Make the Ideal Burger Pickle in 2 Minutes Flat

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by    –   Eater.com

Home cooking can seem daunting, but with a resourceful cheerleader in your corner, the kitchen is nothing to fear. Introducing You Can Do This!, a brand new video series from Eaterwhere food tips-and-tricks guru Clifford Endo shares the secrets behind some of his favorite kitchen projects. Today, Endo speeds up the fermenting process with the help of a whipped cream canister, which yields perfectly briny pickles in a flash. Watch the video above for a visual how-to, and follow along with the recipe below.

Flash Pickles

1 cup rice vinegar
½ cup mirin
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon black pepper corn
1 tablespoon coriander seed
1 tablespoon salt
1 bay leaf
2 quarter inch slices ginger
2 thin slices jalapeno
1 cucumber

Special equipment: whipped cream canister, 2 cartridges NO2, mandolin

In a small saucepot combine all of the pickling liquid ingredient and bring to a boil. Once the liquid has reached a boil strain in to a bowl. Then place bowl in to a larger bowl filled with ice to cool down the liquid.

Cut a whole cucumber in the hamburger bun lengths 3–4 inches. Slice or run cucumber through a mandolin making ¼ inch planks stopping when you reach the inner seeds. Then rotate and continue on the opposite side stopping when you reach the seeds. Repeat with the remaining two sides.

When your pickling liquid is cool pour in to your whip cream canister not going past the fill line. Then add your planks in to the canister with the liquid and screw the top on tightly.

Charge you canister with one of the NO2 cartridges. After the gas stops slightly agitate the pickles by rolling them around the inside of the canister for about a 30–1 minute. Then gas the canister again with NO2. If you are using the small versions, one cartridge is enough. Briefly agitate again and then lay the canister down on its side for two minutes

Place a cup over the nozzle to contain any liquid that might come out. Then release the gas with the canister facing upward. This is to release just the gas and not the liquid inside. When gas is fully released unscrew the lid and dump contents in to a bowl. Pull the pickles out of the liquid and place on top of your burger and have that oh shit, this is actually pretty good moment.

Western Burgers

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The Western Burger includes jalapeños, onions and cilantro — and no bun.

Makes 4 servings

1 pound ground beef (93 percent lean or leaner)

1 jalapeño, seeded, chopped

2 teaspoons chopped onion

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 romaine or iceberg lettuce leaves

1 tomato, sliced

1 avocado, sliced

1 onion, thinly sliced

Instructions: Combine ground beef, jalapeño, onion, cilantro, salt and black pepper in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Lightly shape into four ½-inch thick patties.

Place patties on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, covered, 8 to 10 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, covered, 7 to 9 minutes) until instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into center registers 160 degrees, turning occasionally.

Place each burger on lettuce leaf. Evenly top with tomato, avocado and onion slices. Wrap lettuce leaves around burgers.

Per serving: 254 calories, 15 g fat, 75mg cholesterol, 137 mg sodium; 8 g carbohydrate; 4.8 g fiber; 24 g protein.

From Texas Beef Council

Recipe: One pickling liquid makes all kinds of quick and easy pickles

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by BERNADETTE HOGG   –   NZ House & Garden

Use this sweet, spiced liquid to make a range of easy vegetable pickles  to add fresh-tasting crunch to sandwiches, burgers and other meals. The liquid can be kept in a sterilized jar in the fridge for several months, while the prepared vegetable pickles will keep covered in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.

Pickling liquid:

1 liter white wine vinegar

2 cups sugar

4 sprigs fresh thyme

2 whole star anise

1 cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon fine salt

1 teaspoon pickling spice

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds

Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan and stir over moderate heat until sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and cool completely. Makes about 1 liter

Pickled Cucumber & Onion:

Cut a telegraph cucumber into 10 cm lengths then peel the flesh into ribbons, discarding the seeds.

Peel and finely slice a small onion into rings. Soak rings in cold water for 10 minutes, drain and pat dry with paper towels.

Place cucumber ribbons and onion rings in a non-reactive bowl and cover with pickling liquid. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours, overnight if possible, before using.

Pickled Beetroot:

Slice 3 cooked and peeled, medium-sized beetroot into rings. Place in a non-reactive bowl and cover with pickling liquid. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours, overnight if possible, before using.

