration. If you own a food processor, you can do a simple emulsion. With your processor running and all ingredients mis en place, poor a thin steady stream of 1/2 cup peanut oil and 1/2 cup olive oil over 1 egg yolk, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1 teaspoon of dry or brown mustard. have a shot full of water and/or white vinegar or lemon juice standing by to cut the emulsion when it gets too thick and clumpy. you'll go back and forth from thin to thick this way, adding more oil then more acid and so on. add a few dashes of salt. taste it. Once its a light canary yellow and creamy and smooth and perfectly thick, its done. [ The reason making your own mayo as opposed to buying it is not even for the health benefits so much as to add a vinegar pucker flavor that you don't get in store bought mayonnaise.] frankly, you'll  know how good it is when you've tried it.


I toast 2 teaspoons of whole cumin on a pan on medium high and shake it around a few minutes minutes so as not to burn it. when whole dried spices like cumin, peppercorns, or rosemary sit in jars, they get stale and dodgy. so when making, for example, a rub for a roast, where you need ground herbs like these, it's always useful getting them hot on a pan for a few minutes before grinding them up. the heat will wake them up and bring out the natural aroma's again. after a few minutes take it off the heat and let cool for a second and blitz them up into a powder in a nut grinder or bullet grinder. notice the difference in how pungent the aroma is. toss the cumin and 1 cup of your mayo in a blender or whisk by hand. It may taste intense on it's own, depending on your sensitivity for cumin, but with lamb and/or crispy salty fries, it can be heavenly. Add a little garlic powder if you want. make your shallots..


red wine vinegar minced shallots


Mince up 2 shallots. toss them into a bowl with 1/2 cup red wine vinegar a half teaspoon of sugar and a 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt. stir and use now or save for later. these can be made on the spot or before hand kept in the fridge. because its a pickle it lasts for a while. feel free to make a big batch and keep them in tupperware. grab a small handful and squeeze out the juice and throw them on a salad or sandwich. you'll see...


mint oil


this is a simple minty vinegar/oil that I altered from a Jamie Oliver 'rack of lamb with mint oil' recipe. I took this recipe and started making lamb lollipops when I was catering small parties. Nothing like a rack of lamb, all seared browned and thrown in the oven for a few minutes. then slice lengthwise along the bone. The lamb pops made a perfect passed hors d'oeuvres at my dinner parties with a side of mint oil for dipping. 


in a blender or food processor or bullet, add a large handful of mint leaves, 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and a 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt. add 2 tablespoons of olive oil or peanut oil and 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar. blend to your desired consistency. I like it mostly smooth with a few small lumps. feel free to mix in some of your vinegar shallots. its all bright green and lovely together. save this and use it on virtually any roasted veggies.


On a March Madness note...North Carolina should win tonight and when they do I hope they beat the CORNfed Holes off Ohio State next week. no joke. Ohio State is like the Patriots of college basketball. they also beat my alma mater Cincinnati Bearcats, who's talent actually worked for them this year. Nice season boys!


Ive seen this Michael Jackson for the 2nd time now on the 1 and A trains going uptown from Columbus Circle... keep an eye out.  he's fun to watch. Red Thriller jacket, black pants, white sox ,loafers, moonwalk, jerry curl and all. This guys on point! 

Best Thanksgiving Burger

This past week Josh and I were trying to come up with an appropriate burger night for week 5. we decided on turkey. when I hear turkey I jump straight to Thanksgiving. This was our base.

There's a misconception people have I think, even chefs, that say turkey burgers are dry and boring. Packaged turkey is mainly white and consists of mostly breast. You're gonna get the moisture however from dark meat. So we mixed half white turkey meat (breast) with half dark (thigh). Don't be afraid to ask your butcher. It makes a big difference

 Apples or pears compliment turkey marvelously. they really add the perfect moisture and tartness and let the turkey do the talking. To make turkey burgers I add some applesauce (homemade if possible), and a handful of chopped up bacon, baked flat on a wire and diced up. some caramelized leeks and celery, and for a little extra down-home goodness, add a tablespoon of good maple syrup and mix it all together. We cooked the burgers in leftover browned butter along with the the english muffin. Brioche might be our bun of choice however. The result is a savory and not too sweet hunk of thanksgiving goodness. almost like the more subtle cousin of turkey sausage.

