Mother/Daughter Pork and Chorizo Burger Tag-Team: A Family Force to be Reckoned With

  In the astounding Journey that is my life, I often find it best to take a side trip to my parents place every once in awhile. Not only does it house a few of the greatest people I have ever had the pleasure to know (no, I'm not biased...ok maybe a little), but it tends to contain a plethora of fresh ingredients, great recipe ideas, and a desire for food experimentation that rivals my own.
   
   On the most recent trip back, my mom had the brilliant idea of teaming up to tackle my next blog entry. We made a whole day out of choosing recipes, shopping for ingredients, and assembling our edible artistry. This may have been one of the best kitchen experiences I have had in awhile, and together we made a stylish warm-summer-day dish that would make any food lover cry with pure joy (as long as they aren't counting calories). Without further ado, I would like to introduce you to...

Pork & Chorizo Burgers With Green Chile Mayo, Sweet Potato Fries with Sour cream and Chile dipping sauce, and I Hate Cucumber Salad!

Pork & Chorizo Burgers with Green Chile Mayo

1/2 LB     Chorizo (ground, or with casings removed)

1 1/2 LB  Ground Pork

1 T           Minced Garlic

2 T           Worcestershire Sauce

1 1/2 t      Creole Seasoning (see below for a good recipe!)

3/4 t         Salt

1/4 t         Cayenne

4              Burger Buns

1 c           Pepper Jack Cheese

Green Chile Mayo 

1 c           Mayonnaise
1 t           Minced Garlic
1             Poblano Pepper (roasted and peeled) 
1 T          Lime juice
Salt and Pepper

Creole Seasoning

2 1/2 T    Paprika
2 T          Salt
2 T          Garlic Powder
1 T          Pepper
1 T          Onion Powder
1 T          Cayenne
1 T          Dried Oregano
1 T          Dried Thyme

1. First up: Green Chile Mayo. Start by roasting the poblano pepper. Rub the pepper with vegetable oil and place it on a broiler pan or baking sheet in the oven on broil. Remember when broiling to leave the oven door cracked. 

2. Watch the pepper carefully, when the side facing up starts to crackle and turns a charred brown, turn the pepper and repeat on the other side.

3.  Remove pepper, place in a glass bowl and cover with seran wrap (This steams the pepper, loosining the skin and making it easier to peel off)

4. After 2 minutes, remove the pepper, and gently peel the skin away. Pull off the stem, cut the pepper in half, and scrape the seeds out with the flat side of the knife. 

5. Place all mayo ingredients in a food processor and blend (or chop the pepper and mix by hand)

6. Set aside the mayo, and combine all burger ingredients in a bowl (EXCEPT BUNS AND CHEESE).

7. Form the mixture into 4 patties. Make sure to make the patties larger than your buns, because they shrink during the cooking process. BE SURE TO FIRM UP THE SIDES. The patty should be compacted so that it does not fall apart during the cooking process.

8. Cook the patties on a grill over medium heat for roughly 5 minutes per side. Toast the buns, add pepper jack cheese and mayo, and serve.

This recipe is pretty straightforward. I used the food processor for these recipes because it is quick and easy, and it cuts down prep work significantly (hey, the quicker my prep, the quicker I eat!). There were two parts to this recipe that I was concerned about, and that was roasting the pepper, and forming the patties. The pepper roasting looked a little daunting, but it was a lot easier than I expected. Once it was steamed, it pretty much fell apart on its own, requiring little from me when it came to removing the skin and seeds. As for the patties, they are also easier than expected, but a nice trick is the use of WAX PAPER! It gives a good platform for forming, and it makes slapping those babies on the grill super easy.

These burgers were very fun to make. They were a deviation from the traditional beef burger, and the mix of pork and chorizo made for a tender and juicy patty. Chorizo, a Spanish pork sausage, tends to have a little spice due to the fact that it contains dried smoked red peppers (hence it's distinctive red color), but paired with the cool mayonnaise and the sweet poblano peppers, it isn't too overwhelming. On that note, the green chile mayonnaise is definitely the star of this dish. Is is sweet and creamy, with a slight garlic undertone that just sings when it hits your pallet. It adds a freshness to the burger that you wouldn't normally expect from a mayonnaise. Also, the leftover sauce goes great on sandwiches or roast beef....or roast beef sandwiches!


Moving on to side dish #1.....

