Lamb Burgers with Cumin Mayonnaise and Feta

A lot of our food inspiration comes from experiences we have while eating out, traveling, or exploring new foods and ingredients. This particular recipe was directly inspired by April Bloomfield's lamb burger from The Breslin in New York City after Andy had the lucky experience of sampling it there for himself. He came back from New York raving about this silly lamb burger, so I asked him to describe it. He told me it was a lamb patty topped with salty feta, red onion, and some sort of cumin mayonnaise on a ciabatta-style roll... and that was about it. Salty, lamby, melt-in-your-mouth perfect burger goodness. I was jealous! Because we haven't had a chance to go [back] to The Breslin, we decided to make our own version of their famous burger at home, and after many trials we have a version that comes pretty darn close, according to Andy anyways. 

After doing some research, we found out that chef Bloomfield has a bakery that creates rolls specifically for her lamb burger, and because we haven't found the perfect Bostonian substitute we often just eat this bunless (we convince ourselves we do it that way because it's healthier... whatever, don't judge). Oh, and as a note on the red onion... don't skip it! It's the secret ingredient, I swear :o)

Thanks to the folks at Lilac Hedge Farm for bringing their delicious ground lamb to our local farmer's market!

Lamby goodness from Lilac Hedge Farm...mmmm

Lamb Burgers with Cumin Mayonnaise and Feta

Yield: 4 burgers

Ingredients
3 tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 lb ground lamb
kosher salt
oil, for greasing skillet

toppings:
4 ounces of feta cheese, sliced into four 1/4 inch slices
1/4 red onion, peeled and sliced thin
ciabatta rolls (optional)


Directions
In a small bowl, mix together the mayo and cumin and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Form the lamb into four patties and allow to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes (ideally). Generously salt both sides of the burgers with kosher salt. 
Heat a cast iron skillet to medium heat and lightly oil, then add the burgers. Cook on each side for approximately 3 minutes, then transfer the skillet to the oven for about 5-8 minutes or until the internal temperature of the burgers is 145 degrees for medium rare (160 for medium). Remove to a plate and cover with foil to rest for about 5 more minutes before serving (resting is important to keep the burgers juicy!). 

Top each burger with some of the cumin mayo, a slice of feta, and some thinly sliced red onion. Serve and enjoy! Yum!

Caprese Salad

I love Summer in the city! We had a lovely Boston Summer day today - Charlotte, Andy, and I walked around Boston and ultimately ended up at a local farmer's market where we picked up some raspberries to snack on and some farm-fresh peaches for Charbug. Before we left, we picked up some fresh local mozzarella as well as some absolutely delicious heirloom cherry tomatoes, which are pretty much nature's candy...yummm. When we got home, I added some basil from our herb garden and a little balsamic vinegar, and what we ended up with was a perfect, light, delicious summer dinner. This can hardly be called a recipe because all I really did was cut some tomatoes, but regardless of what you call it, this salad sure is delicious! Enjoy! :o)

Caprese Salad

Yield: 2 salads

Ingredients
8 oz. fresh mozzarella*, sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes
10 leaves basil, torn
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (the more syrupy, the better)
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Arrange the mozzarella on two plates and season to taste with salt. Cut the tomatoes in half and put them on top of the cheese, then season with more salt and some pepper. Top with the basil, then drizzle some balsamic vinegar on top and serve. Yum! 

* as a [delicious] substitute, we often use high-quality whole milk ricotta cheese (store bought or homemade) in place of the mozzarella. It is to.die.for! 

Simple Crab Salad

It's no secret that I love seafood, especially crab, and I am always looking for new recipes to  get my "fix". Unfortunately, many crab recipes seem to over-do it with extra ingredients that only hide the crab flavor instead of highlighting it. Frustrated, I came up with this super simple crab salad recipe, which is perfect for scooping up with toast as an appetizer, or spooning into split-top buns for a delicious dinner. The mild, sweet crab flavor really shines because there's not a lot of extra "stuff" in it, which makes me happy :o) Another great thing about this crab salad is you can totally customize it to suit your taste - add tarragon, leave out the celery, serve with avocado or tomato slices, and so on.

Because you can really taste the crab, it's important to use high quality, real crab meat (none of that krab stuff) - in certain stores I can find a 1 pound can of jumbo lump crab for around $15, which is a little pricey, but totally worth every penny! Enjoy! :o)

Simple Crab Salad
yield: 6 rolls (entree) or about 24 toasts (appetizer)

Ingredients
zest of 1/2 a lemon
1 tbsp lemon juice (about half of a lemon)
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 tsp kosher salt
a few grinds of black pepper
1 pound good quality lump crab meat (gently check for shells)
1 stalk celery, diced
Toasted bread slices or rolls, for serving

Directions:
In a medium bowl whisk together the lemon zest and juice, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper. Add the crab meat and celery, and gently (carefully! Don't break up the lumps!) fold together. Cover and chill, or spoon into rolls or onto toasts and serve. Yum!

