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!