Lamb Burger – Arugula, Feta, Olive and Sun-dried Tomato topping

                      Lamb Burger – Arugula, Feta, Olive and Sun-dried Tomato topping

Sous Vide and Grill methods

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Moderate

Sous Vide temp: 140 degree F; Time: 40-60 minutes

 

Lamb Burger – Arugula, Feta, Olive and Sun-dried Tomato topping

In Greece and in much of the Middle East and Asia, the meat of choice is lamb – either whole pieces or patties and sausages.  I have shared many lamb recipes on this blog but not a burger. What an oversight! Don't get me wrong, I love beef burgers but every once in a while you might want something different. This recipe will satisfy that craving. I cooked it sous vide which virtually eliminates any possibility of over-cooking, but also provide the traditional methods in this recipe. I love lamb burgers and the addition of the ground pork adds some moisture and umphhhh! A tangy topping of feta, arugula, olives and sun-dried or oven-dried tomatoes enhances these burgers. Parsley, mint, dill, cumin, oregano and garlic give these burgers a lively flavor reminiscent of lamb gyro.

Grilled Baby Bok Choy with Miso

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Grilled Baby Bok Choy with Miso

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

 

Grilled Baby Bok Choy with Miso 

Bok Choy is one underestimated vegetable in the typical American diet.  What a shame it is such a misunderstood and unappreciated gem. We are fortunate in that it is available year-round in almost all grocers. As an increasingly popular member of the cruciferous vegetable family, bok choy is recognized more and more often for its standout nutrient richness. This member of the cabbage family is one of our highest nutritionally ranked vegetables and it provides good to excellent amounts of 21 nutrients. Unlike some other members of the cabbage family, these nutrients include omega-3s, as well as the antioxidant mineral zinc.

Flat Iron Steak with Red Wine Sauce

Flat Iron Steak with Red Wine Sauce

Sous Vide and Grill methods

 

Flat Iron Steak with Red Wine Sauce

Serves: 6

Difficulty: Easy

Sous vide temp: 131 degree F; Time: 5-12 hours

Steak, cooked sous vide, is the most exciting advancement in carnivore cooking! Flat iron steak, my favorite cheap steak, is cut from the chuck blade roast – the shoulder of the cow. That’s right, this is a piece of a chuck roast. It grills well on its own, but after several hours tenderizing in the sous vide, it cuts like a filet mignon. Sous vide precision cooking offers unparalleled control over the results of your steak, letting you very precisely cook the steak to the level of doneness that you prefer. No guesswork or poking with a thermometer, no cutting and peeking, no jabbing with a finger – just perfect results each and every time. Finally, sous vide offers results that are not attainable by cooking with traditional methods. With standard high heat cooking, you develop a temperature gradient within the meat. The very center, where you shoved the thermometer, may be perfectly medium rare but the steak will be increasingly more well done as you approach the exterior. With sous vide, the steak is evenly cooked from edge to edge. I added a simple red wine sauce to accompany the steak. But, it truly can stand on its own. 

Lamb Ragu – Sous Vide Cooking

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Lamb Ragu – Sous Vide Cooking

Serves: 6

Difficulty: Gourmet & Wonderful!

Sous vide temp: 140 degree F; Time: 48 hours

 

Lamb Ragu served over polenta – Sous Vide Cooking

Some of the most impressive results of sous vide are created with tough cuts of meat. Lamb shanks would certainly fit that description! Sous vide allows you to cook these tough cuts to medium-rare and tender to the point of falling off the bone. This is accomplished because cooking tougher cuts with sous vide allows you to break down and tenderize the meat without overcooking and drying it out. The amount of flavor in meat is determined to a large extent upon the amount of work that muscle had to do, and so shanks are very flavorful. Unfortunately muscles that do a lot of work also become tough, so there is often a choice between tender meat with a light flavor (such as tenderloin) and tough meat with lots of flavor (such as shanks). 

With sous vide, you can have the best of both worlds: tough cuts can be cooked at a temperature that is just high enough to break down the toughness, but also low enough to allow the meat to stay succulent. The meat will be fork tender, succulent, and very flavorful. The only drawback of the low temperature is that it takes a long time, sometimes from 24 and 72 hours. It is not a big problem because sous vide cooking does not require any attention at all while it’s going on. So you can start up the cooking process on Sunday afternoon and serve outstanding meal on Tuesday night….easily as the shank is cooked with the sauce!

Spinach Salad with Almonds & Dates

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Spinach Salad with Almonds & Dates 

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

 

Spinach Salad with Almonds & Dates

Now that I have reminded you about the perfect CLASSIC spinach salad (http://cookingwithlarue.blogspot.com/2015/06/spinach-salad-extraordinaire.html), it is time to do some variations.  This is an Israeli interpretation with use of pita croutons, dates, almonds and sumac. I think you will find this a wonderful spinach salad variation. It is a balanced taste of crunch, sweet and tangy vinegar! Sumac is a widely used, essential spice in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking. The sumac bush, native to the Middle East, produces deep red berries, which are dried and ground into coarse powder. Ground sumac is a versatile spice with a tangy lemony flavor, although more balanced and less tart than lemon juice. It is great over vegetables, grilled lamb, chicken, fish and hummus. It’s used in everything from dry rubs, marinades and dressing. I love to sprinkle it over food just before serving. A small amount also adds a beautiful pop of color to any dish.