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< all recipes Lemon Cheesecake It has been quite a while since my last post and I have no excuse other than it is summer and sitting inside on a computer when not absolutely necessary just seems unnatural. But I could not let the entire summer pass without letting others in on my decadent cheesecake secret. This is the lightest and yet somehow creamiest cheesecake I have ever had (much less made). It is exactly what I want to end a perfect summer meal, the brightness of the lemon makes you feel a little less sinful having a second piece. It also goes perfectly with fresh summer fruit - any reason to eat another juicy peach before their painfully short season is over. This recipe does require some advanced planning because if you don't allow the cheesecake to fully set, you may find yourself serving it out of a bowl instead of from a cake platter (as I did earlier this summer...see below photo evidence). I was making the recipe for the second night in a row, a somewhat last minute impulse of a lazy saturday afternoon. As I cut into my beautiful masterpiece, half of the cake began a slow-motion landslide of creamy sludge, heading for the edge of the cake platter. I managed to get a bowl under it just as the rest of the cake gave way, oozing in every direction and causing a chaotic scramble to get every morsel off the counter and into a bowl. Let me just say, looks are not everything. Once I let my OCD horror go and took a few deep, cleansing breaths, I fully embraced the delicious disaster. I don't know if I would recommend this method of preparation but if you are pressed for time, it is still worth making... just have some bowls at the ready. Lemon Cheesecake Serves: 1 10" cheesecake Ingredients 8 tbl unsalted butter 10 oz graham crackers (about 18 whole crackers) 8 oz cream cheese (1 cup) 16 oz mascarpone cheese (2 cups) ½ cup sugar 4 eggs 2 lemons (zest and juice) 1 cup heavy cream 1 tsp vanilla extract Print Preparation Preheat oven to 350˚F and prepare the pan: wrap a 10inch spring-form cake pan with foil, using two pieces to make sure the sides and bottom are sealed. Melt the butter and crush graham crackers into a fine powder – you can do this in a food processor or by putting them into a Ziploc bag and smashing them with a rolling pin. Press butter and graham mixture into the bottom of the pan and place in the freezer to firm up while you prepare the rest of the cake. Beat the cream cheese, mascarpone, sugar, and zest of the two lemons in a mixer with the paddle attachment, until light a fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the lemon juice, cream, and vanilla very slowly, scraping down the sides to make sure everything is incorporated. Pour mixture over the graham crackers and set inside a larger roasting pan. Pour enough very hot water into the larger pan to come halfway up the side of the cheesecake and carefully place in the oven. Bake for 1 hour (until the center is just set – meaning it jiggles like jello when nudged and does not ripple like water). Turn the oven off and let the cake rest for another 30 minutes. Cool the cake in the fridge for several hours (at least 2), allowing it to set. Serve cool or at room temperature. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Gazpacho Gazpacho is one of those things I have always loved in theory but every time I order it or try to make it, the result is inevitably one of two things: an unhealthy oily mess or glorified salsa. And yet I have maintained this dream of one day finding a gazpacho recipe that is delicious aaaaaand healthy – because lets be serious, there is nothing worse than thinking you are being sensible when you really should have just gone for the burger…ok there are probably worse things in the world but I am guessing you are not reading a post about gazpacho to hear about all the sh*t hitting the fan around the world (for that I recommend my favorite daily email that tells me what I need to know in current events so I am not a complete idiot living in my gazpacho-filled food bubble). Long story short, this gazpacho recipe is based on one from last weeks nytimes food section that ended up being too good to be true. It used only fresh tomatoes which is noble in principle but when they are pureed with lots of other things they do not pack enough punch – so I added some canned fire roasted whole tomatoes which perfectly boost that fresh tomato flavor. This also helps with the color – which in my nytimes version was somewhere between beige and peach in color. Not ideal. What makes this gazpacho recipe so much better than any other I have made is that, using very little oil, you are essentially emulsifying the whole thing, bringing all of the flavors together (unlike the previously mentioned salsa variety). Just make sure you have really ripe delicious red tomatoes – they are coming in fast and furious right now so get on it people!! Shout out to Farmer Bob (aka my Dad) for those ridiculously beautiful tomatoes pictured above! I promise to leave some for you to eat. Gazpacho Serves: 8-12 cups Ingredients 2 lbs red ripe tomatoes 1 large cucumber, peeled 2-3 New Mexico chiles (anaheim or other light green pepper) 1 small yellow onion 1 clove garlic 1 28oz can whole plum tomatoes (I like Muir Glen fire roasted) juice of 2 limes 1-2 tbl kosher salt (if using fine salt, start with half this amount) black pepper ½ cup extra virgin olive oil Print Preparation Puree everything except olive oil in a food processor or blender - let run a minute or two to really get it smooth. You will probably need to do this in two batches so just roughly divide everything in half. Once smooth, slowly drizzle olive oil into the mixer while it is running (again if doing in batches, divide olive oil as well). Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Chill for a few hours before serving. This keeps very nicely in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Serve with some avocado and crusty bread for dipping. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Wedding Cake Workshop Deciding to make my own wedding cake was quite simple really. I had the necessary knowledge and skills to make a delicious cake and I knew that the week leading up to the wedding would be stress free with my Mom at the helm. As cheesy as it sounds, the kitchen is really my sanctuary and there was nothing I would rather do during that week than make cake. What I did not fully account for, however, was that I would be making cake for 200 people. By myself. Thankfully for me (and my wedding guests), my best friend from culinary school, Emma (who happens to be in med school) offered to come help while she had time off to study for the boards. What could have been a complete disaster turned into an incredibly fun and rewarding week in the kitchen. The week before starting, I made sure to have all the necessary tools, pans, and specialty ingredients. Monday: I made the lemon curd filling and the white chocolate for the decorative flowers. Once the chocolate set, I started on the roses - the cones are the base and each ball will be flattened into a petal. Tuesday & Wednesday: Emma and I spent two days just baking off the cakes - 17 10" cakes total. Thursday: We split the cakes, filled them with lemon curd and did a preliminary coat of frosting. The photo above is the rental fridge filled with cakes on the back porch - thanks to my cousin Lindsay for that suggestion!! Friday: Final coat of buttercream and decorating. The tiered cake was mostly for presentation but also provided a wonderful late-night snack. I have given the cake recipe below. I have never been a plain vanilla cake fan but this one might have converted me. It is perfectly moist and tender, especially fresh out of the oven, it really doesn't need anything else. But what makes it unique is that it holds up remarkably well, staying moist and fluffy, for several days. I used a simple decorator's buttercream for the frosting but this cake would pair nicely with anything. Wedding Cake Workshop Serves: 2 8in cakes Ingredients 8 oz unsalted butter, at room temp 2 cups sugar 5 eggs 1¼ cups buttermilk 2 tsp vanilla extract 2½ cups cake flour 1 tsp kosher salt 1 tbl baking powder DECORATOR’S BUTTERCREAM Yield: 2½ quarts 1 lb unsalted butter, at room temp 8oz vegetable shortening 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract 3 lb confectioners sugar 4½ fl oz whole milk 3 tbl meringue powder 2 tsp kosher salt Print Preparation Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 2 8in cake pans and line with parchment paper. Cream the butter with the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, on medium speed for 3 minutes. In those 3 minutes, whisk together the cake flour, salt, and baking powder and mix the vanilla into the buttermilk. Set both of these aside. With the mixer on medium speed, slowly add the sugar and beat for another 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and return speed to medium. Add the eggs, one at a time, allowing each to fully incorporate before adding the next (about 1 minute in between each egg). Scrape down the sides. With the mixer on low, alternate the flour and buttermilk in 3-4 additions and mixing until just incorporated in between each. Pour batter into prepared cake pans. To release air pockets, lift each cake a few inches off the counter then allow it to drop (making sure it hits evenly and with a loud bang), repeat 3-4 times. Bake for 45-60 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, the cakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean. Make the Buttercream: Cream shortening and butter with the paddle of an electric mixer until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add vanilla and salt. With mixer on low, gradually add the sugar. Add meringue powder (The mixture will appear dry). Add milk and beat until light and slightly shiny (approximately 5 to 8 minutes). Keep the bowl covered with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days or in the freezer for 3-5 months. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup What I really love about this soup is that it is two soups in one. Eat it cold as gazpacho, garnished with some grilled corn, or heat it up on a stormy summer night for some creamy tomato soup with grilled cheese. Both are equally delicious (and nutritious!). Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup Serves: ​ Ingredients 6 red bell peppers 2 28oz cans crushed tomatoes 1 yellow onion, med dice 1 head garlic 1 tsp pimentón (smoky spanish paprika) 8-10 cups water or stock 12 oz (1 ½ cups) non-fat greek yogurt salt and pepper *if you like spice add some hot paprika to the mix! Print Preparation Heat the oven to 400˚F. Cut off the top part of the head of garlic, place in foil, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Wrap the foil around the garlic and roast about 40 minutes, until soft. Char the red peppers over a burner (or under the broiler), place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the peppers sit for 15-20 minutes, allowing the steam to loosen the charred skin, then scrape with a knife or rub with a paper towel. This is extremely messy so just embrace it! Once you have removed most of the skin, cut in half and remove the stem and seeds. In a large pot, sauté the onion until translucent, then add the paprika. If using an emersion blender: add the peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and water/stock, to the pot and blend until smooth. Bring to a boil and let simmer 15-20 minutes. Turn off the heat and mix in the yogurt. Taste for seasoning. If using a food processor: put the onions into the food processor and, working in batches, puree with the tomatoes, peppers, garlic and water. Bring to a boil and let simmer 15-20 minutes. Turn off the heat and mix in the yogurt. Taste for seasoning. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Fresh Mint Meringues At the risk of jinxing the decent weather we have been having this week, I am officially putting away the winter coat and snow boots. More importantly though, I am making Fresh Mint Meringues for a crowd! (or for a few as these little morsels are dangerously pop-into-your-mouth-able). I must admit I was getting a little caught up in my culinary spring delight, having way too much fun dolloping and swirling, not to mention covering myself in lime green sugar. Oh and treating the neighbors to my very own rendition of the entire Pitch Perfect sound track. I blame the sugar. Its always good at times like this to have those people who will bring you back to reality, telling you you probably won’t be the next Whitney Houston, and who will ask the tough questions like “cauliflower again? really?”. But lets just say I was less than thrilled when Chris’ reaction to my adorable little meringues was “that’s it? where’s the rest of the dessert?”. Ugh. Ok so I may or may not have forgotten the rest. While I think these would be perfect with some chocolate ice cream, or whipped cream and fresh fruit, I had actually envisioned them as cake decoration! I just hadn’t gotten around to making the cake. Minor oversight. My point in all this rambling is that these meringues are delicious and versatile and totally deserving of their own post. And that I am making the accompanying Mint Chocolate Chip Cake as we speak so stay tuned!!! Fresh Mint Meringues Serves: 50-60 hershey-kiss sized meringues Ingredients 4 eggs whites 1½ cups sugar 1 bunch fresh mint green food coloring (optional - gel color is best) Print Preparation Preheat oven to 225˚F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine egg whites and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and set over a pot of simmering water (make sure the bowl it not touching the water). Add the fresh mint - keep mint as a bunch so it is easier to fish out later. Heat whites and sugar, whisking constantly, until sugar has dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch - 2-3mins - or until it reaches 150˚F on a candy thermometer. Remove mint. Beat in mixer with the whisk attachment on high speed until you have stiff glossy peaks (about 3min). Stir in color if using. Fill piping bag and dollop away! Bake for 1-1½ hours, until dry to the touch. Meringues will keep in an airtight container at room temp for a week. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake Coffee cake is one of my favorite tasty treats…in theory – i am more often than not disappointed by the dry dense cake weighed down by a somewhat flavorless and stale crumb topping. This cake is so ridiculously moist and the crackly cinnamon-sugar top reminds me of the cinnamon toast my mom made growing up. yumm. Of course the apples are a delicious addition that also makes this toooootally healthy (its Christmas so I am going to stick with this theory). You can make it a day or two early so it is perfect for a Christmas morning post-present rampage breakfast! That’s my plan anyway!! MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!! Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake Serves: 1 10" cake Ingredients 1 cup granulated sugar ½ cup brown sugar 12 oz unsalted butter (3 sticks) 3 eggs 2½ cups all purpose flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp kosher salt 1 cup sour cream fillings and toppings: 1 apple, cored and sliced (and each slice halved) ½ cup heavy cream ½ cup sugar 1 tbl cinnamon Print Preparation Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease a 10in cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping the sides of the bowl once or twice. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on low alternate adding the dry ingredients and the sour cream - about ⅓ of each at a time. Mix just until combined. Mix the 1 tablespoon of cinnamon into the ½ cup sugar. Spread half of the batter in your prepared cake pan, getting it all the way to the edges. Sprinkle about 2 table of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the batter then place a single layer of apples on top of this - pressing the gently into the batter. Spread the rest of the batter over top - if you are making this ahead of time, stop here and continue to the next step just before baking. Pour the ½ cup of heavy cream over the top of the cake then sprinkle the remaining cinnamon-sugar evenly over this. Bake at 350˚F for 45 minutes, until the center is set. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Cinnamon Sugar Breakfast Buns A few months ago I had one of the best pastries of my life. It was a cinnamon sugar breakfast bun kind of thing but one unlike any I had ever had before. While those with goopy filling and confectioners sugar glazes are quite tasty, this one was so much more refined while also having more of a real cinnamon-sugar flavor. What I discovered was that this life-changing pastry is technically called a morning bun and is simply croissant dough rolled up with cinnamon and sugar. Sounds easy enough right? Unless you are a master of making croissant dough at home, the answer is no. It is nearly impossible to find croissant dough at the grocery store or even online except in wholesale quantities. So instead of ordering 20 pounds of dough (which seemed slightly excessive even for me), I decided to do a test with what I could find at the store. The first method would be with puff pastry, the second with pre-made croissants which in my case meant Pillsbury crescent rolls (that i unrolled into flat pieces). Puff pastry and croissant dough are both are laminated doughs, meaning they are made up of layers upon layers of butter and dough, but croissant dough has yeast which allows it to rise more and adds that chewiness we love in a great croissant. Because the Pillsbury dough contained neither butter nor yeast, it is not really croissant dough (what kind of dough it actually is, I have no idea). This may have influenced my preference for the puff pastry version but I think it made a lighter and flakier bun that was still slightly gooey at the center. I used Pepperidge Farm puff pastry but any brand will give you the same results. These will definitely be on my table Christmas morning - prepped the day before and ready to pop in the oven in the morning. Feel free to do your own test, especially if you can find real croissant dough (the ingredients should include: flour, butter, yeast, water/milk, salt). Cinnamon Sugar Breakfast Buns Serves: 8 buns Ingredients 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed in the refrigerator (about 1 hour) 4 tbl butter, melted 1 cup sugar 1 tbl cinnamon flour for rolling Print Preparation Preheat oven to 400˚F. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Prepare muffin pan by brushing with melted butter and sprinkling with cinnamon-sugar. Set aside. On a clean countertop sprinkle some flour and an even coating of the cinnamon sugar mixture, place puff pastry in the center, and sprinkle with a little more flour. Roll puff pastry out, extending each edge about 1 inch. Brush pastry with melted butter and coat evenly with cinnamon sugar. Use the rolling pin to roll the cinnamon-sugar into the dough. Roll the pastry up – if the seam does not close, brush with melted butter and press gently to close. Cut the log into 8 pieces (I usually start by cutting in half, then each half in half, etc). Place each roll on its side into the prepared muffin pan.* Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly golden and the center is firm to the touch. *if baking later, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge at this point. when ready to bake, remove plastic and proceed to next step. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Mac & Cheese This is the most decadently delicious mac and cheese recipe you will ever make. I try not to have such things become common practice in my kitchen but this is just so good it is impossible to resist. I made it last weekend and since I have been sick and stuck in bed all week, the leftovers have been life-saving. I am feeling a million times better today but apparently in my feverish, tylenol pm induced sleep last night I was discussing some spring break surprise before walking into the coat closet – I am assuming I thought it would be a nice cosy place to sleep or I was just looking for some more mac and cheese…yeah thats the more likely reason. Wishing I had some right now. Mac & Cheese Serves: 8-10 servings Ingredients 1 lb pasta (cavatappi are my fave but elbows work too!) 4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter 1 cup flour 4 cups whole milk 8 oz comté or gruyere, grated (2 cups) 8 oz manchego, grated (2 cups) 8 oz parmesan, grated (2 cups) 8 oz mascarpone lots of black pepper 1½ cups panko