Tuna and Hummus Sandwiches

I know this sandwich sounds weird - it did to me too.  That's why I didn't make it for over two years after seeing it on Ina Garten's TV show.  She said she had a tuna and hummus sandwich with radishes at Le Pain Quotidien restaurant in Brussels and loved it.  But it still sounded weird, and beige.  Fast forward two years and I happened to catch the re-run and decided I had to make it just to satisfy my curiosity if nothing else.  I did tweak her recipe to include cucumbers, herbs and lemon zest to brighten it up, and used crusty French rolls in place of sourdough bread for more texture since both the tuna and hummus are soft.

First I made the tuna salad, and really liked her version which has much less mayo than a normal version.  She includes a little olive oil and some lemon which I liked as well - the lighter dressing really lets the tuna shine.  Speaking of tuna, I know you should use tuna packed in water if you're watching calories but tuna packed in oil has so much more flavor.  I specifically like Genova canned tuna if you can find it - the flavor is delicate and not fishy, much like fresh tuna.  (And no, I don't get any paid endorsements, I just like it.)  If I can find it at Fry's, you can probably find it in your store also.

The hummus adds a layer of creaminess and a little earthiness to the light and lemony tuna salad that I really liked.  I also really liked the crunchy veggies and bright herbs as a contrast to the tuna and hummus - the radishes and cucumbers reminded me just the littlest bit of a banh mi sandwich, one of my favorites.  

All in all, this is an unusual tweak on a tuna sandwich that I really enjoyed, and I'm very picky about my tuna sandwiches.  Give it a try and see what you think.

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Tuna and Hummus Sandwiches

Serves 2

The tuna mixture should be refrigerated for a few hours for the best flavor so plan ahead.

1 - 5 ounce can tuna in olive oil

¼ cup diced celery

2 tablespoons minced red onion

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1-2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

Pinch of kosher salt and pepper

Hummus

Sliced radishes and cucumbers

Fresh herbs – parsley, dill, cilantro

2 crusty French rolls

Drain the tuna and flake it into a medium bowl.  Add the celery, red onion, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise, olive oil, Dijon, and salt and pepper.  Mix well and decide if you want to add the second tablespoon of mayonnaise.  Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.  Cover and refrigerate for a few hours to let the flavors develop.

Cut the French rolls in half horizontally and pull most of the bread out of the top part (save the bread in a bag in the freezer to make bread crumbs or croutons later).  Spread a layer of hummus on the bottom of each roll, then top with the tuna mixture, radishes and cucumbers, and herbs of choice.  Sprinkle with grated lemon zest.  Replace the top of the roll and press together gently.  Serve at once.

Pork Tenderloin Salad with Melon and Feta Dressing

This salad is very summery with the cool refreshing melon, cucumber and mint as well as the creamy feta dressing, which really ties the whole salad together.  If you can find a French feta, give it a try - it's less salty, softer and more mild than Greek feta.  I buy the Valbreso brand at the local natural foods store and really prefer it to Greek feta.

To save time, make the pork in advance (grill it earlier in the week when you've already got the grill going for something else) and on the day you want to serve it, pick up a container of pre-cubed watermelon and cantaloupe that you can find at virtually every grocery store these days.  It's much easier to take those large cubes and cut them into smaller ones than to start with a whole cantaloupe and a whole watermelon.  Then all you have to do is make the dressing, chop a few things and toss everything together for a delicious and healthy dinner.

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Pork Tenderloin Salad with Melon and Feta Dressing

Servings: 4

Note: buy a carton of pre-cubed mixed watermelon and cantaloupe in the produce department to save time and effort. Cut the large cubes down to ½” in size.

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled, divided
1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing the pork
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
Kosher salt
1 ½ cups ½ -inch cubed and seeded cantaloupe and watermelon, mixed
3/4 cup ½ -inch cubed seedless cucumber
3/4 cup fresh mint leaves
3/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

8-12 cups fresh greens (arugula and/or spinach preferred)

Lime wedges, for garnish

Preheat the grill to medium.

Set the sliced red onions to soak in ice water for 20 minutes to remove their bite. Drain and pat them dry and set aside.

Combine half of the feta, buttermilk, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and olive oil in a blender and blend until smooth. Season with pepper and stir in the remaining feta. Set aside.

