Turkish-Style Meatballs with Yogurt Sauce

Last Year's Post: Teriyaki Citrus Chicken Salad
Two Years Ago:   Cabbage and Spring Onion Tart

I'm always interested in foods that crop up in many different cuisines around the world, like flat breads or chicken and rice, or meatballs.  This meatball recipe caught my eye because of the Turkish spices and yogurt sauce, and because it looked lighter and healthier than your average meatballs in red sauce.

I'm not normally a meatball fan because in my experience they tend to be heavy and huge.  I was really pleasantly surprised to find that these were small, moist, tender and light with a really interesting mix of spices.  The real kicker, though, is the yogurt sauce.  Wow, is that good.

The recipe specified using a plain, very tart yogurt which launched me on an internet search that led to White Mountain Bulgarian Yogurt, which is plain and tart and made with just milk and live cultures with nothing else added.  I found it at my local Sprouts store but it's also available in several supermarket chains and many health food stores.  Yes, it's tart, but in a wonderful lemony kind of way and it's absolutely perfect for this dish.  I plan to buy it as my go-to plain yogurt in the future.  If you don't have a tart yogurt, thin a plain Greek yogurt with milk and lemon juice instead.

The combination of the spiced meatballs, creamy yogurt sauce and bright herbs is just wonderful.  I had to force myself to stop eating because I kept wanting just one more meatball, which is saying something from a non-meatball person.  Note that the meat mixture is combined at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours in advance to allow the spices to permeate the meat, so be sure to plan ahead.

I served it with orzo, but rice or couscous would work equally well.  Serve a tomato and cucumber salad on the side.  I'm planning to warm up the leftover meatballs and sauce and serve them in fresh pitas with tomato, red onion, cucumber and feta as sandwiches in the next few days, and can hardly wait.

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Turkish-Style Meatballs with Yogurt Sauce

Serves 4

Note:  the meat mixture needs to be refrigerated for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours in advance so plan ahead.

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs

1/3 cup milk

1 pound ground turkey or lamb

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup finely diced red onion

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of cayenne

3 eggs

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup plain, very tart yogurt such as White Mountain Bulgarian Yogurt (if using Greek-style yogurt, thin it with milk and lemon juice)

1 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water

2 ounces crumbled feta cheese

½ teaspoon sumac

Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Turmeric, for garnish (optional)

3 tablespoons chopped mint

2 tablespoons chopped dill

Cilantro sprigs

Hot cooked rice, orzo, couscous or pita bread, for serving

In a small skillet, toast the ground cumin and coriander for a minute or two, stirring, until fragrant.  Set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, pour the milk over the breadcrumbs and allow to soak for 5 – 10 minutes.  Drain the breadcrumbs, then add them to the turkey along with the salt, pepper, onion, toasted cumin and coriander, cinnamon and cayenne.  Use your hands to combine all ingredients gently but thoroughly.  Beat 2 of the eggs and add them to the meat mixture, mixing until incorporated.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 24 hours to allow the seasonings to permeate the meat.

Using wet hands, break off walnut-sized pieces (approximately 1 ounce) of the meat mixture and roll into balls.  Set aside on a baking sheet.  You should have 16-20 meatballs.

Heat the oven to 350d.  Cover one baking sheet with paper towels and a second baking sheet with aluminum foil.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat.  When shimmering, add meatballs in one layer and brown for 2-3 minutes, then gently turn and cook 4-5 minutes more.  (You will probably need to do 2 batches to avoid crowding the pan.)  Transfer the meatballs to the baking sheet with paper towels to blot any extra oil, then to the foil-lined baking sheet.  When all the meatballs have been browned, transfer the foil-lined baking sheet to the oven to finish cooking while you make the sauce.

Using the same skillet, pour off any excess oil and turn the heat to medium-high.  Add broth and bring to a simmer, using a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan.  In a bowl, whisk together the yogurt, ½ teaspoon salt, the remaining egg (beaten), and the cornstarch mixture.   Pour yogurt mixture in a thin stream into the hot broth, whisking constantly.  Turn heat down slightly and continue whisking until the yogurt is heated through and slightly thickened, about 1 minute.  Do not let mixture boil.

