Week of June 14th

Smashed Burgers (two)

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
Sauce
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 ½ teaspoons finely chopped dill pickles plus ½ teaspoon brine
1 ½ teaspoons ketchup
⅛ teaspoon sugar
⅛ teaspoon pepper
Burgers
2 hamburger buns, toasted if desired
8 ounces (80 percent lean) ground beef
¼ teaspoon vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
2 slices American cheese (2 ounces)
Bibb lettuce leaves
Thinly sliced tomato

Directions:
FOR THE SAUCE: Stir all ingredients together in bowl.
FOR THE BURGERS: Spread 1 tablespoon sauce on cut side of each bun top. Divide beef into 4 equal pieces (2 ounces each); form into loose, rough balls (do not compress). Place oil in 12-inch cast-iron or carbon-steel skillet. Use paper towel to rub oil into bottom of skillet (reserve paper towel). Heat over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. While skillet heats, wrap bottom and sides of small saucepan with large sheet of aluminum foil, anchoring foil on rim, and place large plate next to cooktop.
Increase heat to high. When skillet begins to smoke, place 2 balls about 3 inches apart in skillet. Use bottom of prepared saucepan to firmly smash each ball until 4 to 4½ inches in diameter. Place saucepan on plate next to cooktop. Sprinkle patties with ⅛ teaspoon salt and season with pepper. Cook until at least three-quarters of each patty is no longer pink on top, about 2 minutes (patties will stick to skillet). Use thin metal spatula to loosen patties from skillet. Flip patties and cook for 15 seconds. Slide skillet off heat. Transfer 1 burger to each bun bottom and top each with 1 slice American cheese. Gently scrape any browned bits from skillet, use tongs to wipe with reserved paper towel, and return skillet to heat. Repeat with remaining 2 balls and place burgers on top of cheese. Top with lettuce and tomato. Cap with prepared bun tops. Serve immediately.

This should be evident from the ingredients list, but this recipe as listed makes 2 burgers. Use the scale tool in Paprika to adjust accordingly.

This recipe was special request #1 from our youngest son who is exiting Jah Household for his summer job on the other coast and then on to college. But it's a fun recipe nonetheless. The foil wrapped pot works quite well as a burger smasher, although I spray the bottom with cooking spray just to be sure.

Sicilian Style Thick Crust Pizza

Ingredients:
Dough
2¼ cups (11¼ ounces) all-purpose flour
2 cups (12 ounces) semolina flour
1 teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
1 2/3 cups (13 1/3 ounces) water, room temperature
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
2¼ teaspoons salt

Sauce and toppings
1(28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained
2 teaspoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, DIVIDED
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 anchovy fillets, rinsed, patted dry, and minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated fine (1 cup)
12 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese (3 cups)

Directions:
For the dough:

1. Whisk all-purpose flour, semolina flour, and yeast together in bowl of stand mixer. Whisk water, oil, and sugar in 4-cup liquid measuring cup until sugar has dissolved. Using dough hook on low speed, slowly add water mixture to flour mixture and mix until cohesive dough starts to form and no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 10 minutes.
2. Add salt to dough and knead on medium-low speed until dough is smooth and elastic and clears sides of bowl, about 8 minutes. Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead by hand to form smooth, round ball, about 30 seconds. Place dough seam side down in lightly greased large bowl or container, cover tightly with plastic, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours or up to 2 days.
   For the sauce and toppings:
3. Process tomatoes, sugar, and salt in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds. Heat ¼ cup oil and garlic in medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic is fragrant and just beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, anchovies, oregano, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomato mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce measures 2 cups, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to bowl and let cool completely before using.
4. One hour before baking, adjust oven rack to middle position, set baking stone on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Spray rimmed baking sheet (including rim) with vegetable oil spray, then coat bottom of sheet with remaining oil.
5. Press down on dough to deflate. Transfer dough to lightly foured counter and dust with flour. Press and roll dough into 18 by 13-inch rectangle.
6. Loosely roll dough around rolling pin and gently unroll it onto prepared sheet, fitting dough into corners. Cover loosely with greased plastic, then place second rimmed baking sheet on top and let dough rise for 1 hour.
7. Remove top sheet and plastic. Using your fingertips, gently press dough into corners of sheet. Using back of spoon or ladle, spread sauce in even layer over surface of dough, leaving ½-inch border around edges. Sprinkle Parmesan evenly over sauce, followed by mozzarella.
8. Place pizza in oven and reduce oven temperature to 450 degrees. Bake until bottom crust is evenly browned and cheese is bubbly and partially browned, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let pizza cool in sheet on wire rack for 5 minutes, then transfer to cutting board with metal spatula. Cut into squares and serve.