Sweet Potato Fries with Sour Cream Chile Dipping sauce

2 lg       Sweet Potatoes
1/2 t      Cumin
1/2 t      Salt
1/4 t      Pepper
1 T        Veggie Oil

1. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 1/4 inch slices. Another option is slicing them into rounds like a potato chip (this worked best for me)

2. Toss the potatoes in oil and seasonings, and spread them out on a baking sheet.

4. Bake on 400 until they are soft, this usually takes 25-30 minutes

Dip them in the following...

1 1/4 C    Sour Cream
2 T          Chili Sauce
2              Green Onions (chives work too!)
1 T          Cilantro


These sweet potato fries went over really well. Once again, the spice of the chile was cut by the cool sour cream, and the sweet potato was a nice pairing with the sweet and spicy poblano flavors in the burger. When making the potato fries we cut them in rounds AND strips, and we found that the rounds were a lot easier. Also, when baking them, keep in mind that the end up softer than a traditional fry. If you want them crispier I would suggest deep-frying them.


Last but not least...


I Hate Cucumber Salad!

1/4 C + 2 t     Red Wine Vinegar
1 1/4 t            Sugar
1/4    t            Black Pepper
1/2 t               Dried Dill 
2 T + 1 1/4t   Mayonnaise
3                    Cucumbers (thinly sliced)
1 stalk           Celery (thinly sliced)
1/4                 Red Onion (Chopped)
Salt to taste 

1. Whisk together the vinegar, sugar, pepper, and dill in a large bowl until the sugar has dissolved. 

2. Stir in the mayonnaise until the mixture is smooth, then stir in cucumbers, celery, and red onion until evenly coated with the dressing. 

3. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Season to taste with salt and give it one more stir before you chow down!

This recipe was provided by my Momzilla, and she made quick work of it by slicing the cucumbers and celery in the food processor, along with using it to chop the onions. Crafty? I think so! The recipe is fairly straightforward, and there are not a lot of kinks to work out of it. It was a cooling, lite, and refreshing side to offset the heavy creamy sauces used in the other two dishes.

THE FINAL VERDICT!?!

It was delicious. Straight up, mouth-wateringly fantabulous.  It may have been a calorie filled dish, but I would bathe in that mayo. Seriously. BATHE. We tested this out on the rest of the family and it was a huge hit. Even my 13-year-old brother couldn't get enough of it, and you know how picky kids are there days. Did I mention the mayo sauce? Yeah, I thought so. I added a ton of it to my burger, and I added lettuce as well, even though it didn't call for it. Speaking of mayo...I was informed that the leftover green chile mayo graced the toasted kaiser roll of a roast beef sandwich (throw on pepperjack and grilled onions and that would be one bad ass sandwich). Would I make this again? Yes, oh sweet burger gods, yes. 

Pictures to follow as they come in (email, what a wonderful thing) Keep eating, everyone!

A Burger Epic: How Man vs Food Lead Me to Red Mill Burgers

As mentioned before, this blog is about food. Though cooking is fun, we all do it with one goal in mind: stuffing our faces. Now if 'stuffing your face' makes you think of someone with comical chipmunk cheeks stuffed full of delectible eatables, good. That is EXACTLY what happened to me when I visited Red Mill Burgers.  

First off: YUM. But more on that later. This wild jaunt to Red Mill began when my sister turned me on to a wonderful little show called Man vs Food. For those of you who have never seen or heard of this show,  it airs on the Travel Channel and features Adam Richman, a foodie who travels the United States showcasing some of the most celebrated restaurants and taking on outrageous food challenges that would make lesser mortals tremble in fear like a chihuahua on the 4th of July. One of these episodes showcased my hometown Seattle, Washington so naturally I had to watch it (check it out). Lo and behold, there was Red Mill Burgers, a mere hour from my house! Located at N 67th and Phinney, 10 blocks north of the Woodland Park Zoo, The trip was well worth it. With high hopes, myself, my sister, and my neighbor set out to commence my sisters 'Summer of 1000 Noms' (her goal is to eat at as many delicious and unusual places as she can manage in a single summer). 

The Dream as a Reality

As mentioned before, the drive was an hour from my house. No problems there, I'm willing to travel for good food (that and my neighbor was kind enough to drive us in her deceptively awesome little Jetta). It was a little bit of a pain to navigate around the Woodland Park Zoo, and when we arrived at 7pm there were quite a few who had the same idea as us. Parking was a little hard to find, but after a jaunt around the block we noticed a spot open up in Red Mill's tiny parking lot.

After much rejoicing on our sweet parking score, we made our way into the tiny building that housed the most delicious burgers I have ever had. I knew we were in for a treat when we wlked up to the door and saw this:

Yes, those are all the awards and ratings this haven of burger magic had racked up over the past few years, and that's not even all of them, just the ones I could fit nicely into the shot. Not to mention all the shows their food has been featured on (such as Oprah and Man vs Food) and the fact that their Onion rings were dubbed the best in the nation.

