Garlic Burgers

WOO-HOO!!! It’s 80 degrees in Connecticut! Fire up the grill!

Yeah, it’s only April but today’s sunshine and balmy breezes totally feel like summer. And what could be more quintessentially summer than grilling some burgers and dining al fresco?

These hamburgers aren’t your plain old garden variety hamburger because they are loaded with bits of garlic in every bite. The inspiration for my garlic burgers comes from the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival, which is held every year in Saugerties, New York. (This year’s Garlic Festival takes place on September 26 and 27- you should go!) On my first trip to the Festival, I tasted the most insanely delicious hamburger EVER. It was steaming hot off the grill, with huge chunks of garlic poking through the patty and slathered with dijon mustard. In other words, it was heaven on a bun. Ever since that fateful day, every hamburger created in my house is studded with garlic. I’ve never been able to quite duplicate the absolute awesomeness of my very first garlic burger, but this recipe comes pretty close.

I like to top my garlic burgers with caramelized onions and dijon mustard. Of course, you can use whatever toppings you like so get creative- maybe some bleu cheese or hot cherry pepper slices or olive tapenade. Or go traditional with tomatoes, lettuce, ketchup and mustard. It’s up to you. But make sure you don’t forget the pickles and potato chips.

GARLIC BURGERS

3 pounds lean ground beef
15 big garlic cloves, chopped (this is usually a whole head of garlic)
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
freshly ground black pepper to taste
10 kaiser rolls
2 tablespoons olive oil
Optional: 2 garlic cloves, halved

Mix the first five ingredients until the garlic is evenly distributed throughout the ground beef.

Use a half-cup measuring cup to make equal sized patties. Gently pack some of the ground beef into the cup, but not too tightly. Gently turn over into the palm of your hand and gently shape into a patty. Repeat with the remaining beef.

Heat the grill to medium high. Grill each hamburger for 7-10 minutes per side, turning once. If you like a rarer burger, shoot for the 7 minute mark. If you like it well done them aim for 10 minutes but take a look after 9 minutes because the burgers might be done. Be mindful that each grill varies a bit so pay attention while you’re grilling so that you don’t accidentally overcook the burgers.

While the burgers are grilling, split each kaiser roll. Brush the cut sides lightly with the olive oil.

When the burgers are done, remove to a platter and set aside to rest for a few minutes while you prepare the rolls.

Place the rolls, cut side down, on the grill for a minute or two until they toast a bit on the edges. Keep an eye on them so that they don’t become too dry, like toast. They should be browned and crusty on the edges but still soft inside.

If you’re REALLY in the mood for garlic, gently rub a cut side of a garlic clove against the toasted side of a roll. Otherwise, you cans skip this step. I love the fresh pungency of the raw garlic but you can leave it out without compromising flavor.

Makes 10 burgers.

Slow Roasted Beef in Cabernet, Bay Leaves & Garlic

Well, I guess last week’s wishes for warmer weather didn’t pan out because the sky opened up last night and covered us with several inches of snow. Sure, it’s pretty to look at but just glancing at the snow drifts outside my window makes me want to snuggle up inside a fuzzy blanket and hibernate until May. On days like this, when I wake up to cold and blustery wind, I pull out the crock pot in the morning and get a jump start on dinner so that I can have more time to do other things, like brush the mountains of snow off my car or try to entertain the kids while they have a snow day off from school. I tend to use the crock pot mostly during the winter for large roasts and stews but it’s a handy tool all year round because once you prep the ingredients and toss them in, you can turn on the power and walk away for the rest of the day. It’s also a great investment because tougher cuts of meat, which are usually less expensive, really benefit from slow cooking and come out so tender that the meat practically falls apart into succulent bites. I’m not going to try to fool you into thinking that a chuck roast is on par with filet mignon but it does have its own charms that you won’t be able to deny once you sink your teeth into a forkful of meltingly tender slow roasted chuck. You will be back for seconds.

Like a lot of people, my favorite food to prepare in the crock pot is roast beef. There are as many roast beef recipes in the world as there are cooks in the world. And I have tasted a lot of them. I don’t think I’ve ever tasted a roast beef that I didn’t enjoy but this version is my all-time favorite because of the big handful of garlic and bay leaves that season the meat. This is a pretty traditional recipe- there’s nothing really unusual about the ingredients but that doesn’t mean it’s boring. This is comfort food at its best- familiar, delicious and easy to prepare.

SLOW ROASTED BEEF IN CABERNET, BAY LEAVES AND GARLIC

3 pound boneless chuck roast
10 large bay leaves
10 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/4 cups Cabernet
1 cup low sodium beef broth

Place 5 of the bay leaves and 5 of the garlic cloves in the bottom of the crock pot.

Season the beef on all sides with the salt, pepper, thyme and mustard.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Sear the beef well on all sides, until deep brown but not scorched.

Place the roast on top of the garlic and bay leaves in the crock pot.

Deglaze the skillet with the beef broth. Pour over the roast.

Pour wine over the roast.

Place the remaining bay leaves and garlic on top of the roast.

Cover and set the crock pot on a low setting so that it will cook for at least 6 hours.

Don’t peek for at least 6 hours! If you open the cover while the roast is cooking then the temperature inside will drop.

To serve, lift the roast carefully and place on a platter. The meat will be so tender that you should be able to pull it apart with a fork. Spoon over a little of the cooking liquid inside the crock pot.

Serves 4, with leftovers.

TIP: Save the cooking liquid and make a beef noodle soup using the leftover roast. Chill the cooking liquid overnight. Skim off the fat that rises to the surface. Saute one chopped onion, one chopped carrot, and 2 chopped celery stalks in a splash of olive oil until softened. Add one chopped tomato and saute for a few more minutes. Add 3-4 cups of low sodium beef broth and the leftover cooking liquid. Bring to a boil. Add 12 ounces of wide egg noodles and cook for 10 minutes. While the noodles are cooking, shred the leftover beef and add to the pot. The soup is done when the noodles are cooked through.

Or, save the cooking liquid for later. If you don’t want to re-use the cooking liquid right away, chill it overnight before skimming off the fat that rises to the surface. Freeze for later use. Thaw the liquid in the refrigerator before using.