This was special request # 2 from outgoing son, and his last meal before departing. Otherwise I wouldn't bother with such a complicated recipe mid-week. In any case, I made the dough on late Sunday morning and it was about perfect by Monday afternoon. You may want to shelve this recipe for a weekend but it's definitely worth putting in the library if you like deep dish pizza with a focaccia-like crust.

Salmon Nicoise Salad

Prep Time: 30 mins | Cook Time: 45 mins | Servings: Servings: 4

Ingredients:
2 skinless salmon fillets (about 8 ounces each)
coarse salt and ground pepper
2 heads Boston lettuce
Steamed Green Beans
4 plum tomatoes
4 Hard-Cooked Eggs
1 medium red onion
4-6 small potatoes
1 jar or tin (2.8 ounces) anchovy fillets, drained (optional)
1/4 cup Kalamata (or black) olives
Dijon Vinaigrette
Lemon-Herb Bread

Directions:
Instructions Checklist
In a 5-quart pot, bring 1/2 inch water to a boil; add salt and twelve ounces (four to five) new potatoes. Cover; cook, turning occasionally, until tender, 14 to 16 minutes.
With a slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to a bowl. Set aside to cool. Add eight ounces green beans to the pot of boiling water. Cover; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Rinse under cool water, and set aside.
Fill a deep skillet with 1/4 inch water. Season salmon on both sides with salt and pepper; place in skillet. Bring water to a gentle simmer; cover, and cook until salmon is opaque throughout, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate; flake with a fork, and let cool.
While salmon is cooking, tear lettuce into pieces, quarter potatoes and tomatoes, peel and quarter eggs, and thinly slice onion.
On a large platter (or four serving plates), arrange lettuce, salmon, green beans, potatoes, eggs, tomatoes, onion, anchovies (if using), and olives. Serve with Dijon Vinaigrette on the side.

Kind of a non-recipe. I usually include the potatoes, green beans, eggs, olives and salmon, but beyond that, I improvise. I don't know what you think of plum tomatoes, but the ones I usually see are of the Roma variety, which in the US usually taste like a heavily waxed whiffle ball. So you may want to branch out there.

You can coordinate the eggs and beans: Put the eggs in a pot with plenty of salted water, and turn on high heat. When the water comes to a boil, throw in the green beans and start the timer. At 7 minutes both are done. Chill the eggs in an ice bath to prevent over cooking.

I also think poaching salmon is weird, so I just bake it in the oven for 10-12 minutes at around 425ish.

Lastly, here's a quick Dijon vinaigrette recipe:
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
3/4 cup olive oil
1 tbs Dijon
pinch of salt and pepper

One-Pot Beans, Greens and Grains

Prep Time: 5 min | Cook Time: 35 min | Total Time: 40 min | Servings: 2 to 4 servings

Ingredients:
1¾ cups water or broth
1 cup quinoa, long-grain white rice or a mix of the two, rinsed
Salt and black pepper
1 (14-ounce) can of any beans
1 small garlic clove
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 bunch collard greens, kale, spinach or other hearty dark leafy green
1 lemon
Toppings (optional): toasted nuts or seeds, fresh herbs, grated or crumbled cheese, soft-boiled egg, avocado, hot sauce or other sauces and so on