Brush the pork lightly all over with some oil, season it lightly with salt and pepper and grill it directly over the heat, giving it a quarter turn at a time, until a thermometer inserted at the thickest part registers 140°F for medium, about 2 minutes per side for a total of 8 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate to cool to room temperature. (The pork may be made in advance and placed in a zip top bag in the refrigerator until ready to serve.)

Toss together the onion, watermelon, cucumber, mint, cilantro, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste.

Divide the greens among shallow bowls. Spoon some of the melon mixture on each salad, then thinly slice the pork crosswise and add it next to the melon. Spoon the dressing on top of the pork. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

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Ginger Chicken Salad Bowl with Spicy Cashews

I truly love salads but it's easy to get stuck in a rut, which is why it's important to try new recipes and flavor combinations to keep things interesting.  Even Asian chicken salad needs a new twist now and then.

This is a really delicious salad, with contrasting textures and spiciness from the chicken and cashews that's offset by the cooling cucumber and sweet dried pineapple.  Before you freak out at the list of ingredients, there are several ways to make the recipe much easier.  You can buy spicy cashews or peanuts or even wasabi peas rather than making spicy cashews, you can buy an Asian sesame vinaigrette rather than making your own, and you can marinate and cook the chicken in advance.  For that matter, you could make the cashews and the vinaigrette in advance too, so then all you need to do on the night you want to serve the salad is chop, toss and plate.  A little advance planning is definitely your friend here.

The chicken is somewhat unusual in that it has a ginger basting sauce that lacquers the chicken as it cooks, in addition to a sesame marinade.

You can make the marinade spicy or not depending on your taste; I liked it slightly spicy (about 8 dashes of Tabasco) to contrast with the cool cucumber and pineapple.  Between the marinade and the baste, the chicken is intensely flavorful to the point that I don't think I would serve it on its own, but it's perfect as part of a salad.  It would also be great in a banh mi or other sandwich with sliced cucumber and maybe some coleslaw with cilantro.  (The first time I had coleslaw actually IN a sandwich was when I was traveling in the south and had a pulled pork sandwich.  The server insisted that I try it with coleslaw even though I thought that was really strange, but now I'm hooked.)

The other important part of the salad is the spicy nuts - again, they're a great contrast to the cucumber and pineapple.  I was going to buy spicy nuts at my local Sprouts but I tasted one and hoo boy were they spicy.  I decided to make my own to control the spice level and found that one tablespoon of Sriracha was plenty for me.

For the salad greens, I bought a green and red lettuce mix at the store and threw in some thinly sliced Napa cabbage for a little more crunch.  As I mentioned you can buy an Asian dressing but the recipe below is really delicious and perfect for the salad.

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Ginger Chicken Salad Bowl with Spicy Cashews

Serves 4

Note that the chicken needs to marinate for 1 – 12 hours so plan ahead.

1 ½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil

¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons soy sauce

1tablespoon hoisin sauce

1 teaspoon black pepper

Hot sauce, to taste

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb)

½ cup salted cashews

1-2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce (depending on preference)

¼ cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons minced ginger

12 cups mixed salad greens

¼ cup chopped cilantro

4 green onions, thinly sliced

Asian sesame ginger salad dressing (your favorite brand, or see recipe below)

1 cup shredded carrots

1 cup cooked edamame

1 cup dried pineapple, chopped

16 thin slices of cucumber

To marinate the chicken:  whisk together the sesame oil, ¼ cup soy sauce, hoisin sauce, black pepper, and hot sauce if using.  Lightly pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness and add to a large zip top bag, then pour the sauce over and seal.  Refrigerate for at least one hour and up to 12 hours.

Heat oven to 300d.  Combine cashews and Sriracha sauce in a small bowl and stir until nuts are coated.  Line a small baking pan with foil and spread the coated cashews out on it, then place in the oven and bake until nuts are dry, stirring once, approximately 20 minutes.  Remove the nuts from the foil and let cool completely.  Set aside.

For the basting sauce, combine the remaining 3 tablespoons soy sauce, the brown sugar and the ginger in a small bowl, whisking until the sugar has dissolved.

Heat a grill or grill pan to medium.  Remove the chicken from the marinade (discarding the marinade) and cook, turning occasionally, for 8-10 minutes.  Then, using a pastry brush, begin basting with the soy, ginger and brown sugar mixture until they develop a lacquer, an additional 8-10 minutes, again turning every few minutes.  The internal temperature should be 160d when they are done.  Set aside.

