Baked Garlic-Beer Fries

Though it pains me, Vince is not particularly interested in food.  He likes eating it of course, but whenever I ask what he wants to have for dinner next week, my question is almost always met with a shrug and "whatever you feel like cooking."  So when he sends me a recipe, I do my best to work it into the menu.  Not surprisingly, the recipe that caught his attention involves beer. 

I used a beer made with roasted poblano peppers that Vince had brewed and bottled a few months ago this time around, but any beer that you'd drink with a burger works here.  Use something good though, because a lot of the beer's flavor comes though, despite the short soaking time.  I've also skipped the olive oil and used bacon fat leftover from baking bacon and it defnitely adds a whole other layer to the fries.  Fresh herbs are also delicious here.  These are awesome with any burger- definitely tons of flavor however you make them!

Baked Garlic-Beer Fries
from craftbeer.com

What's in them:

12 oz good beer
3 russet potatoes, about 3/4 lbs
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp olive oil, canola oil, or bacon fat
1-1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4-1/2 tsp black pepper

How to make them:

Preheat oven to 425°F

Scrub and cut potatoes with skin on into 1/2" sticks.  In a large bowl, soak the cut fries in the beer.  Let soak for 15 minutes, tossing a few times so that the potatoes soak evenly.

Drain beer and toss the potatoes with the oil, garlic, salt and pepper, making sure that each one is well coated.

Line a large baking sheet with foil, and spread the fries in a single layer on the pan, using two pans if necessary.  Bake for 40 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how crispy you like them, tossing 3-4 times.

Add more salt and pepper to your liking and serve hot.

Burgers with Gorgonzola and Port-Glazed Onions

I just can't leave well enough alone when it comes to food.  If something can be made more complicated, I'll do it.  This burger is one of those things.  Burgers are delicious as is, so do they really need to be dressed up?  No, but it's a fun and tasty thing to do anyway. 

The idea for this burger started with the June issue of Food & Wine's cover recipe.  But it seemed to need something else texturally along with the melted cheese and chewy beef, and maybe some sweetness to balance the salty cheese as well, so I pulled some elements from Josie's fig-glazed burger with red onion jam.  The resulting burger has a lot of strong flavors, but they all work together and make a weeknight burger seem a lot fancier than it is.

Burgers with Gorgonzola and Port-Glazed Onions

What's in them:

1 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, halved and sliced into half-rounds
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
1/2 c port
1 lb ground beef
1/2 tsp ground pepper
3-4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c fig jam
1/2 c crumbled gorgonzola cheese (or bleu cheese or Stilton)
4 hamburger buns

How to make them:

Heat a pan over medium high heat, and add oil when pan is hot.  Once oil is hot as well, add onions and 1/2 tsp salt, stirring to coat the onions.  Reduce heat to medium-low, and let onions cook until soft and brown, about 15 minutes.  Turn heat back up until the onions are sizzling, then pour in the port, stirring and scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan.  Reduce heat to low, and simmer until port thickly coats the onions.  Set aside, keeping the onions warm.

Mix beef, remaining salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce lightly, being careful to not overwork the beef.  Form four patties, then grill to desired doneness.  When burgers are almost done, brush each with fig jam, then top with gorgonzola. 

Serve on buns, topped with the port-glazed onions.

Lamb Burgers with Roasted Red Pepper and Feta Spread

Growing up, my mom often made lamb patties, usually served with couscous or tabbouleh.  I can't remember if I was particularly enthusiastic about them (I know I wasn't about tabbouleh), but I sure am now.  But now that it's getting hot out, boiling water and heating skillets just isn't appealing.  Lucky for me, though, anything patty-shaped can be turned into a burger and cooked outside. 

These were so good.  A little rich, but a lemony Greek salad kept the meal from being too heavy.  I used thyme, but I think that oregano, parsley or even a little mint would be delicious as well.

Lamb Burgers with Roasted Red Pepper and Feta Spread

What's in them:

1 lb ground lamb

1/4 c finely diced red onion

2 garlic cloves, minced, divided

2 Tbsp fresh thyme

2 tsp + 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/3 c crumbled feta cheese

2 tsp lemon juice

2-3 Tbsp mayo, to taste

1 red bell pepper, or 1/2 c jarred roasted red peppers

4 hamburger buns

fresh spinach for topping burgers

How to make them:

Combine ground lamb with red onion through black pepper, using 2/3 of the garlic and 2 teaspoons of the balsamic vinegar.  Form the mixture into four patties.

