The 'If You're a Vegetarian, Stop Reading Now' Burger

My husband and I were inspired to make this recipe for two reasons. First off, I recently bought $60 worth of smoked dry-cured pork (think prosciutto, but more rustic). Sick, I know. I don't even know why. I don't plan on having a party. It just seemed like a good idea.

The second part of my inspiration came from burgers my husband and I bought at Eastern Market last weekend. We bought sirloin burgers with chopped smoked bacon in them. Delicious. The guy behind the meat counter admitted to making them for breakfast that morning. Hilarious.

The burgers got me thinking :). And, of course, why use plain old beef when you can use delicious veal?

Now, go try this at home. I command you!

2 lbs ground veal
1/2 cup chopped Surryano ham tips. It's dry cured and smoked.
4 TB Worcestershire sauce
3 TB plain bread crumbs
1 TB garlic powder
1 TB black pepper
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp dried oregano

Combine everything, and make four patties. They're best cooked on a hot grill, 4-5 mins per side.

Yellow and Red Tomato Coconut Curry Soup

My husband and I love tomato soup. We especially like it with fresh tomatoes, and even better if they are August tomatoes. Last summer I made tomato and white bean, and a tomato and corn, and a tomato and meatball soup. It came out a little thick, and it was more or less a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs. Not my intention, but delicious nonetheless.

This summer I was inspired by all the beautiful yellow tomatoes I've seen at the farm stand I like to frequent in Maryland. I made a delicious salsa of red and yellow tomatoes for a party. I thought the taste and color were awesome. This got me thinking about soup. This recipe is truly inspired, just ask my husband.

7 yellow tomatoes (approximately 4 lbs.), plus 2 medium-sized red tomatoes

4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 medium onions
3 cloves of garlic
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp coriander
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 cup coconut milk

chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)

Directions

Wash and core the tomatoes first, then drop into boiling water for a minute or two, a few at a time. Remove tomatoes and place in a bowl of ice water. Once they’re out of the ice bath the skins will come right off with your hands. Seeding them is messy but takes no time over your garbage or disposal. Cut the tomatoes in half (horizontally), and with your fingers remove the seeds and that jelly- like stuff. You can then dice up the tomatoes and place in a bowl. Keep the yellow and red tomatoes separate. They are added to the soup at different times.


In a large soup pot, sauté onions and garlic with some olive oil. Once the onions become translucent add salt, pepper, curry powder, turmeric and coriander. Then add yellow tomatoes, and let cook for 20 minutes, on medium low.

Add chicken stock and let cook on medium low for 10 minutes. Then taste soup and see if you need to add more salt or pepper.

After any needed adjustment, puree the soup with a regular or immersion blender.

Once the soup is pureed, add the chopped red tomatoes. Let cook for 10 more minutes on low.
Then add 1 cup of coconut milk, stirring to combine.

Garnish with cilantro

Meat and Cheese on Bread, refined

As I think I've mentioned recently, I'm substantially pregnant and it just does not bring out the best in my culinary repertoire. Especially early on, I want cheeseburgers, cheesesteaks, maybe a few hot dogs. In short, I'm not so much on the salads while with child. But we can't just give in to every craving, lest we emerge from the baby-having heavier and with elevated triglycerides.

But sometimes I can work the standard craving profile into something delicious to eat that is less of a dietary landmine. The following pizza is not only super quick and easy, but it has everything I'm looking for (meat? check. cheese? check. bread? check.) without derailing my nutritional standings entirely. You've likely seen a similar combination on restaurant menus lately since the ingredients are a classic flavor profile from Italian cooking. The key here is to use really good ingredients and just baaaarely cook them so the retain their own perfect flavors and textures. Hey! Bonus! That makes this a super fast dinner option too! Enjoy!

This dish is so popular around my house because it really has everything. Not only are meat, cheese and bread all well represented, but it has the perfect Salty Sour Spicy Sweet (that sounds sooo familiar) balance that we strive for around here. What more could anybody - pregnant or otherwise - want? If you feel like going the extra mile, check out my co-blogger's pizza dough recipe from March 2009 for a homemade crust. The figs have a short season, so if you can't find them, use just the fig preserves. The flavors will be almost as good.

Prosciutto & Fig Pizza with fresh Arugula

Ingredients:

2 loaves white or whole wheat Lavash (Middle Eastern flatbread)

3 - 4 T. fig jam or preserves (available at decent cheese counters or Whole Foods)

1/2 pint black mission or turkish figs, stems removed, quartered

1 cup freshly grated or shaved hard Italian or Spanish cheese, such as Parmiggiano Regiano, Asiago or Manchego (it really is better if you grate it yourself)

1 tsp. red pepper flake

1/4 lb. imported prosciutto, sliced paper thin

4 cups fresh baby arugula

the juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tsp. olive oil

kosher salt

freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions:

Arrange oven racks so that the top rack is at its highest setting under the broiler. Preheat oven to 375. On each of the 2 loaves of lavash, spread half the fig jam, scatter half the figs and half the cheese. Season to your taste with red pepper flakes.

Bake pizza for about 5 minutes on top rack until cheese is melted. While that is happening, toss the arugula, lemon juice & olive oil together in a bowl. Season with salt & pepper. Set aside.

After 5 minutes baking at 375, turn the oven to Broil and slide the top rack out just far enough to scatter 1/2 the prosciutto on each pizza. Return rack to oven and broil pizzas for about 3 minutes until prosciutto is warmed and cheese is browning. Don't turn your back! you could be about 30 seconds from black pizzas depending on the strength of your broiler. Remove pizzas from oven. Top each with half of the seasoned arugula and cut into quarters. Grate a little more cheese on top if you want. Serve immediately.