Pickled Red Cabbage & Red Onion

Remove the core and finely slice a quarter of a red cabbage. Peel and finely slice a red onion into rings.  Place cabbage and onion in a non-reactive bowl and cover with pickling liquid. Cover and chill overnight before using.

Pickled Radish:

Remove the tops and tails from 10 radishes. Using a mandolin, finely slice into rings. Place in a non-reactive bowl and cover with pickling liquid. Cover and chill for several hours before using.

Jalapeno Bacon Pimento Cheese

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Jalapeño Bacon Pimento Cheese

 

  • 4 cups cheddar cheese
  • 4 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
  • 1 jalapeño, diced
  • 1 jar pimentos, diced
  • 3/4 cup Mayonnaise
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

 

  1. Place the cheese, jalapeño, bacon, and pimentos in a medium sized bowl.
  2. To make the sauce, in a small bowl mix together the mayo and onion powder. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Toss the sauce with the cheese mixture until it is all coated. Serve with pita chips.

Brisket Burger with Squash Pickles

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Isaac Toups   –   Today.com

Give your summer cookout some Southern flair — because no one does brisket like they do in the South! Here, Isaac Toups of Toups’ Meatery shares his recipe for a meaty brisket burger topped with homemade squash pickles and creole aioli. 

Ingredients

    • 28 ounces ground brisket, chilled
    • 4 ounces pork fat, chilled
    • 4 slices bacon
    • 4 ounces aged cheddar, sliced
    • 4 buns
    • 4 ½ tablespoons chili seasoning (recipe below)
    • Creole aioli (recipe below)
    • Squash pickles (recipe below)

  • CHILI SEASONING

    • 2 tablespoons ground arbol chili
    • 2 tablespoons aleppo pepper
    • 2 tablespoons fresh ground black pepper

  • CREOLE AIOLI

    • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
    • 2 tablespoons creole mustard

  • SQUASH PICKLES

    • 1 quart mixed yellow and green summer squash, sliced thin like 1/8 inch
    • 1 1/4 cup cider vinegar
    • 1 cup water
    • 1/3 cup sugar
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 2 teaspoon turmeric
    • 1 teaspoon curry
    • 1 teaspoon chili flakes

Preparation

Combine chilled brisket and pork fat together, mix by hand, folding the mixture on top of one another four to six times. Make sure not to emulsify. You want it to be kind of crumbly.

Separate into 8-ounce portions, form into approximate 5 inch patties. Make sure to make a thumbprint in the middle of patty to insure even cooking. Chill for at least thirty minutes.

Make burger seasoning:

Mix ingredients.

Make pickles:

Bring liquids and seasoning to boil making sure salt and sugar is dissolved. In 1 quart mason jar or food safe container, pour hot pickling liquid over squash. Cool to room temp and refrigerate.

Pickles are ready when cold but better after 24 hours. Shelf life is 2 weeks.

Make aioli:

Combine equal parts mayo and Creole mustard.

Prep the patties:

Generously season patties with kosher salt and form a good crust on each. Salt the patty before adding the seasoning blend. This is important!  Add about 1-1 ½ tablespoons seasoning blend to each patty. In a cast iron or French steel skillet, get grapeseed oil on high heat until just starting to smoke.

Sear burgers for two minutes on each side or longer, keeping in mind 120F is rare and 130F is medium.

I suggest 130.

Transfer to wire rack to rest for one minute.

While burgers are resting, assemble buns with generous dollop of aioli on each side.  Then add patty, cheddar, bacon, and pickles,  to bottom bun and add sauced top bun. Serve!

 

Jalapeño and Lime Hummus

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by    –   gluten-free goddess

Make Mine with Jalapeño and Lime

I love weekends. Not because they provide a significantly different routine for us. We work at home. Translation: we work every day. But the energy is somehow more relaxed on the weekend. I don’t feel guilty blogging in my pajamas on a Saturday (past noon, that is). And we do at least *try* to knock off work earlier than usual, reconnoitering at the fridge in late afternoon to assess the food situation.
We typically begin our rummaging in the kitchen pantry, looking for a snack. Some tasty tidbit to tide us over until dinner. We might make guacamole, or pesto, or hummus. We sit and nosh. And talk. Make plans. Lately it’s been all about the big move to New Mexico.

Which is why I flavored my hummus with jalapeños and lime. Of course.

And, Babycakes, was it ever good. Me gusto!

Jalapeño and Lime Hummus Recipe

Recipe posted March 2006.

