Chickpea, Coconut, and Cilantro Burgers

Hello all. I am back to writing a new blog entry again. I had hopes of writing up several recipes from the summer, but plans don't always work out. One thing that I did do this summer was to go to a food festival in Cardiff, Wales. It was a fun day of trying food samples, attending cooking demos, and exploring the Cardiff Bay Area. There were many food booths set up to sell food to the masses of people there. Early in the day, I saw one booth that intrigued me, a booth from Greta's Wholefoodies.

I had a Curried Chickpea, Coconut, and Coriander Burger. It was so flavorful and delicious. I had never had a sandwich quite like it before. Later in the day, I wanted to get something else to eat. I had so many places to choose from, but I decided to go back for another one of these burgers. Ever since I have been home, I have wanted to recreate one of these burgers myself. This past weekend, I had a chance to experiment and was very happy how the result turned out. I see that Greta's website has a list of ingredients for their burgers. However, I was very happy that I tried to recreate it without seeing what their ingredients were.

So enjoy this great vegetarian sandwich.

Burger Ingredients

15 1/2 ounce can of chick peas
1/2 onion, small dice
1/3 cup carrot, small dice
1/2 cup coconut
1 tablespoon jalapeno, finely diced
1 teaspoon corriander seed
1 1/2 tablespoons madras curry powder
1 teaspoon garam marsala
1 egg
1/4 cup rice flour
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons cooking oil, divided
salt and pepper

Slaw Ingredients

2 cups chopped red cabbage
1/2 cup carrots
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon corriander
1/2 teaspoon siracha
pinch of salt and pepper


Combine the coconut, curry powder, garam marsala, and coriander seed. Heat 1/2 tablespoon of cooking oil in a pan and cook the coconut and spice mixture over medium heat for about 3 minutes stirring occasianally to prevent burning. Drain and wash the chickpeas. Add the chickpeas to the coconut mixture and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt while it is cooking. Put the chickpea mixture into a food processor and blend until the chickpeas are just crushed and mixed with the spices.

Add the other 1/2 tablespoon of cooking oil to the pan and saute the onions, carrots, and jalapeno until slightly browned. Once done, combine with the chickpeas. Beat the egg and add to the mixture along with the rice flour. Mix well to form a dough. Add in the chopped cilantro and season with salt and pepper.

Roll the dough out on a cutting board. Form the burgers using a large biscuit cutter. Depending on how thick you like your burgers, the recipe should make between 4-8 patties. Once they are cut, place them on a plate or flat surface and freeze for at least 15 minutes. This will help the burgers stay together while cooking.

To cook the burgers, add a tablespoon of cooking oil to a nonstick skillet. When oil is hot, add burgers and cook on each side approximately 3-4 minutes until the patties start to brown. You could also try this on a grill surface, using care that the burgers do not fall apart. If you do this, I would recommend using a grill tray instead of putting them directly on the grates.

Prepare the slaw ingredients by combining all of the ingredients together. Serve the burgers on a regular bun, flatbread, pita, or no bread
with a serving of slaw on each.

If you don't cook all of the burgers, you could easily package them up, freeze them, and take them out as you need them. Enjoy!

Chopped Challenge

Our family likes to watch the TV show Chopped on the Food Network. For each episode, contestants are given a basket of indgredients to make appetizers, entrees, or desserts. Most of the time, the ingredient combinations are quite challenging because no one in their right mind would think of pairing such strange ingredients.

One night, I was having a craving to use a jar of Stonewall Kitchen's Dark Chocolate Caramel Sauce with Sea Salt in a dessert. I had been putting it on ice cream, but we were out of ice cream. So I decided to give myself my own Chopped Challenge. So my "mystery ingredients" were the chocolate caramel sauce, strawberries, and Keebler's sesame crackers. Ok, I concede that this combination is not nearly as strange as the something on the show. They would probably throw in something like leeks or jalapenos. I also didn't bother setting a timer, but I wanted something that could be prepared in less than 15 minutes.

My first task was to figure out what else I had in the fridge that would go with these three ingredients. I pulled out a tub of Cool whip, some butter, sugar, cinnamon, and balsamic vinegar. I was making a single portion since I had no idea if this creation was going to taste good or not.

First, I took the strawberries and diced them up into a pretty small bites. I used about 5 strawberries. Next, I topped them with about a teaspon of balsamic vinegar. I took about 1/2 cup of the cool whip and folded in the strawberries, and put the ingredients into the small serving bowl.

The next step was to prepare the topping. I melted butter in the pan and crumbled the sesame crackers into the butter. I sauted the crackers until slightly browned. Be very careful not to burn them like I did the first time. I had to throw that out and go on to a second attempt. While cooking the crackers, add in about 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and a teaspoon of sugar.

Heat the dark chocolate caramel sauce. Put the cracker crumble topping on to of the strawberry cream and finally add the chocolate sauce. You are done!