We walked in and the smell hit us: a wall of tantalizing charbroiled fumes that would make even a vegetarians mouth water (did I mention they have vegetarian options as well?) I was like a kid in a candy shop, but better because it was burgers. It was time to look at the menu.


What do You Buy When Everything Looks Amazing?

The menu at Red Mill is your basic burger joint fare but don't let that fool you, their food is anything but basic. Before I go into detail, let me warn you THEY ONLY TAKE CASH OR CHECK!!! That is important to note in this age of plastic money. With that, here are some of their menu choices:

Shakes: They have roughly 20 flavors of shakes, including their special flavors, ranging from the basics, such as chocolate, to the unusual, such as pineapple. 

Sides: Fries and onion rings as you would expect to find, however they are too exceptional to be lumped in with your traditional burger accompaniments. They range from 1. 97 for fries and 2.79 for the acclaimed 'best onion rings in the nation'

Burgers: The crowning glory of this establishment! (as one would hope from a burger joint) Red Mill has your standard items such as a classic cheeseburger and a bacon burger, but they also make a MEAN bleu cheese bacon burger, and their special Verde Burger. What makes the Verde Burger special? That would be the fresh roasted, hand peeled anaheim peppers that are laid tenderly on each Verde patty. What is an anaheim pepper? It happens to be a mild chili pepper originating from New Mexico, it has a sweet flavor and a very mild spice, so even those who can't take heat can enjoy them.  The burger prices range from 3.49 to 6.49.

The Food Was All That AND a Bag of Chips....or Fries, Whatever.

I settled for my usual burger choice, the bacon burger. Along with a side of fries and a medium drink, my meal came to roughly 10$, which is to be expected from a meidum food place (Medium food: Not sit down where you are there for awhile, and not fast food where you drive through and have your food in 30 seconds. Medium food is places like Subway and Teriyaki places) After roughly 7 minutes, our order was called, and I saw our food for the first time. It was so beautiful I almost cried.

The first bite was like a dream. Each individual ingredient stood out as I bit into the tender morsel, my mouthful blending into a symphony of flavors that made my taste buds dance with pure delight.  The patty had a smokey char grilled aroma, and the juices oozed around fresh, firm tomatoes; cool, crisp lettuce; pickles that produces a satisfying crunch, and onions with just enough flavor to be noticed without being overpowering. Even with so much going on in my mouth, the centerpiece was by far the bacon. It was thick, firm, and perfectly cooked to that point where it is soft, but can still crunch when you bite into it. Did I mentioned it was PEPPERED? Yeah, it was. Each granuel of pepper melded with the overall flavor profile to ass a truly unique experience. I am a ketchup fiend, I load it on my burgers so heavily that it drips from the back and turns my wrapper into what looks like a murder scene. I do this without fail, and have never eaten a burger without at least half a bottle on it...until now. The thought of adding anything to this work of art hurt me like the thought of graffiti on the Mona Lisa. It was by far the best burger I have ever had the pleasure to consume.  On a side note: I was able to take a bite of my sister's bacon bleu cheese burger, and it was just as amazing. The tang of the cheese paired with the tomato and the slightly sweet kaiser roll like the heavens themselves demanded their union.

You may be wondering "hey, what about those onion rings we keep hearing about?" Well I tried those too, how could I not? They are breaded in a cornmeal based breading, which may be unusual for some, but they had a very satisfying crunch and the proper onion flavor.  In my personal opinion, they weren't the best, but they were still good. I tend to like a beer batter over the cornmeal batter due to the fact that I think the cornmeal adds an odd mouth feel. The fries, however, were a different story. They were the picture of french fry perfection. The outsides had a beautiful golden brown coating, and even ones that looked like they may be soft on the outside yielded a crunch that was like music to my ears. Once through the golden shell, the inside was tender and hot, everything you could ever want from a french fry.

On the burger scale, I would give Red Mill Burgers a 10 out of 10. I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone with the desire for a good burger.  Would I go back again? HELL YES. I would go back even if it was a 2 hour drive. The food is great, the price is right, and it was a great adventure. Go there. Seriously.

Tune in next week when I tackle another fun filled culinary adventure! Keep on eating, everyone!

A fun Time Follow-Up: Food, Friends, and Full Bellies

The plans were laid, the food was made, and now it's time for a rundown. Oh yeah, and pictures, don't forget those.