bread crumbs Print Preparation Cook the pasta according to packaging instructions and grease a large casserole dish (about 13x9). Preheat the oven to 450˚F - you can put off the cooking for up to a day after getting everything into the casserole dish, so only preheat the oven 30 minutes before you are ready to cook. Make the béchamel: Warm the milk in a pot or microwave and set aside while you melt butter in a small pot over low/med heat. Once it has melted stir in the flour and let cook a minute or two, stirring constantly. Pour in the milk, still stirring and cook until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of your spoon. Turn off the heat. Add all but 1-2 cups of the grated cheese to the béchamel (i usually set the Parmesan aside, it is my fave for a crispy cheesy crust). Stir in the mascarpone and black pepper, then throw in the pasta and toss to coat evenly and pour into your prepared casserole dish. Combine the panko bread crumbs with the reserved cheese and add a dash of salt and pepper. Spread this mixture evenly over the top of the noodles and if you are cooking immediately, put the dish into the oven for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and bubbling at the edges. If you are putting off the cooking, place the dish into the fridge for up to 24 hours and bake when ready! Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Belgian Waffles with Caramelized Apples & Maple Yogurt Ok so I know I said I am not that into Valentine’s Day but seeing as my valentine has been requesting waffles about once a week since we met, I thought making them required a special occasion. My reason for holding off so long was the simple fact that we do not own a waffle maker – and I refused to buy one because where the heck do we fit it in our tiny apartment. The struggle for kitchen cabinet space is real. But I happened to find an old one in my parents’ basement and figured it was a sign. These belgian waffles are ridiculously good – they are fluffy and light with an outer crust that actually stays crunchy long after being soaked in maple syrup. The apples were added because well, thats what I had around and I don’t consider breakfast complete without fruit, or yogurt for that matter. So feel free to mix up the toppings to suit your own weird breakfast requirements or whatever is in season. I am pretending like I didn’t lick the plate clean but we all know that happened 30sec after the photo below was taken. Belgian Waffles with Caramelized Apples & Maple Yogurt Serves: 6-8 waffles Ingredients 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour ½ cup (105g) brown sugar 3 tsp (12g) baking powder 1 tsp (6g) baking soda ½ tsp (4g) kosher salt 1 cup (240g) buttermilk ½ cup (60g) cream 8oz (227g) unsalted butter, melted 2 egg yolks (30g) 3 egg whites (105g) for the toppings: 2 apples (I like honeycrisp) ¼ cup maple syrup 1 tsp cinnamon 8oz plain greek yogurt maple syrup (for the table) Print Preparation Make the Caramelized Apples first: Slice apples into roughly ¼ inch slices and set in a pot over low/medium heat with the maple syrup and cinnamon. Cook, stirring occasionally until tender - how tender is a matter of preference, personally I like the apples to still have a bit of crunch. Mix the juice at the bottom of the apple pot into the yogurt, adding more maple syrup if it is not sweet enough for your liking. Make the Waffle batter: Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, cream, melted butter, and yolks. Pour this into the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined (but still a little lumpy). Using a stand or hand-held mixer with a whisk attachment, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whites into the rest of the batter. Let this sit 10-15 minutes while you heat up the waffle maker. Cook waffles (according to your waffle-maker instructions) until golden brown. Serve with apples and a dollop of yogurt and warm maple syrup. *freeze the cooked waffles for a tasty breakfast any time! defrost in the toaster for single servings or in a 350 oven for a crowd (about 10 minutes). Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Truffle Honey Ricotta I have been making this ricotta recipe for so many years it has become a family staple. It is also my most requested recipe and because it is so easy I usually just tell people the three ingredients and let them figure it out but I thought it was time to put it down in writing and out there for people to enjoy. While Truffle & Honey Ricotta may start out as just a friday night pre-dinner dip, I always make extra and it somehow finds its way onto almost every plate of food the rest of the weekend – a dollop alongside a tomato/avocado salad, subbed in for mayo on a blt, heck just some ricotta toast. The truffle makes any situation a little classier – and I have to insist on truffle salt here, it is pricey but it will last you a lifetime and truffle oil is unreliable because many are chemically flavored. This is my most recent use for the ricotta and it was insanely tasty (and easy!). I tossed the tomatoes in some olive oil, popped them in a 450˚F oven for 20 minutes, lightly oiled some bread before grilling and voilà! a perfect little party app!! Truffle Honey Ricotta Serves: about 1 cup Ingredients 8 oz whole milk ricotta 1 tsp truffle salt (not oil!! trust me) 1-2 tsp honey ½ tsp black pepper Print Preparation Combine all of the ingredients and adjust the amounts of truffle and honey to your liking. For company serve as a dip or dollop on top of grilled bread with roasted tomatoes. For an easy dinner make ricotta toast with some arugula and a poached egg. Previous Next hungry for more?

