Sunday, August 24, 2014

Banh Mi Burger for #WeekdaySupper

Banh Mi Burger for #WeekdaySupper




Before I begin with my dish, please first let me explain my absence in the last two weeks: I have been busy packing my things for a move. As you're reading this, I'm spending my first full day as a metro Seattle resident. Mrs. Stuntman and I decided to relocate primarily because I had been living in one of the most expensive regions in the country. Why Seattle? It's a short plane ride away from my daughter's grandparents, better schools than in California and the region's reputation for coffee and seafood. I also respectfully request a couple of weeks to get settled before I publish new dishes here.

Earlier this month, I published a sirloin steak dish for #SundaySupper sponsored by The Beef Checkoff so I chose a different cut of beef to display the flexibility of beef, this time for an evening after returning home from the office. In case you haven't already, please 'Like' them on facebook in addition to following them on twitter, pinterest and #SundaySupper's own beef pinterest board. In the interest of full disclosure, this post is sponsored by The Beef Checkoff. All opinions are my own. This dish is not traditional, by any means, but has been adapted from the traditional Vietnamese version.


The Challenge

Demonstrate the versatility of beef in a dish appropriate for a weeknight preparation.

The Source

Adapted from a recipe found on Food & Wine magazine's website. I reduced the amount of spice by omitting the jalapeños and decreased the amount of Tobasco because I don't like heavily spiced foods.

Ingredients

1/2 cup julienned carrots
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Tobasco
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (I recommend an 80/20 mixture)
1/2 tablespoon curry powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1 24-inch baguette, quartered crosswise, then each quarter cut in half length-wise
Cilantro sprigs, for garnish

Method

1. Finish the mise en place. Preheat the oven to 400⁰ Fahrenheit. Combine the carrots, rice vinegar and sugar in a small bowl and let them steep for 10 minutes. Then remove the carrots with a slotted spoon to set aside and discard the pickling fluid.


In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Tobasco, tomato paste and garlic, then season with salt and pepper. Set aside.


Separately, combine the ground beef and the curry powder then season with salt and pepper. Form the ground beef mixture into four oval-shaped patties, approximately 6 inches long and 1 inch in length. In addition, spread the butter on the cut side of each piece of baguette.


2. Cook the burgers and toast the baguette. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the burger patties and cook, turning once, approximately 6 minutes per side for medium doneness. While the burgers cook, place each baguette piece on a foil-lined sheet tray, cut side up, and place in the oven, toasting the baguette until lightly browned, approximately 5 minutes.


3. Assemble the burgers. Spread the seasoned mayonnaise onto each baguette half and top one slice with a burger patty. Garnish with the pickled carrots and cilantro sprigs, then top each burger with the remaining halves and serve hot.

Successful?

Despite it not being traditional, it was one of the most well balanced burgers I've prepared. The spice in the mayonnaise balanced out the acidity of the carrots and the savory burger patty. I'll definitely repeat.

Before you go, I present a preview of the other #WeekdaySupper dishes that will appear later in the week. Please check them out.

Sunday Supper Movement



Monday, August 11, 2014

Presenting: Corn Ravioli with Herb Cream Sauce

Presenting: Corn Ravioli with Herb Cream Sauce




I hadn't pulled out my Atlas pasta machine since I made my spinach fettuccine dish this past March and I was itching to make some ravioli. So on a recent Sunday morning, a quick google search yielded this corn ravioli dish from Lindsay at Love & Olive Oil which was perfect timing because I remembered Mrs. Stuntman had brought home some fresh corn from the supermarket a few evenings prior.

I decided to use this dish for my Presenting: series because I have demonstrated ravioli here several times in the past and I didn't need to adapt Lindsay's recipe very much. However, I used my go-to pasta dough recipe which is from page 102 to 104 of Cook Like A Rock Star by Anne Burrell with Suzanne Lenzer because I have found Chef Burrell's ratio of wet ingredients to dry ingredients work well for me and I accidentally omitted the heavy cream from my filling only because I forgot to add it. As I reviewed the recipe, I was a little skeptical over the sauce because of the method used, however I couldn't have been more wrong. Mrs. Stuntman was delighted by the balance of flavors in the dish because the wine provided a savory flavor to balance out the sweet corn filling. It was so good that I prepared the dish again later in the week with the leftover ravioli I made.

Finally, I saw the new movie The Hundred-Foot Journey starring Helen Mirren and Om Puri this past weekend. The word I would use to describe it is charming and recommend seeing it. It held my 6-year-old daughter's attention and there was nothing in the movie that forced me to cover her eyes and/or ears yet the plot still entertained.

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Grilled Sirloin with Caramelized Shallot and Roasted Garlic Compound Butter for the Beef Checkoff #SundaySupper

Grilled Sirloin with Caramelized Shallot and Roasted Garlic Compound Butter for the Beef Checkoff #SundaySupper




I withheld the entreé I ate at A Land Remembered from my review of the Food and Wine Conference because I was unexpectedly inspired that evening. Weeks prior, it was announced that I was lucky enough to be chosen to participate in this week's #SundaySupper event sponsored by The Beef Checkoff and I had ideas of what I was going to prepare for it but hadn't worked it out fully yet. Well, that evening my original idea was sidelined after eating the filet I ordered. The filet itself was prepared perfectly but what sent it over the top was pairing the cloves from the roasted garlic garnish with a bite of the beef. I left that evening inspired by the pairing and motivated to explore it further.


Before I proceed, let's discuss The Beef Checkoff for a minute. The 1985 Farm Bill established it to research and market beef and is funded by American cattle farmers and ranchers. Please follow them on twitter and pinterest in addition to #SundaySupper's own Beef Pinterest board plus give them a 'Like' on facebook. I also recommend checking out the recipe list on their website because it highlights the versatility of beef with categories such as breakfast dishes and repurposing leftovers. In the interest of full disclosure, this post is sponsored by The Beef Checkoff. All opinions are my own.

The Challenge

Replicate the flavor profile at home I tasted in a restaurant environment.

The Source

I adapted roasting method from thekitchn.com to the compound butters found on Kiss My Smoke.

Ingredients

2 heads garlic, loose layers of "paper" peeled
tablespoons olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 to 3 medium shallots, chopped
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 12-ounce top sirloin steaks
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Method

1. Roast garlic: Preheat the oven to 400⁰ Fahrenheit and place an oven rack in the middle position. Cut each head crosswise so the tips of each clove are exposed. Drizzle each head with a teaspoon or two of olive oil, then wrap each head in aluminum foil. Place each foil pouch on a small sheet pan and roast in the oven until caramelized and soft. Start checking at 40 minutes and, if not completed, at 10 minute intervals until completed. Let it cool slightly, then squeeze out two-thirds of the cloves into a mixing bowl to cool completely. Reserve the remaining third separately.


2. Caramelize shallots and form the butter: While the garlic is in the oven, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Once the oil starts to smoke, add the shallots and sauté until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Place the shallots along with any pan drippings into the bowl with the roasted garlic to cool. Once cooled, add the softened butter and mix using a hand or stand mixer with whisk attachments. Transfer the butter to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.


3. Grill the steaks: Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, grill the steaks to desired doneness, 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove the steaks from the grill and allow to rest, tented with tin foil for 5 minutes. To plate, place a steak in the center of the plate, top with a tablespoon of the compound butter and garnish with parsley and reserved garlic cloves.


Successful?

While I tasted the same flavor profile, it wasn't as good as the restaurant dish. By the way, I did take a picture of the filet, which follows:


Before you go, check out the other beefy dishes in this week's event.

Sunday Supper MovementJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.