Oui, Chef

Sloppy Joes

It takes a while, but every summer by about this time we all start suffering from burger fatigue.  I don’t know about you, but we definitely get our fill of burgers and dogs around here during grilling season, so much so that by mid-August I start thinking about how to take the idea of a burger in new directions.

One of our favorite alternatives is this Sloppy Joe. 

Please don’t tell me you reach for a can of Manwich, or just dump a jar of Ragu in ground beef when you fell the urge, you don’t do you?  For years the Sloppy Joe has been sold as just that kind of meal, much like that old chestnut, Tuna Helper, a desperation meal in a can that you keep hidden in the back of the pantry.  If that IS the only kind of Joe you’ve ever had, then please keep reading, as you are in for a treat.

Lamb Köfte with Yogurt Sauce and Muhammara

Are your taste buds tired of the same old same old?

Looking to spice up your dinner menu a bit this week?

Good, because this dish is gonna transport you to a brave new culinary world, and will totally rock those bored buds of yours.

I stumbled across this recipe in Bon Appetit some time ago and it immediately caught my eye.  It also made me think of my friend Joumana and her awesome blog, Taste of Beirut, because I couldn't help but think that this was the kind of food she grew up on.....lucky girl.  Sadly, I never got around to making the dish and sort of forgot about it until Joumana recently posted her own recipe for muhammara, a Syrian red pepper sauce.  Hers looked so good that I knew I had to go back and find this recipe and finally give it a try...I am SO GLAD I did.

Lobster Rolls - A Tale of Summers Past

 
This post was originally written as a guest post for my friend Greg over at SippitySup.  He had asked a number of blogger friends to write some pieces on childhood summer memories that he could post in his absence while he vacationed.  I know some of you read Greg's great blog, but for those who don't I thought I'd re-post this one here for you to enjoy. Cheers - Steve

 

My early childhood summers were fabulously routine, but never boring.  I grew up in a typical New England “beach” town, so for me, summer travel required no more than a 4 mile trek.  

Each summer vacation started the same, with Mom packing coolers of food and crates full of our summer duds (really nothing more than a few bathing suits and t-shirts), and loading them all into the Jeep.  A quick stop in town for a tide chart, and a brief stint in the barber’s chair for a short, summer crew-cut, and we were on our way to Saquish.

Chicken Parmesan Burgers

Peyton and I whipped up these burgers a few nights ago to critical acclaim from EVERYONE in the family, and I have to be honest with you, that almost NEVER happens, especially with a dish that is being tried for the first time.  This recipe is our adaptation of one that I found in the latest edition of Bon Appetit magazine, and it is absolutely a keeper.

In the photo, I show the burger served sans bun, more like a salad with a little marinara drizzled to the side.  My wife ate hers this way, I had mine between two toasted slices of a great, rustic pain francese from Iggy's Bread in Cambridge, and the kids all chose to have theirs on whole wheat hamburger buns.  Regardless of how we each prepared ours, we found the patties to be a delicious, moist and healthy alternative to a standard beef burger. 

It was nice to be able to serve "burgers" without firing up the outdoor grill that night, especially since it was pouring rain and howling winds at around 50 MPH the night we cooked these....Ugh. 

Farmer's Market Cheddar Melt

This open faced sandwich was inspired by a trip to our local farmer's market the other day. While there we bought a loaf of delicious whole grain bread, some locally cured ham, organic apples, some sharp cheddar cheese, late season arugula, and a nice little acorn squash (although a sweet potato would have worked equally as well, I think). In keeping with these local New England flavors, we added some maple syrup and a tangy cranberry chutney to the dish. I love the contrasting flavors and textures of the sandwich, the peppery arugula along side the sweet squash and smokey ham, the gooey cheese juxtaposed with the crisp apple, and all of it popped by the tangy cranberry chutney. 

Tell me, what kid wouldn't like a sandwich with sweet fruit in the middle, and gooey cheese melted all over the top of it.  This sandwich would be delicious with a bowl of Butternut Squash Soup with Apple Cider Cream!

Enjoy - Steve

Recipe:

(Print Friendly Version)

Ingredients:

Whole Grain, artisan baked bread

Smoked ham, locally cured, thickly sliced

Roasted acorn squash, smashed

Organic honey-crisp apples, cored and sliced (or any other local apple you have handy)

Vermont, sharp cheddar cheese


Arugula

Whole grain mustard

Cranberry chutney

Method:

• Preheat oven to 400℉
• Split acorn squash in half, top to bottom, and scoop out the seeds.  Please 1 teaspoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup in the cavity of each half, and place in a baking dish .  Sprinkle the squash with kosher salt, and pour a little water into the dish to keep the skins from burning and sticking to the bottom.  Place in the oven and bake for 1 hour (or longer if you have a big squash)
• Remove the squash from the oven and let cool.  When cool enough to handle, scoop the insides into a bowl and mash with a fork, making sure the butter and maple syrup is evenly distributed, check for seasoning and set aside.
• Set your oven to broil.
• Cut a thick slice of the bread and toast it.  Build your open faced sandwich starting with the mustard, then the sliced apples, the smashed squash, the arugula, the ham and finally the cheese.  Place the sandwich on a sheet tray and pop under the broiler, cook until the cheese is bubbling and starting to brown.
• Remove from the oven and serve with a big spoonful of cranberry chutney (I have a great recipe I'll share in a future post), some squash soup, or a simple green salad.