Stir feta, remaining garlic and balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and mayo together, making a chunky spread.

Grill lamb patties and bell pepper, if using, until burgers are medium well and pepper is well-charred.  Let burgers rest, and place pepper in a zip-top bag or paper bag to loosen skin.  When the pepper is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and seeds, and slice into strips. 

Stack a patty, then spinach then pepper on each bun.  Spread some of the feta mixture on the top half of each bun, place on top, and enjoy!

BBQ Cheddar Burgers with Caramelized Onions

Sarah at Taste of Home Cooking is hosting another great recipe swap.  The theme for this round was sandwiches and burgers, and I got a fantastic burger recipe from Jey at The Jey of Cooking just in time for grilling season.  Now if you follow the link, you'll see that this was originally a meatloaf recipe, but Jey has used this as a burger too.  And what a great idea- all of the flavors of cheese, barbeque sauce and caramelized onions, but without the mess.

I did adapt a little.  Since I don't usually use egg or other binders in beef burgers, I left out the oatmeal and egg from the original recipe, and didn't have any problems with them falling apart on the grill.  I also skipped the extra cheese and sauce on top, since we had plenty of other burger add-ons like pickles, lettuce and tomato.  They were flavorful, juicy, and just all around a nice way to end the weekend.

BBQ Cheddar Burgers with Caramelized Onions

What's in them:

1 1/4 lbs ground beef
1 onion, diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c barbeque sauce

How to make them:

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat.  When hot, Add the onions and let cook until golden and soft, about 35 minutes, stirring just a few times.

Meanwhile, add the ground beef, cheddar cheese, and barbeque sauce to a large bowl and, using your hands, mix until combined.  When onions are finished, add to the bowl and, with a wooden spoon, fold in until well mixed.

Form mixture into 4-6 patties, and cook on a preheated grill, about 10-12 minutes for medium-well, depending on the size of your patties.  Serve with buns and your favorite burger toppings.

Chicken Taco Burgers

Are you ready for spring?  I sure am.  I had a little taste of it when I was in San Diego last week, where the flowers are already starting to bloom.  What a change from our endless chilly weather here on the east coast!  I saw these chicken taco burgers on Elly Says Opa! a few weeks ago, but decided to save them for warmer weather when we could grill them.  But after my trip, I decided I couldn't wait to start grilling.  So I talked Vince into uncovering the grill and hooking up the gas tank, even though our overnight lows are still in the 20s (!!!!).

These were defnitely worth the effort of getting the grill out.  Served on low-carb English muffins with a cherry tomato and corn salad on the side, it was almost like spring was actually here.  I used my usual taco seasoning, which includes garlic and onion powder, and so omitted the fresh versions from the chicken mixture.  Like Elly suggests, we topped these with avocado and a little sour cream and adobo sauce mixed together (though I added a little mayo to the mix), and added a quick slaw on top for some crunch.

Chicken Taco Burgers

What's in them:

1 – 1 1/4 lb. ground chicken
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
3/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/8 tsp. cayenne
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp. cornmeal
2 oz. cheese of your preference, shredded or thinly sliced (I used extra-sharp cheddar)
buns and your toppings of choice for serving, such as avocado, chipotle mayo, or Mexican slaw (see recipe below) 

How to make them:

Lightly mix together the first 9 ingredients (through cornmeal) and salt to taste (about 3/4 tsp.).   Divide the mixture into 8 patties.  Place cheese on top of 4 of the patties, and then place the other 4 patties on top of the ones with cheese, leaving a border around the cheese.  Press the edges together to make 4 total patties.

Grill or pan-fry the burgers until cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per side.  Place on buns and top as desired.

Quick Mexican Slaw
Dressing adapted from one seen on Wan Life to Live

What's in it:

1 Tbsp. sour cream
1 Tbsp. mayo
Juice of half a lime
1/2 - 1 tsp. cumin
Pinch of salt
1 - 1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage, red, green or a mix

How to make it:

Combine first five ingredients, then stir in cabbage.  Use to top burgers, or eat as a side.