apple and maple turkey burger.  crispy sage, leeks, celery, cranberry chutney, maple mayo, Vermont cheddar

Making your own applesauce is easy. Some folks like using sweeter apples [gala, fuji, honeycrisp] but if you start with tart apples, like granny smiths, you're always able to add more sugar. You can't go back if it's too sweet. For a kick I add, a knob of ginger and bourbon and taste till my liking. enjoy


applesauce

4 tart apples [granny smith are good] sliced, cored, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
2 cups pure apple juice or water
half a lemon juiced
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons honey [forest honey is good]
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
[optional] thumb sized piece of ginger, sliced thin
[optional] bourbon or brandy

Heat up a high sided pot on med-high with butter and apples. toss to coat 5 minutes or until the apples start sweating. add everything but the bourbon, cover, reduce heat to medium and let it simmer for another 10 minutes. to test stick a fork through an apple piece. it should pierce easily but still hold its shape. add a splash of bourbon and season to taste. Turn off the heat and let it cool for a moment. transfer the mix to a blender or food processor, you may have to do separate batches. I like applesauce chunky and leave a few apple chunks but blend it to your desired consistency. feel free to add more honey or cinnamon. tuck in and enjoy!

crispy sage

stuffingless stuffing

Turkey burgers, when cooked to proper juicy perfection, are a good light summer snack...But its 8 months early and Thanksgiving is on the brain. we don't want to add more starch but thought a stuffing minus the stuffing would be a good addition. So I caramelized in a knob of butter 2 leeks finely halved and sliced fine and 3 stalks celery diced small and a few tablespoons of finely chopped sage and thyme. Give it a few minutes to color, take off heat and set aside to cool. This is our topping.

cranberry chutney

Maybe because I never grew out of it but there's nothing like the sweet tang of canned cranberry. It brings you right back to turkey and thanksgiving around the table. I even have been known to fancy the whole berry canned cranberry. Either way whoever invented it, hats off to you! I tried a few recipe's and here's what I came up with.

1 orange, skin and white membranes removed, roughly chopped
1/4 cup orange juice
10 ounces dried cranberries, steeped in hot water till plump
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup raisins
1 granny smith apple, skinned, cored, small dice
1/4 cup pecans, crushed
2 tablespoons cider vinegar [vintage brook]
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

cranberry chutney. orange, raisin, granny smith apples, pecans

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil and gently simmer for 10 minutes, giving it a few good stirs. The brightness of the orange brings out the natural flavors of the cranberry well. We decided to put this under neath the patty and topped with maple mayonnaise and crispy sage and basted the turkey patty with some leftover brown butter



maple mayonnaise

1/2 cup mayo
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1 tablespoons of maple syrup
leftover 1/2 can whole berry cranberries [optional]
1 teaspoon horseradish [optional]




whisk together and enjoy.

If you live in new york city you should know Fairway by now. The Harlem location is nice with their walk in fridge.  the whole meat and dairy department is this massive fridge. You even have the option to  sport the large Fairway down jacket as you enter the fridge section of the building. Its one size fits all. meaning all extra large men. Don't be surprised if you see a 90 pound grandma wearing one dragging to the ground.

In the summer when its humid and hot and I'm jogging down the west side highway, I've been known to drop in for a few minutes in the Harlem Fairway at 130th and the Hudson river to grab some of that Frigidair. maybe get a coconut water to sip on. all around though, Fairway in Red Hook wins!

Take the 15 minute water taxi from pier 11 in Wall street to Red Hook Brooklyn over to Fairway. $5 roundtrip. From the taxi ride over, you can spot the old 1860's coffee distribution building the Fairway lives in. long rows of red brick building and black iron shutters.

And the old streetcars that live next to it. Julian got some iPhone shots

chorizo burger-poached peaches, kohlrabi, apple, pecan slaw & basil mayo

Green Dragon Market, Lancaster PA

Did anyone catch Game Change tonight on HBO? I'm wondering how accurate it is. Regardless of how true it may be, it was a good script....what were John McCains people thinking when they asked Sarah Palin to be his running mate?...I remember how crazy it seemed when Palin stole McCains thunder right before the presidential election.