To plate the salads, toss the salad greens, cilantro and green onions with just enough dressing to coat lightly, then divide between salad bowls or plates.  Thinly slice the chicken and divide between the salads.  Top each with carrots, edamame, dried pineapple, cucumber slices and spicy cashews.  Serve.

Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette

1 garlic clove, finely minced or grated

1 teaspoon finely minced ginger

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon soy sauce

2-3 teaspoons honey (start with the lower amount)

5 tablespoons canola oil

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Salt and pepper

To make the vinaigrette, add all ingredients to a small food processor and process until blended.  Taste and adjust honey, salt and pepper as needed.  May be prepared a day in advance and refrigerated in a covered jar.  Shake before using.

Hibachi-Style Tuna

Last Year's Post: Spring Green Pasta
Two Years Ago:   Labneh

This is a recipe from the famous grill master Steve Raichlen, who was inspired in turn by the equally famous Hawaiian chef Roy Yamaguchi.  That's enough for me!  Top-quality tuna steaks are marinated in a soy/ginger garlic mixture, then seared and served over an onion/cucumber/sprout mixture with lemony sauce over the top.  Very healthy, and bursting with big flavors.

The small amount of sugar in the marinade caramelizes on the grill, creating beautiful bronzed grill marks and great flavor.  Just be sure not to overcook the tuna - it's best served with a very pink or even red center.  While the tuna marinates for an hour, you can make the sauce and prep the onions, cucumber and sprouts.  It's also a good time to make some white rice to serve on the side and to preheat the grill. You can see below that the tuna picks up a lot of color even from just one hour of marinating.

I found multi-colored radish sprouts at my local store - if you can't find them at your store, try a natural foods store or substitute whatever other sprouts you find.

After the hour is up, all you have to do is a quick sear on the grill, plate and serve.  Note that if it's cold outside or you don't have a grill, you could also sear the tuna in a very hot nonstick pan or on a indoor grill pan and the results will be just as good.

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Hibachi-Style Tuna

Serves 4

4 top-quality tuna steaks, each about 1” thick and 6 ounces

For the marinade:

½ cup soy sauce

¼ cup sugar

4 green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced

1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger

1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic

For the sauce:

1 cup mirin

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

½ to 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

For the slaw:

½ red onion, thinly sliced

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into matchstick slivers

1 package (2 ounces) radish sprouts*

Trim any skin or dark or bloody spots off the tuna steaks.  Rinse under cold running water, then blot dry with paper towels.   Place in a large zip-top plastic bag.

To make the marinade, combine the soy sauce, ginger, green onions, ginger and garlic in a medium mixing bowl and whisk until the sugar dissolves.  Pour this mixture over the tuna, seal the bag and let it marinate for 1 hour in the refrigerator, turning the bag several times.

To make the sauce, place the mirin in a heavy nonreactive saucepan over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, and let boil until reduced to 1/3 cup, about 5 minutes.  Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the soy sauce, lemon juice, lemon zest, and hot red pepper flakes.  Set aside.

To make the slaw, combine the onion, cucumber, and sprouts in a bowl and toss.  Set aside.

Set up a grill for direct grilling and preheat to high.

When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate.  Drain the marinade from the tuna and discard the marinade.  Place the tuna on the hot grate and grill until charred on the outside but still quite rare on the inside, 1-2 minutes per side.

To serve, place the slaw on plates and top with the grilled tuna.  Spoon the sauce over all and serve at once.

* If you can’t find radish sprouts, you can substitute alfalfa or sunflower sprouts.

Benedictine Sandwiches

Last Year's Post: Korean Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Two Years Ago:  Prosciutto, Gruyere and Egg Toasts

The Kentucky Derby (or as they call it in Louisville, simply "Derby" - not "the Derby", just "Derby") is coming up in a few weeks, so I thought I'd publish a local Louisville specialty in its honor.  I lived in Louisville for several years and as a northerner was very pleasantly surprised by how beautiful the city is and how friendly the people are.  I was also surprised by the thriving local food scene and how many local and regional specialties there are - bourbon balls, Derby pie, Hot Browns (an open-face turkey sandwich with bacon and cheese sauce, yum), and Benedictines are just a few.