Unfortnately, I didn't make a picture of this creation. It was quite surprising how good it turned out to be. In retrospect, it would be even better if I had whipped up some heavy whipping cream in the Kitchen Aid mixer instead of using the Cool Whip.

It was a fun little challenge. I think this idea would be fun for party them. You could have a couple of cooks square off with ingredients picked by others at the party. Then everyone could sample and vote for their favorite. Might have to try this sometime.

Summer CSA Season Kicks Off

Today was the first day for picking up food from the Centennial CSA program which features fresh produce, eggs, and meat from the Zahradka Farm in Baltimore County. We get a medium share of food which includes 8 different fruit/vegetable items. Todays picks included strawberries, potatoes, asparagus, zucchini, yellow swiss chard, spring onions, spinach, and romaine lettuce. In addition, we get the bread option which features products from the Breadery, the speciality food item which was a jar of fruit spread from Infused Spreads of Baltimore, and a dozen eggs. You can see a picture of the bounty from this week. I also made dinner tonight using some of the asparagus, zucchini, and spinach. Very happy to get great farm fresh ingredients!

Penne with Spring Vegetables, Chicken, and Herbs

1 1/3 cups uncooked penne
1 boneless skinless chicken breast
10 stalks of asparagus. cut into 1 inch pieces
1 zucchini squash, cut into 1 inch strips
1/2 red pepper, cut into 1 inch strips
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped spinach
1 tablespoon, fresh chopped basil
1/2 tablespoon, fresh chopped parsley
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
salt and pepper

First, cook the penne in boiling salted water for approximately 11 minutes. Drain the pasta once it is done. In your pan, add a drizzle of olive oil and lightly toast the pine nuts and set aside. In the same pan, heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and add the chicken and lightly season with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken until it cooked through and set aside. After the veggies have been chopped, add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to the pan and saute the asparagus, zucchini, and red pepper until they are slightly brown. Season the veggies with salt while they are cooking. Slice the chicken breast into thin slices and add it to the veggies. Add spinach and garlic and saute another minute. While still on the stove, stir in the herbs, cooked penne, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. You are now ready to eat!

Grilled Latin Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Corn Salsa

This past weekend, we went to our first summer cookout. This gave me a chance to try out a new recipe with some of the numerous spices from my pantry. I also wanted to use some fresh corn that I found last week at Frank's Produce in Elkridge. In addition to having some great produce, Frank's has several greenhouses of full of healthy, colorful plants at reasonable prices. Check it out if you have not been there. Now, back to the recipe. I decided on a Latin insired pork tenderloin with a corn and tomato salsa. The dish went over very well at the cookout. Hope you enjoy too!


Pork and Spice Rub Ingredients:
1-1.5 pound pork tenderloin
2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
1 teaspoon guajillo chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon corriander
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon canola oil

Corn Salsa Ingredients:
1 small onion
1/3 red bell pepper
1/3 orange bell pepper
3 ears of fresh corn
1 tomato
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Salsa Dressing Ingredients:
1 tablespoon canola oil
juice of 1/2-3/4 of a lime
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1 teaspoon salt

First, prepare the pork. Coat the pork tenderloin with the canola oil. Combine the spices together and then coat the pork all over with the spice rub. Place the pork in a sealed plastic bag and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

Next, prepare the salsa. Boil the 3 ears of corn in salted water for about 15 minutes. While the corn in boiling, finely dice the onion, peppers, and tomato and combine in a mixing bowl. Finely chop the cilantro including the stems and set aside. Combine the remaining dressing ingredients. Once the corn is finished cooking, let cool for at least 10 minutes. Cut the corn off the cob and add it to the pepper and onions.

Finally, grill the pork. Heat your grill to a high temperature at first and get a good sear on the outside of the pork on both sides. Turn down the temperature to medium and cook until the meat reaches your desired internal temperature. The pork should reach 160 degrees before serving. Take the pork off the grill and allow to rest at least 5 minutes before cutting. Slice the pork into thin medallions for serving.

When you are ready to serve, combine the dressing, cilantro, and corn mixture together. Use the corn salsa as a base of your serving dish and place the pork medallions on top of the corn. Enjoy!

As a possible variation, you could grill the corn in the husks along with the peppers. This would add a more robust grill flavor to the dish. I had planned to do this when I started. However, I was having problems with my grill starting. So I resorted to cooking the corn on the stove and not roasting the peppers at all. Either way, I think it is a great dish.

Getting Ready for CSA Season

Last year, my wife and I joined the Centennial CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program for the summer and fall. Before then, I did not know anything about CSA programs in the area, and discovered that there were several options available in Howard County. The Centennial CSA program of 2010 was a great experience for us. Each week, we got to select eight different vegetables/fruits from things that were in season. In addition, each week we got a dozen eggs and a loaf of bread and every other week, a meat. It was great to have such a good supply of fresh vegetables in the fridge to use throughout the growing season. We became a little overloaded with eggs. They were fresh and delicious. However, we tend not to eat too many eggs during the week. I really like to support local farmers and to know where my food is grown. I was raised on a farm in Kentucky and know all about the hard work it takes to raise a good quality crop.

