Muffa-burger, Part One: Burger Beast Experiment

So here's a new, on-going experiment. Burger Beasts!!! I have various condiments at home. Labor Day had plenty of BBQ (thanks, Dad)!!! This idea came into my head a few month back. What did I do? I took a burger and kicked it up a bit. You want some flavor and desire to try something different, you may consider trying what I'm about to share.

Now what you see is a bottle. This product was the inspiration for this project. I had some of Marconi Food's Muffuletta Mix (1) for some time but never had a chance to really use it. One of the most popular sandwiches in NoLa is the muffuletta. New Orleans has a wide variety of people and culture mixing together in one big symphony. While many know about the Creoles and the Cajuns (those who migrated from French Acadia after not signing allegiance to Great Britain.  While many know of the French influences of New Orleans, there are others nationalities that are pretty well represented are well. The muffuletta sandwich was born in this city sometime around 1906 by Salvatore Lupo, owner of Central Grocery company. You can see the obvious Italian influence in the type of bread (Sicilian round bread but focaccia or the like is seen more today), Italian meats and cheeses. It also has a sauce. To me, the muffuletta olive sauce is like giardineria (celery, cauliflower, carrots), only a bit more olive and carrot intensive.


So what did I do? I took some of the hamburger Dad did on the grill, melted some cheese and then added some of this sauce. The result was a very different take on a burger. I was quite pleased!!! I called this part one because I want to take it further. I will post some of my "experiments" I have done over the last year. For those who follow me on my InstaGram account                                       (https://www.instagram.com/emptyplateadv/) or Twitter (@emptyplateadv), you may have seen some of the crazy things (at least I'll concede as unusual) that I have posted there. There are no style points for this picture so let it speak for itself. Make sure that the mix is cold. It will provide a nice contrast to the hot burger and cheese (the same way as a pickle or raw onion). I'm going to take this further soon but for now, this will have to do. Step out of your comfort zone. Try something new. I liked this very much and think may of you will as well.  Enjoy!!!

Gut essen..... mangia bene...... comer bien!!!!!! It was nice to FINALLY get something back in writing and hope to do more as time permits. If you're not familiar with Marconi Foods, give them a chance. They a great product line and I doubt you'll be disappointed!!! If you're bored, tell them the Empty Plate Adventures sent you. No deals as of yet.


Worked Cited/Reference:

1. Photo taken from the Marconi Foods Internet site at https://marconi-foods.com/

Linguini on the Improv

OK. I know it's been a while since I put something here. Sometimes, things happen and this is just one example. So now, this is some linguini on the improv. This is so simple it's not even funny. As this goes forward, you see why I call this an improv. I also started cooking this around 11:PM for my lunch in the coming days (I was pretty busy and let time get away from me that day). Yes, this doesn't look pretty to start off but work with me. It WILL get better.

It came together as I went along. The picture above show around 1 1/2 lbs of beef (I hit the jackpot since I got some grass fed beef) and onions (I used about 1/2 a white onion but you add to your liking). I kept the initial spices simple- salt, fresh ground pepper, garlic powder (since I ran out of fresh garlic) and oregano. I also added on can of Rotel Hot Diced Tomatoes (shown below) during the sauteing process. I sauteed them in a part until brown (medium heat for about 8-10 minutes). Once the meat was browned, the fat was drained (ok, I drained most of it, around 90% of the fat).

Below, you see the can of Rotel and Local Folks Foods tomato and herb marinara.

I used Rotel Hot Tomatoes since I prefer spicy foods. 

Now, here's where the improv came in. I thought I had some nice cheeses on hand (parm-reggiano, mozzarella, provolone, etc). I didn't so I used old reliable Velveeta and folded it in with the sauce. Then added the sauce, Local Folks Foods. I kept the sauce on medium heat for about 5 minutes (long enough for the sauce and meat to properly marry).  There's nothing worse than meat with under cooked sauce. I eventually lowed the fire to low and just let it simmer, folding the sauce while if simmered. 