When I first moved to Louisville I was out shopping and wandered into a cute little sandwich shop called The Cheddar Box Cafe for lunch.  I noticed something on their menu board called "The Benedictine" which mentioned it as a local favorite so I decided to try it.  Boy, was it good!  I looked it up when I got home and no wonder it's good, can you say cream cheese. (Totally unrelated side note:  I vowed I wouldn't go to Derby unless I could go in style and wear a big hat.  Luckily, friends had box seats so I got to go, although I discovered that you get a major headache from wearing a big hat all day much less feeling mildly ridiculous.  But it was great fun.)

Unless you're from Louisville you've probably never heard of a Benedictine, but it's really good and would be perfect for a Kentucky Derby party or any summer party because the cucumber filling is so refreshing.  It got its name because it was invented in the 1890's by Jennie Benedict as a tea sandwich and it's been a local favorite ever since.  There's a controversy in Louisville over whether to add green food coloring to the filling or not - some people like it with the naturally pale green tint, and some people tint it all the way to neon green.  I opted to go the untinted route but you could certainly add some green if you want.  Another controversy involves whether to add bacon strips or not - I left it out but I can see it would be a great addition.  (You've probably figured out by now that Louisville people take their Benedictines very seriously.)

The filling is very easy to make but note that it's important to soften the cream cheese first, and the finished filling is refrigerated for an hour, so plan ahead.  And if you serve Benedictines for a party, cut each sandwich into four little triangles just like Jenny Benedict would have.

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Benedictine Sandwiches

Serves 4 generously

Note:  the cream cheese needs to be softened and the cucumber spread is refrigerated for an hour before serving so plan ahead.

1 cucumber, peeled and seeded

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 ½ tablespoons mayonnaise

1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped red onion

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 slices wheat or whole grain bread

2 cups micro-greens or alfalfa sprouts

Grate the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater.  Wrap the grated cucumber in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible.

Combine the cream cheese and mayonnaise in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix until smooth, about 1 minute.  Add the cucumber and red onion and mix until combined, about 30 seconds.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

To assemble the sandwiches, divide the cream cheese mixture evenly between 4 slices of bread.  Top with micro-greens and the other 4 slices of bread.

Farro and Kale Salad

Last Year's Post:  Grilled Lobster Cobb Salad
Two Years Ago:   Lemon Polenta Cake

This salad works because of the balance of flavors and textures:  chewy farro, slightly bitter kale, sweet cherries, cool cucumber, toasty walnuts, and creamy goat cheese.  Farro is a perfect choice for a vegetarian meal because it's a great source of both fiber and protein so it's satisfying and filling. (Of course you could always add cooked chicken or turkey if you really want to.)  The kale adds nutritional benefits and, because you're using the slightly more delicate Tuscan kale rather than the sturdier curly kale, it doesn't even need to be blanched before adding to the salad.

The farro needs to be cooked and cooled before adding the other ingredients, so be sure to start an hour or so ahead of eating, or cook the farro the day prior and refrigerate.  Then it's a matter of simple, fast chopping and assembly so it makes a great and healthy weeknight meal.

If you're not familiar with farro, it's a rustic Italian grain with a nutty flavor and chewy texture.  You can generally find it at health food stores in a package like this, or the bulk aisle of your grocery store.

This particular brand is pearled, which means some of the bran has been removed so it will cook faster.  Although brands will vary in cooking time, this one only requires fifteen minutes of simmering.  Check your package when you make the recipe. Toasting the farro in olive oil prior to cooking enhances the nutty, toasty flavor.

I decided to partially peel the cucumber in stripes for fun, but you can choose to peel or not.  The kale gets washed, stemmed and shredded (or finely chopped) before adding to the salad.

Add in the cherries, veggies, walnuts and goat cheese, and you're good to go.

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Farro and Kale Salad

Serves 4

½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 small shallot, diced

1 cup farro, rinsed

2 sprigs fresh oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

Juice of 1 lemon, divided

Juice of ½ orange

5-6 steams Tuscan kale, stemmed and finely chopped

½ cup dried cherries or 1 cup fresh cherries, pitted and halved

1/3 English cucumber, partially peeled, seeds removed and chopped

4 ounces goat cheese

  

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the shallot and cook, stirring often, until the shallots have softened, about 3 minutes.  Add the farro and toast in the olive oil, stirring often, for about 4 minutes.  Stir in two cups of water, the oregano and ½ teaspoon salt.  Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat, cover and cook according to farro package directions, usually about 15 minutes.  Taste after 15 minutes – the farro should be tender but still chewy.  Remove the oregano sprigs and drain the farro. 