The unbiased husband’s review: “I’m not usually a fan of hummus, but this was far and away the best damn hummus I’ve ever had.” Phew. Traditional, it’s not. But who cares about tradition when right now inspiration tastes so good?

Ingredients:

1 15-oz. can chilled chickpeas or garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed
Juice of one large fresh lime
1-2 tablespoons peanut butter
3 cloves fresh garlic
2 heaping tablespoons jarred jalapeños, drained
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
Pinch of cumin, to taste
Red pepper flakes, to taste
Pinch of sea salt, to taste

Instructions:

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

Makes about 3 cups.

Serve with my gluten-free Brown Rice Tortilla Chips, Buttermilk Flat Bread or Savory Grain-free Crackers.

Karina’s Notes:

This naturally gluten-free hummus is a fab dip with crisp fresh veggies and tortilla chips, but it’s also quite tasty as a side dish. Try it with a plate of roasted vegetables and brown rice. It’s a lovely way to add a complementary protein to a vegan or vegetarian meal.

A pretty pickle – Mamidi Avakai Recipe

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DECCAN CHRONICLE | PRIYANKA PRAVEEN

Continuing our love affair with mangoes, this week too we give you recipes that use raw mangoes — pickles to be specific.

Mamidi Avakai
Ingredients
3 medium raw mangoes
1 cup mustard seed powder
1 cup red chilli powder
¾ cup, powdered rock salt
1¼ cups of groundnut oil
1/3 cup of garlic cloves
1½ tbsp methi seeds
w Pickle jar (for storage)

Method
Wash and soak mangoes in water for an hour. Clean the mangoes with a cloth and cut them into eight pieces. Clean the pieces with a soft cloth and leave to dry. Grind the rock salt to a fine powder. Keep it aside. Peel the garlic and keep aside.

In a large bowl add red chilli powder, mustard powder and salt and mix well. Add methi seeds, garlic cloves and 3/4 cup oil and mix well. Add the mango pieces and mix well with your hands, coating the mango pieces with the mixture. Place the spice coated mango pieces in the jar. Pour ¼ cup oil on top and cover the pickle jar with the lid. Tie a cloth over the lid and keep it in a moisture free area. Let the pickle marinate for three-four days. After four days, mix the pickle carefully with a clean and dry ladle and add the rest of the oil.

Tips while making pickles
Always keep in mind that the mango pieces need to be wiped dry. After you wash the mango and cut it into pieces, wipe it dry with a cloth and let it dry for a while, or the pickle can get spoilt.

After the pickle is made, on the fourth or fifth day, place it into a wide vessel.
Mix well with a long ladle that is clean and dry. Also, add more oil so that it covers the entire pickle as it helps preserve it.

The best way to get a long-lasting and delicious pickle is to get the freshest ingredients. Whether it is the mangoes or even the chilli powder and the other ingredients, make sure everything is fresh.

Mamidi Turumu
Ingredients
1 green mango
2 tsp mustard seeds
1½ tsp fenugreek seeds
1½ red chilli powder
1½ tbsp salt  w 2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 red chillies
1 tsp asafoetida

Method
Wash and peel the mango. Grate it with a coconut scraper and keep aside.
Dry roast fenugreek seeds, let them cool and grind into powder. Grind mustard seeds into a powder. In a mixing bowl, add the ground powders, salt, red chilli powder and grated mango. Mix well and keep aside.
Heat oil and add dry red chillies, mustard seeds and asafoetida. Let it cool. Pour the cooled mixture over the grated mango-spice marination. Serve in a bowl.

Dillsburg Picklefest: Try the pickle soup

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, rlee@ydr.com   –   FlipSidePA

The pickle soup served at two of Dillsburg‘s annual events — the PickleFest in May and the Pickle Drop on New Year’s Eve — is not really an acquired taste, said Scott Shugart, the man responsible for finding the recipe some two decades ago.

“It’s a little out of the ordinary,” Shugart, the director of the Dillsburg Senior Center where volunteers make the soup, said recently.

“People either like it or they don’t,” he said. “Some people buy it by the quart and others say, ‘Nope. I tried it once. That’s enough for me.’

The next chance to sample the pickle soup, or stock up if you are a fan, is at the May 14 PickleFest. The festival on Greenbriar Lane includes a street fair, arts and craft vendors, a pickle-eating contest (adult and child categories) and activities for children.

Publick Tyme, featuring historical displays and demonstrations, tours, reenactments and encampments, will be offered at nearby Dill’s Tavern.

