Chimichurri Burger

Chimichurri, also spelled Chimmichurri is an Argentine marinade and sauce usually used for steak. But why should this easy-to-make flavorful sauce only grace a rib or strip steak when burgers are sadly only topped with ketchup.

It's prepared simply by combing, fresh chopped flat leaf or Italian parsley, fresh chopped garlic, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, a few red pepper flakes, pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper. The exact amounts? If you ask my dear Argentinean friend, she would tell you- no measure, just mix and taste; measure with your heart not your head. Let's give a South American spin on my Ultimate Burger. Prepare the Chimichurri sauce and top your uncooked beef patties with 3/4 of the prepared sauce as a marinade. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Then, proceed to grill as directed. Top cook burgers with remaining Chimichurri and serve. 

Then if you wish do the tango. 

Ultimate Burger 

Recipe by George Hirsch | Makes 6-8 burgers 

2 pounds ground beef, very cold 
1/4 cup sweet onion, finely chopped 
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup Chimichurri Sauce

Accompaniments: crusty hard rolls, lettuce and sliced tomato

In a 2-quart mixing bowl, combine beef, onion, mustard, parsley, and pepper. Mix with a fork, taking care not to overwork the meat. Divide into 6 or 8 equal portions and form into 3/4 inch thick patties.

Cover with 3/4 of Chimichurri and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the grill to medium-high. Place the burgers on a hot grill and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, turning once. Lower the heat slightly and cook for another 2-3 minutes until desired doneness. Remove burgers from grill to a platter and drizzle extra Chimichurri Sauce on top of burgers.

Serve on rolls with lettuce and tomatoes.

image: Hhltdave5

Oh My Schweinhaxe

In honor of OKTOBERFEST this Saturday. Time to take out your lederhosen. Do you have an UMPaAh band and stein near you? Prost!

No, that's not a song. It's German culinary delight, aka pork ham hock. Just how did I find the best place to get it in Germany? My best kept secret (well not really, but close) came from a lovely member of an American Airline flight crew. This may have been one of my best inflight location tips yet. 

So here's where to go. For a little Weinerschnitz or Schweinhaxe go straight to Gaststätte Baseler Eck (the corner) on Baseler Platz 7, Frankfurt. It is well worth the detour or ideal if you have a long layover at the airport. It's approximately 20 minutes by tram from airport.

Baseler Eck is a family place that fills up every night. You are guaranteed a great meal and a good time. Whenever I’ve brought anyone there, they wanted to return the next night. I admit to being the American who returns for consecutive dining, happily. So repeat business must be their marketing campaign, because they don't have a website. The food is traditional home cooked German fare. You may have to wait for a table, but it’s fine; wait at the bar and enjoy a perfect Pils. By the way, as with much of Germany, one of the owners does speak English.

Gaststätte Baseler Eck‎
Baseler Platz 7
60329 Gutleutviertel, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
069 252439

images: Schweinhaxe, Baseler Eck

Charred and Stuffed

I prepared this dish for friends years ago while I was visiting in England, where trout is abundant. But rest assured, this recipe works very well with so many other whole fish such as; Steelhead, Coho and Artic Char —also a big favorite of mine and a few of my close friends. 

 - The trick with grilling any whole fish is to have a very clean grill; surface-cast iron is my preference, well-seasoned (not salt & pepper) meaning oiled by brushing w/vegetable oil or sprayed with vegetable spray when cold. And that's before lighting the grill. 

- I prefer using lump charcoal for this recipe, but no sweat, a gas grill is OK. Add a couple pieces of soaked wood chips to the grill a few minutes before cooking the fish - it adds another layer of flavor.

- This part is key; the grill must be very hot so the fish does not stick. Also, you’ll notice in this recipe that the fish is brushed with olive oil. Make it look like it just came out of the spa, after a well oiled ayurvedic massage. 

- Use a very wide spatula to turn and remove the trout from grill. 

- Cooking a whole fish. Feeling a little intimidated and insecure? Forget therapy, just do it. You may however: after turning over the trout, add it to a well greased pan and finish grilling inside the pan. But that is if and only if you think you can’t hold it together — I mean the trout together.  

This recipe is really that easy, it's just a step beyond cooking a burger.

Charred Stuffed Trout

Makes 4 servings | From Adventures in Grilling cookbook by George Hirsch with Marie Bianco, ©1996

One 8 ounce salmon fillet
1/2  cup bread crumbs from day-old French or Italian bread
2 Tablespoons mayonnaise, (I prefer the new olive oil mayo)
1 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
3 egg whites
6 large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped
Four 12-tounce rout, cleaned, gutted, and boned
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Pre heat the grill to high.

Process the salmon in a food processor using the on/off button until it is ground but not pureed. Add the bread crumbs, mayonnaise, dill, hot sauce and pepper and blend for 30 seconds. Add the egg whites and mix for 1 minute. Fold in the shrimp with a rubber spatula.

Fill each trout with a quarter of the stuffing. Secure with skewer or toothpick. Brush the trout with the olive oil and grill for 2 minutes on each side. Lower the heat to medium or move the trout to the cooler edges of the grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Really fresh fish does not require a sauce; just drizzle a small amount of extra virgin olive oil, and drizzle a little fresh lemon- top off with a little fresh dill on top.

Chuao

Chuao is named after the cocao producing region is Venezuela. This fine bittersweet Venezuelan chocolate coupled with Abuela's (Grandmother's) family recipe is at the core of Chuao Chocolatier's (pronounced chew-wow) hand crafted hot chocolate. Venezuelan bittersweet chocolate is considered by many to be the finest cacao in the world. This high quality ingredient and uncompromising dedication to their family traditions is at the roots of Venezuelan born Antonorsi Brothers fine artisan chocolate products. This hot chocolate is rich and smooth, very authentic.

Pampered Cows

It's no secret how much fondness I hold for my friends in Ireland as they are truly one of the most friendly and hospitable people on earth. I actually think the phrase tender loving care was born there. Here's proof, in this TV ad from KerryGold.

Kerrygold's  slogan is "The Best By A Country Kilometer", and they are spot on. 

Dubliner Cheese: Once you try it, you'll be hooked. I am. It was first described to me as a mixture between Cheddar and Parmigiano Reggiano. This description is quite accurate. Dubliner tastes of a mature Cheddar with the sweet aftertaste of Reggiano. Created by the Irish company Kerrygold and named after Ireland’s capital city, this cheese shares traits with several well-known cheeses but the combination creates a flavor that is completely unique. 

Note: Serve alongside a full-bodied Cabernet, a freshly pulled pint of Guinness, or simply melted between a few slices of crusty brown bread.