Last year's CSA products were provided by Martin Herb Farm. This year, they have switched to another provider, the Zahradka Farm, which is located in Essex, Maryland in Baltimore County. The farm has been managed by four generations of the family and follows organic guidelines for raising its crops. I am looking forward to trying a variety of fruit and veggies, and coming up with new ways to use the products. I plan to share some ideas for recipes throughout the summer and fall. This year, I am hoping for more fresh fruit, tomatoes, and different kinds of beans or peas. I am starting to get hungry just thinking about all the possibilities.

This year's CSA is organized differently than last. There is more flexibility in what you buy and you can specify if you want to buy a small, medium, or large share. The eggs, bread, and meats are available as options and you can get these weekly or biweekly. The CSA runs weekly from the first week of June until Thanksgiving. The pickup location is at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church parking lot on Frederick Road in Ellicott City on Thursdays from 4:00-6:30. Also you will get to pick your selections there on the spot based on what they have for the day. It is still not too late to sign up. If interested, here is a link to the CSA page. Looking forward to June 2 for the first pick-up.

Cooking with Top Chef Carla Hall

Melissa and I spent an evening last week at a cooking demo by Top Chef contestant Carla Hall. This is the third class we have taken from her and each one has been a lot of fun and entertaining. Did I also mention we got to try some great food? During the past season of Top Chef All-Stars, Melissa and I were pulling for Carla and very happy that she made it to the final 5 and won the fan favorite prize. We have a few pictures here from the class, including the dishes that we got to try. Just overlook the fact that my eyes are closed in the picture above, not a great shot.

For the cooking class, we had four courses to try, each accompanied by a wine pairing. The meal included Goat Cheese and Leek tart, Persian Turkey Burgers with flatbread, Roasted Lemon Thyme Chicken, and Chocolate Mousse Cake with Salted Caramel Sauce. Carla made a portion of each of the recipes herself, demonstrating the techniques she used and giving tips for improving your ability to create recipes on your own. We all were given a serving of each dish which was made earlier in her kitchen. I really liked all of the dishes, even the cucumber relish and ailoi that accompanied the turkey sliders. I don't normally like cucumbers, but the flavors worked well together in the dish.

Carla's class was at her cookie making headquarters located in Silver Spring. She has ended her catering service and is now focusing on making and selling cookies, both savory and sweet. We got to sample cookies during the class and bought some to bring home. Yum! You can order some by visiting her web site at Alchemy by Carla Hall.

Carla appears to be a very busy person. Not only has she made several Top Chef appearances, she recently appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and Paula Deen's Show. She recently landed a spot on a new daytime talk show about food which premeirs in September. The show will be on ABC (after All My Children ends) and is called The Chew, and will also include Mario Batali and Michael Symon. Her cookbook proposal is also going up for auction among publishers. Looking forward to getting a copy when it is finished.

What to do with Red Peppers

Recently, I was looking at all of the vegetables in the refigerator, trying to see what we had and what we needed to eat. I found a more than ample supply of red bell peppers from a recent trip to Costco. So I started to brainstorm ideas on what to do with them. The result turned out to be a delicious soup.

Roasted Red Pepper and Lentil Soup

2 red peppers

1 onion

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes

1.5-2 cups of vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon ras al hanout spice

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1/4 cup of half and half

1 cup of cooked lentils (1/2 cup uncooked lentils)

kosher salt & pepper

First, preheat your grill to get it hot for roasting the red peppers. Cut each red pepper into about 5-6 large pieces, removing seeds. Also quarter the onion and leave the pieces together. Toss peppers and onion in a tablespoon of olive oil. Roast the peppers and onions on the grill. The skins of the red peppers should be blackened. Remove the pepper from the grill and set aside. Move onion to the soup pot on the stove.

While peppers cool, you can begin cooking the lentils. In a nonstick saucepan, bring one and a half cups of water to a boil, adding salt. Rinse the lentils and add them to the water. Cover and reduce heat to a very low temperature. You will let these cook very slowly for about half an hour. However, you might want to check them occasionally to make sure the water hasnt't evaproated. Do not overstir or mash the lentils. Test the lentils to see if they are indeed soft and done.

Remove skins from the red peppers. Add peppers to soup pot with the peppers. You do not need to chop the peppers further. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the minced clove of garlic. Saute in pan for about 3 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, ras al hanout spice, lemon zest, pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook the soup for about 40 minutes on low heat.

The next step is to puree the soup. Right before blending, add cilantro to the soup. Pour the soup into a blender in batches. Don't forget to remove the plastic cap at the top of the blender to let heat escape when you blend. You might want to put a towel loosely over the opening so that soup doesn't splash out when you blend. After blend, strain the soup through a mech strainer or food meal. Collect all of the liquid and return soup to the stove. Discard the solids. To the soup, add the half and half, 1 cup of cooked lentils, 1 additional tablespoon of olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook soup on low for an additional 5-10 minutes.

Hope you enjoy.