Those brave enough to try the pickle soup are probably brave enough to try the pickle ice cream, which is available only at the PickleFest.

But Shugart recalled the history of the PickleFest pickle soup.

Shugart said the soup’s taste “is not what you think.” And, he does not remember what made him go searching for pickle soup recipes. It may have been somebody’s suggestion, he said, but knows it was in connection with the PickleFest and the Pickle  Drop.

He found the recipe in a cookbook by Cheryl Brooks titled “Unusual Soups,” he said. (The cookbook author is not the same Cheryl Brooks who also writes romantic novels.)

Shugart explained that the recipe he picked is a Polish recipe and that it got the seal of approval from a Dillsburg postal carrier.

“She was delivering letters to the senior center and we gave her a bowl,” Shugart said. “She knew what it was before she even tasted it. She said, ‘Ah, pickle soup.'”

The soup recipe is not exactly a closely guarded secret, Shugart said.

“If anybody asks, we give them the recipe or tell them where to find it,” he said.

Dill Pickle Soup recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. sour dill pickles, including the juice
  • 3 tablespoons of butter
  • 1 cup chopped onions
  • 2 minced garlic cloves
  • 6 cups stock (Shugart said chicken stock is best for this  soup.)
  • 1/2 cup diced carrots
  • 2 cups cooked lean pork, shredded
  • 2 tablespoons of softened butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 1 tablespoon dried dill
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • lemon juice
  • 1 cup sour cream

Directions

  • Drain the pickles, reserving the juice, and slice them thinly.
  • Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a frying pan and add the pickle slices, sauteing them over medium heat for 3 minutes.
  • Push the pickles to one side, add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the onions and garlic. Cook until soft and slightly browned.
  • Incorporate the pickles and cook together for 1 minute.
  • Add 1 cup stock and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned particles.
  • Transfer this mixture to a medium soup pot, add the rest of the stock, the reserved pickle juice, and the carrots. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
  • Add the shredded port and cook 15 minutes more.
  • Knead together the softened butter, flour, and dill into a ball and add it to the simmering soup, stirring to blend.
  • Cook 2 minutes until the soup thickens.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in the heavy cream.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning, remembering that salt tends to accentuate the sour taste. If soup is not tart enough, add lemon juice to taste. Serve hot, with dollops of sour cream.

Recipe from Cheryl Brooks’ “Unusual Soups.”

If you go

What: The annual PickleFest street fair.

When: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, May 14.

Where: Greenbriar Lane and Harrisburg Pike, Dillsburg

Admission: Free

Parking: Free

Directions from York city: drive north on Carlisle Road, Route 74; continue on Old York Road; turn left onto Greenbriar Lane.

 

Jalapeno Pineapple Pulled Pork Tacos

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This is a fantastic mix of sweet, spicy and smoke!

by Randy Shannon   –   WHBL

I started with an 8 lb bone in pork shoulder.

I was planning on making tacos with this batch, so I made a  special batch of rub with some great southwestern flavors and plenty of kick.  A little binder: honey, syrup, mustard, or olive oil… and lather it on!  Then off the to fridge for 2 hours to overnight.

Into the smoker at 235°.  I used hickory wood and kept the meat on full smoke for the first 8 hours.  As I planned on using pineapple in the finished product, I added pineapple juice to the water pan for some added flavor.  For me, once I’m done with the smoke, I like to wrap it in foil and put it back in for the rest of the time.

Once the temperature reaches 205°, take it out of the smoker and let it rest for 30 minutes or so.

For this recipe I added crushed pineapple and diced jalapenos.  You’ll want to add enough of each to suit your taste.  My family (aside from me) likes it more on the mild side, so I only used 4-5 jalapenos (de-seeded), and about 14 oz of crushed pineapple.  I also used about ¼ cup of my rub to enhance the flavor.  We served it as street tacos with cheese and fresh cilantro.

Total cook time: 15 ½ hours.

Dining in Muscat: Nachos Night Out

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By Swati Dasgupta   –   Times of Oman

What to do when you start your week with a serious Tex-Mex craving? Whether eaten at a restaurant or whipped up at home, a cheesy, spicy plate of nachos is just the thing to make your stomach salsa.