Directions:
In a large pot or Dutch oven, bring the water, quinoa and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper to a boil over high. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 13 minutes.
While the quinoa cooks, drain and rinse the beans, then transfer to a small bowl. Finely grate the garlic over the beans, then add the oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Set aside. Remove and discard any tough stems from the greens, then roughly chop the leaves.
After 13 minutes, arrange the greens on top of the quinoa and season well with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until the quinoa is tender, 5 to 7 minutes. (When the quinoa is tender, it’s also translucent and has a thin white tail.) Remove the pot from heat, scrape the beans over the greens, then cover the pot and let sit for 5 minutes.
Finely grate some of the lemon zest over the beans and greens, then cut the lemon into wedges. Eat the beans, greens and grains with a squeeze of lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste and any toppings you like.

Very much "the last kid is out of the house" dinner. This recipe as listed is like 2 or 3 servings, FYI.

I ran with dandelion greens, and did 3/4 quinoa and 1/4 cup white long grain rice, 2 cups of vegetable broth (Better Than Bouillon ), toasted a handful of sunflower seeds and crumbled some fig-honey goat cheese on top. Winner.

Miso-Peanut Hibachi Chicken

Cook Time: 25 minutes | Servings: 4–6 servings

Ingredients:
¼ cup shiro (white) miso
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
¼ cup shoyu (soy sauce)
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup beer, any kind (a standard lager is my go-to)
3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
2 tsp. sriracha or chili garlic paste (optional)
2½ lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Oil, for the grill

Directions:
Step 1
In a large bowl or resealable bag, mix together ¼ cup shiro (white) miso, ¼ cup creamy peanut butter, ¼ cup shoyu (soy sauce), ¼ cup packed light brown sugar, ¼ cup beer, any kind, 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated, and 2 tsp. sriracha or chili garlic paste (if using) until combined. Add 2½ lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs and toss to coat. Marinate in the fridge overnight.
Step 2
When ready to cook, prepare a grill for high direct heat or preheat a grill pan on the stovetop. Using tongs and an oiled rag or paper towels, oil the grates of the grill or grill pan.
Step 3
Place the chicken directly on the grill, without shaking off any excess marinade. Grill the thighs, uncovered, until they are charred and browned on both sides, easily released from the grates, and are cooked through (until the center reads at least 165°F on a probe thermometer), 4 to 6 minutes per side. Serve immediately.

Where to start. OK. First. You don't need to marinate chicken thighs for 24 hours- typically you'd just marinate these the morning of. But Epicurious has presented us with a morning prep dilemma: the 1/4 cup of beer. I think the 24 hour marinade was shoved into this recipe because the 1/4 cup of beer in the marinade sounds interesting and cool, and to make it work you have to make this at night because drinking (or even opening) a beer at 8 am is decidedly not cool. But Epicurious knows (statistically speaking) you are certainly drinking a beer the night before while making fish tacos. Otherwise there is no real reason to be fussing with this marinade the night before. I suppose ideally you have one nasty ass beer someone left at your house a year ago which you have hung on to with the irrational notion some guest in the future will want a 3 year old Modello Light- in which case you have no problem just using 1/4 cup and pouring the rest down the drain. But that is difficult to put into a recipe.

Or you can just use 1/4 of water. It's not like 1/4 cup of beer is going to make any difference matched up against piles of peanut butter, soy sauce and miso. If you are really enamored with the idea of a beer marinade, just reserve a 1/4 cup of beer from the night before.

Second. Use thighs like they say. This marinade will leave chicken breasts pretty dry.

Third. Presumably you're going to serve these with rice or maybe a flatbread of some sort, and you need some sauce to bring it all together. Here's what I'd do. If you're making this for four, 2.5lbs of thighs is a bit excessive. Go to like 1.75ish pounds. Put them in a ziplock, and add enough marinade to completely coat them- probably around half of the marinade. The rest can go in the fridge. While you are grilling the thighs put the reserved marinade in a sauce pan on low and warm it up.