Pour the hot yogurt sauce over meatballs.  Sprinkle crumbled feta, sumac and crushed red pepper on top.  Finish with pinches of turmeric, if using, and sprinkle with mint, dill and cilantro.  Serve immediately with rice, orzo, pita bread or couscous.

Spicy Pork and Noodles with Herbs

Last Year's Post: Coconut Curry Rice
Two Years Ago:   Summer Harvest Quiche

There are two ways you can go at this recipe.  You can treat it as an adventure and an excuse to visit your local Asian market, or you can use the ingredients you have on hand or can find at your regular grocery store.  I was particularly intrigued by the casual mention at the very end of the recipe about serving the chile oil and chile oil solids on the side at the table.  Chile oil solids?  Not in any brand I've ever purchased at my local grocery store. Happily, we have wonderful and extensive Asian markets in Phoenix so I took a trip and found not only the specific chile oil the recipe calls for, but even the Sichuan preserved vegetables (they're actually pickled mustard greens).

I asked the guy at the checkout counter if he'd ever had the chile oil because it looks like it could be fiery.  He just nodded and smiled and as I left he said, "be careful with that one".  Ohkaaaay.  I took that advice seriously and only added a little chile oil at the table (with said solids) and it was plenty for me.  But it wasn't as explosively hot as I expected.

If you want to go the other route, skip the preserved vegetables (truth be told, I couldn't really taste them anyway) and use a chile oil from the Asian aisle of your local grocery store. You could even use Sriracha or another hot sauce to give it some spice if you don't want to buy chile oil at all.

This is a very easy recipe to prepare and can be served hot or at room temperature.  The important part, however, is to make sure the pork mixture becomes browned and crispy because the texture is very appealing with the noodles, herbs, radishes and peanuts.  I debated long and hard whether to substitute ground turkey for the ground pork, which I would normally do to cut down on fat and calories, but decided for the sake of authenticity to go with the pork.  Although the pork was very good, I think you could substitute ground turkey or chicken without too much change in flavor as long as you make sure to brown the meat until it's crisp.

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Spicy Pork and Noodles with Herbs

Serves 4

1 pound thin, round rice noodles (or other thin noodles)

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon black vinegar

1 tablespoon chile oil (like Lao Gan Ma brand)

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon canola or other neutral oil

½ pound ground pork

1 teaspoon salt

2 garlic cloves, sliced

1 1-inch piece ginger, chopped

2 scallions, light parts chopped, green parts reserved for garnish

1 tablespoon yacai (Sichuan preserved vegetables, optional)

 Handful of herbs like mint, basil and cilantro leaves, washed

¼ cup salted, roasted peanuts, chopped

4 radishes, sliced

Bring a large pot of water to boil, and cook noodles according to instructions. Drain noodles while running under cold water, until they are cool to the touch. Toss with sesame oil to avoid sticking.  Set aside. Mix dressing by whisking rice vinegar, soy sauce, black vinegar, chile oil and sugar until sugar dissolves. Set aside.

Cook the pork topping: Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat, and add ground pork and salt. Pan-fry, breaking meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until no pink parts and no liquid remain in the pan, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger and scallion whites, and stir occasionally until the raw smell has disappeared and the meat is starting to brown in places, about 5 minutes. Add the vegetables, if using, along with a tablespoon of water, and cook for 2 or 3 minutes more, or until mixture is darkened and thick.  (The pork should be browned and crispy.)

Divide noodles between four individual bowls, and top each with a tablespoon of vinegar dressing followed by a pile of ground pork, herbs, peanuts and radishes. Serve with additional chile oil and chile-oil solids, on the side.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Last Year's Post: Miso-Glazed Scallops with Quinoa and Grilled Pineapple
Two Years Ago:  Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Smoked Mozzarella

I remember disliking stuffed peppers as a kid - bland ground beef stuffed in a green pepper, then baked until the pepper was gray-green and mushy.  Bleh.  This is definitely not that recipe.  Quinoa is combined with kale, spices, pepitas and your choice of protein (spicy, mild, or vegetarian), then quickly baked to heat everything through.  The result is a crunchy , bright blend of flavors and the pepper is basically warmed through but still retains its own crunch.  It's served with an tomatillo avocado sauce for even more flavor, and I added some sour cream on the side because my protein of choice was Mexican chorizo and I needed a little something to tame the spice.  The whole thing is very healthy, delicious and colorful.