Shopping and Pricing

On of the most important part of any meal plan is the overall cost. Will it dent my pocket book too badly? Will it be worth it? Just how many limbs will I have to give for this adventure? Well, I'm here to answer these questions for you. No need to thank me, just doing my job. Who am I kidding, its not a job, and I enjoy doing it. So here is the monitory rundown for Polish Kielbasa Stew (please note, these prices are found in the Pacific Northwest region. Cost may vary based on locale):

Butter (2.99lb) - .37
Kielbasa (3.99lb) - 7.89 (for the cost of 2 packages)
Onion (.67c lb) - .30 (1 onion)
Celery - 1.28 per package
Cabbage (.69c lb) - 1.42 (1 head)
Carrots (.59 lb) - .59 (2 carrots)
Bay leaf - 4.09 per .12oz container
Thyme, Dried - 6.29 per .65oz container
White Vinegar - .75 (16fl oz)
Beef Broth (1.19 per can) - 2.38 (2 cans)
Large Russet Potatoes (.69lb) - 1.27 (2 Potatoes)

Total Cost:  16.25 (minus the cost of the herb containers) 26.63 (with full herb containers)

Hot dang ladies and gentlemen! That is a whole meal capable of serving 4-6 people for the amount it would cost to go to a sit down restaurant. And for a little dose of perspective, your average fast food meal costs roughly 8$. The one thing, however, that may up the cost is if you have to purchase a container of the herbs required. Here is a handy tip, many places offer herbs in bulk, and you can pick up the required amount for less than a dollar. 

My personal shopping experience was relatively pain free. The ingredients are fairly straightforward, aside from the Kielbasa. When shopping, you will note that there are many different kinds of Kielbasa (as stated in the previous entry). The three types I ran into were beef, turkey, and a beef/turkey/pork mix. I myself went with the latter because I enjoy the variety of flavors, but it is really all about personal preference. Another thing I ran into was what kind of potato to buy. Most recipes that call for potatoes use standard Russet potatoes, but Red or Yukon Gold work too. If you chose a Red or Yukon though, keep an eye on them as they tend to cook faster than Russets. 

Cooking and My Own Side Notes

This is the part of our program that this whole blog has been leading up to. The whole cooking process took me roughly 2 1/2 hours from start to finish, and that is including the hour of simmering. I started out by getting all my ingredients assembled. Fun fact, the cooking term for having all your ingredients arranged and ready is called mis in place (pronouced MEEZ ahn plahs) and is French for "putting in place. 

While cutting and preparing my ingredients, I ran into a few situations that required me to think outside of the recipe. The first came while I was tackling the sausage. I found myself wondering "how do I want to cut this?" the fact is there is no right answer, and there are multiple options. You can slice it into round bites, cut it in half and then slice it in half-moons, or you can cube it. I personally went with 1/3 inch round slices because I liked the rustic look it lent to the stew. The next came when I was adding the sausage, onion, and celery to the butter in the skillet. It seemed like a lot of butter, and the liquids that cooked out of the items added a lot of extra water to the pan that was unhelpful when trying to browning sausage. There are two ways to deal with this problem, one would be to brown the sausage separately from the vegetables, and the other would be to pour off the liquid during the browning process (make sure to save it so you can add it back to the soup base later, it contains a lot of flavor).

That was about it for puzzles in the cooking department. A few random tips for the inexperienced chef however: 

• When using canned beef broth, one 14.5 oz can = 1 3/4 cup
• When shredding cabbage, the best way is to cut the head in half and lay it cut side down, making thin slices starting with the end furthest from the stem of the head (called the core, dont forget that you do not want to use it in your dish)
• when cubing potatoes, they can be any size you would like, just remember to make the pieces as even as possible to ensure they cook uniformly. Also, the smaller the potato size, the smaller the cooking time (my 1/4in cubes took roughly 15 minutes)

For a kickoff dish, I would have to say that this one was a success. The broth ends up a little thin, more like soup than stew, but that can be easily fixed with about a tablespoon of cornstarch. I loved the hearty chinks, and the flavors blended into a mild and delicious medley that made me think of a well made bratwurst with sauerkraut. I ate mine with a generous dash of pepper (I tend to go overboard with the stuff because I can't get enough of it) and I also paired it with a crusty artisan french bread that I picked up from a local bakery. I skipped the beer because I am not a huge drinker, and I opted for a frosty Mexican Coca-Cola instead. My friends enjoyed it, I enjoyed making it, and there wasn't a single bite left over.

Final Verdict: I would make it again for sure. A fantastic recipe for a cold winter night, or a informal gathering. The only thing I would change would be the thickness of the broth.