Now, on the subject of  over cooking, feel free to observe I used dried pasta but this is almost as good as fresh. I bought this pasta at a local Farmer Market and I decided to use this linguini, which was made by hand. I was warned when I bought this particular brand that I'll need to watch it when the pasta is boiled. Most pastas will boil for 7-10 minutes. With this brand, you have a glob of mess. It's much thinner than other brands. I sure didn't make that mistake. I decided to do this while the sauce was simmering. My Mom found these Chipotle Pepper Flakes so I added that and the other spices I mentioned during the simmering time. It took just under 4 minutes to boil this pasta (as my water wasn't at a rapid boil initially).  While I boiled the pasta, I stirred the pasta (also another suggestion by the vendor). I added salt and olive oil for flavor while cooking. For what it's worth, Sonoma Farms is a Chicago area businesses. Local Folks Foods is based in Indiana. 

 On this side is the payoff!!!  MAN it was worth it!! I was VERY pleased with how this came out. As I write this posting, I am about to have another sample of this dish. Buono Mangio!!!

This recipe made 5 days of lunch. While it wasn't my direct intention, I would up really going the local route with the products I used here. You can talk about buying local as much as you want. It still comes down to supply and demand as well as the free market system. Make something someone wants and the people will speak with their wallets. Food for thought.

Quick Guacamole: Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Frontera's Guacamole Starter

Are you in a mood for guacamole but want something quick? Well I have the product for you. I suggest you try Frontera's Guacamole starter. You may notice the Frontera name and associate it with Chef Rick Bayless, who owns a restaurant by the same name. For those who are not familiar with the name, this is the product line they produce. It can be found at local supermarkets and specialty shops. I first tried this about a 2 years or so ago and really liked it. It's so simple to use, too!!

The first step is to take 3 ripe avacados, remove the core and then scoop out the avacado. What I would suggest is to slice the avacado while it's still in the skin. Take a utility knife and then slice the avacado 3-4 times from side to side, then do the same from top to bottom (as seen below).

I find doing it this way makes it much easier to remove the avacado from the skin itself. After doing this, take a spoon (you can use a fork but I find a spoon easier) and scoop out the avacado into a bowl. Take a potato smasher and crush the avacado to an almost paste like consistency. While I did this, I added a dash of cayenne pepper (partially for color but partially for flavor). Next, add Mexican oregano, tomatoes, onions, and garlic. I prefer the zip of Rotels when using canned tomatoes. Since other family members might eat this, I used mild intead of hot. Once I get the consistency I desire with the avacados, I folded the tomatoes, onions and garlic together(as seen below). Now the directions also suggest adding fresh lime but this time, I decided against it.

The directions are almost fool proof. After that, I placed the mixture in the refridgerator and let it remain for the rest of the say. The directions say 2-4 hours but I decided to let it go the rest of the day.

5 Guys Burgers & Fries: One FANTASTIC Burger

OK. It's time for another adventure. As I was watching listening to the radio this weekend, I heard the hosts on some critical rant about Phil Mickelson's diet. This guy ripped him for eating Krispy Kreme during the Masters (which he actually WON) and going to the place I am about to mention now (during Players Championship where he placed tied for 17th).

I never heard of 5 Guys Burgers & Fries. My think was come on- get serious. 5 Guys Burgers and Fries is the actual name? I assumed that it was only a Jacksonville area or Florida chain. How wrong I was. They started in Washington, D.C. My curiosity caught me so I decided to do an engine search for them. Not only did I find out what they were a growing national chain but one was RIGHT UNDER MY NOSE and didn't even know it. In fact, I noticed it was rated highly in several cities by food reviewers, rated in Zagets (yep, that one) every year since 2001 and rated top burger in D.C. since 1999 (Washington Magazine's Readers Choice). So I look at the main Internet site's menu and how simple do they make this? It's so simple it's not even funny. Here it is:

- Four burgers- hamburger, cheeseburger, bacon hamburger, bacon cheeseburger (there are also "little" versions of these as well),

- Four sandwiches- Kosher hot dog, cheese or bacon dog, cheese bacon dog, veggie or grilled cheese.