I prefer red quinoa's color and think it's slightly more crunchy than white quinoa, but you could certainly substitute white, or even farro or barley or rice.  After cooking the quinoa, you cook your protein - spicy Mexican chorizo, or mild ground turkey.  (If you used tofu of course you don't have to cook it.)  Add in some kale, the quinoa, and some pepitas (toasted pumpkin seeds).  If you can't find pepitas, use toasted pine nuts.

While everything is cooking, the peppers are cut open and seeds removed.  I like this method of cutting them open on their side rather than from the top because they're less likely to tip over and they're easier to stuff.  Top the stuffed pepper with a little panko/Parmesan mix for crunch, then bake.

For the tomatillo avocado sauce, you start by roasting the tomatillos. Tomatillos look like little green tomatoes covered in paper - they should be firm to the touch with no soft spots.  Remove the outer papery layer and wash them because they're sticky.  After roasting, throw them with the rest of the ingredients in the blender and puree.

You could easily stuff the peppers and make the sauce in advance, then just bake right before serving so this makes a great weekday meal or a gift meal for someone special.

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Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Serves 4

Quinoa:
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup red quinoa (or white quinoa)

Peppers:
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound lean ground turkey, Mexican chorizo, or diced tofu
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 clove minced garlic
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 cup white wine
2 large red bell peppers
2 large green or yellow bell peppers
2 cups lightly packed stemmed and julienned kale leaves
1/4 cup toasted pepitas (or pine nuts)
1 1/2 cups finely ground panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Roasted Tomatillo Avocado Sauce, recipe follows, for garnish
Fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs, for garnish

Sour cream, for garnish (optional)

Roasted Tomatillo Avocado Sauce:
6 medium tomatillos (about 8 ounces), husked
Olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 jalapeno, coarsely chopped and seeds removed
1/2 sweet onion, like Maui or Vidalia, rough chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1 handful fresh cilantro leaves

Peppers:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

For the quinoa: Over medium-high heat, bring the broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. As the broth is coming to boil, add the quinoa, then stir and cover. Reduce the heat to a simmer and steam the quinoa until the grains pop, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

For the peppers: Set a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil and add the turkey or chorizo, crushed red pepper flakes and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until well browned, 5 to 7 minutes, while stirring with a wooden spoon and breaking up the pieces. Deglaze with the wine. While the turkey or chorizo is browning, rinse the peppers and pat dry. With the pepper lying down on its side, cut off the top and remove the seeds and membrane. Repeat for the remaining peppers. Leave the stem on the top for presentation. Set aside.

Once the meat is browned, shut off the heat and fold in the quinoa, kale and pepitas (add the tofu at this point, if using). Mix to incorporate all ingredients thoroughly. Check for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper if required.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the panko and Parmesan. Add a drizzle of olive oil to lightly moisten and season with salt and pepper. Set the peppers on a roasting tray cut-side up and stuff each with filling. Top each pepper with 1-2 tablespoons of panko-Parmesan topping. Cover loosely with foil, place in the center of the oven and bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes remove the foil and turn on the broiler. Cook under the broiler to brown and crisp the panko breadcrumbs, 1 to 2 minutes, watching carefully so they don’t burn. Remove the peppers from the oven and allow to rest before serving.

Place 1/4 cup of Roasted Tomatillo Avocado Sauce on each plate and place the roasted, stuffed pepper halves in the middle of sauce. Garnish with parsley sprigs and an optional dollop of sour cream.



Roasted Tomatillo Avocado Sauce:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the tomatillos onto a baking sheet. Toss the tomatillos with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and place into the oven. Roast until nicely charred, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Combine the tomatillos, 1/4 cup water, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, avocado, garlic, jalapenos, onions, lime juice and cilantro in a blender and puree until completely smooth. Place in the refrigerator and allow the sauce to settle before serving, so it is smooth.