In a large bowl, whisk together half the lemon juice, the orange juice, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and remaining ½ teaspoon salt.  Add the warm farro and toss to coat.  Let cool. (May be refrigerated at this point.)

When the farro has cooled, add the remaining lemon juice, kale, cherries, cucumber and walnuts and toss to combine.  Crumble in the goat cheese, toss gently just to mix, and serve.

Korean Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Last Year's Post: Mixed Berry Jalousie
Two Years Ago:  Joanne Chang's Lemon Bars

At one point in my career I reported to a manager who liked to take job applicants to a restaurant for their interview.  Any restaurant would do as long as the food was particularly awkward or messy to eat - spaghetti or tacos, for example.  He claimed he liked to see how the applicants handled a stressful situation and whether they could maintain poise.  I think he just enjoyed watching those fresh young hopefuls struggle not to get spaghetti sauce all over their brand new suits.

Lettuce wraps would have qualified for his list.  They're right up there with tacos in terms of potential for messiness, but they're just as fun as tacos and a whole lot more healthy.  I've been on a major Korean food jag lately so I already had Gochujang paste sitting in my refrigerator for these Korean chicken wraps, but if you aren't familiar with it, you can find it in Asian markets and it looks like this.

It's one of those Korean food staples so if you like Korean food you'll find plenty of uses for it,  like these Korean sliders.  If you really don't want to buy it, you could substitute some other type of hot sauce to approximate the taste.  The overall flavor profile of the marinade should be slightly sweet, moderately spicy, somewhat salty from the soy sauce, and garlicky - classic bold Korean flavors.  The marinade will taste strong on its own but will be diluted somewhat when it's cooked on the chicken and then again when the other ingredients are added to the wraps.

Other than the marinated and cooked chicken, the wraps contain high-fiber brown rice and veggies so they're really good for you.  If you marinate the chicken and cook the rice in advance, they'll take all of ten minutes to make - just slice up the veggies while the chicken cooks.  They're equally good when the rice and chicken are hot, room temperature, or cold and make a great lunch for work the next day.  And they'll provide your co-workers with amusement at the lunch table as they watch you eat.

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Korean Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Serves 4

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce plus more for thinning

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 ½ tablespoons dark sesame oil

1 tablespoon Gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)

1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic (about 3 large cloves)

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast halves, thinly sliced

1 cup uncooked brown rice

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

12 Bibb lettuce leaves

24 English cucumber slices

4 radishes, sliced

4 green onions, diagonally sliced

Whisk the first six ingredients together in a bowl until well combined.  Reserve 3 tablespoons of the mixture in a small bowl; thin with a little additional soy sauce (if desired) and set aside.  Pour the remaining mixture into a large zip-top plastic bag and add the chicken slices; seal and toss around to coat.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

Cook rice according to package directions.

Remove chicken from bag and discard marinade.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat; add oil to pan and swirl to coat.  Add chicken and coat approximately 2 minutes per side until golden and fully cooked. Sprinkle sesame seeds over chicken. 

To assemble, place 2-3 tablespoons of rice in each lettuce leaf; top with chicken, cucumber, radishes, and green onions.  Serve with reserved soy sauce mix on the side for drizzling.

Korean Sliders

Last Year's Post: Rustic Greens and Potato Pie
Two Years Ago:  Artisan Meatloaf

A new and unfamiliar ingredient can divide people into two camps just as fast as religion or politics.  There's the "I don't want to buy a new ingredient for just one recipe that I don't even know what it is or what it tastes like or where to find it" camp.  I call them the Uber-Practicals.  Then there's the "What's that ingredient?  I've never heard of it before!  I feel an adventure coming on!" camp.  I call them the Insatiably Curious with Possibly Not Enough To Do.  Guess which camp I fall in?