< Back DIY Cake Bunting: Mother's Day Decorations I love this new style of cake decorating because it is so versatile. It can say whatever you want it to say (simply print out your own stencil) and while I guess it is meant for cakes, it can make almost anything just that much more special – from a cake to a terrarium. So, watch my super nerdy video, have yourself a nice little crafternoon and tell Yo Mama you love her. Here are some ideas of what to dress up with your DIY Cake Bunting: Funfetti Cake – the obvious choice for any celebration Breakfast in Bed – Oatmeal Raisin Scones , Fig & Mascarpone Scones , or Lemon & Rosemary Scones – clearly I have a thing for scones (don’t you?) A Terrarium from Adore in NYC – I can’t keep one alive to save my life but your Mom kept you alive so… Vacherin – one of my Mom’s signature desserts that once warm weather comes I get as much as I can Cake Bunting Tools: color paper – a thicker construction or craft paper is best pretty string – really anything works here, I like a natural twine with a fancy metallic swirl two skewers (or something similar) exacto knife or scissors – i like the exacto knife to get those pesky center cutouts but its not like i am creating a masterpiece so scissors would probably get the job done cutting matt or thick cardboard – apparently the cutting matts you get at art supply stores are “self healing” – I mean that is crazy! why can’t I be self healing!!? stencil printout – find a type you like that is bold and pretty – go wild! Previous Next

< all recipes Turkey Burgers with Wasabi Yogurt Sauce After Christmas Chris, along with about 20 guys on his desk at work, joined a weight-loss pool to lose 7% of their body weight. Because he still did not have any time to work out, it came down to eating…or me making him healthy food. I didn’t change my way of cooking but all of a sudden what he used to turn up his nose at as health food, became a delicious, hearty meal. I did, however, find myself in a bit of a rut having to make healthy dinners every night. I could eat soup and bread all day, every day, but after about a month of mostly soup, Chris texted me on his way home “lets try turkey burgers”… Feeling slightly offended that all my slaving over soups wasn’t enough, I responded “why don’t YOU try turkey burgers”. And he did! They were scrumptious – especially the next day halfway through a 12 mile, 3500 vertical ft, hike (if you look closely at the pic below you can see the manhattan skyline, incredible). So I had to rethink my previous disdain for non-beef burgers, the same way Chris had come around to my soups. The key is not to eat it instead of a juicy cheeseburger, but as a separate entity, delicious in its own right. This rendition came from my suggestion last week of putting wasabi into greek yogurt and having some leftover pickled onions. Since I like to add caramelized onion to the turkey meat, I sautéed the rest of the onion with some baby bok choy and soy sauce. You can also try these burgers with a spicy chipotle sauce! Turkey Burgers with Wasabi Yogurt Sauce Serves: 4-6 Burgers Ingredients 1 lb ground turkey ½ cup sautéed onion 2 tsp fresh ginger , grated 2 tsp kosher salt 2 tsp black pepper 1 egg white 5-6 hamburger buns or sourdough rolls Wasabi Yogurt Sauce: 6 oz greek yogurt 1 tsp wasabi powder 1 tsp warm water Pickled Onion: ½ red onion ½ cup white vinegar ½ tsp salt ½ tsp sugar Print Preparation Make the pickled onions: slice the red onion in half lengthwise and then slice as thinly as possible and mix with salt, sugar, and vinegar. Let sit for about an hour in the fridge, then strain. For the wasabi yogurt: In a small bowl mix the wasabi powder with warm water and let sit for a few minutes, then mix in the yogurt. For the burgers: Sauté about ½ a white onion, diced, until caramelized – set aside to cool. Combine turkey meat, caramelized onion, ginger, salt, pepper, and egg white. If you have a scale, cover it with a piece of plastic wrap (if not you are just going to eyeball the size of each burger), and have a plate ready for the formed patties. Then, get in there with your hands to mix everything together. It will be quite sticky and tough to work with but don’t get discouraged – form 4oz patties, trying not to overwork the meat. Heat 2 tbl oil in large skillet and add the burgers. Over med-high heat cook patties, covered for 5-7 minutes (until dark golden brown on bottom), flip and cook another 5-7 minutes uncovered. A thermometer should read 160˚F – they will carry-over cook those last 5˚. If you don’t have a thermometer, just cut into one to make sure there is no pink. Serve on a bun with pickled onions and a dollop of wasabi yogurt. Previous Next hungry for more?