Happiness is a plate full of nachos, while I laze in front of the television watching my favourite rugby match,” said a very dear friend once when I had asked him the most common question on life and not on food. I’d asked him, ‘What’s one thing that makes you really happy?’ I grinned at his witty reaction, the first time in my life I’d heard such a response. It was this answer that peaked my curiosity about the appeal of this beloved snack, leading me to the ‘happy world of nacho lovers’.

I soon was convinced of the co-relation between happiness and nachos, so much so that anywhere I find people munching on a plateful, I can feel the increase in the happiness quotient. While a platter of crispy tortillas alongside well melted yellow cheese and sliced jalapenos is a common way to enjoy nachos, the real fun is creating your own crispy, cheesy masterpiece. Have it with white beans and sun dried tomatoes. Or with chicken, black olives, and a dollop of sour cream.

Whatever you choose to top it with, the charms of crunchy tortillas made slightly soft by hot, melted cheese is undeniable. So skip dinner and go for a plate of nachos this week. Or make a pan-full for yourself to enjoy on the couch as you watch your favourite programme. Like my friend, you too might just find your happiness on a nacho plate. —swati@timesofoman.com

Place to Go

Buffalo Wings and Rings

Go for: Buffalo chicken nachos. These tortilla chips are covered with buffalo chicken, tomatoes, jalapenos, onions, and melted cheddar cheese. It’s topped with bleu cheese and served with salsa.

Contact: +968 2494 9424

Location: Behind Al Masa Mall, Qurum

Pavo Real

Go for: Nachos chicos. It is corn tostaditas topped with chicken or beef and refried beans, melted cheese, and sour cream.

Contact: +968 2460 2603

Location: Al Madinat Plaza, MQ

TGI Fridays

Go for: Chicken fajita nachos. It is crisp tortilla topped with chargrilled chicken breast along with cheese, onion, pepper, and sliced jalapenos.

Contact: +968 2448 8899

Location: Near the City Seasons Hotel, Al Khuwair

Eat Street

Go for: Eat Street nachos. These are nachos topped with beef, grated cheese, salsa, sour cream, and lots of jalapenos.

Contact: +968 9848 4849

Location: Al Noor Plaza, MSQ

Sombrero

Go for: Red bean nachos. These corn chips are served with cheddar and ranch sauce, topped with jalapenos, and layered with kidney beans and onions.

Contact: +968 2469 2343

Location: Gallery Muscat Mall, near ABA, Al Khuwair

Slider Station

Go for: Dynamite nachos. It is corn tortillas topped with tomatoes, cilantro, onion, cheese, and sliced jalapenos.

Contact: +968 2469 8990

Location: Oasis by the Sea, Shatti Al Qurum

Blueberry Gardens Café

Go for: Irish nachos. In place of tortillas, crispy sliced baked potatoes are used for this dish, which is topped with mince meat, beef bacon, jalapenos, and cheese.

Contact: +968 9904 0559

Location: 18 November Street

Cafe Mexicano

Go for: Nachos platter. This classic is tortillas with choice of melted jalapeño cheese sauce or cheddar cheese served with refried beans, guacamole, and sour cream.

Contact: +968 2449 7374

Location: 18 November Street

Recipes

Chicken Nachos

Ingredients

• 2 boneless chicken breasts, chopped

• 2tbsp vegetable oil

• 1tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste

• 1 packet corn tortillas

• 250g cheese blend

• 7-8 green chillies, sliced

Preparation

• Stir chopped chicken, vegetable oil, and cayenne pepper and keep it aside.

• Heat a wok and fry the chicken till its done.

• Preheat oven to 165 degrees C.

• In a baking dish spread the tortillas and layer it with chicken, diced chillies, and cheese over the chips. Repeat the layering and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with toppings of your choice.

Chocolate Nachos

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/2 cup white sugar

• 8 flour tortillas

• 1/2 cup melted butter

• 1 cup chocolate chips

• 2tsp shortening

Preparation

• Preheat an oven to 175 degrees C. Mix cinnamon into the sugar in a bowl and keep aside.

• Take the melted butter and brush on both sides of the tortilla.

• On it sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mixture and then cut each tortilla into 6 to 8 wedges. Place them onto the baking sheets in a single layer.

• Bake the tortillas in the preheated oven until the edges are lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. While the tortillas are baking, melt the chocolate and shortening in a small saucepan over low heat.

• Spread half of the tortilla wedges onto a serving plate and drizzle with half of the chocolate mixture. Place the remaining tortilla wedges on top, then drizzle with the remaining sauce.

Recipe courtesy of food.com