So, I've been on a Korean food kick lately and decided I wanted to make Korean sliders because I thought the bold flavors would work particularly well in slider form as opposed to a big burger.  Midway through my recipe research, I stumbled across Gochujang.  Hmmmmm.  Gochujang?  An opportunity to head to my local Asian market!    Turns out Gochujang is a hot pepper paste that's quite common to Korean cooking - at least it comes in a tub that's big enough that I assume they use it a lot.  This was the small sized tub - the large size was at least twice as large.  At least it wasn't expensive.

The description "hot pepper paste" gave me pause, but The Lawyer and I tasted it by itself before adjusting amounts in the recipe and our tongues didn't fall off.  The top of the tub characterized it as medium on the hotness scale, and I would agree.  I suggest starting with a smaller amount of Gochujang in the cabbage relish and sauce, then adjusting by tasting and adding more until you reach the heat level you like.  As written, I consider the sliders to be medium on the heat scale but everyone's tastes are different.

For you Uber Practicals, you can substitute Chili Garlic Sauce (easily found in the ethnic aisle of most grocery stores) or Sriracha sauce or any hot pepper sauce you have on hand - just be sure to start with a small amount before adding more to your taste.

I decided to go with a cabbage relish on the top of the sliders that's vaguely reminiscent of kimchi, the Korean fermented cabbage dish that's spicy and sour.  This version is fresher, not as hot and not as sour plus it doesn't involve the addition of dried shrimp (bleh). If you're a Kimchi fan by all means feel free to substitute. 

A bit of the Gochujang goes in the cabbage relish, so it's slightly spicy and also has a vinegary bite.  Garlic, green onions and ginger go in the sliders (made with turkey so they're healthy) which are pan-browned and coated in a wonderful sauce made from Gochujang, sesame oil and soy sauce.  You can adjust the amount of heat you like by adding more or less Gochujang in both the cabbage and sauce.

Cucumber and radish add freshness and crunch, and a light coating of mayo adds creaminess and tones down the heat a bit.

I was really pleased with the way these came out.  If you like Korean food I hope you give them a try.  And by the way, they're perfect pub food with a cold beer.  Now what to do with the rest of the Gochujang?

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Korean Sliders

Makes 8 sliders

Note:  Gochujang is a Korean hot pepper paste, commonly sold in a tub.  You’ll find it in the grocery aisles of your local Asian market.  If you can’t find it, chili garlic sauce may be substituted, which is readily available in the ethnic aisle of most grocery stores.

3 cups finely shredded Napa cabbage

½ cup thinly sliced green onions, divided

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

4 teaspoons minced garlic, divided

4 teaspoons grated fresh ginger, divided

2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, divided

4 teaspoons Gochujang, divided*

1 carrot, shredded

1 lb ground turkey

2 teaspoons peanut oil or vegetable oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon honey

¼ cup mayonnaise

4 radishes, sliced

8 thin cucumber slices

Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

8 white or whole wheat slider buns

To make the cabbage relish, combine cabbage, ¼ cup green onions, rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon each garlic and ginger, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon Gochujang.  Set aside, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour or so to soften slightly and meld flavors.

To make the sliders, combine ground turkey, remaining ¼ cup green onions, remaining 1 tablespoon of garlic, remaining 1 tablespoon of ginger, and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil.  Shape into 8 small patties; flatten like mini-burgers.

In a large non-stick pan, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add turkey patties and brown on both sides. 

While the patties are browning, in a small bowl mix together the remaining 1 tablespoon Gochujang, soy sauce, honey, and 1 tablespoon sesame oil.  When the patties are browned, drain off the fat (if necessary) and add sauce ingredients.  Turn the patties to coat with sauce and simmer on low, turning regularly, until the patties are nicely coated with sticky sauce and fully cooked through.

To assemble, lightly spread slider buns with mayonnaise and place cucumber and radish slices on the bottom of each.  Top with a turkey patty, then sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.  With a slotted spoon, drain cabbage relish mixture slightly before placing some on top of each patty.  Serve the remaining cabbage relish on the side.

*If you’re unfamiliar with Gochujang, start with a smaller amount  and add more after tasting until you reach the heat level you prefer.  

Chicken Gyros

Last Year's Post: Grilled Shrimp and Corn Salad
Two Years Ago:  Gazpacho

It's late summer, which means the farmers markets (not to mention your garden) are bursting with fresh produce.  This recipe uses cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and lettuce, which makes it perfect for this time of the year.