Sloppy Joes for Grownups

Last year's post:Lasagna Techniques

Until I found this recipe a few years ago, I hadn't had Sloppy Joes probably since grade school although I understand they're one of the most popular sandwiches around.  I've never been a fan of ground beef with a "can of something" stirred in, but this recipe is entirely different and so good. It has southwestern influences from green chiles, ancho and chipotle powders plus (a trick borrowed from pulled pork BBQ sandwiches) coleslaw right in the sandwich.  Having grown up in the Midwest, when I heard about BBQ sandwiches with coleslaw served on top rather than on the side I thought that was the strangest thing I had ever heard.  A couple of BBQ-loving southern co-workers persuaded me to try it at lunch one day on a road trip, and I've been hooked ever since.  Like many great dishes, it's the contrast of textures, temperatures and flavors that makes it work.  In this case, the cool and crunchy coleslaw contrasts with the rich, warm meat mixture, oozy cheese and toasty bun perfectly. And if that's not enough, it fits in a healthy diet because it's made with lean turkey.

I thought it was particularly interesting that the coleslaw doesn't have any mayonnaise in the dressing - just honey, cilantro, seasoning and lime juice.  It gives the coleslaw a clean taste that's very appealing.  (If you're a cilantro-hater, just substitute parsley instead.) 

If you're not familiar with ancho and chipotle, they're types of chile powders. (Whole chipotle peppers - actually smoke-dried jalapenos - can also be found canned in adobo sauce in the grocery aisle, or dried in the produce section.) Ancho has a rich warm flavor without being hot, and chipotle is very smoky and slightly hot.  If you can't find them in your grocery store you could order them at www.penzeys.com (my favorite spice resource) or you could substitute regular chile powder, but it won't be quite the same.  As written, the recipe is what I would consider to be slightly spicy but it's tamed by the coleslaw.  You can adjust the chile amounts (particularly the chipotle) up or down to your taste.

You want to use sturdy, over-sized buns for this sandwich such as kaiser rolls or ciabatta buns (not soft squishy hamburger buns) for two reasons.  First, a soft hamburger bun can quickly become soggy.  And second, using an over-sized bun allows you to hollow out the top and bottom to securely enclose the filling without it spilling all over.  The Neat Freak in me likes that part. 

While I was reading the recipe and came to ketchup as an ingredient I had to smile because it brings back a great childhood memory of my brother.  When he was around 2 years old he put ketchup on just about everything he ate.  I was watching him eat one time and he stuck a pickle spear in his ketchup and took a bite.  I was appalled on several levels and told him with all the superiority a 7 year old can muster that "we (meaning any sane child) do not eat pickles, much less pickles with ketchup".  Without any change in expression, he calmly stuck his pickle in the ketchup again and took another bite, never taking his eyes off me.  He was a difficult child.  At that point his only redeeming feature in my eyes was that he was the same approximate size as one of my dolls.  My sister and I would dress him up in doll clothes when our mom wasn't looking and then fall on the floor laughing. Good thing he doesn't read my blog or I'd be in big trouble for telling that story.  I know for a fact that he doesn't read my blog because I don't think he's ever cooked anything that didn't come out of a microwave in his entire life.  If he had been born 100 years earlier he probably would have starved to death.

Anyway, try the Sloppy Joes........if for no other reason than that they're a great excuse to eat potato chips.  :-)

click here for a printable recipe

Sloppy Joes for Grown Ups

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 lb ground turkey

½ cup onion, chopped

½ cup ketchup

1 (4.5 oz) can diced green chiles

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 tsp Dijon or yellow mustard

1 tsp ground cumin

¾ tsp ancho chile powder

¼ tsp chipotle chile powder

salt to taste

4 slices cheddar cheese

4 kaiser rolls or ciabatta buns

For the honey lime coleslaw:

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

salt and cayenne pepper to taste

4 cups coleslaw mix

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

To make the coleslaw, combine all ingredients and set aside.

Preheat broiler to high; line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add the turkey and onion and sauté for about five minutes, until the turkey is cooked through.  Drain.  Stir in ketchup, green chiles, brown sugar, mustard and spices; simmer five minutes.

Meanwhile, split the rolls and hollow out the tops and bottoms by removing some of the bread crumbs.  

Place the tops and bottoms on the baking sheet and divide the turkey mixture between the bottoms.  Top the turkey mixture with the cheese slices and place the baking sheet under the broiler.  Broil, watching carefully, until the cheese is melted and the bun tops are toasted.  To serve, spoon coleslaw onto each sandwich, replace the bun tops and press gently to close.