Almond Cake

Well, this is pretty much the perfect baked good! I stumbled across this almond cake recipe while browsing David Lebovitz's website one day, and it immediately caught my eye. This reminds me of a really moist and delicious pound cake, but with a significant almond flare (so in other words, "perfect"!). As if it wasn't perfect enough, the whole batter is whipped up in a food processor. Yes, you read that right, a food processor. Not a stand mixer, or a hand mixer, or by hand... a food processor. Yay!
This cake is perfect for dessert, breakfast the next morning, or just to grab as a snack on the go. Enjoy! :o)

Almond Cake

Yield: 1 9-inch cake, or 1 bundt cake

Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 can (8 oz) almond paste (I've had luck with Solo and Odense brands)
1 cup AP flour, divided
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, cubed
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond extract
6 large eggs, room temperature
Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Process:
Preheat the oven to 325.

In a small bowl, whisk together 3/4 cups of the flour, baking powder, and salt. 


In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, pulse together the sugar, almond paste, and the remaining 1/4 cup of flour until the mixture resembles sand. The almond paste should be completely broken up. Add the cubed butter and the extracts, and process until the batter is very smooth and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, pulsing with each addition, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Once the eggs are fully incorporated, the batter may look a little curdled, but don't worry! 

Add the flour mixture in two additions, pulsing between each addition. Scrape down the bowl and give one final pulse to ensure everything is well combined. Do not overmix!

Prepare your pan by thoroughly coating with cooking spray, then dusting with flour (tap out the excess). If using a round cake pan, put a round of parchment on the bottom for extra insurance that the cake will come out. If using a bundt pan, ensure that the pan is completely coated, or else the cake will break when you try to remove it!

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 60-70 minutes until deep golden brown on top. The cake should feel set when you press the middle of it.

Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan. Once cool, remove and dust with powdered sugar (optional) then enjoy! Yum!

Source: David Lebovitz

Apologies... and promises....

Babies change things. 

It's been a while since my last post, and I apologize. Life has been a little hectic lately between a wakeful 4-month old, a hubby accountant in the midst of busy season, and my recent return to work. Yikes. The concept of a "meal" has morphed into me grazing through the fridge and pantry and piecing together some semblance of food. Ahhh motherhood. Totes glam.

Cooking keeps me sane and grounded, and I could certainly use some of that these days. Don't get me wrong, I love my little Ladybug more than life itself, but every once in a while a girl just needs a mental vacation [via cooking] :) I think I am more writing this to hold myself accountable, but I am looking forward to cooking and blogging about it this weekend.... it's long overdue. Suggestions are welcome, as always :o)

On a positive related note... my little Lovebug is 4 months old! Can you believe it?! Where did the time go?? I leave you with a photo of the light of my life... I could smooch those cheeks all day! 

:o)

Soba Noodles with Shrimp and Cilantro

Do you have a flavor combination that you always gravitate towards? In our house it always seems to be one of three combinations: chocolate & peanut butter, lime & cilantro, or garlic & rosemary. Anytime I run across a recipe with those combinations as main ingredients it is almost always sure to be a hit. True to form, the combination of shrimp, lime, and cilantro in this recipe did not disappoint. 

Because this is a cold pasta dish, I think it would be especially tasty in the hot Summer months, but I decided to make it now because it fits in with our healthy eating regime for January... Biggest Loser is on again in the Tremble household (I hope to retain my title from last year!) and healthy dishes are dominating the menu. 

This was the first time I have cooked with Soba noodles and I am hooked! They are sooo good and I am happily searching for more ways to incorporate them in our meal rotation. 

Soba Noodles with Shrimp and Cilantro

Serves 2 

Ingredients:
6 oz. Soba noodles
1 1/2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp tamari
2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
1/2 tsp. Sriracha sauce
1/2 tsp. agave syrup
zest of 1 lime
2 tbsp. lime juice (about 1 lime)
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
pinch of salt
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
1 green onion, thinly sliced

Directions:
Cook the Soba noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water.

In a large serving bowl, mix together the soy sauce, tamari, 1 tbsp. of the oil, Sriracha, and agave. Add the cooled Soba noodles and turn to coat in the sauce.

In a small bowl, mix together the lime zest, juice, garlic, shrimp, a pinch of salt, and the remaining 1 tbsp of oil. Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add the shrimp and lime juice mixture. Cook until the shrimp are barely cooked through, and then pour the shrimp and lime juice over the Soba noodles. Top with the cilantro and green onion and serve cold*. 

*This tastes even better if you make it ahead of time and store in the refrigerator until it's time to eat!




Slightly adapted from Food & Wine