Greek food is fresh, vibrant and usually pretty good for you.  Gyros (pronounced yeer-ohs) refers to a popular type of Greek meat that's thin-sliced off a giant spit and usually served as a sandwich with pita bread, yogurt sauce and cucumber.  Since most people don't have a giant spit handy, grilled chicken is typically substituted in recipes.  Chicken Gyros recipes often suffer from two major problems - dry, chewy, tasteless chicken, and leaky, cracking pita pockets. (Supermarket pita pockets are one of my all-time pet peeves to be filed under Never Buy Again Unless You Need to Punish Yourself.)  This recipe solves both problems and has the added bonus of using roast chicken from your local store (or your own leftover chicken), which makes it a very fast and easy meal to serve any night of the week.

The tzatziki sauce can be made at the same time you're making the rest of the meal, although it benefits from at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to blend.  It could also be made up to a day in advance.  The moist roast chicken is shredded and bathed in a light coating of garlic herb oil, which is also used to brush the bread before heating and lightly browning.  Finally, the cucumber salsa includes bright notes of tomato, red onion, Feta cheese, parsley and mint.  Iceberg lettuce adds the most crunch, although you could substitute sliced Romaine if you want.

I found the world's cutest cherry tomatoes at the farmer's market called "Tiny Tims" for obvious reasons.  Too cute for words.  You could also certainly use regular cherry tomatoes, or sliced or chopped regular tomatoes from your garden.  These were so tiny I left them whole.  And they were really sweet!

Back to the question of bread.  If you can find really fresh pocketless pita bread in your town, that's great.  Try the local Middle Eastern markets - they're an excellent source and a fun adventure.  Naan bread is an Indian/Asian flatbread very similar to pita bread (readily available in supermarket delis) that also works well.  Any other flatbread such as the "Flat Out" brand would work, and even flour tortillas would work in a pinch although they're less authentic.  The key is to make sure whatever flatbread you use is soft and foldable, although you could also serve the gyros open-faced with a knife and fork. I used naan bread and cut each one in half (they're big) for four individual sandwiches.

The recipe calls for dried oregano and rosemary, but you could certainly use fresh if you have some on hand. A good rule of thumb is to use approximately twice as much of a fresh chopped herb as called for dried.  I adapted this recipe from two others, and I'm genuinely pleased with the results.  In particular, the garlic herb oil, moist shredded chicken, and bright cucumber salsa make it the best chicken gyros recipe I've had.  I hope you like it too!

printable version

Chicken Gyros with Cucumber Salsa and Tzatziki

Serves 4

1 English cucumber, cut in half (or 2 Kirby cucumbers)

1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

5 garlic cloves, minced, divided

Salt and pepper

1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered

1 small red onion, halved and chopped

1/2 cup crumbled Feta

1 tablespoon olive oil

1-2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/4 cup chopped mint

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 rounded teaspoon dried oregano

1 rounded teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled

1 (8-ounce) package naan bread (2 breads) or 4 (8-inch) pocketless pita rounds

2 cups roast chicken, shredded

4 cups iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced

Lemon wedges, for serving

Peel and grate ½ cucumber, then squeeze it in a towel to remove excess water. Stir together with yogurt, lemon juice, and one third of garlic.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Refrigerate tzatziki for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend (preferable but not necessary if you’re pressed for time).

Preheat broiler.

Cut remaining cucumber into 1/4-inch pieces and stir together with tomatoes, onion, Feta, 1 tablespoon olive oil, vinegar, parsley, and mint to make salsa.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Gently simmer ¼ cup oil, oregano, rosemary, remaining garlic, and salt and pepper in a small heavy saucepan until garlic is fragrant but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes (or microwave on low power for 30-60 seconds). Toss chicken with 3 tablespoons garlic oil and brush one side of bread with remainder.

Heat bread, oiled side up, in a 4-sided sheet pan, covered with foil, 3 to 4 inches from broiler 3 minutes. Uncover and broil, rotating bread for even coloring, until golden in spots, about 2 minutes.  Cut naan bread into half.

Spread some of tzatziki on warm bread and top with lettuce, chicken and salsa.  Fold in half.  Serve lemon wedges and remaining lettuce, salsa, and tzatziki on the side.

Note: Tzatziki can be made 1 day ahead and chilled.