Greek Phyllo Wraps with Tzatziki

Last year's post: Cuban Paella

These phyllo wraps are a twist on a traditional Greek meat pie that usually contains lamb or beef called Kreatopita.   The wraps are a fun individualized version made fancy by adding herbs between the phyllo layers.  I learned this herb-layering technique years ago and also use it in a chicken recipe where the chicken breast is stuffed with cheese and wrapped with phyllo before baking.  (My Gourmet Club buddies still talk about that one occasionally.)  Anyway, it looks fancy but it's actually easy to do. 

The phyllo wraps have a delicious filling of ground turkey, onion, red bell pepper, lemon, feta, green onions, and an interesting combination of spices: oregano, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper.  (You could also substitute ground lamb or beef if you prefer.)  The wraps are very good but what makes them really great is the tzatziki (tah-zee-kee) sauce - a yogurt-based sauce with cucumber, garlic, and mint.  Don't skip the sauce.

Although the recipe takes some time to prepare the filling and assemble the wraps, the great news is that you can freeze the unbaked wraps and them bake them directly from frozen for a fast and easy weeknight meal.  If you haven't worked with phyllo before, don't worry.  The key is to keep the layers moist by covering them with a damp towel until you use each sheet, then brushing them with oil so they don't dry out and crumble.  Even if you wreck a couple of sheets, it's no big deal because a box has two bags of about 10 million sheets each. (And by the time they're all wrapped up no one can tell whether a corner split a little here or there.) You'll find phyllo in the freezer case at the grocery store. 

I've usually seen it spelled phyllo but on this particular brand they spell it fillo and then right underneath in small letters it says phyllo pastry sheets, apparently just to confuse us.  Anyway, it's pronounced fee-loh.

As I mentioned, each box has two bags of rolled-up phyllo sheets.  You certainly won't need more than one bag.  Just be aware that the phyllo needs to thaw overnight or for two hours at room temperature before using, so take one bag out and put the other one back in the freezer for another time.

Once the phyllo has thawed, slide the sheets out of the bag and gently unroll them on a cutting board.  Carefully remove one sheet and cover the remaining sheets with a damp towel.  Gently brush the phyllo sheet with olive oil, then place a dill sprig in the top middle of the sheet.  (Notice the operative terms here are gently and carefully. You'll still probably wreck a few but who cares.)

  
Remove another sheet from the pile (be sure to put the towel back) and place it over the first sheet, then brush with olive oil again.  Place the cooked and cooled filling centered on the bottom of the phyllo, leaving a 1" margin on the bottom and sides.

Start to roll up the wrap by covering the filling.

Then fold in the 1" side margins before rolling the wrap up entirely.

Place seam side down on a baking sheet and gently brush with olive oil, which keeps them from drying out and helps them brown in addition to showing off the herbs underneath.

Now all you do is bake the wraps or freeze them for later.  One last thought - this recipe makes 8 wraps.  If you have big eaters you can serve two per person, but I think one per person is perfectly fine (they're pretty big) along with a salad.  That's why the recipe states the number of wraps it makes rather than the number of servings. 

click here for a printable recipe

Greek Phyllo Wraps with Tzatziki

Makes 8 wraps

Note:  to freeze for later, assemble wraps and freeze, then place in a resealable bag.  To bake, place frozen wraps on a baking sheet lined with foil and bake in a preheated 375d oven for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.

For the wraps:

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup onion, diced
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1.25 pounds ground turkey
½ cup red bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ green onions, chopped
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
16 sheets (9”x14”) phyllo pastry
Olive oil for brushing
Dill sprigs

 For the tzatziki sauce:

1.5 cups plain Greek yogurt
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
2 teaspoons minced fresh mint
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

 

Stir all tzatziki sauce ingredients together and refrigerate to allow flavors to meld while making the phyllo wraps.

Begin the wraps by making the filling (can be made in advance and refrigerated).  Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat; sauté onion 3 minutes.  Add garlic, sauté 1 minute.  Stir in turkey, breaking up with a spoon, and cook 5 minutes or until brown.  Add bell pepper, lemon juice, and seasonings; cook 1 minute.  Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.  Stir in green onions and feta.