- Regular or Cajun fries- regular or large (WARNING- fried in PEANUT OIL).

- Coke products and bottled water.


So upon my arrival, I did notice a wonderful smell or meat, grilled to perfection. Now most places give you an option of topping a, b, and c. The burgers (double by default) are a bit more expensive than most (though not radically more than a triple-cheese at some chains) but you do get what you pay for. Now back to the toppings. You want topping? You get them......plenty of them and all free- mayo, relish, onions lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, ketchup, mustard, jalapeno peppers, green peppers, A-1 Sauce, bar-b-q sauce, and hot sauce. You can order "standard" (those in bold black print), "your way" (a mix of both black and red toppings) or "all the way" (everything you see- all 15 toppings). If you take a peek at the top photo, you'll notice the detail of how my order was taken. My wait was about 5 minutes for my order. I went on a Saturday late afternoon and there were 2 people on the grill. The wait was worth it. I must say this was one of the finest burgers I ever had. The result is below.

This cheeseburger was SOLID!! As good or better than I would get at some full service places. The lettuce was crisp and fresh (and didn't put too much lettuce on the burger), meat was juicy and the toppings were perfect. All too often places put too much ketchup and not enough mustard or vice versa. This was not the case here. The grilled onions were placed just under the lettuce and the mushrooms were on the bottom of the burger. If you see this place in your travels, TRUST ME!!! It's worth a visit. To me, this is a 10 out of 10 rating.

Dried Mushrooms

I had an opportunity to get some dried mushrooms- free!!! Marx Foods had a recent promotion on a food Internet blogsite where they offered free samples of dried mushrooms. I actually got them yesterday and the picture is below.

The dried mushroom sample set all listed from left to right:

Top row: Porcini, Dried Lobster

Middle row: Shitake

Third Row: Southwest Mix, Chanterelle

Bottom row: Matsutake, Black Trumpet

Justin Marx from Marx Foods sent this to me in an email. I will use these and seem to be very good reference to have (thanks). "Here are a few links to get the creative juices flowing:


About the Different Varieties http://www.marxfoods.com/products/mushrooms

All mushroom recipes  http://marxfood.com/mushroom-recipes/

Dried mushroom recipes http://marxfood.com/category/dried-mushroom-recipes/

Wild Mushroom Season Chart http://www.marxfoods.com/-/Wild-Food-Season-Chart

What is and Isn’t a wild mushroom? http://marxfood.com/what-is-and-isnt-a-wild-mushroom/

What is a Wild Food? http://marxfood.com/what-is-a-wild-food/"
 
I would like to thank Justin and all at Marx Foods (http://www.marxfoods.com/) for extending me (and others) this offer. It seems like they have other great product. If they want me to test some other stuff (except seafood), I would be glad to do it!!! I actually made something with the shitake mushrooms last night and will post what I did in the next day or so.

Chili Man Chili

As I wrote last week, I said I had a few things I was going to add. Did I let you down??? OK. This is about products I like. From time to time, I will create a post on the various food products lines I've consumed and offer an opinion. Chili Man - quick easy chili. That works for me!! Of the store-bough chili products on the market, Chili Man is one I like a great deal. Simple flavors and yes, I add my own touch to it. We all like the quick and easy at times and this is a perfect example. I prefer no beans but they do have a solid product line including a vegetarian chili. This is pretty short and sweet.

How easy is this- the set up. I chopped up some onions, added some garlic (fresh or powder), cayenne pepper and some cheese (I used Velveeta here but any cheese will do the trick). If you have some macaroni, rice or some tasty complement, just pour it over once this has been cooked. If I had some roasted peppers (or something similar), I would add that as well.

I cooked this for about 90 seconds and before you know it.......................

....a nice bowl of tastiness!! I could add more raw onions at this point. I could add some sour cream and salsa. Of course, I would have my bottle of habanero hot sauce close by (that's a given). For the record, I do not work for the company, know of anyone who does, and have no financial interests in Chili Man Chili products.