Last weeks burger night Josh came up with an idea to make homemade chorizo burgers. grilled peaches sounded like a natural addition for a summery snack.

peaches aren't in season now so we settled for a firm peach from Chile. Generally they want to be fragrant and soft but not mushy. the peach skin should be yellow or cream colored. they're unripe if green colored at all.

I made basil aioli to smear on the top bun, and a coleslaw-with granny smith apples, kohlrabi, rice vinegar, pecans & creme fraiche. The slaw was originally going to be a side item but we tried it in the sandwich and it worked well. For the bun we wanted a ciabatta bread with a crispy floury outside that could withstand the range of flavors and textures happening. Not to mention something to hold the stack of ingredients that was forming. The final product wasn't necessarily what we planned but it worked...

Josh picked up equal parts pork shoulder and pork belly from Dickson Farms at Chelsea Market. Down at Manhattan Fruit Exchange (which is some of the cheapest and largest variety of produce you'll find in the city), he picked up dried guajillo and chipotle peppers & soaked them in hot water for an hour and chopped with some ground coriander, cumin & cinnamon, added the mix to the pork and then ground it to form patties. By the time I arrived the patties weren't holding together like we wanted. There's a reason why you've never had a chorizo burger. Because pure chorizo separates. Theres not enough connective tissue to bind together unless you cut it with pork or beef. That's the mistake we made. Next time we'll half it with something like pork or beef.

Cole slaw.

kohlrabi is something that has popped up most markets these days and a great addition to most any slaw. Its got a radish crunch but without the heat. and tastes more like jicama but not as starchy. you can cut up your whole slaw without even using a mandolin or a shredder. you're gonna do a lot of chopping so watch your hands please! Always curl your knuckles, like a knuckleball behind the knife, when holding and slicing the veg. Into a bowl combined 1 small red onion halved and super finely sliced, 2 kohlrabi cut into matchsticks [ leave the skin on if you'd like ], 1 granny smith apple, skinned, cored, and cut into matchsticks, and 1 small red cabbage, halved and sliced thin. squeeze a half a lemon over it to prevent browning, toss and set aside.

your vinegar dressing

combine 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, 3 tablespoons sesame oil and 2 tablespoons  safflower or peanut oil , 1 tablespoon each of fish sauce, minced ginger, honey, lime juice, chopped cilantro & chives. whisk and season to taste with 1/2 tsp salt and pepper till it cuts the sweetness. When your ready to serve, toss the 2 bowls together with a few dollops of creme fraiche or yogurt for just a bit of creaminess. Try topping it with a handful of crumbled, roasted pecans. you can also try adding a small handful of poached raisins.

Tuck in to your sandwich and enjoy.

Basil aioli


in a mestle/mortar or blender, thinly slice and bash up 3 garlic cloves and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt & pepper. to the garlic mix stir in 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. stir it together with a fork & pinch of salt. set aside. in a blender or small food processor or bullet mixer (works best), mix 1 cup store bought mayonnaise, the garlic mix, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 handfuls of basil, washed and dried. blend until smooth. you may have to adjust the mix with a spoon a few times so be patient :) season to taste. feel free to add extra lemon, salt, etc.

chorizo with basil aioli and grilled peaches. coleslaw of kohlrabi, apple, red cabbage, onion, and rice wine vinegar

11 months ago Lee, Julian, & I took a roadtrip to Lancaster County PA when Hair came through Hershey PA. Yesterday we took a day trip back to Lancaster to revisit some staple recipe's. a perfect excuse to leave the city for a day. If you ever come through Lancaster, be sure to visit Good and Plenty, a communal and more amish version of a Cracker Barrel. Also look for the Bird in Hand Market. find the apple dumplings with no sugar added. They're delicious. If your here on a Friday look for the Green Dragon Market in Ephrata, up the road. try and catch the hay auction in the morning or the livestock auction later in the evening. 

I'm starting a pig collection. this is baby #1

Hay Auction

The Amish get creative with old shoes

we  also visited some good antique stores and I purchased a vintage potato ricer and a Wagner cast iron skillet. plus a few piggies and postcards...I love vintage postcards. especially photographs...

'The Sommer Studio, Philadelphia PA'

The Dancing Lesson

Halifax