Step One: Kielbasa, Onion, And Celery

The best way to shred cabbage is thin slices

Step Two: Add all ingredients together EXCEPT potatoes

Add caption

After 1 hour of simmering things are looking pretty good and smelling great! Time to add the potatoes

Just looking at this makes my mouth water

Tasty? She seems to think so!

Tune in next week when I tackle another culinary concoction. Any questions, comments, or recipe suggestions? Feel free to e-mail me at thecannyculinarian@gmail.com

1...2...3....Blastoff! The adventure begins with a heritage potluck far far away...

As a writer, I find that the hardest part of any work I do is the introduction. Reliable sources say to open with some witty narrative that will draw in readers, but for the sake of time [insert clever anecdote here]

To kick things off, I would like to take the time to share a little about myself. You may be thinking "I'm just here for the food talk, who cares about you?" Well, I do, and you should too. This blog is a journey, not just for you, but for myself as well. Together, we are about to share an adventure that is as personal to me as it is (hopefully) as tasty and informative for you.

I happen to be a food curious college student with the background of a culinary persuasion. My edible love affair started with my amazing mother, who always found time to make delicious meals for our family, even in the midst of life and its hardships. Some of my fondest memories center around our family kitchen, and it was those recollections that pushed me in the direction of food. In high school, I had an outlet for my cooking creativity. I spent two years in an advanced culinary class, managing a latte stand, a catering business, and a state culinary team (we took third by the way). On top of that, I participated in numerous blackbox competitions, and a culinary knowledge bowl. My awesomeness aside, I went on to work as an assistant pastry chef for four years,  and have continued to cook for myself and friends ever since (my taco parties are legendary, but I will save that for another time). But enough about me, it is time to talk food! The kickoff dish for my blog happens to be.....Duh na na naaaaa!!!

                                                                 Polish Kielbasa Stew

2 T Butter

1 1/2 lbs. fresh (or smoked) Kielbasa

1 c Onion (chopped)

2 c Celery (chopped)

4 c Cabbage (shredded)

2 c Carrots (sliced)

1 Bay Leaf

1/2 t Dried Thyme (or 1 1/2 t if using fresh)

2 t White Vinegar

3 c Beef Broth

2 c Water

3 c Potatoes (peeled and cubed)

Salt and Pepper (to taste)

1. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Slice the Kielbasa into bite sized pieces (roughly 1/2 inch thick) and add it to the pan along with the onions and celery. Cook until the Kielbasa is  lightly browned.

2. Place the kielbasa, onion, and celery into a soup pot (or stovetop dutch oven) and add all the remaining ingredients EXCEPT the potatos (we don't want them to overcook and disintegrate)

3. Bring the contents of the pot to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 HOUR. (this allows the flavors to blend)

4. Add the potatoes after 1 hour, and cook them until they are tender (pierce them with a fork, if there is little resistance, they are 'tender')

5. Season with salt and pepper and enjoy the crap out of it!

Suggested Side Dishes:  Keep it simple! A nice crusty bread such as an artisan french loaf (easily obtainable from your local bakery department, or not so easily creatable through baking magic) or a dark rye pair nicely with this all inclusive stew, and it can be pulled together nicely with a dark German lager (or for those of you who don't drink alcohol, feel free to drink whatever you would like, I won't stop you) If you are looking for a more substantial side dish, cabbage rolls are always a delicious addition.

This dish is a variation on the classic Polish Hunter Stew. Widely considered to be the official dish of Poland, this hearty stew is traditionally made with three different meats, which can be anything from pork to horse (yeah, people really do eat horses) and sauerkraut. Though this recipe uses cabbage and only one type of meat, it is perfect for a casual cook or a college kid on a budget (you know...college kids who don't want to eat ramen for four years straight).

So why did I pick a polish dish to start my blogging journey? Was it because I happen to be a quarter polish (though most people would never know unless I told them)? Was it because the idea of sausage and sauerkraut makes my mouth start aspiring to be Niagara falls? No. Those were just VERY convenient side reasons, you know...just in case someone needed more than one. The reason for this choice was a random text I got from my good ol' buddies who pitched the idea of a heritage potluck. You may be thinking "what an odd pastime for a group of college kids" but well, when you have a Persian, a Chinese, a Pole and a whole room full of the ravenous monsters that are university students, crazy culinary ideas tend to happen. 

If you are reading this part, it means that you have made it all the way to the end of my first entry. CONGRATULATIONS!!! You all remember that thing I said about introductions? That would be exactly how I feel about conclusions.

Stay tuned, the cooking process will take place this Saturday the 29th of April. Shopping experiences, personal reflections, and best of all PICTURES to follow!