YIELD: MAKES 4 SERVINGS
1¼ pounds ground beef chuck
1 medium onion, finely chopped
½ large red bell pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
4 hamburger buns, split
2 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
1 medium carrot, coarsely grated
1 small red onion, cut into rings
1 medium tomato, sliced ¼ inch thick
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1.
Mix the beef, onion, bell pepper, garlic, cilantro, oregano, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Form into 4 (4½-inch-wide) patties.
2.
Heat a large griddle or 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until hot, then lightly toast the buns.
3.
Oil the griddle, then cook the patties, turning once, about 8 minutes total for medium-rare. Transfer to the buns.
4.
Mix the cabbage, carrot, and salt to taste, then cook, turning occasionally, until slightly wilted, about 2 minutes. Divide among burgers.
5.
Oil the griddle again, then sear the onion and tomato, turning once, until slightly charred, about 2 minutes total. Divide among burgers.
6.
Stir together the ketchup, mayonnaise, and mustard, then top burgers with sauce.
“Very nice and tasty. It reminded me of the burgers from the street stands in many different countries. Make sure to pack the burgers tightly … they can fall apart pretty easily.”
Alshash, Minneapolis, Minnesota
mushroom kasha burgers
with chipotle mayonnaise
This grain-based veggie burger is an excellent change from traditional bean or tofu varieties. Cooked kasha’s firmness balances the soft sautéed vegetables for a robust texture.
YIELD: MAKES 4 SERVINGS
⅔ cup water
⅓ cup coarse kasha (whole roasted buckwheat groats)
*
1 pound portobello mushrooms, stems discarded
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1½ cups fine dry bread crumbs
1 large egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Tabasco chipotle sauce, or to taste
8 large oval slices rye bread, cut into 4½-inch rounds if desired, lightly toasted
*
Sold at health food stores
1.
Bring water to a boil in a 1½-quart heavy saucepan, then stir in the kasha. Cover and reduce the heat to low, then cook until the kasha is tender and the water is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool. Break one-third of the mushrooms into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, then transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining 2 batches of mushrooms, transferring to the bowl.
2.
Cook the onion and bell pepper in the butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped mushrooms, the garlic, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until any liquid the mushrooms give off is evaporated and the mushrooms begin to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, then stir in the kasha, parsley, soy sauce, and ½ cup bread crumbs until combined well. Cool 10 minutes, then stir in the egg until combined well.
3.
Line a platter with foil. Spread the remaining 1 cup bread crumbs in a shallow baking dish. Form one-fourth of the mushroom mixture (about ¾ cup) into a ¾-inch-thick patty (3½ inches in diameter), then dredge in bread crumbs, knocking off excess, and transfer to the platter. Form and dredge 3 more patties, transferring each to platter. Chill the patties, loosely covered with plastic wrap, 1 hour.
4.
Heat the oil in a clean 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then fry the patties, turning over once, until deep golden, about 4 minutes total. Transfer the patties to paper towels to drain (patties will be soft).
5.
Meanwhile, whisk together the mayonnaise and chipotle sauce. Spread the bread with chipotle mayonnaise and sandwich each mushroom patty between 2 slices.
“I used a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop and I got a total of 22 slider-size patties out of this recipe.”
Akalish, New York City
do ahead:
The
PATTIES
can be formed, without bread-crumb coating, 12 hours ahead and chilled, covered.
Bourbon-Glazed Baby Back Ribs
bourbon-glazed baby back ribs
These ribs spend about an hour bathing in pineapple juice while they cook. A glaze combining Asian ingredients—hoisin and plum sauces plus hot chile paste—with bourbon, honey, and molasses is brushed on the meat while it’s finished on the grill. The slightly spicy ribs will be on everyone’s favorite food list.
YIELD: MAKES 6 SERVINGS
5 tablespoons honey
¼ cup bourbon
1½ tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon plum sauce
1½ teaspoons unsulfured (light) molasses
1½ teaspoons soy sauce
1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
¾ teaspoon hot chile paste, such as sambal oelek
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 (2¼ to 2½-pound) racks of baby back pork ribs
1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
Special equipment: Gas or charcoal grill
1.