Preheat oven to 425d.

Brush 1 phyllo sheet with oil, keeping the remaining sheets covered with a damp towel.  Add a dill sprig in the upper center of the sheet.  Top with a second phyllo sheet; brush with oil.  Spoon ½ cup turkey mixture on the lower part of the sheet leaving a 1” margin on the bottom and sides. Fold the phyllo from the bottom up over the filling, then fold in 1” on both sides and roll up completely.  Place wrap seam side down on a baking sheet lined with foil; brush with oil.  Repeat with the remaining filling, phyllo sheets and oil.

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Let stand 5 minutes to cool.  Serve with tzatziki sauce.

Hoisin Burgers with Wasabi Slaw

Tired of making the same burgers time after time?  This burger features hoisin sauce mixed in with the meat as well as in a glaze.  If you're not familiar with hoisin sauce, it's basically an Asian barbecue sauce that you can find in the Asian aisle of your grocery store.  The glaze also has soy sauce and vinegar for extra tang.  The burgers are grilled with swiss cheese and served with fresh cucumbers as a topping. 

To complement the burgers I found a recipe for wasabi coleslaw that I thought would be great.  Wasabi is the Japanese equivalent of a hot mustard or horseradish.  The coleslaw does go very well with the burgers, but then I had the inspiration to put the coleslaw on the burger and that made it perfect.

Where I grew up we definitely did not put coleslaw on sandwiches of any type whatsoever.  But one time I was riding from an airport to a sales meeting with two business associates - Steve (from Virginia) and Dave (from Texas).  They're both big barbecue fans and spent the entire one hour trip in serious discussions regarding pork versus beef, pulled versus chopped, and sauces - tomato, vinegar, or mustard-based.  The one thing both of them agreed on was that the coleslaw goes on the barbecue sandwich, not on the side.  I thought that was odd, not having grown up in a state where barbecue is close to a religion.  When we stopped for lunch they convinced me to try a pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw on top, and I was hooked.  The creamy, crunchy coleslaw contrasted perfectly with the rich meat and smoky sauce to make a whole greater than the sum of its parts.

So, that's my inspiration for putting the wasabi slaw on the hoisin burger.  The punch of the wasabi along with the creamy, crunchy slaw is a great offset to the rich meat and smoky-sweet hoisin.  Try it yourself and see - this is definitely not your same old burger!

A note on the meat - you can  make these either with ground beef or ground turkey (or even chicken).  I like to make burgers that are about a quarter pound or slightly larger but you can make yours any size you want, just adjust the other ingredients accordingly if you use more meat.

* * click here for a printable recipe * *


Hoisin Burgers with Wasabi Slaw
Serves 3-4 depending on burger size

For the burgers:
1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
5 T hoisin sauce, divided
4 green onions, chopped
Salt and pepper
1T soy sauce
1T rice wine vinegar
4 slices swiss cheese
12 slices of cucumber
Wasabi mayonnaise (see below)
4 sesame hamburger buns

For the wasabi slaw:
1 T wasabi powder
2 T water
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tsp fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups coleslaw mix
Salt and pepper


To make the burgers:
Mix 2 tablespoons of hoisin sauce and the green onions into the ground beef or turkey. Season with salt and pepper and form into 3-4 patties, depending on the size you like. In a small bowl, mix together 3 tablespoons of hoisin with the soy sauce and vinegar.

Prepare a grill for medium direct heat.

Grill the burgers approximately 3-4 minutes per side, brushing liberally with the glaze on both sides. Top with swiss cheese slices and let melt, then remove from the grill.

Serve on sesame buns and top with three cucumber slices each. Finish each sandwich with a little wasabi mayonnaise or the wasabi coleslaw and the top of the bun.

To make wasabi slaw:
In a small bowl, mix together wasabi powder and water to form a paste. Add mayonnaise, ginger and garlic and stir until well combined.

Place coleslaw mix in a medium bowl and add enough wasabi mayonnaise to lightly coat. Toss well, season with salt and pepper, then serve on the side or on top of the hoisin burgers.

Note: extra wasabi mayonnaise can be used on the burger buns if desired.