Whisk the honey, bourbon, hoisin, mustard, plum sauce, molasses, soy sauce, Worcestershire, chile paste, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
2.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place a long sheet of heavy-duty foil on each of 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Sprinkle the rib racks on all sides with salt and pepper. Place one rib rack on each foil sheet. Fold up the sides of each foil sheet around the rib rack to form a boat-like shape.
3.
Pour ½ cup pineapple juice over each rib rack. Fold up foil to seal packets. Bake until ribs are tender, about 1 hour. Remove the ribs from the foil packets. Transfer to a roasting pan; pour any juices from the foil over and cool.
4.
Prepare a grill to medium heat. Cut each rib rack in half. Grill until browned, brushing frequently with glaze and turning often, about 10 minutes. Cut racks between bones into ribs.
“Didn’t have plum sauce so used fig preserves and didn’t have chile paste so used chili and garlic sauce. Yummy!! Baked for 2½ hours at 275°F then broiled with glaze for a few minutes on each side. Served with corn cakes and salad and full-bodied Spanish wine.”
Maywall
do ahead:
The
GLAZE
can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
The
RIBS
can be made 1 day ahead (through step 3). Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate.
Pork Barbecue Sandwiches with Coleslaw
pork barbecue sandwiches
with coleslaw
Serious about pulled pork? Do it right with this hard-core recipe, which seasons the meat in three stages, so that each bite is flavorful and tender. Serve on a toasted bun with the coleslaw.
YIELD: MAKES 12 SANDWICHES
FOR BARBECUE SAUCE
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
6 tablespoons minced onion
1⅓ cups cider vinegar
1⅓ cups ketchup
1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon cayenne
FOR DRY SEASONING RUB
3 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon cayenne
FOR BARBECUE MOP
1 cup cider vinegar
½ cup water
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
½ teaspoon cayenne
FOR PORK
2 untrimmed boneless halves of pork shoulder (Boston butt; about 6 pounds total weight)
12 soft hamburger buns with sesame seeds, warmed
12 cups coleslaw, homemade or store-bought
Special equipment: Charcoal grill with lid; chimney lighter; candy thermometer; 4 cups hickory wood (smoke) chips; 20-pound sack charcoal briquettes
MAKE BARBECUE SAUCE
Melt the butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté 3 minutes. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce is reduced to 2⅔ cups, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
MAKE DRY SEASONING RUB
Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.
MAKE BARBECUE MOP
Mix all ingredients in bowl. Set aside until ready to use.
MAKE PORK
1.
Place the pork, fat side up, on the work surface. Cut each pork piece lengthwise in half, forming total of 4 long strips. Place the pork on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the rub all over the pork, rubbing it in and covering completely. Cover and chill at least 2 hours and up to 6 hours.
2.
Place the wood chips in a large bowl. Cover with cold water and let stand 30 minutes. Place a handful of torn newspaper into the bottom of a charcoal chimney. Top with 25 charcoal briquettes. Remove the upper rack from a charcoal grill. Place the chimney on the lower grill rack. Light the newspaper and let the charcoal burn until gray ash color, about 30 minutes.
3.
Open 1 bottom grill vent. Turn out the hot charcoal onto one side of the lower rack. Using a metal spatula, spread the charcoal to cover approximately one-third of the rack. Remove 1 cup of wood chips from the water and drain (keep remaining chips in water). Scatter over the coals (avoid using too many wet chips, which may douse the fire). Fill a foil loaf pan halfway with water and place on the lower grill rack on the opposite side of the coals.
4.
Place the upper grill rack on the grill. Arrange the pork fat side up on the upper grill rack above the loaf pan. Cover the grill with the lid, positioning the top vent directly over the pork. Place the stem of a candy thermometer through the top vent, with the gauge on the outside and the tip near the pork (thermometer should not touch meat or grill rack); leave in place during cooking. Check temperature after 5 minutes. Use the top and bottom vents to maintain a temperature range between 225° and 250°F, opening the vents wider to increase heat and closing to decrease heat. Leave any other vents closed.